Which alcohol free beers taste the best?

I haven't been drinking for about five months now (I'll let you draw your own conclusions). And the question I most frequently get asked is whether I miss alcohol.

What do you think? I write a blog on wine and travel, OF COURSE I miss alcohol. I miss drinking a nice gin and tonic on a Friday night or having a glass of wine with a meal. I miss Pimms in the sunshine, frankly, I miss it and haven't really found any soft drinks that have quite filled that place in my life where booze used to live.

So, I found myself trying some alcohol free lagers and ciders. I never thought I'd bother with these as I've always been of the opinion of you're not "drinking" then, what's the point? In the past few months, I've tried quite a few, if only as an attempt to fill the sad, pathetic gap booze has left in my life.

A glass of Bitburger Drive. Nearly like the real thing

The first thing I realised is that most alcohol free drinks are not technically alcohol free. It seems that, in the UK, there can be a small amount of alcohol in drinks and they can still be labelled alcohol free. So I guess if you were being truly strict about cutting out all alcohol then you should probably not drink them. And, if you went on a proper binge, you could probably get caught out by the breathalyser test. But you would have to drink a lot!

The tipple I've most commonly found in pubs and bars is Becks Blue. By all accounts, it is brewed in the same way as Becks (and to the same high German standards) but the alcohol is removed at the end of the fermentation process. This means that it is supposed to taste the same as its alcoholic counterpart. Even though it is apparently the UK's number one alcohol free lager, it's certainly not my favourite. It has quite a metallic taste and is so fizzy that it's hard to stomach more than one bottle of the stuff.

I also found Cobra Zero pretty disappointing. There's nothing like a glass of Cobra with a hot curry, but the alcohol free version is much sweeter and has a strong, buttery taste to it. I couldn't even finish the bottle.

Bitburger Drive has got to be one of my favourites. Again, the alcohol is removed at the end of the fermentation process which is designed to preserve the taste. It has less of a metallic taste that some of the reduced alcohol lagers have and it has only 26 calories per 100ml. Unfortunately, I've never found it in a pub or bar and have only purchased it in Tescos, which I think is a real shame.

Kopparberg cider - a bit too sweet for me

My other favourite is Erdinger Alkohol-Frei. Although this is a wheat beer it isn't too strong, heavy or citric. Apparently brewed in strict accordance with Bavarian Purity Laws, it is crisp and refreshing and seriously drinkable. Plus, as it is a wheat beer, it isn't too fizzy and contains around 25 calories per 100ml. I've found this in a few pubs and bars, so maybe Britain is catching on. 

To be honest, I'm not a massive fan of cider, so I'm not sure why I thought I'd like alchohol free cider. However, I thought I would try the Kopparberg ones as I thought they would be refreshing in the summer. They make an alcohol free pear cider and an alcohol free mixed fruit cider. Well, sweet is not the word! It is like drinking a melted ice lolly! For me, it's not like experiencing alcohol and so doesn't fill the gap that I'm looking for. But if you like sweet drinks, then knock yourself out. 

So I found a couple of German beers that pretty much hit the spot. And I also found this great UK-based website which promotes alchohol free drinks called www.alcoholfree.co.uk and you can also purchase online from there. They even have some wines and spirits which I might give a go. 

I still look forward to opening a lovely bottle of Pinot Noir and drinking two or five glasses with a plate of nibbles. Sigh, aren't I pathetic? 

Happier days!

A pint worth walking two hours for

I’m not exactly a rambler. I’m no good at reading maps, panic if I lose phone reception and have no appropriate “outdoors” clothes. However, I can be persuaded if there is an offer of food or booze (or both!) at the end of it, and if it isn’t too long or hard.

So the walk along the Clarendon Way from Salisbury to Pitton is perfect for me. You can do it in under two hours, and one of the nicest country pubs in the Salisbury area is at the end of it, the Silver Plough.

 










The walk is quite interesting as it takes you past the Clarendon Palace which was a favoured hunting lodge for Norman Kings and the Plantagenets. Not much remains of the Palace now, apart from a few flint walls and a herd of random alpacas.

