Eyes On Stage

A2 Milk (Review and Recipe)

Sunday, 31 May 2015

A couple of weeks ago I was invited along to London for an event with the wonderful guys over at A2 Milk. If you haven't heard of them, they are an alternative milk company that produce milk with only the A2 protein (rather than normal milk which has A1 and A2).

Whenever I drink something that has regular milk in I always feel sluggish, bloated and icky so when A2 milk came onto my radar last year I jumped at the opportunity. It's something that has become part of our regular diet ever since. Some people, whilst not being lactose intolerant can be intolerant to the A1 protein in milk. This is where A2 milk comes into play, it has the same milk qualities and calcium/protein amounts but is made up of A2 rather than A1 proteins. Perfect for people that are sufferers like me (and Danny Cipriani!).

Danny was there to tell us all about his experiences with milk and how A2 milk has changed his lifestyle and food habits. It was great to chat to him after his talk and ask for some advice to pass on to my brother. If you don't know then he is a basketball player who is constantly on the go. For him, having A2 milk means that there is no chance of getting any side effects that could affect his play.

Leaving the event left me with an inspiration to create a chocolately A2 filled shake. I had devoured a gorgeous hot chocolate that was the thickness of dipping sauce. The shake is as indulgent as it sounds and something that should definitely be had in moderation!

Blender (We used our trusty Blend Active)
Milk/Dark Chocolate (4 blocks of each - or 8 blocks of 1 flavour.)
Handful of Malteasers (With a few left to decorate)
A2 Milk (enough to cover the chocolate and Malteasers - Worked out about 200ml maximum)

Blend all the ingredients together until it is smooth with no big lumps. Then serve and top with the chocolate of your choice. We've made this so many times with different flavours of chocolates. It's great as the little bits of chocolate sink to the bottom, the top goes all foamy and you have the perfect chocolate hit in the middle. Me and Max love to share it with straws and spoons over a Disney movie.

A2 milk is something that can be used in all types of baking, making and drinking. We always use it in our white sauce for lasagne. It tastes as close to everyday milk as you can get but has all these amazing properties that make it so much better for you. It's available in most supermarkets alongside all the other milk. So what are you waiting for?

Friday Reads: What To Read After Girl On The Train.

Friday, 29 May 2015

Today will be a bit different to my normal Friday Reads. I'm normally reviewing a book or doing a top 5 but today I'm going to talk about crime books. Well actually what you can read to fill that Girl On The Train shaped hole now you've recovered from that amazing twist!

I reviewed Girl On The Train way back in January. It was one of those books that blew my mind then and it's still one I am raving about to customers months on. And not many books make me feel like that so it's a good one. One thing I do get asked on my shifts though is what they can read next. So here's 5 suggestions to get you going.

Disclaimer (Renee Knight) - I mean first of all it has a sticker on it saying if you liked GOTT then you will love this. And it's true! When a novel appears on a woman's bedside she is intrigued. Until she see's the disclaimer about it being based on fiction crossed out and the story to be very much like her own life. Who has written this story, what do they want and more importantly, what do they know.

What She Left (T.R Richmond) - When Alice dies no one knows why. Was she killed, was it an accident, was it suicide? A professor goes on a journey to discover who she was and what she left behind in a series of newspaper articles, facebook messages, texts and letters. It's amazing to discover what type of digital footprint someone can leave. But she ends up leaving behind a twisted tale.

How I Lost You (Jenny Blackhurst) - Emma Cartwright was told that three years ago she murdered her son. She doesn't remember it but knows that she wasn't the type of person to murder someone. One day after release, she receives a letter with a photograph of a toddler with her son's name on it. He can't be alive though, she was told that she killed him.

Before I Go To Sleep (S J Watson) - If you haven't read or heard of this book then you've been living under a rock. One of the most highly anticipated films of 2014, starring Colin Firth and Nicole Kidman. This tells the tale of Christine, a woman that forgets everything the moment her head hits the pillow. She doesn't know who she is or where she is. Her husband has to spend each morning reminding her, so she's started to keep a diary. But some things just don't seem to add up.

Dangerous Girls (Abigail Haas) - A teen fiction book but don't discredit it on that. 4 friends go to another country for spring break, but one of the girls ends up dead. What happens next is a dark and twisted tale of lies, truths and fighting for innocence in a country where you don't speak their language and they are adamant you are guilty and dangerous.

