http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-taste/wine-reviews/alastair-gilmour/ JournalLive for North East news. Read the latest from The Journal newspaper covering Newcastle, Tyne and Wear, Northumberland all areas across the Northeast. en-gb JournalLive http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-taste/wine-reviews/alastair-gilmour/2008/07/18/straight-from-the-heart-61634-21362041/ Thu, 17 Jul 2008 23:00:00 GMT http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-taste/wine-reviews/alastair-gilmour/2008/07/18/straight-from-the-heart-61634-21362041/ SUPERLATIVES suffer from overuse; it’s the way we tell them. Something just above the ordinary is often “world class”; the decidedly average rises to “exceptional”, and commonplace becomes “outstanding”. http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-taste/wine-reviews/alastair-gilmour/2008/07/11/brewing-yard-wins-by-a-mile-61634-21319309/ Thu, 10 Jul 2008 23:00:00 GMT http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-taste/wine-reviews/alastair-gilmour/2008/07/11/brewing-yard-wins-by-a-mile-61634-21319309/ The name lives on http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-taste/wine-reviews/alastair-gilmour/2008/07/04/festival-flavours-61634-21225611/ Thu, 03 Jul 2008 23:00:00 GMT http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-taste/wine-reviews/alastair-gilmour/2008/07/04/festival-flavours-61634-21225611/ A BLACK cat stretches out, soaking up the warm, early morning sunshine. Industrial sounds from the valley below create a steady rhythm with distant traffic supplying a backing track. Long may the harmony last. http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-taste/wine-reviews/alastair-gilmour/2008/06/27/a-good-match-61634-21158914/ Thu, 26 Jun 2008 23:00:00 GMT http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-taste/wine-reviews/alastair-gilmour/2008/06/27/a-good-match-61634-21158914/ COLLINS Concise goes straight for the throat. The dictionary defines “bacchanalia” as “orgiastic rites associated with Bacchus”. Bacchus is the Greek God of wine and the inspirer of ritual madness and ecstasy; he also lends his name to one of Newcastle’s finest pubs. http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-taste/wine-reviews/alastair-gilmour/2008/06/20/crocodile-choux-61634-21108470/ Thu, 19 Jun 2008 23:00:00 GMT http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-taste/wine-reviews/alastair-gilmour/2008/06/20/crocodile-choux-61634-21108470/ THE crimped edge, the buttery aroma, the varied hues of brown, the trickle of caramelised gravy, the lazily rising bubbles. Mission accomplished, a lifetime’s quest is concluded. http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-taste/wine-reviews/alastair-gilmour/2008/06/13/exhibition-now-you-re-talking-61634-21066098/ Thu, 12 Jun 2008 23:00:00 GMT http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-taste/wine-reviews/alastair-gilmour/2008/06/13/exhibition-now-you-re-talking-61634-21066098/ IN Greek mythology, Jason and the Argonauts searched for The Golden Fleece. John and Yvonne went on a quest to bring back the Queen’s Head, The British Lion and The Atlas. Their haul also included The Ship, The Waggon and Rector House. http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-taste/wine-reviews/alastair-gilmour/2008/06/06/as-easy-as-xyz-61634-21031537/ Thu, 05 Jun 2008 23:00:00 GMT http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-taste/wine-reviews/alastair-gilmour/2008/06/06/as-easy-as-xyz-61634-21031537/ THE human herding instinct survives. We queue and we cluster, we nestle and cram, even when there’s enough space to roam free. http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-taste/wine-reviews/alastair-gilmour/2008/05/30/raw-talent-61634-20994638/ Thu, 29 May 2008 23:00:00 GMT http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-taste/wine-reviews/alastair-gilmour/2008/05/30/raw-talent-61634-20994638/ WHAT’S for afters? We’ve combined beer and cheese, beer and chocolate, beer and pies and beer and shellfish in a food and drink bandwagon that’s gathering pace. http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-taste/wine-reviews/alastair-gilmour/2008/05/23/one-man-brewery-proves-true-dedication-61634-20962246/ Thu, 22 May 2008 23:00:00 GMT http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-taste/wine-reviews/alastair-gilmour/2008/05/23/one-man-brewery-proves-true-dedication-61634-20962246/ MUSIC is proven to have a mellowing effect on the soul. Geniality, affability and pleasantly placid serenity drift and settle, then embrace the most resilient of characters. http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-taste/wine-reviews/alastair-gilmour/2008/05/16/tyne-for-a-pint-61634-20918280/ Thu, 15 May 2008 23:00:00 GMT http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-taste/wine-reviews/alastair-gilmour/2008/05/16/tyne-for-a-pint-61634-20918280/ ALE plus arithmetic equals chaos. If our summing-up is as it should be we estimate that over the past two centuries some 400 breweries have hugged the River