Want Some Serious Statistics?

I've been busy on various beery things recently, but during this I stumbled across a very interesting document snappily called The Contribution of Beer to the European Economy. It gives a very detailed report of brewing activity in 31 different European countries. Ever wanted to know what's what in the Turkish, Slovenian or Luxembourg brewing industry? Of course you have. Who hasn't? Well it is all here in this lovely document. All 289 pages of it.

There is lots of interesting stuff like 2 million jobs attributed to the sale and production of beer, loads and loads of tables if you like that sort of thing and more stats than you could shake a stick at. There is also a little summary which won't surprise you.

•  Decreasing consumption per capita; this trend started a number of years ago and is expected to continue.
•  Consumers buying less premium brands of beer. 
•  Relatively more beer being consumed at home instead of in bars or restaurants, the result being fewer jobs, less value added and lower government revenues being generated by each litre of beer consumed in the EU. 
• Increasing tax burden, especially consumer taxes which have increased in many Member States, and this trend will probably continue for the foreseeable future. Higher taxes on beer lead to higher prices, and reduces beer consumption particularly in the hospitality sector, strengthening the trend for consumption of beer in the home.

Once again this is brought to you as a public service.You can read the report here.

Beige. But in a Good Way

A small beige room about the size of the Euston Tap, or maybe a smidgen bigger, in a side street near busy Leeds Station and just off the main drag, Friends of Ham doesn't look like a bar from the outside. Despite knowing the area fairly well, I nearly walked past it. It is one o'clock and the place is empty. Well it is upstairs where the bar is. I understand there is more downstairs, but I didn't visit as I 'd have felt a tad conspicuous in doing so. The place is a vista (OK - a small vista) of shades of beige.  Beige floor, beige walls, beige bar and stools and light brown rolls of hanging paper which act as wine lists and menus.  It would be quite at home in Stockholm or Oslo, but counter intuitively, it works, though a splash of colour here and there wouldn't go amiss.

I am greeted cheerily by the inevitable neatly bearded barman and scan the pumps. It is my first drink of this sunny Saturday and I order Roosters Leghorn. I look round and when my gaze returns to the bar, perplexingly I am confronted by a dimpled pint mug full of beer. I remark that I would have asked for a straight glass had I known, but I demur when offered an exchange, remarking that I'll just have it in the old fashioned glass. A jaw drops in this achingly trendy little bar.  Have I committed a cardinal sin of implying untrendiness? I hastily offer the explanation that I remember these the first time round, but he doesn't look convinced. Is he unaware that there was a first time, or, more likely, should I clearly know that this is a retro touch?

This pointlessly worries me as I retreat to the most uncomfortable stool ever;  it is a tiny rectangle of sharp corners that bit into my well padded arse, but they look good. Style over substance, but in there I have to say they are perfect.  Young women in matching aprons fuss about filling the tiniest saucers ever with a precarious (small) heap of olives for £1.60 a pop and bringing "sharing bottles" to the stand up fridge. The choice of beer is thoughtful and wide ranging. The bottle fridge is interesting, diverse and representative. Is there a price list somewhere? I don't know.  The craft keg offer is well thought out, seems par for the course pricewise and is offered in thirds, halves and two thirds.  Three handpumps offer a balanced range. My Roosters is good. Very good, so I order another half.  A young couple come in, order beer and disappear downstairs.  I would love a look there but somehow don't do it, though I know this is the part of the bar that gets a lot of plaudits.  I am missing out here, but drink up and go and am given a cheery goodbye.

So what do I think?  I really need to visit again, preferably with my lass to tell you.  It isn't a place to go on your own, if like me you like to watch what is going on at the bar. In fact it probably isn't a place to go on your own at all.  I have no reservations whatever on service which is helpful and friendly, beer choice which is pretty near perfect, or popularity, but I can tell I am not the target audience.  It is for trendy 25 to 35 years olds and no worse for that.  Friends of Ham know who it is aiming at and judging by the on-line reviews, it does it very well indeed, but somehow I am guessing that there would be few occasions when it would be my first choice. 