The Ordinary Moments

Thursday, 28 May 2015

This past week has been a whirlwind. We had Max's new starter parents evening. He sat there eagerly waving at the headteacher, chatting to the new class teachers, inspecting everything he could find and drawing a mustache on his face (the joy!). It's crazy to think that he is going to be at school in September. It feels like only yesterday we were at uni and bundling him off to nursery. I think the continuity of education has helped him get ready for school. Each morning he wakes up and asks if it's a school day.

I popped up to London for a morning to attend an event with A2 Milk, it will be on the blog at the weekend so I don't want to spoil it too much. Let's just say Danny Cipriani is a very lovely bloke!

I had a catch up with my mum, it's something we try and do regularly but normally ends up being at a soft play whilst Max burns off all the energy he can. It was great to sit and chat about life. So much is happening behind the scenes for both of us that it feels like we barely take a breath. It makes me miss our time living with her, having a weekly gossip in the kitchen with some cheese balls. But living in our own place is better for us, and she has so many amazing things to look forward to as well.

We spent the weekend glued to the TV/radio. Max is a music junkie so when he knew the Big Weekend was happening we HAD to have it on for him to play along to. And that's what he did. Headbanging, singing, dancing and playing his guitar. It's like he's destined to be on the stage amongst them. He even managed to stay up and watch the first Foo Fighter's song before he crashed and burned on the sofa. So we've been playing it back for him to perfect his moody stares and bopping on the spot with his guitar. Nearly his whole life he's told me he's going to be a rock star and I honestly don't doubt it for a second.

Introducing My Britmums Sponsor!

Monday, 25 May 2015

As many of my readers are aware, it's nearly Britmums Live! I've been so fortunate this year that a lovely company you may have seen featured on my blog have offered to sponsor me to attend this festival. If you haven't been reading my blog (and why not!) then my wonderful Britmums Live sponsors are Blloon!

If you don't know, Blloon are an app that you can download on your phone to access a wealth of books to read, download and love. If you haven't read my in depth review then check it out here.

As most of you know, I'm a bookseller and a book addict so this partnership is perfect for us. Not only will there be a host of great new reviews on my Friday Reads section, there will also be highlights, news and other things going on from this wonderful company.

Blloon is a great service. Not only do you get taster pages on the books you can download, there is also the opportunity to subscribe and use in many different ways. Firstly you can earn pages by getting others to sign up, recommending books and shouting out about the things you love. Secondly, you can download pages for your account, meaning you have a certain amount of pages available to read. Finally you can subscribe for £3.99 or £6.99 a month to get a set amount of pages a month (that roll over too!) This has got the app the tagline "Netflix but for books" which is pretty much the best combination ever.

Honestly I can't wait to work with Blloon over the next year on different bits and pieces for my blog (and Pbloggers!). It's great to be with them as they grow from a wonderful start up to something that is going to change people's reading habits in the touch of a button. If you still aren't convinced then watch this video below!

Monkeying Around With The RSPCA

Sunday, 24 May 2015

We love days out and there is nothing better than a trip to go see some animals. There's something adventurous yet relaxing when you walk around and learn about animals you couldn't ever see otherwise. Max's favourite animal is a monkey. We're convinced it's because he's part monkey really, so when we were asked if we could pop over to Monkey World to find out about all the great conservation and caring they do for the monkeys, we jumped at the chance!

Monkey World is a great organisation that is home to an amazing array of monkeys that have been rescued from the illegal smuggling trade. Some have come from medical research centres and others from the pet trade. It's wonderful to know that there is a place that works with various governments to help these animals. It's also really sad to know that people are willing to buy and trade with these monkeys without knowing about the level of care and space they truly need.

We had a wonderful time exploring the site. It's got so many different areas where the monkeys are able to roam and play in that you almost forget you are watching them from behind a cage/screen. We headed up to the top of the lookout, which has stunning views of the park and made us feel like we were swinging from the trees. You could head all the monkeys screeching at each other and it felt like a battle of the bands almost!

Our favourite was definitely the Orangutans, they were a so gentle and loving. One spent an amazing time interacting with a gentleman in the crowd, clapping and using what appeared to be sign language to communicate different things. It reminds you that they aren't that far from us and they need all the help we can give them. Max spent the time pulling funny faces and making the orangutan grin each time.

