Flying South

Bit of a strange start, this trip. As my flight isn't until 20:35. Which gives me a big chunk of the day to continue my current project: creating my 1970s beer guide. I'm now about halfway through the independent breweries.

Before heading to the airport, I check my flight. It's delayed by 70 minutes. I delay my departure accordingly.

It's pretty quiet at Schiphol. Before I know it, I'm in the duty free buying a bottle of Tomatin. Not for me the delights of Islay whisky’ It’s all way too expensive.

The lounge is fairly quiet, too. Soon, I have a brace if whiskies and a plate of food. And get stuck into reading Private Eye. Which passes the time nicely. Some more food and a couple more whisky pairings see me well-prepared for the arduous journey ahead of me. Eighteen hours.

When the board says "go to gate", that's what I do. And hang around for 10 minutes or so before boarding. That's not too bad.

The flight is chock-a-block. As always seems to be the case nowadays. At least the bloke sitting next to me is tiny and doesn't take up much room. I'm most of the way through my fist film (Crazy Stupid Love) when the first food service appears.

I opt for the chicken rather than the veggie option. It's not very inspiring. I don't eat much of it. Just as well made sure to scoff loads down in the lounge. Two plates of the warm stuff.

After a second film, it's time for a kip. Which goes reasonably well. I get 7 or 8 hours of OK sleep. Not exactly deep sleep. Some sort of rest, at least.

The lights come back on and we're served breakfast. I eat a bit of it. Then we all have to get off in Buenos Aires. Traipse through the airport a bit, go through security, then traipse back to the plane. So much fun. Just what I need after a long flight.

It's less than two hours to Santiago. During which we're served another breakfast. I eat just a little of it.

Hurray! Not much of a queue for immigration. Unlike last time. But there's a new twist: the luggage takes ages to appear. The explanation: that the plane has to be fumigated. Great.

I message my mate Chris Flaskamp to warn him of the delay. He's waiting to collect me landside.

Despite being "priority", my bag takes ages to pop out. I'm starting to worry that it's been lost when it finally shows up. That’s a relief.

With Chris are Pete Slosberg and his wife Amy. Who arrived from the US a couple of hours earlier. I feel embarrassed that they’ve had to hang around for me. Not fun after a long flight.

Once in Chris's car, we head for Kross. A brewery located in Curacaví, between Santiago and Valparaiso. It was founded by a German Asbjorn Gerlach. He’s still involved, despite selling up to Concha y Toro, the largest winemaker in the world. Their distribution network means that the beer is widely available in Chile.

First, Asbjorn gives us a quick tour of the brewery. Which is pretty big. It has a capacity of 100,000 hl and is currently producing 70,000 hl.

We sit in the beer garden, chat with Asbjorn and, of course, drink some beer. It's a proper beer garden, with trees and everything. And it’s warm enough to sit outside.

We get several sets of samplers, encompassing all the beers on tap. Ranging from light Lagers to a strong Scotch Ale. Though most are in the range 5% to 5.7% ABV. I’m quite taken by the Maibock, which is a beautiful amber colour and well-balanced. That is, not too fucking sweet.

The others are peckish and order some food: empanadas and some sort of maize fritter. After my two breakfasts, I’m not really that hungry. My body seems unsure of what time of day it is. Almost a full day on the plane has confused the hell out of it.

Pete and Amy head off to Valparaiso with a Chilean couple they know, while me and Chris go to Santiago.

I'm staying on Concha y Toro again. It’s so calm there. In a different hotel, though. One which has no sign outside to indicate that it's a hotel. It's quite a contrast to where I stayed in with the kids. which had an original interior. This one is totally modern inside. And rather nice.

I should tell you about why I’m here in Chile. I’ve been invited to the First International Araucania Cervercera Congress. To do some beer judging and talking. They paid for my flight. And for my hotel in Temuco, along with food and drink. Here in Santiago, I’m paying my own way.

I arranged to meet Chris in town. But I'm too knacked. I just sit in my room watching YouTube and drinking the free bottle of wine provided by the hotel. After the long journey, rest is what I need.

A tot or two of whisky helps me to an early night.



Cerveceria Kross
Cam. El Toro 20589-20926,
Curacavi,
Region Metropolitana.
https://www.kross.cl