That is probably how it should be. They have a niche that works for them and that is a very good thing.

I am guessing too, that it would be very uncomfortable when busy. But younger folks like that and busy is always good for a pub or bar.

Bloody Spam

You may have noticed I am getting spammed a lot at the moment. It all seems to be from the same area and so, reluctantly, I am going to put some word verification on for a short time until this attack passes. I am against this and it would not be needed if Blogger would just allow you to block anonymous comments. It is a bloody nuisance for commentators to decipher the stuff to allow comments, as I have just found out on RedNev's blog where it took three goes before I got it right.

So Folks, sorry, but it will only be for a short time.

When I worked in Liverpool, Newforge Foods beside our office made Spam.  They don't now. Seems they have gone bust. 

A Virtuoso Performance

I like to see a good professional at work, particularly when it comes to service in a pub. We all know how bad it can be and indeed, usually is, but sometimes, just now and then, you come across a performance that makes you think "That's how it should be."

On Saturday, after a quick and first visit to Friends of Ham in Leeds, I went to my old haunt the Palace, where I was being picked up by my better half. The Palace used to be my usual Leeds drinking den when I worked there and you can see from its large windows, Quarry House where I slaved away. It is a Nicolson's pub now, but in my time it started off as plain old Tetley's before becoming a Festival Ale House and then something under whatever the forerunner of  M&B was. It has always been a good place to drink, with its large picture windows, dark wood and various nooks and crannies. It has always too had a good selection of beers and I can (not very well) remember among many other boozy visits, delicious encounters with Ind Coope Burton Ale. It is still a fine place to drink in now.

 When I called about one o'clock, it was quite busy, but I was able to stand in my favourite spot, just where there is a kink in the bar making almost a little alcove. The lone barmaid was serving at the other end of the bar and looked round. "I'll be with you in a second Sweetheart" quoth she. Brilliant stuff, and an immediate big tick from me. A moment later she was over, smiling and taking my order.  I watched fascinated as she ran the bar like a true professional.  Everyone was given a greeting, a word here and a smile there and advised their place in the "queue".  She served two at once, flew up and down and controlled it with a skill that seemed natural to her. She was on her own for a good twenty minutes, yet no-one waited long, everyone was put at ease and thus the ship sailed along in happy harmony.

When it got a little quieter, I asked her what her name was and complimented here on her performance.  It is Melissa for the record.   Running the show like that isn't easy, but boy did she handle it well.  It reminds me that every job is what you make it and she made it look simple, which it actually is.

A great barmaid in the old school sense and I was taught by the best, so trust me on this one.

I was also treated to a virtuoso performance in how to keep four seats to yourself in a busy pub, but that's for another day.

National Pub of the Year

Every year CAMRA announces their Pub of the Year after a long process of judging.  First of all the CAMRA Branch selects its pub, then the CAMRA Region and finally, the winner is chosen from all the regional winners.  It is the supreme accolade for a pub in the UK. As I write this the result is embargoed until a minute past midnight, but through the wonders of blogger,  this post will be legally published just a minute afterwards.   Can you tell what it is yet?

You may have heard me bang on about the Baum in Rochdale, both on this blog and on twitter.  It is in my CAMRA Branch area and is our Pub of the Year and the Greater Manchester Pub of the Year and now, it is the National Pub of the Year.  I am delighted.  More soon, as there is a formal presentation tomorrow, but I wanted you, Dear Readers, to be among the first to know.

In the meantime, here are a few words about it:

The Baum, Rochdale, Lancashire has been crowned the best pub in Britain by CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale.

CAMRA’s National Pub of the Year competition recognises all the criteria that make a great pub, including atmosphere, decor, welcome, service, value for money, customer mix, but most importantly, the quality of the beer.

The building, which sits next door to the Pioneers Museum, which is the original Co-op store, has only been a pub for around 30 years and was converted from Morris’s Hardware Store in the 1980’s.

Simon Crompton, one of the owners, started work in The Baum in 1993 and became manager in 1994. In 2005, Simon and his wife Heidi, who co-owns the business, bought the pub just two days after having their first child.