The RSPCA have been working with Monkey World to try and raise awareness about looking after your pets. We spend so much time trying to raise money for animals that need our help that many forget that they need to do the simple things such as vaccinating their pets. By vaccinating your pet it not only protects them against infectious diseases but also keeps them safe after the protection from their mother's milk has ended.

We don't have a pet at the moment, but have been looking into what the best for our family would be. Obviously things such as vaccinations would be incredibly important. I wouldn't want to add another member to our family and put them at risk from not vaccinating. It's worth knowing that some pet's need more regular vaccinations than others. Rabbits need to be vaccinated more often than a dog for example.

We had an amazing time at Monkey World. Not only did we learn so much about these magnificent creatures but we were also made aware of so many problems with things such as vaccinations, the pet trade and illegal activity. Max left and declared "I love the monkeys, why anyone would hurt them is silly. We should all look after them". And that's not just for monkeys, but all pets.

Sleep

Thursday, 21 May 2015

Ever since having Max I have always struggled with sleep. Whether that be getting to sleep, not having enough or waking up at some ungodly hour and not being able to drift off. I can't pinpoint the reasons why but I'm slowly finding out methods for getting myself a better night sleep.

No snacking in the evening - I mean this is for weight loss as well as sleep, but I found that when I ate in the evening after work I was always wired for far too long. The energy of whatever I had eaten hit me just as I was wanting to sleep. Now I've cut out snacking in the evening I don't have that boost before bed.
Routine is key - This one is important to me. I can get into a blogging funk where I'm sat up into the wee hours writing and watching Netflix. By having a set routine and a cut off each night means that I don't push myself past that. Going to bed later than I should normally means my sleep is disrupted.
Technology cut off is key - By 10:00 I've popped my phone on to charge. I'm sat with a book and I'm winding down. The bright lights and stimulation of the phone isn't great for getting myself prepped for bed.

They are only a few small tips but I hope they help someone else wind down and ease their sleep problems. I know it's hectic with kids and some of them can be up at all hours. It's not something that is magic. Max will still crawl into our bed at 3am sometimes and some nights I have so much work to do that I will be up at all hours writing. But it's a slow process and one that you can't work overnight!

Muddy Puddles PuddleStomper Wellies

Wednesday, 20 May 2015

We have a thing about wellies in our house. We seem to plough through them faster than you can sing "rain rain go away". We've tried everything from high end brands to supermarket value and not found anything that has lasted more than a few months. So when Muddy Puddles emailed me and asked if we wanted to try their PuddleStomper wellies, well we thought there was nothing to lose (especially as Max had just found a hole in his other ones!)

We took them down to Moors Valley, our local country park/forest to give them a test drive.

The first thing that caught my eye was the fantastic design. As soon as we saw these gorgeous yellow and blue umbrella boots we knew they would suit Max and be awfully cute! I'm a sucker for any bright patterns and designs so I knew these would be a hit.

The boots are 100% rubber and bonded together really well so there are no chances of any leaks or breaks. The fact they are cotton lined makes them so warm and toasty, so much so that Max hasn't wanted to take them off!

They have really thick soles so that they have plenty of grip, as all kids still love to climb and jump in their wellies even if it is raining! I've not seen wellies with this much grip on the sole, so I know that they will be durable and last a long time.

They have a great reflector stripe on the back too that they have good visibility, especially if you are hiking or going somewhere far. We found that with the wellies we didn't have to worry about losing Max amongst all the other kids as his boots were so bright and recognisable.

The boots were great for Max. He could run about, climb up trees and didn't have to worry about them slipping off or getting stuck. They were really easy to clean too after an afternoon spent jumping in mud and dirt (I wiped them with a damp cloth and left to dry in the hallway on a towel). He's worn them to preschool and had lots of compliments on how cool he looks in his wellies. Something which he is very chuffed about, and has now resulted in him wanting to wear them all the time!

The boots are priced at £16.99 which I think is a fab price. Definitely in the mid range of wellies but has all the qualities of a high end product. And with the gorgeous designs you can't help but not add them to the basket.

Thank you Muddy Puddles for the opportunity to review your wellies. Let's just say they are a firm favourite in our home and even the Gruffalo agrees!

I'm Going To Britmums Live!

Monday, 18 May 2015

So in less than 5 weeks I will be heading off to the blogging event of the year, Britmums Live! I absolutely loved going last year and can't wait to head off this year with some of the local blogging girls. So without further ado, my "I'm going to Britmums Live" meme!

