August, of course, is the eighth month -- and so "October" beer is due starting about now. It's been a Grim's Hall tradition to celebrate the coming of Good October almost since our founding. Here is the 2004 post, for example.
In my mind, the coming of October beer always brings to mind the tales of Robin Hood, and merry making in the greenwood. We had a fine hike to the headwaters of the Amicalola today, and a feast roasted over a fire of hardwood. Here is a traditional ballad recalling the forest outlaws of those days, "The Lincolnshire Poacher."
Well, I was bound apprentice in famous LincolnshireI trust you're a merry folk tonight; and tomorrow we'll be sober, as the song says.
And well I served my master for more than seven years
Till I took upon poaching, as you shall quickly hear
Oh, 'tis my delight on a shiny night in the season of the year.
As me and my companions was setting out a snare
'Twas then we spied the gamekeeper, for him we didn't care
For we can wrestle and fight, my boys, and jump from anywhere
Oh, 'tis my delight on a shiny night in the season of the year.
As me and my companions was setting four or five
And taking them all up again, we caught a hare alive
We caught a hare alive, my boys, and homeward we did steer
Oh, 'tis my delight on a shiny night in the season of the year.
We threw him over my shoulder, boys, and then we trudged home
We took him to a neighbour's house and sold him for a crown
We sold him for a crown, my boys, but I dare not tell you where
Oh, 'tis my delight on a shiny night in the season of the year.
Good luck to every gentleman that lives in Lincolnshire
Good luck to every poacher that wants to sell a hare
Bad luck to every gamekeeper that will not sell his deer
Oh, 'tis my delight on a shiny night in the season of the year.
By the way: the song is not of purely academic interest. The tune can be found here, starting at 0:23.
You might want to read through the comments of this, and other allied videos. It's a little piece of... arcana.
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