Boston beer tasting at Langebaan Country Estate

I have driven many kilometers to get to Boston’s beers before.  This time I walked all the way to the local golf course where once again I realised THESE ARE NOT MY PEOPLE.  Not only did very few try the free beer on offer, but even fewer bought it.  Thus proving that their lack of taste in clothes extend to beer as well.  It was also someone’s birthday party.  Couple a birthday to a golf day and boring speeches are inevitable.  This turned into somewhat of a conflict. 

The beer tasting turned into a Kalmer Karma (now closed for renovations) reunion.  So the younger part of the usual gang of idiots ⁽¹⁾  gathered for the beer.  Brought together by the Barefoot Bartender, who ironically, does not like beer.  As we worked our way through the beer on offer the speeches droned on in the background.  On several occasions some of the golfers tried to silence the good mood.  Mostly, it has to be said, the greyer members.  Nothing wrong with surviving until your hearing goes, but in that case either stand closer or ask the guy with the %##$%#$ mike  to turn the volume up.

Had a taste of the newest Boston baby.  The Honey Blonde Ale.  A wheat beer made with more neutral yeast than a Weiss and with added fynbos honey.  Very drinkable beer, not overly flavoured.  Not one that will get the hop heads excited, but I can well understand why it is turning out to be Boston’s fastest growing new product.   This makes for a great introduction to craft beer.  No point in going on again about the excellent range of other beers. 

In an excellent piece of writing Pete Brown, eminent British beer writer, wrote “With great beer comes great responsibility”.  Sadly, this responsibility doesn’t rest easily on the bar staff at the Country Estate.  One of whom took to tipping himself.  I would have given him the R10 anyhow, but it is my job to tip him, not his.  Bad service can spoil good beer.  Boston being so good I might give the staff one more chance.  Or one can hope that the local Pick n Pay will start stocking it if one nags enough. 

When the golfers left, the beer tasted even better.  The evening ended on a high when the Barefoot Bartender brought us Oktoberfest and Cape of Good Hops from CBC.

(1)    On the masthead of MAD Magazine the contributing artists were referred to as The Usual Gang of Idiots.  So it is a term of respect.