Monthly Archives: June 2012

Jun 30 2012

Beer – #32 – Harrington’s Belgium Tempest


Harrington’s Belgium Tempest a Strong Ale of 8% ABV in a 500ml bottle. Not a flash bottle, not a flash label.

Brewed by Harringtons Breweries (Christchurch) in the Abbey Tripel style the interwebtubes seems to be divided on this.

For me it poured flat and without head, and it doesn’t carry the same aroma of a Belgium style beer,  For me it’s a bit hoppy. The label says “moderate” I’m not sure that means what they think  it means.

It carries a citrus flavor that is noticeable, and an unerlying bitterness and a dash of caramel that kind of peeks in for a sneaky look but doesn’t hang around. All a bit soft really.

But the taste is close to what is expected. Close but not close. Something with the malt that didn’t quite turn up perhaps.

It’s very very flat in the glass, no head, no lacing, but it’s being brave with it’s somewhat faintly pleasing aroma,

Overall though I think that this is a beer that is confused as to what it is and what it’s supposed to be. 

On the pdubyah-o-meter this is going to be arbitrarily  disappointing at about 2 from 5. Like the bottle and the label this then isn’t flash. It’s not even solid, and it’s not a welcoming taste or aroma that you’d get from other Belgium style beers that are styled as a Tripel.

I’d like to be kinder to this, and I should if I could, you know I’m easily impressed, equally I’m easily disappointed and I am disappointed in this.

Related articles
Jun 30 2012

Beer – a Visit to the Factory – WilliamsWarn


A colleague and I were driving to somewhere to do something trivial when I mentioned to him that we’d just passed the WilliamsWarn showroom/shop. It was as much as I could do to get him to not pull the hand brake on and go right back. We did what we had to do and then we made all haste back to the store.

Where we met Ian Williams, of WilliamsWarn, We didn’t have an appointment, we hadn’t called and we just walked into the shop. Ian spent about an hour with us, and has such passion and excitement for his creation. He is incredible, explaining to us the pitfalls of brewing, why homebrew fails to meet taste levels, and how making your own mash works, and why temperatures are so important.

It really was a standout remarkable experience, totally ad hoc, unannounced and totally welcoming.

And we got to try some of the beer that they have brewing in the machines. We had a Summer Ale, Pale ale, Irish ale and a dry hopped pilsner.

I didn’t so much like the summer ale, to me a bit thin, but the other three were remarkable, particularly the dry hopped one we finished with and that seemed to bring the most joy to Ian in describing it.

The Mark I machines are all sold, the Mark II machines are in progress of being made, they’ll have digital dials instead of analogue (which for my money isn’t a good improvement, nothing says science like an analogue dial) , and the dispense tap will be on the top of the machine not the side. Oh and a better gas bottle arrangement.

If I could persuade MrsPdubyah that I could get a return on my investment on this, and I am working on it, then I would have one of these at the drop of a hat.

Ian Williams told us that there will be a Cider and a Wheat Beer addition to their range shortly, they’ve been cautious because they’re developing the machine and not the consumables, but having picked up some prestigious awards recently, notably a  Gold Medal at the Asian Beer Awards, they’re confident that they understand what they have to do, and that the owners of these machines also know what they are doing enough to be able to use their own ideas to come up with results.

I can see these being an addition to small cafe bistro outlets, can you imagine a dinner evening with a limited edition beer match to a great food experience? I’m sure there are some legalities about produce for sale and taxes, nothing that couldn’t be overcome.  And there was a suggestion that long-term they might produce a 50 liter or 100 liter version, and Ian has in mind a real entry level device that would address the beginners market, all in the future.

They’ve managed a lot with a little budget for advertising, I know they’ll be on TV shortly on Campbell Live on TV3 in NZ, and they are expecting a jump in numbers on the waiting list from Kiwi’s wanting to experience a commercial quality beer at a home brew price.

Oh and did I say from woah to go, that’s from closing the lid on the machine to pouring a sparkling A-Grade beer was 7 days. Just 7 days all up, all in. 7 days, imagine. And you don’t have to decant or bottle it, it stays fresh as in the machine for ages “if you’re doing drinking wrong”. But you can bottle it, and you could produce 23 liters of beer a week, and you could bees a different beer each week, and you could invent a beer that no-one could replicate, and the possibilities are endless.

A real New Zealand success story, and when he’s a multimillionaire I am going to be able to say I had not one, but four beers with the man that made the machine!