Name: Laura
Blog: Max and Mummy

Twitter ID: @maxandmummyblog. I also run @pbloggersnet which hosts #pbloggers each Sunday night.

Height: 5 ft 8 (I think!)

Hair: Red (all natural.... definitely all natural haha)

Eyes: Always hidden behind ridiculous glasses.
Is this your first blogging conference?: Nope. I was at Britmums Live last year, have done lots of local events and also heading to Blogcamp at the start of June.
Are you attending both days?: Of course! It's the 2 days all us blogging mums get to let our hair down!
What are you most looking forward to at BritMums Live 2015?: Networking with brands, learning something at seminars and putting faces to all those amazing blogs out there.
What are you wearing?: Black, black and more black. I'll be the one that looks a bit like Fat Amy from Pitch Perfect but with floral DM's on!

What do you hope to gain from BritMums Live 2015?: A better understanding on the path that I want my blog to go (man that was deep). And also a great time away to connect with other people who don't care if I Instagram that drink or talk about that hilarious press release I got sent.
Do you have any tips to pass on to others who may not have been before?: Don't be shy. Seriously, we all do the same thing, we are all there for the same reason and we are all equals. Of course some people have been doing it longer, but there are also people that are even newer than you. So deep breaths and don't feel scared about saying hi to that person next to you, they blog too!

Play Dates with Magic Squares

Sunday, 17 May 2015

We love play dates. They are one of those magical things that both parent and child adore and almost don't want to end. I mean the kids can run riot and us adults can sit there and chat to our hearts content knowing that the little angels have each other to play with. At least it's like that for us!

Max has a best mate, who's been his best mate as long as we can remember. And I get on amazingly with his mum, and the same with Scott and his dad. So when we get together we know that it's a barrel of laughs and the kids will love it.

It normally involves a trip to the park on the scooters or bikes, followed by a slow wander back to their house for a picnic or bite to eat. The kids love to run around pretended to be everything from pirates to dinosaur hunters. Their favourite though is superheroes. That normally means they need full tummies, which results in a lot of food scoffing before the running around. This time though I bought something magical...

See the kids are really amazed when us adults do something they can't believe. Normally that involves cutting sandwiches into awesome shapes, making pizzas out of doughy balls or magically finding a chocolate coin behind their ears. And when I told them that we had some magic yoghurts that were squares and two different flavours they couldn't believe me! So much so that they snatched the yoghurts from me (well Max did - you can tell who is the cheeky one in this friendship) and couldn't wait to dive in.

That was until I told them that they had to say some magic words before they opened it. After them laughing and falling about saying silly words like "swizzle" and "wibble wobble" I finally let them dive in. To see their faces when the magic had happened and there really was squares in their Petits Filous was amazing.

We love to give the kids a yogurt after a hard day playing. Not only is it filled with calcium and other good stuff it also fills them up with a great energy boost for another round of fun and games! Who knows where their next play date will take them.

This post is an entry for BritMums #MagicSquaresPlaydates Linky Challenge, sponsored by Petits Filous

Friday Reads: Blloon App Review

Friday, 15 May 2015

I have to admit that I'm not the biggest fan of Ebooks. Working in a bookshop I've got a bit of an obsession with the physical book. Being able to touch it and flick through the pages. Though Ebooks have always fascinated me. I can't say why I've never tried them but they've never struck me as standing out over the trusty paperback on my bookshelf.

But when I heard about Blloon, I thought it would be the perfect introduction for me and Ebooks. Not only could I have the app on my phone but I could also try before I buy (which I tend to do a lot at work as I can be fairly picky with my books!)

Blloon is an Ebook reading app with a difference. You can read as many books to your hearts content and pick how you want to experience your reading. You can sign up for monthly subscriptions that allow you to have a certain amount of pages a month, or you can buy page top ups as and when you want them. When you sign up you get free pages to begin with so you can get a feel for the app and how it works. This was brilliant for an Ebook newbie like me!

Once signed up, navigating was easy. You could search for a certain book and author, browse some highlights or view some handpicked reading lists. I'm a YA addict as many of you know so I went straight for that area and was pleasantly surprised to see some books I adore and some that I had been desperate to read. I downloaded a book with the click of a button and was ready to read. I couldn't believe how easy it actually was. I love the fact it tells you how many pages there are, this means you can keep a track on your spending and work out what book you can read next with your remaining page count.