On hearing the news, Heidi Crompton said, “We were ecstatic to hear that we had been voted CAMRA’s National Pub of the Year. We are very proud of the team that have played an important role in The Baum’s success and it is a testament to their hard work that the consumers have recognised our pub with this prestigious award.”

Heidi continued, “We are a family run pub with our values influencing every aspect of the business in relationships with our staff and suppliers. We are dedicated to the ‘buy local, shop local’ initiative, always willing to support independent businesses. The support from the regular customers and local CAMRA members is valued and we would like to thank everyone for their continued support.”

CAMRA’s Good Beer Guide 2013 describes the pub as “A split-level hostelry with old world charm next door to the world’s first co-operative store. The Baum has eight handpumps, one dedicated to cider, and a large variety of continental bottled beers. Excellent food includes vegetarian dishes, with a tapas menu available at weekends. There is an upstairs dining / function room. The large rear garden, over looked by a conservatory, contains two full-size pétanque pistes.”

CAMRA’s Pubs Director, Julian Hough was delighted with this year’s winner and said, “I would like to congratulate Simon, Heidi and all of the staff at The Baum on winning CAMRA’s national award. It is great to see a pub that offers consumers a fantastic range of quality drinks and also supports local businesses crowned National Pub of the Year. I would urge all pub lovers to visit The Baum and experience what a brilliant pub it is.”

Peter Alexander, Chairman of Rochdale, Oldham and Bury CAMRA said, "Clearly we are absolutely thrilled that the Baum has been chosen as CAMRA's National Pub Of The Year.  While we locally know how good a pub the Baum is, it is fantastic to have this confirmed by senior judges who have never visited it before.  Given that the Baum was up against some tremendously fierce competition, Simon and Heidi have done a tremendous job. There is no higher accolade in pub awards and we in the local CAMRA branch are very proud to have Britain's best pub in our area. " 

I don't know who the last guy is, but he seems to know what's what!


I took the photo too!

Seeing the Light

After singing the praises of dark weaker beers in this post a couple of days ago, imagine my surprise to be thrilled silly by yet another 3.5% beer, in the same place, in splendid condition and this time pale and clear.  I mentioned my circle of trust in that piece and one brewery that is firmly within is Saltaire.  The beer that caught your Hero's attention was Saltaire South Island Pale, a delightful little number with all the tropical flavours you'd expect from New Zealand hops and no trace of wateriness whatever.  Saltaire's website shows the fantastic range of beers brewed and they rarely disappoint.  Unfortunately the website is remarkably uninformative about what actual hops are used on this occasion, so a point off for that, but it displayed the usual mango, lychee and soft, easy citrus that you'd expect from NZ hops.  It gives my old favourite Windermere Pale a run for its money - and in my book, you can't say fairer than that.

That said, into each life a little rain must fall. Heading back to the bus station, we called into the Regal Moon.  I had only time for one pint and wanted a contrast to the excellent pale beer above.  I had enjoyed Old Moor Porter earlier for its earthy complexity and for a change, despite the inner Tandleman saying "This will be a mistake", I ordered a pint of Butcombe Porter.  Now I have always thought Butcombe as the kind of beer that to this writer at least, is dull as ditch-water.  It was. The porter showed no character or prominent flavours whatever.  A typical Butcombe beer in other words.

I should have listened to myself.  I always talk sense.

In case you haven't got the message, Butcombe are NOT in my circle of trust, but my mate Derek thought it OK.

Feeling Pessimistic About Pubs?

If you are worried about the future of pubs, you ought to read this article from the Morning Advertiser.  It illustrates clearly how bad the Pub Companies* have been and are for British Pubs.

At least you won't have to pay income tax if you run one. You won't earn enough.

*I mean here (mostly) Punch and Enterprise.  The British Brewing and Pub Association gets a spanking too.

German Beer Malaise Continues

The latest figures from the German Federal Statistics Office show that beer production in Germany declined by 2% last year to 96.5 million hectolitres, the lowest since 1990. Perhaps surprisingly, the largest amount of  beer was produced not in Bavaria, but in North Rhine-Westphalia, the most populous part of the country.

