March 26: The Full Monteith

Solid rain last night. Today we layover.
We make train arrangements to travel eastward, over the Alps to Christchurch, tomorrow, from where we'll head south for more cycling, beering, wining and debachery. Some fast, quiet blogging time well-spent at the train station/i-site/gift shop/public loo/car rental and cafe. (cost $5.50NZ /hour)

6 pm>>  Monteith Brewery tour.  Best question of the day, asked inquisitively by a bucsome, young lady in the crowd, goes something like this:  "You say that the beer is "green" when it first gets bottled, so does it change color in the bottle?" Obviously still remembering moments from her recent St. Patty's day imbibing, the informative tour guide quickly pointed out the different uses of the term"green" in zymergical circles, and complimented the bucsome, young lady on her inquiry. The huge stainless kettles were impressive. I want one!

7 pm>>  After-tour Tasting. We got to taste the lager (kinda bland), the pilsner (my fav, well hopped like PacNW beers), a traditional ale (also good), a Celtic Red (under hopped but excellant coloring), a black beer (porterlike), a shanty (lemon-lime added to an ale) plus an apple cider (a fine blend of 5 apples). The full spread!  Yum! Yum!!

8 pm>>  Revington's Hotel. A restored pub/hotel in downtown Greymouth featured the full Monteith spread of beers on tap, some gorgeous restored woodwork, 3 different rugby games on the teles, and a host of friendly, sponge-livered barflies. Great local color (priceless)... So, for a couple thirsty guys, fresh off a warmup brewery tour, what could be better than a couple of British pints (20 oz.!), pork ribs and bangers and mash to finish off the eve?

 Rick and I have about got this rugby game figured out. Otherwise polite, beefy young men, most missing a few front teeth, continuously clash (unpadded), scrambling for an over-inflated football, trying to advance said ball all the way to the endzone to score a "try". Other entertaining aspects include kicking the ball before being gang tackled, lateraling quickly before being gang tackled and hoisting a team member high in the air to catch an inbounds pass (yes, before he is gang tackled). What a sport, sure keeps the pubs in business...