Related articles
Jun 28 2012

Unhappy Families – the one with the long lost brother.


From previous posts you might have got the impression that there was a family member shy of a family. The youngest child had mysteriously and inexplicably decided to shy away from contact with the family and for years became estranged from the family.

You’ll probably also get that we’re not exactly a close family.  8 children and not a one of us lives in the same town, city as any other one, and in fact two of us live in different countries.

You’ll also have been intrigued by the implosion that the death of the mother has caused within the family an some apparent greed being played out.

I’ll put my hand up and say that since 1987, when I left the UK apart from the occasional call home to Mother that I hadn’t made any attempt to talk to my brothers or sisters, and it was decade before I met my older brother in Australia.  Yes a brother and also my mother came to visit in NZ, but that’s about it. We’re not a big on being a family family.

So it was with unreasonable joy that the youngest brother had decided, coincidentally, to make contact with the family  again. I really was elated. This made me feel whole again in some strange way.

And it was with trepidation that I emailed him, just a touch-base email, just in case.

What I wasn’t expecting was the quite harrowing and upsetting reply that I got back. And even now I’m saddened even to think about reading it again. The opposite of joy unbounded.

Because, quite frankly, the horrors that my brother has suffered through. Alone.

I’m ashamed, so very very ashamed. Even now I’m close to tears with emotion and distress. It’s not a bad thing, it’s just very confusing.

The bit that makes me cry is this:

“PS. Please excuse my grammar, I suffer terribly with dyslexia since I had a course of ECT treatment“

I don’t want this to be true. I don’t think that my wonderful life should be so wonderful when your own brother is having what is a horrific treatment for depression. It’s not what fair is.  It’s such a gulf, a chasm between what I have and what he’s had. I know that it’s not same/same and it’s not a fair compare. But it’s not something that I’m comfortable with.

I’m ashamed because I have a wonderful family (mostly), which is clear because even though after many years we can pick up where we left off, except older, grayer, fatter, wiser. And I’m so bereft, so alone, in a country where I have no family, and the relatives are all from MrsPdubyah’s side of the tree. And! they’re immigrants too, the family tree isn’t so much a tree as a stick.

So quite apart that I like it here and it is my home, it’s also been a prison of my own making and that belief that things are things, and that family will always be there at this point aren’t actually stacking up.

I wish I could have made it better, obviously I can from now, or I can try, but for my youngest brother I shall cry a few shamed and painful tears of regret, anger and frustration. I’m so so sorry.

Jun 27 2012

Sporting your life vicariously – the one where they end in tears.


It’s down to the final few games of College hockey for Ms17 (MS18 in 37 days she informs me), and last night was the final of the local secondary schools tournament.

I’d forgotten how intensely competitive Ms17 is, her not playing grade or club Hockey this year has meant that I’ve not seen her play since the pre-season ANZAC tournament thing a few months back.

Last night, having lost 4-0 MS17 arrived in the clubroom clearly very upset. At a point midway int he second half, the coach had changed the on field formation taking off one of the ‘inner’ (and captain) and a ‘striker’.  Now either this didn’t register with MS17 (who plays at ‘back’) or wasn’t communicated very well on field. It did lead to some dis-array as the opposition made a bit of hay and mayhem as positionally the team were all set up wrong.

She says that after the game she approached the coach, Dave, and says she said that “it would have been nice to know about the changes” and had received not the reply she expected along the lines of ”get over it”.  Which is where, it seems, she loses composure.

In the clubroom she tells us that although she really enjoys the school hockey she hasn’t gotten over the fact that Dave, the coach, and age grade selector, had told her in the past that “she wasn’t fit” and that “she couldn’t hit a ball” and that her “grade level opportunities were limited.” Coupled with the fact that he’s chosen s strange combination of co-captains, one of whom is clearly not a teams player makes Ms17 a bit tetchy.  That the co-captains are picked at age Grade level might be why they are co-captains, and that MS17 chose not to trial for the teams may also be the reason.

It’s clear though that there is a lack of something in the relationship that MS17 expects with the coach/selector, and it’s clear that she lacks the tools to be able to deal with and get the answers / feedback / input that she’s looking for. It’s all very challenging.

I’ve no idea how to fix this, but I’ll work at it though.

Related articles
Jun 25 2012

Beer – #31 – Crabbie’s Original Alcoholic Ginger Beer


Crabbie’s Original Alcoholic Ginger Beer. It’s a beer, ok it’s a beer not a soda, a beer, says on the label.