Possibly the most gloomy part of it all is the rise of pre-mix beers drinks such as beer with cola, or fruit juice, which accounted for 4.5% of all beer sales.  Readers of the Local put this down to increasing health conciousness and the rise and rise of wine.  Though you might think the two are mutually exclusive, it appears the Germans do not.  A few correspondents remarked that German beer has lagged behind the rest of the world in innovation. 16% of Germany's beer production was exported though. Sadly too for the Tysons of the German beer world, the previous habit of a beer with breakfast is dying out too as habits change.

A rather worrying aspect of all this is that the fall shows no sign of arresting and with few straws to clutch at, people are openly (but given that there are still over 1300 breweries, a tad prematurely)  referring to "Brauereisterben,” a term meaning the death of German brewing.

There is a rather excellent summary of the ills visiting the German brewing industry here.   The gratuitous photo of drinkers in dirndls is just that. Gratuitous.

Darkness Lights the Way

On Saturday we had our Good Beer Guide Selection Meeting at the Greater Manchester Pub of the Year, the Baum in Rochdale. As usual there was an excellent selection of beer and while I enjoyed my first pint of Single Hop Saaz from Marstons, my attention was drawn to a beer I had somehow overlooked. My colleague declared it "excellent" and indeed it was. Dark Star is a brewery I certainly include in my circle of trust.  Darkness, is a black as the Devil's waistcoat and served in the peak of condition, at the correct temperature, with a tight creamy head as God intended, it had a wonderful, coal dust, roast barley and dark berry fruit flavour, all overlaid with pronounced resinous hops. (Warrior I understand.) At 3.5% it was a beer you could drink with relish and abandon while still being sober enough to control 30 or so unruly CAMRA members, all vying to have their beer favourites selected.

Now with one or two exceptions - the most notable being Windermere Pale from Hawkshead - pale beers struggle to avoid wateriness, when 'down' at this gravity, but in my experience, dark beers, when you put enough of the correct ingredients in them, suffer much less. Dark beers are notorious for hiding brewing faults, especially when laden with alcohol, but I'd submit that at this strength, the skill of the brewer comes to the fore and if there is a better example, I'd like to see it.  Well done Dark Star.

So Brewers? Want to make a really good beer at a low gravity? I'd humbly suggest that you get the dark malts out.

Yes I know Dark Star don't recommend sparklers, but in this case at least, they are wrong.

Spot the Difference

There was a lot of fuss among the geekerati about IndyManBeerCon.  Most remarked how wonderful it was and indeed I wrote about it rather positively here. I was caused to think back about it, when struck by a letter in the most recent What's Brewing about how CAMRA shouldn't worry about attracting young people, something I think IndyManBeerCon actively did do, as they'll come to us in time.

Set against this background, the very recent final National Winter Ales Festival to be held in Manchester, allowed me, as Deputy Organiser, to spend rather a lot of time in our little podium in the middle (it was a bingo caller's box don't you know) examining the crowd.  Not only was that part of my job, but it was instructive to see how the crowd varied and what the mix and dynamics were.  I also was responsible for the door and spent every day watching the crowds as they came in.  On Thursday, when it was free to CAMRA members, there were vast numbers of over fifties, presumably retired and a sprinkling of younger people.  There was also a fair number of tickers in, grabbing the best position and setting out their pre-prepared lists.  Later, after work, the crowd while remaining mainly older, was leavened by a healthy sprinkling of younger people.

Friday repeated the pattern, though by after work time, the balance had swung more in favour of the under thirties, but maintained a healthy mix.  Saturday was more of the same, with a few families in their designated area and a solid mix of ages.

Now why am I saying all this?  Going back to IndyManBeerCon, there, on the Friday at least, it was mainly and I mean almost totally, those under forty.  I doubt if their targeted audience was as broadly based as ours and why should it be?  Their customers were much more seriously  geeky - and I don't mean that as an insult - much more socially aware and probably, far more affluent. They had a different offer which worked for them.  Just as craft keg is a different offer that works for some. 