I’ve done this walk a couple of times. Well I should probably say that I’ve got lost on this walk a couple of times, and I’ve never found an article or website that gives a good, detailed description of the walk. So I thought I would provide my account of how to walk along this section of the Clarendon Way. I hope this helps prevent you from getting lost!

When you get to the Silver Plough, you’ll definitely deserve a bite to eat and a glass of something nice.

For a village pub, the food has quite a gastro pub, bistro feel to it, and they have a great selection of wines. Last time I was there, I enjoyed Bream from the specials menu with a nice glass of Shiraz. There’s a good selection of Real Ales, I am a fan of the Fursty Ferret. The pub also has free WIFI which means you can check in on Four Square or upload pictures of your energetic walk to Facebook!

Directions from Salisburyto the Silver Plough, via the Clarendon Way:

• Walk out of Salisbury via Milford Street towards Laverstock
• You’ll cross the River Bourne at the Milford Bridge before carrying up Queen Manor Road
• Once you get to Rangers Lodge Farm, you’ll see the first signs for the Clarendon Way Walk. Keep your eye out for these, and the arrows pointing you along the route
• Continue through the farm until you get to a large field where there is a sign post directing you diagonally across it
• At the end of the field, you’ll find a defined road/path which will take you gently up the hill
• Near the top of the hill, there is a look out point, which it is worth climbing up to, as it has excellent views over Salisbury and the Cathedral, and gives you an idea of how far you have walked
• You’ll then pass Clarendon Palace itself, which has a herd of alpacas in it (be careful if you have dogs, as the alpacas can chase them)
• After the field with the alpacas in it, you come across or defined path that has recently been upgraded
• After a short walk of around 60 metres there is a turning on the left that is easy to miss so look out for it!
• Continue on the path through the trees and log piles until you come to four cottages
• Go straight over here, while keeping the cottages to your right, when you follow the path, it will bring you to a road
• Turn left on the road past the red phone box, and then turn right up the hill until you reach the Silver Plough

If the urge takes you, the Clarendon Way then carries on for 24 miles to Winchester. There is a popular charity walk that takes place every June in aid of the Naomi House Children’s Hospice where you walk from Winchester Cathedral to Salisbury Cathedral. Now, there must be more than one pub along that route…..

Places I love around Sydney

I've been to Sydney several times in the past, but generally as a fairly penniless traveller. But having just returned from a trip to visit my brother, I've had a bit of an insider's view of the nice places to eat and drink in and around Sydney and I thought I would share them with you. Remember, Sydney is not a cheap place to play in, but many restaurants do BYO which can help balance the budget! Although it can be pricey, the quality is generally excellent, and you get lots of variety of cuisine and genuinely fresh ingredients.

The Opera Bar

With two of Sydney's most iconic landmarks in view, The Opera Bar couldn't be better located. Described as "the world's best beer garden", you can sit outside and admire the coat hanger and the Opera House, or if it rains (take it from me, it often does in Sydney) you can sit inside too. The big pull is the stunning view, but they have a lovely selection of food and wines, and for Sydney, it's not too frighteningly priced. I'd recommend the sharing plate which is a beautiful tray of little tasting bites- a bit like a high end tapas dish- and is perfect to share. Ideal if you want a break from shopping at the rocks, or for pre opera snack while marvelling the Sydney skyline.

Woolwich Pier Hotel

Sydney is built on a large port and there is a great network of ferries that offers a fun and convenient way to navigate the best spots. One of the ports is Woolwich and it's worth stopping off here to go to this hotel - or pub as we would call it in the UK. Built overlooking the Woolwhich peninsula, the wrap around veranda offers a great aspect from which to watch the boats go in and out while enjoying the bistro style dining. I had an amazing salad of Baby Beetroots, Yarra Valley Goats Cheese,Torn Croutons, Cherry Tomatoes, Watercress and Red Onion with merlot vinaigrette washed down with a lovely glass of cold crisp Sauvignon Blanc. The ordering system is a bit strange where you have to pay for the food downstairs, you're given a device which buzzes at you when your food is ready and then you have to go collect it. A bit of a fiddle for such a classy place, but maybe you burn a few more calories.