I thought it would be dark like dark beer, but it’s golden like golden lager. And it does smell like Ginger.

Crabbies Ginger Beer  however, on investigation, is not made from barley. It is a keeved cider and it’s flavoured with ginger and sugar.

At 500ml of 4% ABV it’s not going to make you woozy, in moderation  But if you had  sweet tooth, a thirst on, and it was a warm or hot day, this would be the one that you’d go for.

It’s a bit like the Lion Red of alcoholic Ginger beer.

If there was a coin toss though between this and the Rekordlig Cider for instance I’d hope like heck that it was for the Crabbie’s Ginger Beer. Not that the Rekordlig Cider isn’t nice but.

It’s not bad, but it’s not what I was expecting. It’s not unpleasant, it might be a bit sweet, and it is very quaffable. I could see why this would be “on the list” for a summer party, and is very popular.

Lucky I brought two as one sort of went in a hurry. It’s very tasty and has a spot that it hits. It won’t be for everyone, and it won’t be for every time. But for difference, taste and just plain old enjoyment in a glass this isn’t demanding, testing or dangerous to your palate. Get some in you.

Thanks to the wonderful @leggully on twitter who put me right about this, and the wonderful “The English Corner Shop” in Onehunga from where I also brought some  Adnams Broadside - stand by………

To  the pdubyah-o-meter for some arbitrary stars out of a arbitrary number and this would have to be 4 from 5. Just because. I brought two and I’m looking forward to the second, It is a Monday and it’s a work day tomorrow, I think somehow I’ll get through it ok.

Related articles
Jun 24 2012

The Movie Critic in me.


Let the Right One In (2008 / Sweden) v Let Me In (2010 USA)

Both of these films have merit. Usually a remake is a chance to add amend or fix problems that may have existed in an original work. Often they are shoddy ill-thought out fiascos, losing any content that made them what they were or were about, moving a film set in one country to another might be a red flag.

However in this case, in my opinion, that’s not the case.

The American version uses plot devices that make it more a thriller. It also addresses a couple of the questions about the relationship between Eli/Abby and ‘the father’ It also replaces the irate neighbor with an irritating cop, and frankly neither the neighbor or the cop angle works out well.

I did watch them in the wrong order, the Swedish one today  (in Swedish and with Subtitles) , the American one last week, But I’m not sure that it would really change much about what I think.

Underlying the vampire story though is the fact that ‘the father’ and ‘Oskar/Owen’ are Serial Killers. Sure a 12 year old child might not actually be a Serial Killer but it’s clear that they are different children, and that like Eli/Abby they are different for a reason. One needs the other.

A couple of things that I couldn’t quite get though. If Eli/Abby is indeed old old, then the plot assumes that emotional growth and knowledge somehow stops when you become a Vampire. There was little or no wisdom in the character, no worldliness.

The other was that in the Swedish film Eli shows off some treasures and has money. It’s obvious about the money but not the treasures. The American version skips this bit.  It just left a hanging question

The american one also had a stronger emphasis on the bullying, but less on the relationship with his father.  That’s not to say that the Swedish version isn’t good, it is, but it falls a little short of “great” or “fantastic”.

Of course I have a pdubyah-o-meter that I can crack out that uses some arbitrary stars out of some arbitrary number.

For the Original version of this film I’d say 7 1/2 out of 10, the remake would be 8 1/2 out of 10.

Jun 22 2012

Beer – #30 – Duvel


Duvel – a Belgium Strong ale. I went the family sized 750Ml bottle of 8.5% ABV beer.

It’s hard  to be expecting anything other than magnificent from this beer. It comes with a reputation and a promise.

And it’s in a big bottle. And It’s been one of those weeks, and frankly I deserve this.

Hazy, White head, fluffy, snappy,  and from the reviews this is solid but not spectacular as Belgium Beers go.

For trick beer you have to undo the cage and pop the cork, all part of the experience , and then set in for an hour or so of taste sensation. This is almost Albino Pale, and it really does get a head on. It might be that I don’t own a “tulip” but I was impressed and amused at my result.

I thought this was a tad  ’sour’ as taste goes. Not really sure what it is I am tasting, it’s grassy. (and here I pause to contemplate ‘grassy’).

It’s almost a bit the opposite of what I expected which was a richer longer taste, and that’s confusing.

It does have a myriad of flavor in this, and begs for a food to go with it, so I’m going to pause and get the blue cheese out.

