Sadly, I have never seen Sir Paul McCartney's old stinkhorn. (It does not appear to be for sale, according to the Google.)
Seems like there are a fair number of Untappd users that have stumbled upon bottles: https://untappd.com/b/mpl-communications-limited-old-stinkhorn-organic-ale/1314381
Funny to see him give it that name, since stinkhorn mushrooms famously are named for the sickly smell that attracts insects, and purportedly spreads spores by that method. One whiff is all it takes to never take another. OTOH there is at least one variety that can be eaten in the pre-fruiting body stage, in which it first emerges covered in a white sheath that resembles an egg. An interesting aside is that mushroom lovers are the only people I know of who eat foods with the words "stink" (stinkhorn eggs) and aborted (aborted Entoloma, yummm!) in their names. There's more than you needed (or wanted?) to know haha
If you haven't yet, check out the various versions of the label art from that Untappd link above your post.
This makes me think of the very end of "The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill" when Lennon screams out "Ale!" and it immediately segue ways into "While My Guitar Gently Weeps".
Incidentally, everyone always talks about the Beatles' drug use. Did they favor any particular style or brand of beer?
I always read about them drinking "Rum & Coke" in the '60s - sounded revolting to me. (I guess, "the 60s" is pretty much when they were The Beatles, huh? After that it was "former Beatle ___ ____") It was The Kinks who were "... the Draught Beer Preservation Society"...
I've read John enjoyed his "Milkshakes" aka, Brandy Alexanders. No word on beer preference. On their last Netflix series I saw them drinking wine, don't recall what beer was filmed.
Excellent art works! Glad you directed me/us. Not sure if you, or anyone else here, is familiar with the great variety of stinkhorns, which (along with earthstars) some might consider nature's strange sense of art. Easy to see how finding them on his estate made him want to use them in his own, "art" , though brewing beer seems a strange art to connect with them I personally believe all fungi are not native to this planet, and looking at the more alien looking stinkhorns is one reason for my belief. Have a look
"Only available to friends, family and staff" as some notes in Untappd, out of production & listed as 'Mild: Other' so I take it the beer is most probably bottled bright and 2-5% abv and way past it's best so my recommendation is this is for a fan or collector to be best left in the bottle.
From my very limited knowledge and poor memory the only thing that comes to hand was Paul McCartney saying something like 'I was the last to upgrade from beer to drugs' Lennon being a Brandy Alexander drinker & Ringo preferring Scotch.
Photos of John and George drinking Watney's ale; article on the Beatles's ill-attended performance in Aldershot, Dec. 1961: https://www.beatlesbible.com/1961/1...Sem-dn_Jn4Rv3Vu_HJigkzbLYe7oqWpGw9r2Sc7GQgIEI
For those who are wondering about the beer: https://thefreshtoast.com/celebrity...wing-hemp-on-his-farm-and-he-has-some-advice/ An excerpt: ‘We do make our own ale. Through the years, I’d hear like a neighbor would be selling some land that was next door to ours so I went to one and said, ‘I hear you’re selling a hop garden…’ Long story short, I got it, and then I thought, ‘I’ve got to start doing hops,’ that’s because the region we’re in out in Sussex was a very big hop growing area,” McCartney said on the podcast. With Old Stinkhorn being in short supply, McCartney gives the limited-run beer to friends. “I just send it to friends,” he said. “We don’t produce that many, it’s more a personal thing.”
Which came first, Chicken of the Woods or Lion's Mane? By the way I'm with you on the otherworldly connection, just like everything else on Earth.
The bottle nearest the camera is Pale Ale, the next one looks like Brown Ale. 3.7 % and 2.7% ABV, respectively. There wasn't a great deal of difference in OG (1035.9º and 1032.1º), but the Brown Ale was only 66% attenuated, while the Pale Ale was 79%. 10 d (pence) for a half pint bottle of Brown Ale, 11d for Pale Ale. Though the bottles in the photo look like pints.
There was at least one scene in the new "Get Back" documentary where some of the Beatles are drinking bottled pale ale (poured into glasses). Someone with knowledge of late-60s British pale ales might be able to recognize the label.
And the Brown Ale was 16 IBU. With the high FG, it must have been quite sweet. Pretty dark, too, at around 30 SRM.
One thing to add to that: I've seen sources state that Paul is brewing beer, but to be clear, a local brewer makes the ale for Paul with the hops from his organic farm.
Hmmm, don't know, but always wondered which of these was named better, Hen of the Woods, Chicken of the Woods, or Turkey Tail?
Perhaps that's what they drank at social functions once they were famous in order to appear "classy". Keep in mind that their manager Brian Epstein revamped their style and image by making them dress in suits. Before they were famous, their look was more 50s rocker with leather jackets, leather pants, greased up hair etc. They used to play a lot in Hamburg, so I'm sure they drank plenty of German beer.
