So there are a lot of beers I'm anxious to try while I'm abroad, but as I've looked through various brewery websites, The Kernel was the first one on which I noticed a sour.
I'm pretty new to sours, and some are still WAY too much for me. But I'm increasingly fascinated by the style. So much so that I was REALLY excited to attend the local sour beer event “Where the Wild Beers Are.” Sadly, it got scheduled while I'm out of town. Like all the other beer fests. Seriously – I'm gone for three Saturdays and there is a beer event ALL THREE SATURDAYS! Surly Fest, Autumn Brew Review, and WTWBA. Boo. I shall be forced to drown my sorrows across the pond.
Anyway, back to The Kernel. I got all excited about their London Sour, clicked to check their hours, and the brewery is open 9a-3p on Saturdays. Only problem? I'm flying from Dublin to London, landing at Heathrow at 2:30. DAMN YOU SATURDAYS!
Obviously, I'm not going to make it in time. But I figure what the hell, I'll email the brewery and see if the beer is available anywhere else. I'm determined to get my hands on this stuff. If nothing else, I'd love a bottle of it to bring home and be my “admission beer” to next year's WTWBA. Unless of course it's scheduled on a day I'm having surgery or something, which seems likely.
Not only did they point me in the direction of some other sours to try in London, and bars with good selections, they actually offered to let me swing by the brewery on a weekday. YAY! Obviously it will be during working hours so I can't expect them to entertain me, but I'm still grateful for the chance to pick up a bottle or two. They also offered to open a couple of their bottles if I bring some from my neck of the woods. So yes, that will be happening!
This is just more evidence of the awesomeness of beer people!!