On the arbitrary pdubyah-o-meter for some arbitrary stars out of an arbitrary number I’d give this a 3.5 out of 5 which is fairly solid and not a disgrace, which I might be after drinking what essentially is a wine bottle‘s worth of beer.

Related articles
Jun 22 2012

Unhappy Families – at least you can pick your friends – part the fourth.


You might have been following the “Unhappy Families – at least you can pick your friend” story and the fall-out from an innocuous question and answer, and of the aftermath of the death of the mother and the intestate will. An again I make no apology for airing this, it’s as bizarre as it reads, and probably not a million miles from the way it happens with regularity for many families.

Briefly as a recap: #3 Child suggested that when the mother passed that she would have all the money in the estate, #2 Child agreed, based on a knowledge of one post office account, that would have covered the expenses, and left some money over. Not all the family was present (I’m in NZ, #1 is in Australia, #8 was at the time whereabouts unknown) but it seems reasonable to have been suggested, has some merit and if it’d worked out like that, a win-win.

Post death it transpires that there is a banking account, and unbeknown a building society account and a life insurance policy.

So whilst the “agreement” between #2 and #3 on the face of it was acceptable, based on one account with enough money to cover funeral expenses, a drama ensues.

But in graphical terms the latest chapter looks like this;

How the family sees “the family”

How the family is represented to a bank.

The family is represented to the bank as 7 – yes that’s right, 7 individuals. #8 child having been incommunicado for reasons of his own, and was whereabouts unknown (at the time). Bank require signatures from “Every member” of the family to be able to release the money in the account.

Meantime : How the family is represented to a Building Society.

Seems that a declaration of entitlement was lodged with the Building Society and an amount of money paid out, and kept, and not reported or communicated with the other Eight (or Seven – depends on who’s telling the story) children

Meantime: How the family is represented to a Life Insurance Company.

As far as the Insurance company know there is only one child in the family, a sole beneficiary, and have documented declaration to the same. Of course being an only child there are no other family members to report this to.

How the family reacts.

It was decided, based on #8 child being whereabouts unknown, and incommunicado for many years, that #7 would seek and be granted a probate of administration. Essentially a warrant to settle an intestate will. And this would involve full disclosure, reporting and investigation of the financial position.

#1 child is furious, #2 child is incandescent. The two other sisters are strangely silent on this (or they may be having in-private conversations with the Administrator (#7) ), I’m #6 and a bit miffed. #7 is righteously furious and #8 child has made a sudden and coincidental re-appearance (which bring much joy and smiling, and it’s a genuine re-appearance it’s not like we’re about to inherit a bazillion monies or anything)

MrsPdubyah shakes her head at me and tells me to stop making excuses or allowing myself to belive that #3 was acting with good intention. I’m beyond that today, it’s now just wickedness and wilfulness, and I’m all for the boys in blue paying a visit.

Related articles
Jun 20 2012

Beer – #29 – St. Peter’s Cream Stout


A gift this one. And never look a gift horse in the mouth. From the St. Peter’s Brewery Co Ltd in Bungay, Suffolk then the St.Peter’s Cream Stout.

A 500mls (pint) of  6.5% ABV beer, It’s very dark, he says, surprised, it’s noisy fizzy too. Smells like dark beer. If you drink dark beers you’ll know what I mean.

Not much by way of head on the pour.

But this is very very tasty. It’s very tasty.

And that I wasn’t expecting.

I think by the minimalist label that somehow I was expecting something a little less bold, and timid. Wrong! If anything this is a little sweet, and the head, what there was, has disappeared, leaving a flat looking beer. And it’s up the strong end of the beer scale in relative terms. I think this one could catch a few people by surprise.

St. Peter’s is an independent brewery founded in 1996 by John Murphy in former agricultural buildings adjacent to St. Peter’s Hall in Bungay, Suffolk, England.  Top work Mr.Murphy,

Interesting and different, pleasing and yet not inciting. But for a gift beer FTW!!!

So on the arbitrary pdubyah-o-meter this would be 3.5 out of 5 arbitrary stars. Given the chance that this was ever available on tap I’d give it a a nudge.

Related articles
Jun 18 2012

Unhappy Families – at least you can pick your friends – part the third.


I make no apology for the airing of dirty laundry and tawdry family behaviour in what follows. I’m as amazed and amused as you might be;

The cast, a family of 8;  5 boys, 3 girls :

#1 Son – Australia / #2 Son – England /  #3 Son (#6 child)  - New Zealand #4 Son (#7 child) England #5 Son (#8 child) - unknown
#1 Sister – England (#3 child) / #2 Sister (#4 child) - Norfolk / #3 Sister (#5 child) – Derby

The prequel….

