Shropshire Lad - Beer Mustard {By Spectre} (Charlecote House)

Dodging the showers a week or two back we drove down to Warwickshire for a trip to Charlecote Park and House. The weather had finally picked up after our fairly harsh winter. I say “fairly harsh”, as to English standards, several periods of more than 24hours of snow over a few months could be considered as bitter and harsh. Whereas many other countries have months of deep driving snow and still manage to get to work on time and home from work on the same day. Charlecote House has nice sweeping grounds next to the River Avon. They have an old brewery, which was the highlight for a beer lover, some deer dotted around, a few nice rooms to look through, and a carriage collection.

Generally when you’re wondering around these places you get shepherded into a shop at some point or other. In a local produce shop in the grounds we got accosted by three old ladies; let’s call them the three blind mice. They spent far too long trying to work out how to use the chip and pin machine and till in the shop that Cinabar started adding more and more products to the stash. It was then that I had this beer flavoured mustard shoved under my nose. My only thought at the time was that at least it wasn’t mustard flavoured beer. I decided to go with the time honoured tradition of a ham and cheese sandwich for a taste test.
On opening the jar I couldn’t help but notice the graininess of the mustard and the sweet smell. I couldn’t smell a hint of beer as I spread the mustard thickly onto the ham. I wasn’t expecting any heat from this mustard, but I was still slightly disappointed when none materialised. There was also no beer flavour. However, what I have now is a sweet, healthy tasting mustard that I shall relish finishing the rest of the jar with as many sandwiches that I can make from it. By then I shall be having dire cravings for Coleman’s English, and have the odd sachet of the good old French grainy stuff just to be adventurous.

By Spectre