A Reciprocal Story

England 7 v North Macedonia 0

UEFA EURO 2024 Qualifiers Group C

Monday 19 June 2023

Played at Old Trafford

Mad dash from Malta to Gatwick to Piccadilly for an England On The Road game at Old Trafford. Thoroughly enjoyable atmosphere. Difficult to put your finger on. Just more "up for it" than a typical Wembley game against a smaller nation.

If that's the final game of 2022/23 for me, then it's 115 matches, across 5 countries, in 71 different grounds, of which 32 were new ticks. All starting at Ballard FC in US Soccer League Two back in July 2022.

Comfortable seven for England tonight. You have to play what's in front of you and England were very mobile at times. Saka irresistible. Did he here?

"We're all going to Berlin…"

(no tick, already done it twice)

And. Now. You're gonna hear a bit about Fierce Beer. Because this week and next week, the Carrier Bag Firm will be drinking a LOT of Fierce Beer. This is a reciprocal story.

Once upon a time, the Carrier Bag Firm turned up, somewhat unannounced, at the (then) small lock up unit brewery that Fierce had just off Aberdeen Airport. Fierce belied their name and were very welcoming. There was no Taproom. But, there were Kegs with taps and we were invited to;

"Help yourselves, have what you like, we're not allowed to charge you, and we wouldn't anyway."

Well. Let me tell you dear reader (singular). The CBF will never fucking forget that welcome, never. Let hands be shook. Subsequently, any crowdfunding Fierce have needed, the CBF Philanthropic Battalion have dug deep. To the extent that we've got a fucking fortune to spend in Fierce bars, many of which we've part financed in our small way, before the end of fucking June. Move out of the way Civilian at the bar. We're. On. A. Schedule.

Hence, we found ourselves in;

Fierce Bar

57 Thomas St, Manchester M4 1NA

with credit at the bar. What could possibly go wrong?

I put six ticks away as follows;

Fierce IPA on Keg at 5.2%

Fierce Easy Pale, New England/Hazy on Keg at 4.2%

Café Racer, Collab with Devil's Peak Brewing Co, Cape Town, Coffee and Vanilla Porter on Keg at 6.5%

Fierce Berry, Raspberry & Blackcurrant fruited pale ale on Keg at 4.6%. That was not my thing, at all.

Fierce Cerveza, Mexican Lager with Lime and Salt on Keg at 4%. Which I thoroughly enjoyed.

And. The one I'm going to single out is;

Fierce Beer, Collab with Mash Gang (London), Infiniti Pool, Table West Coast IPA on Keg at just 2.5%

I just love low abv, heavily hopped table beers. And this was a great one. Purported to be West Coast style. Hhhhmmmm. Not sure about that. Maybe too chewy and opaque for that. But, just full of hops and bursting with pineapple flavours.

Season Over. Rejoice. Still got money behind the bar at Fierce, mind.

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