Thursday, November 11, 2010

International Organoleptic Evaluation in Inveralmond Brewery Tasting Suite

Had a few brewing friends staying over from Czech Republic at the end of October and to celebrate Czech National Day on 28 October we had a wee tasting, or organoleptic evaluation as we brewers like to call it, in the brewery bar and tasting suite. Above left is Ales Dvorak, technical brewer at Budvar Budweiser, pulling a pint of Ossian for Oudak, former Chief Test Pilot for Czech Air Force. It was also my birthday, so we tasted everything from Santa's Swallie to Pundie...
We did manage to get out and about to other places of refreshment - here is the gang in the Ericht Alehouse, a fine estaminet in the heart of Blairgowrie. Landlord Kenny Fraser gave us a grand tour of his cellar with quite a technical discussion following on the topic of the Scottish style of vertical extraction from an upright cask, as opposed to the English fashion from a tap in a cask on its belly. Beside the inglenook we were entertained by the most excellent Laurence Blair Oliphant (in kilt) who had showed us around his fine sixteenth century home with its wonderful Jacobite relics. In the middle is our good friend Honza Suran, from Pivovarsky Dum in Prague, trying our Sunburst Pilsner, fermented with his yeast!
Later on back at HQ, after the sampling and evaluations had continued for a wee while, MD Fergus took a video of the 'Massed Pipes and Drums of the Inveralmond Brewery' playing at the party - ok, yes it was more than a mere tasting, it was a hoolie and a half! Here's the video .
Just to show that organoleptic evaluation is truly international and full of cultural exchange, here's a few shots from the Budvar Budweiser brewery:
Slàinte and Na Zdràvi! Ken

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