Ale in a "Dead Man's Drink" Skyrim tankard

After a week of being in work, Eurogamer 2013 feels like it was decades ago. It was in fact but seven short days ago. To celebrate I'm drinking ale out of a "Dead Man's Drink" Skyrim branded tankard which I purchased at said Eurogamer event. As it happens the ale is 'Traditional English Ale' from Hogs Back Brewery and will be reviewed very soon.

Rating: The tankard appeared on one stand at Eurogamer for £9 and on a different stand for £10. Fortunately I spotted the £9 version first. As far as drinking vessels go, this is one of the best. It's made from chunky, weighty, glass-like material (so, thick glass then) and has already survived being dropped. 10/10.

Game: I've been trying to get on to GTA Online for the past four nights. Apparently there's (another) update due out today so may actually get a go. To be honest I'm not all that fussed about the fuss being made of not being able to get online. There's billions of people trying to access it literally all at the same time. It's never going to work first time is it. Plus I've not finished the single player mode yet. Currently hovering around the 60% mark. Although consistently getting the first race glitch *every* time I try to go online is getting rather irritating.

JHB (Jeffrey Hudson Bitter - Oakham Ales)

Name: JHB (Jeffrey Hudson Bitter)
Label: "Sir Jeffrey Hudson was an adventurer, courtier, and duellist in the service of King Charles I. Although he was only three and a half feet tall, his modest strength was more than made up for in character, much like the beer named after him..."
Brewery: Oakham Ales
ABV: 4.2%

Rating: "A hand crafted bottled ale, based on the cask conditioned. Light and refreshing with a blatant citrus fruitiness and a smooth dry bitter finish. JHB has the innovative hoppiness that is the hallmark of Oakham Ales." Supreme champion beer of Britain 2001 - and eleven years later it's still kickin' ass!

Game: I've had enough of Dubai. All that sand and hot weather was starting to chafe in all the wrong places and it gave me a yearning for the cool breeze and snow of Skyrim.  I feel like I've drank a lot of beer this weekend for some reason. So what better way to celebrate lots of beer than by taking part in a drinking competition in Skyrim? On a trip to Winterhold I happened across a patron in the Frozen Hearth Inn who enjoys a brew or two. One drinking game later and I wake up in Markarth! Best. Game. Ever. 100/10.  (Did I really just give a game a hundred out of 10? Yes.., yes I did).

Essex Border (Nethergate)

Name: Essex Border
Label: "Stour Valley" with three swords and a grumpy looking dog.
Brewery: Nethergate
ABV: 4.8%

Rating: "This delicious premium, handcrafted ale is brewed by Nethergate at The Growler Brewery on the Essex border in the picturesque Stour Valley." The label may be a little drab but the beer sure as heck ain't!

Game: There seems to be a definite gaming lull at the moment. A good chance to catch up on, and hopefully finish, Catherine. I say lull, but I've just remembered that Dawnguard, the DLC for Skyrim is out now! Oops. 1600 Microsoft points though... I'm sure it's worth it.

Celebration Ale (Black Sheep)

Name: Celebration Ale
Label: "A rich, dark winter warmer - Deep & smoky with port-wine notes - Rich chocolate & raisin finish - Head brewer Alan Dunn"
Brewery: Brewed for Sainsbury's by Black Sheep Brewery
ABV: 6.0%

Rating: "A dark, velvety stout with a complex chocolate and spice finish. Beautifully balanced with sweet raisin notes. Drink with rich venison dishes or chocolate desserts." A dark winter warmer in May? Yes! Because it's still cold outside for some reason. Celebration? Yes! Because it's a bank holiday and there's no work tomorrow!

Game: After one of the longest epilogues ever, The Witcher 2 finally comes to a close.  It may sound slightly grandiose, but storytelling finally comes of age on consoles. The Witcher 3 is surely to be released on next-gen consoles and I'm expecting incredible things both graphically and in terms of yarn weaving. But for now it's back to Skyrim for me. Nothing beats going back to Skyrim. It's like putting on a pair of comfy old slippers, your warm woolly jumper or your favourite dragon-bone armour.

Swordfish (Wadworth)

Name: Swordfish
Label: "A unique blend of Wadworth 6X & Pussers rum. A heartwarming salute to 100 years of naval aviation."
Brewery: Wadworth
ABV: 5.0%

Rating: "We salute 100 years of naval aviation with this unique beer, dedicated to the courage of the crews of the Fairey Swordfish Torpedo Bombers who risked their lives to attack enemy battle cruisers during World War II."  War sucks, this beer doesn't. Go and get some, quick!

Game: The Witcher 2 is brilliant. As with all good things, the devil's in the detail, and there's a heck of a lot of detail here spanning two discs. Too much going on in the game to mention here. Suffice it to say if you like high-fantasy (monsters, magic and stabbing stuff with swords), then this is definitely the game for you. There's a lot to take in and it's very much aimed at the more mature audience, it makes Skyrim look like something you'd find in the Early Learning Centre. That's no disrespect to Skyrim by the way (or the Early Learning Centre), Skyrim still rocks.