Returning to that letter in What's Brewing.  The young will eventually become older, the trendy will want to be warm and comfortable, they'll get married and have children.  They and their beer tastes will change and develop.  I'm getting increasingly relaxed about craft keg.  Real Ale isn't going away - there are enough of us around determined on that point - and choice is always good.

Come when you are ready Folks.

As an aside, these old codgers don't half have a laugh.  Plenty of laughter throughout was the order of the day.  I don't recall so much of that at IndyManBeerCon.  Geeky people don't do laughing it seems.

I'll Still Have a Pub to Go To

I've been a bit busy lately with CAMRA stuff recently and not really been able to keep up with blogs as much as I'd like and consequently have neglected my own. A temporary stare of affairs. One bit though I read yesterday, made me sit up and take notice. I was going to go for an afternoon kip, so knackered am I after National Winter Ales Festival, but Zak Avery's post here got me thinking instead. It is about the decline in beer sales against a background of a rise in the number of brewers and itself follows on from points made here..

 That bubble will bust many say and it no doubt will. At any rate it is hard to see anything other than a decline in the rate of increase.  I kind of believe that far from the smoking ban which saw a load of (mainly) older drinkers decide not to drink in pubs, there is wider societal change that means the number, type and quality of pubs will change. The anti alcohol brigade, through lies and distortions, have managed to scare off many from pub going, the pub companies have driven many pubs into the ground, the quality and business nous of many a landlord is clearly questionable and the days of a pub on every corner, while not entirely gone, are in decline. As working class areas change their populations, many have seen their pubs die as well. Unemployment, high prices, poor facilities, rotten welcomes, generational indifference to the pub as a social outlet and much more have changed the pub from the "must go to" haven it used to be, to an occasional treat, or even an imposition. For many young people the constant need to produce ID has driven the under age out of pubs and social interaction can easily be achieved electronically.  I dare say too these days,  there is much more chance of other more enticing horizontal delights too.

So why go to the pub? Remaining bottom end pubs are no go areas, road house pubs have either gone or become family oriented eateries, estate pubs have closed, slowly, one after the other as drinkers can drink and smoke cheaply at home, town centre pubs can be hell holes at weekends (or magnets for a certain kind of young drinker) and deserted during the week.  Good honest locals are struggling too. My observation too is that many young drinkers that do find their way to the boozer, aren't drinking that much by way of beer, but ready mixes, exotic ciders and gaudily coloured spirits with Red Bull.  A grim picture in some ways, but the young won't stay young forever and they will change. Predicting how might be worthwhile.

 But what of these brewers? Still coming out of the woodwork and despite the occasional failure, still doing reasonably well overall, as pubs become more open to them through being re-opened or re-invented as free houses, ties being loosened and wise entrepreneurs seeing gaps in the market. In addition - and these are very prevalent in Manchester - there is the cafe bar which will likely sell bistro style food, and a mixture of craft and cask beer. Craft beer bars are booming as operators see that in any bad situation, there are still people with money to spend, that want something that bit different. By operators, I mean both those that make beer and those that retail it.  Brewers with tied houses are increasingly turning to food as the answer and for some it will be, but it still leaves a lot of pubs with a need to change their game. The world of beer is changing and if those that sell beer, pubs and brewers, don't find a niche, be that craft, cafe, alehouse, circuit pub, family pub or whatever, they are doomed.  And they better get a move on. The big brewers see that as an attractive and fertile piece of the action too, particularly Molson-Coors.  I also see the market as being more segmented than it ever was.  The old days of the pub being that easy social mix of all types, is in most cases, a thing of the past.

The market is in some places at least, adapting to changed social conditions and those pubs and businesses and, yes, brewers, that are wily enough to see niches and gaps will do well. Pubs have always adapted or died and what is happening isn't really new, though some would argue the scale is different.  Brewers have to change too.  While there may still be scope for more tie loosening and therefore more opportunities for brewers, the need to be different is just as strong here.  It is no longer good enough to churn out a bog standard, bitter and golden ale.  More is needed and increasingly this "more" will be filled by smart brewers catching the mood of the moment, be that craft keg, cloudy beer, Imperial this or that,  or whatever.  I for one, as an aside, am gratified to see how many brewers see the possibilities in good British brewed lager, but that's a separate post coming soon.

