essex wine report

I'm back!!!!  Well I wasn't gone long but it was Oktoberfest time and that means loading up and off to Berlin. Where's that you ask: well for some reason after WW1 they changed the name to Kitchener after Lord Kitchener, who was a British General. I guess they didn't have a sense of humour about the war and it seemed the right thing to do at the time.

This trip is a tradition and goes back maybe 20 years or so for us. We have been to a lot of clubs but have settled at the Transylvania Club. Food is good and the beer is cold so what more can you ask.

This year tso and I spent Friday night making quiche for Saturday morning. Well this was after going to the dh for a few libations with app. It's amazing what the new ownership has done with the place. Dirt that was older than me is gone. It's bright  in there and the food is good. Bet Sid would be happy. Well after that we opened a bottle of Harold's cider. It's out and man is it good. I find it hard to believe that  he is the only producer of cider down here. Drive around and you see a lot of apples. Obviously Johnny Appleseed made a stop here. And by the way how about perry (pear cider) and maybe a peach cider. Never seen the peach but hey we got them here so its worth a try.

I had a Strongbow while out and I can say that Harold's is on par with it. It's very refreshing and not too sweet. Well it will taste sweet but you can tell it's real and not made up.

I've followed the cider since he started the batch and it is really worth it. My only fear is that he will run out of it too fast and I'll get pimped out of my share. Good for him, bad for me.

Well Saturday morning we had quiche, mimosa's and The Ugly American's ceaser's. I had to get the right horseradish, hot sauce and pickle juice. He does some evil stuff with these and I find it too much but he likes them and everyone else seems happy . I kept to Martini's. Always good at 8:30 am. We managed to get out of here by 11 then it was off to Berlin.

To the hotel and there was a crisis. No smoking rooms. Who told me we needed them. Hell, I didn't think they still existed. I guess they do but one couple off to the Radisson. Damn I screwed up. Next-heater doesn't work in room, another crisis. They are off to the Rad too. Hold on I had 4 reservations with now 3 couples-take that room-- ok that sounds good-sheesh problem solved. I needed a beer. So I had a beer and took a shower-had to wash the BS off my body. Now it's off to The Ugly American's room for what??? More beer. Ooops it's getting late and we have to get to the Trans Club. The sun was ready to go down  and we were supposed to meet more friends there. Supposed to be there for 5 and its 5:30 damn we're late. Run downstairs and lo and behold-a cab but he won't take six people for some reason, so tso and I take it and have him call for another cab. It was a Toyota and for god's sake why do they use Toyota's for cabs???? I smashed my melon on the door and was woozy for a while. Get to the Trans and there was a crowd out front. What's up??? Oh the doors don't open until six. Man its cold out, and windy and I have to pee. I really think having to wait to pee when its cold out is terrible and cruel. Drinking beer in the cold to me is stupid as it seems one has to pee faster and more often. Doors open, I check my coat and run to the men's room. Oh I feel better. This 6:00 pm stuff blows as the food line was a mile long. Was it worth the wait-yup it was. Pigtails are a food of the gods but they hate me so limited myself to 1. It still killed me but less than the year I had 6 and sauerkraut. Beer- we had a pitcher or 2 then as the youngins took over ~ 11 we decided to leave. Back to the hotel and guess what??? More beer, just two more then sleep. I felt like death on Sunday but it was off to Joe Kools (another tradition) for brunch, pizza and beer. What more do you want. Guess what??? I fell asleep on the way back to Windsor.