Lightfoot (Theakston)

Name: Lightfoot
Label: "Legendary ales"
Brewery: Theakston
ABV: 4.1%

Rating: "This is a very pale, golden-coloured ale brewed using English malted barley and wheat, European hops, water from the Yorkshire Dales and the famous Theakston yeast strain to create a 'continental blonde' style, flavour and aroma." A perfect brew for a Sunday night. When I was pouring it I inadvertently created a tornado of bubbles in the glass. Not very interesting, but it looked boss. You had to be there really...

Game: Back in Skyrim tonight for possibly a final farewell, before I get rid and replace her for a younger model (called Witcher 2). Some lucky tinkers actually managed to get hold of Witcher 2 several days early thanks to Tesco "accidentally" putting it on store shelves prior to the official Tuesday 17th release date. Talk about kicking a game retailer when they're down - a new game that Game are actually stocking on release day and everyone's already bought it from Tesco! Well everyone except me by the looks of it, I was too slow on the uptake.

Ginger Beard (Wychwood)

Name: Ginger Beard
Label: "Fiery alcoholic ginger beer"
Brewery: Wychwood
ABV: 4.2%

Rating: "A traditionally crafted beer infused with fiery root ginger to deliver a refreshing spicy finish with a bit of bite. Best served chilled or over ice to calm the flames!"

Game: It's been a while but fancied a bit of Skyrim tonight to go with my fiery Ginger Beard. I had forgotten how glitchy it was though... But even the odd bit of glitchyness can't put me off it for long. It's still incredible. Killed some dragons, made friends with some other dragons. When have we ever been able to do that in a game? Never, that's when. The game doesn't seem to end either, which is most definitely a good thing. 9.99/10.

Old Speckled Hen (Morland) - in an Old Speckled Hen Pint Glass

Name: Old Speckled Hen
Label: "Strong fine ale - A distinctive rich malty taste bursting with character, fruity aroma and deliciously smooth"
Brewery: Morland
ABV: 5.2%

Rating: Continuing my current penchant for drinking ale out of branded glass receptacles, here's Old Speckled Hen in an Old Speckled Hen pint glass. Double quality.

Game: True Skyrim story: so I arrived at the College of Winterhold, cold, hungry and fantastically tired. I'd been walking for what felt like days, since the tragic incident where my horse decided to gallop itself off a cliff. Stupid horse, that was a 1000 septims badly spent. Anyway I chatted to a bunch of people in the college and I was a bit like "Yeah, whatever, I just need to get some kip, which way is bed?" but they insisted on trying to teach me magic. Right, forget your Lesser Ward spell, I'm off down the Frozen Hearth for a pint.

Stepping outside of the college I'm greeted by one annoyed looking dragon spewing flame in my general direction. Now armed with just my Lesser Ward spell, a steel sword and a carrot, I attempted to battle the beast as its sole purpose was blatantly to hinder my evening visit to the local ale house. As the conflict progressed I became ever more weary, and slightly toasted. But suddenly the dragon's health rapidly started to ebb. I knew it wasn't the effects of the carrot and so I turned my charred body away and noticed all the residents of the college had come out to battle the dragon with me. Standing shoulder to shoulder with my new found comrades-in-robes, the dragon was quickly vanquished and from this day forth I pledged my allegiance to the College and all who live there.

Norfolk Bitter (Woodforde's)

Name: Norfolk Bitter
Label: "Brewed at Woodforde's Broadland Brewery, Woodbastwick, Norfolk - Smooth with a subtle hint of citrus fruits"
Brewery: Woodforde's
ABV: 4.5%

Rating: "A perfect match for... Caramelised crispy pork belly and roast meats."  That's proper food and ale right there.

Game: Got so many massive games on the go at the moment, Skyrim, MW3, Assassins Creed Revelations, Batman etc. I spend about half an hour each gaming session arguing with myself about which game to put on. Yeah I hate being bi-polar, it's awesome. Opted for Modern Warfare 3 tonight. It's very violent. In fact, it's quite horrible if you consider the level of realism. It just reminds you how shit war really is. War should be banned. From now on countries should settle all their arguments and power struggles on Team Deathmatch instead. No more senseless waste of life. Result.

Old Crafty Hen (Morland)

Name: Old Crafty Hen
Label: "Vintage Ale - Crafted by the Master Brewer of  'Old Speckled Hen' - Gold Quality Award Winner 2009 - Superior Fine Ale"
Brewery: Morland
ABV: 6.5%

Rating: "This strong fine ale combines a distinctive malty taste with a satisfying, smooth raisin finish. Brewed with a blend of the famous old 5X, which is aged using our vintage oak vat maturing method, this delicious dark amber ale is perfect for indulging yourself and your friends."

Game: Less than a week until Batman: Arkham City and the reviews are bigging it up as the best game ever invented.  No longer is it just the best superhero game, it's the best game, 'period'. And I want it 'stat' (whatever this means, presumably 'at once').  Now trying to avoid reading anything more about it, lest it be spoilt by over-zealous reviewers.  Skyrim is now less than a month away too and what better way to whet the appetite than a read of the following post from Games From the Void about all the awesome improvements and changes since Oblivion. I'm going to need a sabbatical from work this autumn.