Cockatoo Island

Cockatoo Island is the largest island in Sydney harbour and a former imperial prison and Naval base. Although the Jamaican style Island Bar is a little ramshackle as it is made from recycled shipping containers, the wood fired Pizzeria looked pretty good and they do a wide selection of cocktails. The location gives you a beautiful view of the Sydney Harbour and the Harbour Bridge, and the Island has some interesting art work and historical nods to the colonial past of Sydney. A fun place to get a bit tipsy on a sunny day !!

Sydney Fish Market

This might not sound like the most classy of places to go when in Sydney, but worth it for the experience alone. When you walk into the market, you find yourself in the company of what seems like thousands of other people from every imaginable country. In group formation you walk round the market, very, very slowly, past trays and trays of the strangest looking fish. Cat fish, dory, place, prawns, lobsters, flatheads, scallops, squids, rays, the list is endless. You can obviously purchase all the fresh fish, but you can also choose from a wide range of cooked platters. It's really reasonably priced and since you pay per platter, you see people walking out with trays piled high with fish. We controlled ourselves and enjoyed some calamari rings and battered flathead. And, you can buy wine by the bottle which you then drink on the harbourside, watched by hungry sea birds. Free wifi too which is an absolute rarity in Australia.

Bavarian Bier Cafe, Manly Wharf

If you go to Sydney, you've got to take a ferry from Circular Quay to Manly. You get to sail past the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge and up past the coast with the stunning city skyline in the background. Manly has some great surf shops, a wide and touristy beach and waves perfect for any surfing fan. Before you leave, I think it's the law that you have a litre of mango beer at the Bavarian Bier Cafe on the wharf. Of course there are other beers to enjoy and you don't have to have mango juice in yours, but for me, it is the perfect refreshing drink after a hot day on the beach. There's a good pizzeria next door too. 

The Riverview Hotel

Described as a local landmark in the heart of Balmain, imagine my surprise when I walked in and saw a painting on the wall of "Southampton Docks". The nearest large town to where I live in the UK. So The Riverview Hotel gets a mention for that reason really! We ate in the bar, but you can also eat in the dining room and the hotel has recently been awarded 'Gastronomic Hotel of The Year' at the prestigious AHA Awards for Excellence (apparently). Not a cheap eatery, but pretty good quality food and a wide selection of wines and beers. They have an interesting tapas style tasting menu as well as gourmet pizzas and daily specials which are more substantial. I had the tasting plate which was three dishes for $25. 

And if none of that suits, why not do things the traditional Australian way and have a Barbie? With a lovely glass of Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir or an old fashioned stubby- I'm a fan of a Coopers or a Little Creatures!!

I like this one, no this one ....

One of my favourite holiday past times is going wine tasting. I fancy myself a bit of a wine connoisseur and love going to vineyards and pretending that I can taste grass or green or mumbling knowingly about legs and good years. I suspect however, that it all ends up like an episode of Absolutely Fabulous. Me as Eddy or Patsy in a tasting room in France, completely paralytic, snorting and pointing to glasses saying "this is the one, no this one, no this one."

So over the years, I've pushed open (fallen through) the odd cellar door, and I thought I would write about a few of them here. These are not necessarily recommendations, rather they are a collection of experiences, from around the world which I hope to substantially add to over time.

Canava Roussos Vineyard, Santorini, Greece
September 2011

We went to this vineyard following the recommendation of the rather handsome barman at our hotel, Hotel 28, Kamari. If I'm honest, there are probably vineyards in Santorini that have more spectacular views. Santo Wines for example has a much more picturesque vista and I met a couple who got married there and the photos look spectacular. However, Canava Roussos was within walking distance of where we were staying in Kamari and it was owned by the family of the hot barman.

The Vineyard claims to be one of the oldest in Santorini, and uses many of the traditional methods of wine making they have for over a century. If you are after a glitzy, and polished experience, this probably isn't for you, however there was no hard sell and it felt like a very relaxed and earthy experience.

From Kamari, you reach the winery by walking up a long, dusty path past all the white washed buildings and blue and white churches you would expect in Santorini. The vineyard itself is small, has a nice tasting area dripping with vines and grapes, a small amphitheatre and an area where you can view the barrels and traditional production methods.