Tyne. http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-taste/wine-reviews/alastair-gilmour/2008/05/09/beer-with-a-sting-61634-20883018/ Thu, 08 May 2008 23:00:00 GMT http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-taste/wine-reviews/alastair-gilmour/2008/05/09/beer-with-a-sting-61634-20883018/ GORDON Sumner, The Entertainer and urtica dioica deserve some respect. Next week is National Be Nice To Nettles Week, a Sting-orientated love-in which coincidentally heralds the return of a seasonal ale. http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-taste/wine-reviews/alastair-gilmour/2008/05/02/oddfellows-festival-is-a-friendly-drinks-society-61634-20853293/ Thu, 01 May 2008 23:00:00 GMT http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-taste/wine-reviews/alastair-gilmour/2008/05/02/oddfellows-festival-is-a-friendly-drinks-society-61634-20853293/ LATIN may be a dead language, but Amo, Amas, Amat survives in loving relationships. Veni, Vidi, Vici came and went with Julius Caesar, but what of Amicitia, Amor, Veritas? http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-taste/wine-reviews/alastair-gilmour/2008/04/25/festival-puts-spotlight-on-the-micro-brewers-61634-20816719/ Thu, 24 Apr 2008 23:00:00 GMT http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-taste/wine-reviews/alastair-gilmour/2008/04/25/festival-puts-spotlight-on-the-micro-brewers-61634-20816719/ STATISTICS reveal that micro-brewers are responsible for one in every six pints of beer sold in this country. On first looks, it’s impressive; on the other hand, it’s a dispiriting fact if you calculate that five out of six pints aren’t. http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-taste/wine-reviews/alastair-gilmour/2008/04/18/the-barrels-ale-house-proves-itself-an-acclaimed-star-act-61634-20781468/ Thu, 17 Apr 2008 23:00:00 GMT http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-taste/wine-reviews/alastair-gilmour/2008/04/18/the-barrels-ale-house-proves-itself-an-acclaimed-star-act-61634-20781468/ WHEN JIMI Hendrix watched me wee. Not a headline to rival Freddie Starr Ate My Hamster, but an observation from a Northumberland pub. http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-taste/wine-reviews/alastair-gilmour/2008/04/11/ancient-water-a-winner-for-budvar-61634-20750891/ Fri, 11 Apr 2008 07:44:00 GMT http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-taste/wine-reviews/alastair-gilmour/2008/04/11/ancient-water-a-winner-for-budvar-61634-20750891/ WHEN 97% of your ingredients has been percolating, seeping, filtering and circulating for 10,000 years, 90 more days sitting in a metal tank is possibly neither here nor there. http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-taste/wine-reviews/alastair-gilmour/2008/04/04/cliff-top-pub-inspires-life-support-from-devoted-carers-61634-20715842/ Thu, 03 Apr 2008 23:30:00 GMT http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-taste/wine-reviews/alastair-gilmour/2008/04/04/cliff-top-pub-inspires-life-support-from-devoted-carers-61634-20715842/ IT’S the day after the clocks tick forward; the narrow-angled evening sun sparkles off St Mary’s lighthouse, the sky is incredibly blue, a freighter glides silently past the North Tyneside shore; British Summer Time has arrived. http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-taste/wine-reviews/alastair-gilmour/2008/04/04/racecourse-festival-to-mark-grand-national-61634-20715831/ Thu, 03 Apr 2008 23:00:00 GMT http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-taste/wine-reviews/alastair-gilmour/2008/04/04/racecourse-festival-to-mark-grand-national-61634-20715831/ NEWCASTLE Racecourse is hosting a Grand National Beer Festival race day tomorrow at High Gosforth Park to coincide with the running of the world’s most famous steeplechase at Aintree. http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-taste/wine-reviews/alastair-gilmour/2008/03/28/festivals-stalwart-alan-has-tasted-delights-of-9-000-ales-61634-20684345/ Fri, 28 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-taste/wine-reviews/alastair-gilmour/2008/03/28/festivals-stalwart-alan-has-tasted-delights-of-9-000-ales-61634-20684345/ THE dictionary can only go so far. Ticker n 1 Sl. 1a the heart. 1b a watch. 2 a person or thing that ticks. A ticker in the beer world, however, is defined differently. http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-taste/wine-reviews/alastair-gilmour/2008/03/21/special-beers-designed-to-go-to-your-head-61634-20654544/ Fri, 21 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-taste/wine-reviews/alastair-gilmour/2008/03/21/special-beers-designed-to-go-to-your-head-61634-20654544/ NORTH Tyneside-based Mordue Brewery has come up with a novel presentation for its range of 12 monthly “specials”. http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-taste/wine-reviews/alastair-gilmour/2008/03/07/promoting-the-peaceful-pub-as-antidote-to-binge-drinking-61634-20570546/ Fri, 07 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-taste/wine-reviews/alastair-gilmour/2008/03/07/promoting-the-peaceful-pub-as-antidote-to-binge-drinking-61634-20570546/ SOME days you’re the fly, others you’re the windscreen. It’s one of those unavoidable facts of life.