Category: Lifestyle

Lockdown Lows

When Coronavirus/COVID-19/SARS-CoV-2 struck the UK in March 2020 and we were plunged into a “lockdown”, it was a strange time.

Initially, there were some scary moments. Learning that those who had the virus would normally show symptoms after 5 days, but it could take up to 14 days to surface, caused many into a panic. The sensible consensus was; act as though you have it and assume everyone else has it.

In the UK scores of people began “panic buying”, many situations descending into chaos. Rumours of toilet roll made in China being destroyed meant everyone rushed out and bought 128, because that’s exactly how many a family of 4 uses in a month /s

My parents are older, and one has health conditions that place them in the “at risk” category more than once. As I insisted to friends and family to isolate, I shopped for friends and family more vulnerable than myself. I searched high and low for magical toilet roll once! A few 6am shopping trips were made. It was more stressful than it should have been.

Fast forward 4/5 months… and lockdown in being eased in some areas and made tighter in others. There’s frictions as some people try to “get back to normal” and others shout “but, nothing’s changed”.

Reflecting on the last 6 months, I’ve not coped well. Work has been overwhelming. Providing emotional support for those around me (through work, friends and family) has been beyond exhausting. It’s taught me that I encourage people around me to call me, text me, let me know their troubles, ask for help… but I don’t do the same.

Parts of lockdown, I think I shut down. Just worked and slept, auto piloted until Friday night video chats. Avoided 1:1 contact. In hindsight, it was lonely, I isolated myself. I’ve never been the best at texting people, I never think I have anything interesting to say, but I’m making a ¾ year resolution to text people, to let people in, to reach out.

Beer 52 review

I got a Beer52 box to try! Beer52 do a beer subscription box, it’s £24 per month and you get a great selection of 8 craft beers, a magazine (beer themed) and a snack. Initially, I thought 8 beers that cost £3 each is a tad expensive, however, my friend gave me a referral link to try, and I thought “why not!”, as they said it’s not an average beer subscription box! You can sign up using this link, and I got money off my second box too!

When you order, there’s an option for dark beers, light beers or a mix of the two. I got the light box, as they’re vegan!

My 8 beers arrived promptly along with a copy of “Ferment” magazine and pack of Love Corn Sea Salt Corn (which I adore, btw!).

I received 7 cans and one bottle. It included IPAs, pale ales, pale lager and lager-beer.

I am not a craft beer expert, by any stretch of the imagination, but I am a drinking enthusiast! I do like all sorts of beer; stout, bitter, some lagers, IPAs and pale ales! I’m a big fan of hop-py flavours and smooth beers and fruit beers. I am fussy though!

So, my reviews:

O’hara’s “White Haze IPA” (5%) – tangy, mild and fruity, gorgeous pineapple and mango flavours. Really very fruity but not too sweet, underlying hoppy-ness. Really enjoyed it!

Lost+Found ABL “Hold it Down” Session IPA (4.2%) – very hoppy and smooth, with grapefruit undertones. Gluten free! I don’t normally like grapefruit that much, but this is a really tasty IPA. It’s billed as “Crisp, Grapefruit, Tropical, Haze”. It’s definitely easy drinking, with a good yellow colour.

Salzburger Stiegl “Goldbrau” (5%) – tasty, light, well rounded. Thirst quenching.

Gipsy Hill “Hepcat” Session IPA (4.6%) – a little bitter, sort of tangy. Lovely fruity aftertaste. Mild hops, light.

Gipsy Hill “Dessert Haze” Hazy Pale Ale (4%) – smooth start with fruity and full bodied flavours with a strong, bitter, hoppy aftertaste. Hints of coffee.

Swannay Brewery “Ban Yan” (3.9%) – really delicious and smooth. Actually quite dark tasting with a strong hoppy aftertaste. Billed as a “Hoppy Session Beer, Hazy”.

Tiny Rebel CLWB TROPICA Tropical IPA (5.5%) – this has pure mango scent and oh. my. gosh. it just tastes like mango with pineapple aftertaste. That’s the fruitiest beer I’ve had other than a cherry beer in Germany (Cherry Kriek? I think?). Gorgeous!

The Wild Beer Co. “Sleeping Limes” (4.6%) – very lager-y and very sweet lime overtones. The sea salt flavour calms the after taste. Leaves a light hop-py aftertaste, like drinking Desperados and lime. Billed as “Clean and crisp with refreshing tangy limes and a moorish briny finish, this is our perfect summer beer”. They say they’re going for a Corona beer and lime kind of taste – I think they have absolutely nailed it.

Check out their beer subscription https://www.beer52.com/