Evergreen.

Called outside to witness a strange light moving under a distant cloud. We reckon it's a Xmas switch on or a newly opened thing in Dumfries with a sweeping light lighting up the underside of the clouds. A got a picture of Jupiter rising over the northeastern sky.

So I was enjoying a beer in 10 Forward & Picard said "maximum warp, engage" four decks up on the bridge.

That didn't go where I was expecting it to go. I have no problem with pricey pints, as long as it's the greatest beer experience I've ever had.

Now we're talking. My favourite beer style after NZIPA. Maybe an NZIPA is a subgenre of West Coast IPA. Just *keep* heading west. Grapefruity & pine resinous hops, bitter, clear.

Tastes like every other NEIPA to be honest. Sweet, not much in the bitterness department & gloopy. At least it didn't set me back typical NEIPA prices.

A late night long exposure shot of Derwentwater from the Theatre By The Lake looking west.

Scientists Confirm Aurora Borealis Will Be Visible On Google Images Tonight https://theonion.com/scientists-confirm-aurora-borealis-will-be-visible-on-google-images-tonight/

The latest episode of @basicbrewing.bsky.social talks to a German homebrewer who made a dark, malty lager using English ale yeast & was very interesting.

While it's not a bad beer, I'm distracted by the passion fruit flavouring added. It's very fruity like a pack of Wrigley's passion fruit juicy fruit gum would I imagine.

The first bottle of my red rye, cherry wood smoked beer has been opened. Excellent clarity, gentle rye & very subtle on the smoked malt character. I could drink this all day.

Bassenthwaite right now.

Just sell an advent calendar with ninety bloomin' days on it & be done with it.

New beers at Lidl this evening. Neither sound like my cup of tea, but at less than £2 a pop I'll try them.

BBC Name New Director General.

In the only interview with him, he confirms that he was popular with amorous suiters before, but since this publicity has had to invest in a shitty stick.

Two pics of a grey and dreary Lake District, two pics of west coast Cumbria about an hour or so later.

Looking at the BBC Sport website to see that Wolves haven't chalked up another 1 in the L column. That's because it's a late kick off.

Was looking at watching the coolest* film ever - Ronin - tonight but I don't have 2 hours of awake time in me. *not best, but then I can't think what the best film is in my opinion - I'd probably say something daft like Doc Hollywood or The Man Who Knew Too Little.

He's a pussy cat and he's OK He sleeps all night and he sleeps all day He catches mice He breaks their necks He likes to sleep for hours He really does f*** all And he's my wife's not *ours*

#BrewDay over. One straightforward Saison with an OG of 1.048 now under the stairs fermenting. Europils malt, East Kent Goldings hops & WHC Labs Saison yeast.

Even before I use the last of my grain & hops from the store, I've ordered the ingredients for the two after; Belgian Blonde Ale & Black IPA.

Next up for brewing: a plain Saison. I keep wanting to add something to it & may still do, but I haven't made a straightforward one in ages.

Just bottled my beer made with RedX, Crystal rye & cherry smoked malts. All 3 malts were new to me. It tastes a little like sherry or raisins, with just a gentle smoke & rye flavour. Look at the clarity already! This is going to be a good 'un.

I'll admit this may seem an overreaction to my kid not going into school & demanding bacon, cheese & nicey spicy toasted bread sandwiches for breakfast.

Maybe I should book annual leave, get up & leave the house as normal, wait in a layby until everyone else has left the house, then come back & enjoy a day of leisure? Telling people you have free time available appears to just conjure up lists of odd jobs & can-you-justs out of the air.

I've got tickets to this year's Cockermouth Beer Fest in December. It's a fest where I don't mind most of the beers being local as I don't get out much, so haven't tried them😀

I think the term "beer luvvies" ought to be used more often. I am a bit of a beer luvvie. "Oh darling, this beer is dee-vine & just super - you simply *must* try it!".

Us beer luvvies will say a beer tastes of English white wine, blueberries or mango. A regular person tastes the same beer & they will tell you it does not. We are describing the differences between all the beers we've ever tried, they are describing the beer in their hand.

It's budget beer night tonight at my table. Nothing over £2 a pop. I'd rather drink a kombucha or kefir than a poor quality beer, so you should know these are decent.

$18 Mocktail Satisfies Craving To Waste Money https://theonion.com/18-mocktail-satisfies-craving-to-waste-money-1851449216/

My last Saturday at work. Still got over a week to go, but am burning annual leave at the end of my notice period. New job doesn't involve getting up at 04:00 or regular weekend work.

I say, I say, I say - what do you get if you cross a classic brown bitter with a Gose?

I'm not saying Xmas is getting earlier, but I just saw an advent calendar for Xmas 2026.

Halloween used to keep Xmas at bay until November, but it's been Halloween *and* Xmas in the shops for weeks already.

It would appear that asking an AI to do something is like asking a teenager. You try & word it so there's no room for ambiguity, you still have to check they've done the task as you said & you end up thinking you may of well of just done it yourself.

This is definitely for me. I've got an hour & forty to watch a film. Spend thirty mins flicking through 5/10 rated movies, then realised there's no time left to watch *any* movie.

Only a few bottles of my straightforward Heffeweisen left under the stairs.

Still a few bottles of NZ Brut Jasmine IPA left under the stairs while my latest red smoked rye beer ferments.

The sweetest substance in the known universe. No, not even at 19p.

Half moon emerging from a thunderhead cloud.

I think Bill's mother has set up shop in Dumfries.

Minority representation on TV causes outrage From the new Private Eye, in shops now.

You'd think that a grey plastic folder with University of Leicester on (a uni I didn't go to) that I've had for nearly 35 years & keep in a steel filling cabinet because it contains every bit of proof I officially exist would be difficult to lose.

#Brewday over bar the washing up. Wort in the fermenter with an OG 1.044, temp 18°C & volume of 14 litres. WHC Lab Bond English ale yeast has been used.

"Adverts should be representative of traditional British families".

My red ale with crystal rye & cherry smoked malt was mashed in about ten minutes ago.

I feel like I've finally caught up with that hour I had to get up earlier back in March.

Four episodes in & I've not cried so much at the telly in years.