Above all, quality is the key. Prices are high and while at one end (the cheap end) consistency is expected, above all, beer has to be of great quality, served in top condition in places where clearly you are valued as a customer.  Many pubs and brewers are still failing that test.


I fear for them, but not for the pub as a whole.  There will be less of them, (and probably less brewers too) but they'll be of better quality.  Good pubs will survive and do well as they always have.  They'll see me out for sure.

There is also an attractive argument that declining large brewer volumes paint a distorted picture of the brewing scene today.

That Sinking Feeling

So, Heineken is about to reduce the strength of John Smith's Smooth to 3.6%? Nothing all that surprising really. In fact what is surprising is that it took them so long. As they point out themselves, their rivals are already at (or in some cases below) 3.6%, so there is little risk to sales in doing so. I somehow doubt that many drink it because of its alcoholic strength - quite the reverse in fact - for smooth keg ales of that ilk are hardly aimed at the discerning part of the market, but the convenience and commodity part of it.

There is of course a tendency for beers to drop in strength as pressure is put on the trade over alcohol and we have seen premium beers slowly slip, bit by bit under 5% and nearer to four. Is there a point when standard bitters, like Lees at 4% and Robinson's Unicorn at 4.1% become the new premium bitters? We are some way off that yet, but certainly, they would tend to fall into that old and almost forgotten category of Best Bitter, which the likes of Timothy Taylor's Landlord occupies. Whichever way you look at it, for branded beers - beers that you know by name and reputation - there is now considerable bunching around 3.6% to 4.2%.  Of course, you could make a fairly convincing case for saying it was ever thus, but in the past you would have been offered a stronger alternative.  That isn't so likely now.

Price of course has a part to play. It is no surprise to read that Heineken, while saving £6.6 million in duty, will put the price of the reduced gravity liquid up by 2.5p a pint, which will equate no doubt to even more than that in the pub, though no doubt, places like Wetherspoon will look to improve their discount to alleviate the effect on customers. And make no mistake, without huge discounts, Heineken wouldn't shift nearly so much of it, even if it is a "must have" beer for low end pubs.

Will this trend see a creeping down in the alcoholic strength of standard (cooking) lagers? I'd watch that one very carefully. With Carling and Fosters at 4% and Carlsberg at 3.8%. I wouldn't be at all surprised.  It may be cynical, but in big volume beers, which sell on brand image and familiarity, rather than taste, there is money to be made in reducing alcoholic strength.

Brewers of course see this as a victimless crime, but there are losers.  The customer for one and the Treasury for another.  And when the Treasury lose money, they find a way of getting it back.

The cask version - if you are unlucky enough to come across it - will stay at 3.8%

Old Friends - Strong Recommendations

I'm a simple soul me. I don't go out to find obscure beers, but beers that I can sup with pleasure and depend on. That is, incidentally, how most people drink and why, despite the bumping of gums by beer geeks about it, good old fashioned brown bitters, golden ales and mainstream lagers are so popular. Difficult to drink beers are and always will be, a minority obsession.

But I digress. I was pleased therefore to walk into the Regal Moon last night and be offered a choice of two old favourites, so I compromised and had both - not together - but one after the other of course. Ossett Silver King is a very clear, pale beer, with a crisp citric bitterness that makes it very easy to drink. A fairly regular option in the Regal Moon, it was my first non Lees beer of 2013, so a milestone of a sort. Next up was Hawkshead Lakeland Gold. Another pale one, but not as pale as Silver King, but with the emphasis more firmly on bitterness. Very pleasing with my ham, eggs and chips - told you I'm a simple soul.