One thing to note is that once you have purchased the book using the page counters, it is yours to keep so you aren't restricted to a time to read it or face it disappearing before you finish that cliffhanger of a chapter. Obviously that isn't a problem with me as I seem to read books faster than I watch TV and I knew this one would be a fast read!

I'm always a bit sceptical of reading in huge chunks on my phone, thinking it would strain my eyes or give me a headache. But I really loved it! It didn't hurt my eyes to read and it was great for when we went to the park in the afternoon as I didn't have to haul my massive hardback out with me. When I got to the end of the free preview it asked if I wanted to continue reading and use some of my pages. I love this feature as the preview gives you a great taste for the book and it doesn't eat into your page count. And in regards to this one I couldn't finish it quick enough. So much so that I'm already on to my second book less than 48 hours later!

I can't say that I'm always going to be reading an Ebook, I will always have a huge stack of paperbacks piled on my bedside table. But I do feel like there is now an Ebook shaped hole in my life that has certainly been filled by this app. I read somewhere that Blloon was the Netflix of Ebooks and I can 100% agree with that. Not only is there so much choice but there is also that feeling of instantly being able to read something, an addictive book app that sits in your pocket! I've got to say I adore the flexibility of it and the fact you can have anything you want to read at your fingertips. Love books? Try Blloon

Back To Butlins!

Sunday, 10 May 2015

So last week we took a mini break to Butlins. It's one of those places that we adore and continually return to. If you haven't read any of our past posts then click here to see how much we enjoyed our ambassadors trip last year.

In terms of what we did, it was pretty much the same as every time we go. Full of food, fun, games and amazing entertainment that we get caught up in a Butlins whirlwind. This time though we gave Max the reins, we let him make the choice on what we did and saw each day. It meant that we didn't actually stop (unless it was to eat) but it was amazing to watch Max explore and create his perfect Butlins day!

Dinner's Are Better With Little Dish

Saturday, 9 May 2015

Do you ever come across a kids brand that you adore, from their ideology to their branding and marketing. Well Little Dish is one of those for us. Not only do they make wonderfully packaged items that make you want to pick them up, they also make the most scrummy meals for little tums (and mums!). So when I got an email from the lovely girls over at Little Dish I jumped at the chance to review some of their new dishes.

Little Dish have just launched some new products. Not only have they announced some new recipes (Lamb Shepherds Pie and Salmon and Broccoli Pasta) but they have also released some great meals for bigger kids too! These are aimed at 3-6 year olds and are just a bit bigger than their little meals.

Max is a fussy one. He grazes on fruit, veg and crackers throughout the day and then when it get's to dinner he doesn't seem to eat much. Thats why we still love Little Dish meals. The portions are a great size and he wolf's them down without feeling guilty that he has left some behind! We also love them as they are packed full of natural ingredients, enough veg for at least 1 of your 5 a day and none of that nasty stuff that grown ups know are bad.

We are already big fans of the chicken and butternut squash pie, chicken and veg risotto and the spaghetti with mini meatballs but we were eager to taste test the new flavours. So we scrapped the dinner plans we had and got to work trying these great mini meals (with some input from mum, dad and Max of course!).

Mum: I adored this! I have to say it was almost as good as mine, but saved me from slaving away at an oven for a few hours. There was so much flavour in it that Max didn't even know it wasn't home-made.

Dad: Can they make this in grown up size please?

Max: Yummy yummy yummy! It was just as good as mummys. We sprinkled some cheese on top at the end too and it was extra scrummy. I didn't realise that I liked lamb but now I know that I do like it and I want mummy to buy it for me to have again.

As you can see this was a pretty big hit in our house. One that means I might be adapting my own shepherd's pie to taste a bit more like this from now on! All jokes aside we loved this. Lamb is a funny one that most parent's don't introduce straight away but this is the perfect start to satisfy any fussy eater. It also has 7 different veg in it which brings it up to 2 portions of your little one's 5 a day. Perfect!

Mum: Salmon is my favourite fish to eat so this was a perfect blend of food for me. Can I have some more?

Dad: Not too keen as I'm not a big fish eater but this smells delish.

Max: I love this, salmon and pasta are awesome. And I love broccoli trees because they are my favourite vegetable.