They offer two types of tasting, dry and sweet and I obviously did both! Each had four varieties of wine and cost a few euro. Santorini is known for its dry white wines, the most famous of which is which is often blended to make a Nykteri wines. This is perfectly suited to my taste as it is very dry, but has a distinctive and slightly misleading honey, sweet smell.

I ended up spending a fortune, which I always do, and one of the lethal errors of going to vineyards and making a purchase decision after a few glasses of wine. My favourite was probably a sweet wine made from the Assyrtiko grape or Vinsanto which had a lovely plummy-burnt caramel-figgy taste. Served perfectly cold and utterly delicious. It may be worth noting that the tasting rooms close fairly promptly at 7pm, so don't expect to hang around for the sunset in the summer.


Mudgee Vineyards, New South Wales, Australia
November 2005

I was a vineyard virgin when I went to Mudgee and it was perfect for a first timer. I went upon the recommendation of an expat friend of mine who claimed this was the less commercial sister of Hunter Valley and the one Sydney siders tend to choose for a more authentic experience. I guess it's about a three hour drive outside Sydney on a mainly fairly dull drive, although you can stop off at the Blue Mountains en route if you choose (which we did).

I went with my brother (Bordeauxboy) who was a wine tasting novice at the time but has since taken on wine tasting as a professional hobby. We were camping at the Mudgee Valley Tourist Park and hired bikes nearby, as you can reach a range of wineries by pedal.

I loved Mudgee for a number of reasons. Firstly because it was utterly unpretentious and very, very cheap. None of the wineries charged for tastings which I was later to discover is an absolute rarity (I'd love to know if this is still the case today as this was several years ago). Secondly, every person working the cellar door was friendly and knowledgeable and seemed genuinely grateful of the company. Thirdly, the measures were generous and free flowing.

This was also the first time I tried Ice Wine which is a fortified wine made from grapes that have been frozen while still on the vine. Before this day I had formed the opinion that I hated dessert wine, but drinking this delicious, cold, clean wine completely changed my mind for life.

The whole experience was perfect for me as I knew little (nothing) about wine. Wine tasting can be a slightly pretentious and snobbish affair, and sometimes the clueless can be sneered at. However, there was none of this here. Just friendly helpfulness, and wine that kept flowing.

The result was a very drunk Pinotnoirgirl and Bordeauxboy doing some rather Kamikaze cycling around Mudgee. We also got dive bombed by territorial magpies, adding to the immense gratitude for our cycle helmets.

Hunter Valley, New South Wales, Australia
November 2009

So I thought it only fair to include Mudgee's big sister, Hunter Valley.

An exceptionally full of life Kiwi friend of mine drove that day. So I was lucky that I had her company and also that I didn't have to drive. From Sydney, you can easily go there and back in a day. When we went, an art exhibition was taking place called Sculpture in the Vines. Which meant we could sup wine, beer and (not) champagne while looking at a range of slightly bizarre, but very fun, art. They also hold a Jazz in the Vines event which my brother has been to which he thought was excellent.

There are lots and lots of cellar doors to choose from, and although more commercial than Mudgee, the place still oozes with the friendly charm that Australia does so well.

A couple of highlights were having a "Sticky Experience" at the De Bortoli cellar door which merited a mention just for the name. I enjoyed six different types of fortified wine including a (not) Tawny Port and the famous Noble One Dessert Wine. We also supped some (not) champagne overlooking the vineyards at the Peterson House tasting rooms. It was called a Champagne House then, but I notice it has since been changed to sparkling wines, I assume due to champagne appellation laws. We had a delicious meal and enjoyed some delicious wines in a beautiful setting.

To make our tasting experience complete (and to cement the future hangover) we went to the Hunter Beer micro brewery which is located at the Potters Brewery and resort. As a lover of alcoholic ginger beer, it was great to find some spicy litre bottles here that we could try and buy.

Needless to say, my head was lolling all the way back to Sydney, with my very sober friend looking on disapprovingly. Until we got home, and proceeded to finish off most of the wine and beer we had bought during the day.

I'm going back to Syndey soon, and I definitely plan to make a trip here again.