  • My mother died suddenly and unexpectedly, and without a will.
  • There are 8 children, and we all live in dispersed places through the world, I’m in New Zealand, I have a brother in Australia. The rest of the family are salted throughout England.
  • Only one child, #1 sister lived in proximity to where the mother was living, in a sheltered accommodation (granny ghetto), and spent a fair amount of time with her.
  • That we were from a poor background led us to assume that the ‘estate’, such as it was, consisted only of a small amount of money in a Post Office account.
  • It was suggested, by #2 Son, and it was a good suggestion, that should the mother die then that fund should cover the cost of the funeral and anything left to go to the #1 sister.

And it turns out that on her death we know that there was at least a HSBC banking account with some money in it.

Part the Second – the waiting bit  – And this is where it went a bit wrong…….

We have a brother who for whatever reason has decided to go awol. He’s been unheard of for a few years. His choice. #1 Sister decided to tell the HSBC that there were only 7 children, which raised a few eyebrows, and caused some discussion between us, we all by consensus acknowledge his fair entitlement to inclusion in the family (As if that’s not the law anyway).  #4 son was volunteered to take things in hand and to take legal steps to become the administrator of the estate, since settling with the HSBC would have been impossible with only 7 of 8 signatures required.

A year or so (quickly) went past and I, in a fit of pique, decided to contact the family (Actually rather un-tactfully I put a post on FB) about how I was getting a bit miffed about not knowing what was happening. I got a fair old mouthful of feedback from the brothers (and wives of brothers) about how I needed to take a chill pill.

#4 son then starts to pursue vigorously the steps to become an administrator, which means swearing something or other in front of a judge or some such. Very important, and clearly it comes with a bunch of requirements and obligations, such as accounting for all the estate money, and assigning it to the right places.

#1 sister is asked, politely, to provide a statement or receipts of the money spent from the post office account (As mentioned above), as part of that. Also a general enquiry was made to the banking system to discover any other banking accounts that may have been active.

#1 sister sends a letter and at the end turns on the family

“May I remind all my family that on mum’s birthday it was agreed that as I had looked after mum for many years that when she died I would get everything when she passed. The agreement made still stands.
I do not want anything to do with anyone in my family. So you can take all the bank a/c money & stick it where the sun does not shine. Please do not bother me again.”

The list of expenses was a mish-mash of things, but included some items of dubious veracity, and an admission that about 50% of the money that was left had been taken by her for personal expenses and ”by this agreement”.

Part the third – the bit where you go mmmm…

That’s ok. That  there are some dubious expenses listed Is fine, it’s nit-picking to go over it with a fine tooth comb and be picky to the Nth degree, but does raise the hackles of the family who want at this point to have a completely fair an open understanding of what is what.

And all this is ok except for a couple of things,

  1. Not all the family made this agreement (not that it’s not a sensible and fair sounding thing).
  2. Turns out from the general enquiry to the banking system that there was another building society account ! Who knew?!

Indeed who knew? #1 sister knew and had produced a statutory declaration signed by her which stated she was legally entitled to the money, and had been paid out in full. #4 son has requested a copy of the declaration as part of his administrator status.

Follows though is a bit of  response from me and fury from #1 Son, #2 Son, and #4 Son. Along the lines that “Any agreement that was made only covered the post office account” and that a building society account was in place was unknown at the time (but not by everyone it seems). The #2 and #3 sisters have been silent on this issue so far between the whole family, they may have or may offer something to #4 son in due course.

What is clear that #1 Sister may have made a bit of a mistake. She’s clearly done something that has upset the family and gone against any spirit of agreement or understanding. It might not even be strictly legal.

From the ensuing emails the ongoing consensus seems to be at this point that

  • It’s not about the money (as if it ever was – the amounts are in reality small).
  • It’s about fair, and everyone being given the chance to say what happened to the money, and not have some arbitrary “you said in passing I could have it all”.
  • Those that have an opinion don’t think that the money is recoverable from #1 sister.
  • Those that have an opinion seem to agree that a legal recourse might be required to make a point.

I’m glad we live so far disbursed from each other, reasoned and judged emails, I think, are the way we’re going to resolve this, and resolve it we will. Can you imagine this as an afternoon meeting that you wouldn’t want to be at. I have to point out too that MrsPdubyah is convinced that there are more skeletons to uncover, such as the insurance policies that are yet to come to light.