This was a firm favourite in our home. Something that me and Max almost wanted to inhale. As with lamb, salmon is another one that doesn't get introduced early. But this is the great balance of fish and pasta that isn't off putting and smells wonderful. Having one of the 5 a day in there too means you don't have to worry about veg alongside the omega 3 that's packed inside the fish.

Little Dish is one of our favourite kids food companies. They put so much heart and soul into their food that you can really tell they are making a difference to kids pre-packaged food. We always have a couple in the freezer (you can cook from frozen too!) incase of emergencies and they never fail to impress. With a great variety of dishes there is definitely something for everyone! Little Dish can be found in the chilled aisles of most supermarkets so you have no excuse for trying these mini meals.

Friday Reads - All The Bright Places (WIN!)

Friday, 8 May 2015

Have you ever read a book that made you laugh, cry and full of angst that you wanted to climb in the pages and help them out? Well this is one of those books. All The Bright Places is a tale of teenage angst that is all to real in this world of social media.

It opens with the main character, Theodore Finch contemplating whether today is a good day to die, stood on a ledge of the bell tower at school wondering what it would be like to take the first step. Until he realises he isn't alone, Violet Markey is also up there. A popular girl at school he is curious at to why she is stood alongside him in this moment of all or nothing.

Both of them are paired up to work together and what starts as a means to the end of a project turns into something altogether more meaningful. The idea of wandering to new places to escape what you have excites them and their complex back stories will have you thinking that this must be based on real life.

What All The Bright Places encaptures is a wonderful heartfelt tale of grief, loss, mental health and wanting to save someone. A book that is more than just a story, but also one that could possibly help someone understand the complexities of mental health in teens.

It's already been picked up for film optioning which I'm not surprised at. An uplifting tale that will help you learn through post it notes, facebook messages and Virginia Woolf quotes. All The Bright Places is not to be left unread!

I have a copy of All The Bright Places to give away to my readers! The comp is open until the end of the month so I wish you good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Ringwood Brewery - By Scott

Thursday, 7 May 2015

This Christmas just gone, I was invited to go on a brewery tour with my fiancées’ mums’ partner in Ringwood, home a few ales that I really enjoy.

We took the visit on the Sunday morning that was a 2 hour trip around the facilities and included a taste of each available ale.

The facility was small and very welcoming. The staff members seemed very passionate about their jobs and did it with a smile. It was clear you didn’t just have to be an adult to go on this tour as Under 18’s were welcome, just weren’t welcome to the beer. The age range spread out quite nicely and the genders were balanced. Driving party members were offered soft drinks appropriately.

The tour began with a half pint in the lounge area whilst being given the history of British ale brewing, as well as the history of Ringwood brewery. For the sake of the tour I shall not go into detail, but you may find out some interesting facts about International businesses, stout, Monty Python and Weatherspoons.

I shall advise if you do take this tour on to use the toilet first thing, because the tour is about 90 minutes in length and the toilet is only available at the beginning and the end. I had to find that out the hard way!

The tour takes you through a step by step process of how beer begins in the factory and how the process works. Though the brewing process is centuries old, the use of technology makes you realise just how much the brewery emphasises on consistency and quality.

You are informed the process throughout, but you also get the chance to see the beer preparation almost periodically. The detail and variety the company uses to create the different beers is enough to fascinate anyone. The most salivating part is seeing beer ferment. Though it’s not ready, as you see it in the huge vessels, I started to think I was prepared to just dive straight in and help myself!

The final section of the tour leads to the preparation for distribution. This is the part I enjoyed, I really am intrigued by detailed organisation and seeing beer being timed to the second for collection was the part I really paid attention to.

The tour is not necessarily long distance wise, but there is a lot of explanation that the guide did try to cram in without getting people to nod off. Because he was very interactive with everyone (there was a party of nearly 30 people) it kept you engaged.

Once gathering as much information as you could manage it was beer time again, this time it was a near free for all to try every possible beer. Once vacating and visiting the shop, everyone was welcome to lounge outside in the sun with their remaining half pints.

The tour is a delightful look into the world of brewing and how Ringwood rose to power. As a family day out, I’d recommend it to those who have older children, just to keep them as engaged as possible. The tour is an ideal gift to beer lovers and equally a change from the norm if you’re looking for an adult getaway for the weekend. Finally, it is fair to say that the beer truly reflects the experience that I had on the tour, filled generously but left with a dry pallet desiring more, which is why I’d be more than happy to visit again.