Another night, another new venue for MEMWNS.
I don't think many of us had been to the Bryony Nano Brewery & Shebeen before but it was certainly worth a visit.
I had been there previously but that was before the brewery opened so, of course, I managed to get slightly lost - in fairness, the signposting was very localised and it didn't show up at all as a recognised venue on Google Maps or Untappd. Fortunately I came across an apparent down and out carrying a plastic bag full of salad and wearing a "Vote Uncle Jezza" rosette who directed me on my way.
It was a bit of a double whammy for us with our usual election eve activities coinciding with our annual Xmas curry, just another of the issues with winter elections I suppose but you would have expected somebody in Government to check there was no clash with the MEMWNS curry night.
Being late as usual, everyone was already tucking into the starters when I finally made it. I did manage a sliver of poppadum before Joergen smashed the remaining bhajis and pakoras down his throat. Also present were Tomsk, Taffy Two Rices, Hotblack, Jemango, the Hustler, the ghost of Thomas Stevens (looking remarkably like the Fixie King) and Alexander Selkirk. The brewery landlord also seemed unusually keen to be part of the evening - we are used to friendly landlords but not ones that sit down and eat our curry with us. Apparently he used to ride long distance (or not very long at all actually if you listen to Thomas Stevens) and even claimed to be an ancien (don't they all). Later we were joined by OD who had been attending a dinner to mark his long service award from Royal Mail.
We sampled Bryony's Home Hopped, EPA, Wheat Beer and Raspberry Wheat Beer and Oude Leerling's London Porter. All the ales showed well and there was a contentious and vociferous difference of opinion between the permanent members of the Quaffers' Choice Committee and the stand in office junior (not helped by the experts in the room trying to bring actual knowledge to bear). Judging by what was being drunk at the end of the evening and how little there was left, it looked like a narrow win for Bryony's Wheat Beer which just pipped the Home Hopped.
It used to be that the MEMWNS election eve hustings was a special and much treasured event but with the recent plethora of plebiscites, referenda and political fun, we seem to be having them almost monthly. Nevertheless, we still managed our usual lively debate. Joergen Thunberg spoke very passionately about the environment and I know we were all very affected by his tearful "how dare you" challenge. Whilst the Hustler's advocacy on behalf of UKIP seemed like a forlorn gesture, it did seem heartfelt and who knew that was the real reason our hospitals are so busy. Two Rices made a valiant effort on behalf of Plaid Cymru but the fact they weren't standing in Witham was always gong to count against him. I was just never convinced that Thomas Stevens really believed in the message he was trying to convey on behalf of Labour and was their campaign slogan really "for the few not the many - particularly if they went to minor public schools" ? Yet again, the runaway winner was OD on behalf of the Monster Raving Loony Party. It is rare to find someone so in tune with his party's credo that he lives by it.
After the politics we briefly touched on death and sex (mind bleach is available for Joergen's description of his morning routine in his tent) before we moved on to planning our next gravel bikepacking micro adventure.
The ride home was notable only by how cold it was and how bright the almost full moon was, so bright it looked like dawn was about to break. Minus 3 when you were expecting plus 3 or 4 is a bit of a shock to the system and seems to have brought on my usual Xmas lurgy.
A big thank you to Huggy for hosting us and letting us drink all his lovingly prepared beer, GS for providing even more beer, Hustler for collecting the curry and then the salad and the Fixie King and the Strangler for keeping us amused.
Only 23 sleeps until the Epiphany After Party...