And so to the Baum and the main event of the evening, my CAMRA Branch meeting. The Baum, as befitting its status as Greater Manchester Pub of the Year had a great selection on. My eye was drawn as if by a magnet to a name that always inspires confidence - Mallinsons. This time Aramis, using the French hop of that name. Pale, bitter, zesty with a full tasting bitter finish, it was a lovely beer. Of course,the thirty odd CAMRA members soon saw this off. Good for business we are.  The replacement was another Mallinsons beer, this time Tethys, using Sumer hops. Not a hop I've heard of and not as strikingly good as the Aramis, but pretty decent, though if given a choice, I'd have supped them in reverse order.  I finished on another very bitter beer in top condition. Marble Beers need no introduction and Marble Best did not disappoint, with a great malt backbone, backed up by layers of bitter, resiny hops. A splendid beer.

So my point is the familiar need not be boring. Beers from Ossett, Hawkshead, Mallinsons and Marble are beers not only to drink with confidence, but with clear enjoyment.

We had 34 members at our meeting last night. Good for business indeed.

My January

I've enjoyed reading various posts about dry Januarys, but while I'll be cutting down a little due to mince pie excess, January means one thing to me above all - The National Winter Ales Festival. Next week I'll go over my huge amount of paperwork and ensure all my stuff is up to date for my main role, that of Health and Safety Officer.  I say main role, but that is moot, as my "other" responsibility is as Deputy Organiser, which of course gives me a sharp overview of the huge amount of work put in by a lot of very dedicated people.

It is quite amazing to look at the beer list and realise that there is a remarkably long list of beers that choose themselves, either because they are competition entries (we host the Champion Winter Beer of Britain, plus Regional Heats for next year.)  There are sponsor's beers too - yes we have them otherwise the cost of entry would be prohibitive - and we have a feature this year involving Project Venus.  When you take that lot out, the "free" list is a lot shorter than you'd imagine.  The Beer Orderer has a remarkably difficult juggling job to do.  It is a huge credit to him that despite the difficulties, we will have a fantastic choice for customers.

Meantime others have been working on foreign beer lists, cider lists, pricing, bar kit, cooling plans, electrical plans, liaison with Police, staffing,  beer judging, security, logistics and a thousand other mind boggling things. In addition to door and foyer arrangements (another little sideline of mine) and Health and Safety, I'll have to get my head round a beer tasting I'll be giving to corporate customers.  I haven't done one for a couple of years and while fun, they are quite a responsibility as they need a fair bit of planning.

Sometimes we wonder why we do it, but I know it will all come together and when the punters start to flood in, it will all be worthwhile.

Do come and join us and see how it has all worked out. You really will be most welcome.

National Winter Ales Festival, 23rd-26th January 2013, Sheridan Suite, Manchester, M40 8RR.  Over 300 Real Ales, Ciders and Foreign Beers from around the world.

Silly Me

I don't like to start the New Year on a negative note, but it is the blogger's lot to speak as you find.

I was in a local Lees Managed House over the festive period and keen to try Lees Christmas Seasonal, Plum Pudding, I ordered a pint.  The young barmaid waited while the manager was using the handpump.  There was a pint of Plum Pudding sitting at the side.  The manager said to her colleague "You can have this."  I immediately said that I would prefer not to have the last pint poured out of a cask - I assumed she was changing the barrel - and said so.  The manager assured me it was not the last pint, but that there had been a problem with the connection and this one was fine. 

Now as I am fairly well known in a lot of Lees houses (though not to the manager in this case), I dislike such situations. Someone is bound to say "I see the local CAMRA Bod is in complaining about the beer."  So I reluctantly accepted the pint, which wasn't great, but not bad.  My second pint was terrific though; sparkling, clean and delicious. Night and day.  I knew then I had been "had". Serves me right. I had my doubts and should have stood my ground, but for mixed, or maybe mixed up, reasons I didn't. But I don't like being served beer that on the evidence available to me, was known by the manager to be less than optimal. Cask beer should never be served where there is a doubt as to quality.

It won't be that way next time when I have my doubts.  My first New Year's Resolution!

Happy New Year to all my readers.  Have a great 2013.