The first beer I ever drank was a Red Stripe, at about the age of 12, growing up in Jamaica that was a rite of passage to manhood you were given a Red Stripe and told to hold your corners, which means with beer in hand stand to the side, look cool, observe what is happening around you, chill out and relax. It was easy to switch between Red Stripe and Heineken they were both lagers with similar taste, so when moseying up to the bar the normal order would be “Boss man, let off a Red Stripe or Heineken nuh!” to me they were interchangeable.
I never liked the Traditional Brewed Guinness available in Jamaica at the time, it was far too bitter for my young tender palate so I avoided it whenever possible and found out very early in life that mix liquor was not for me, the worst hangover I ever had came from abusing Vodka and orange juice. However later in life my cousin introduced me to "Myers rum, ginger ale with a twist of lime", for a while that was my signature drink, bar tenders would immediately start mixing my drink as I approach the bar. Then I was introduce to Guinness Draught by a friend while on a visit to England and to this very day a proper pint of Guinness is my stout of choice, I use to measure all other stouts using the “Guinnessness “ scale but these days I know better, Guinness Draught is unique.
It was also while in England that I was introduce to my first pint of Real Ale, my brother in-law took me down to his local pub in Earls Court and ordered a pint of “Courage Directors” that was the day my palate lost its virginity, my senses came alive to a whole new world of beer flavours and aromas, taken to the nexus of the beer universe only to be yanked back on leaving England. Real ale is addictive and the withdrawal process is not a pretty sight to see, I searched high and low hoping for my next fix, for a taste of this Nectar of the gods.
On subsequent visits to England, London became more and more my stop over location, big city bright lights, been there done that, it was the English countryside, the County of Devon that became my ultimate destination, green and lush with rolling hills, wide open spaces and big skies, small quaint villages pack full of old world charm, history and tradition on every corner, this was my Jewel in the Queen’s crown, Devon is the Mecca of Real Ale and each visit represents my pilgrimage to her.
It is not only beer that excites me, Appleton 21 Year Old Rum is to die for … it is perfection, liquid gold and should only be served neat, so one can enjoy the flavours and the aromas that the brew masters spent 21 years creating. I have tried the Appleton 30 Year Old Rum, it is a very nice rum but I still prefer the 21, maybe because I am use to it.
When it comes to coffee nothing beats a cup of authentic Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee, I prefer the Alex Twyman's Old Tavern Coffee brand and I do not care what animal you have in which jungle crapping out beans to me nothing can compare to a cup of Blue Mountain Coffee served black, no milk no sugar and certainly none of those other rubbish flavours, when I drink coffee, I want to taste and smell coffee not vanilla.
So this is the world I find myself in, a world of taste, flavours and aromas, challenging my senses at every turn, daring me to analyze the things I consume, each one creating mental tasting notes. Even foods and drinks that I grew up eating and drinking now taste different to me because my palate and I have matured, Natural, Organic and Fresh are now words I live by.
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| The Speaker, Westminster London |
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| The Modbury Inn |
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| The Exeter Inn, Modbury |
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| Appleton Estate 50 Year Old Jamaica Rum |
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| Enjoy a cup of Twyman's Blue Mountain Coffee |
