Friday, July 29, 2005

A Big AD

bloody big ad... made from beer. http://www.bigad.com.au/

Apparently this was originally released to just 25 people. Just by word of mouth and linking from different sites this advert has now been seen by over half a million people.

Well worth a look on a Friday afternoon, thanks to http://www.spittoon.biz/


Thursday, July 28, 2005

300 Beers To Try Before You Die!

Beer expert reveals his 10 favourite beers to try at the biggest pub in the world!
Roger Protz, leading beer writer and twice winner of the prestigious Glendfiddich Drink Writer of the Year Award, has revealed to the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), his selection of must-try British beers to sample down the pub and at the forthcoming Great British Beer Festival.

The list has been whittled down from an international selection of 300 beers featured in Roger Protz’s new book 300 Beers to Try Before You Die! The book is being launched in time for next week’s Great British Beer Festival, 2nd-6th August, at London Olympia.


“You can't beat the conviviality of a good pub serving good beer. But the Great British Beer Festival is the biggest pub in the world!” said Mr Protz. “It's a brilliant showcase and snapshot of the modern British brewing industry. There's never been a greater choice for beer drinkers in Britain, with milds, bitters, porters, stouts, golden ales, old ales and barley wines. Come and revel in the remarkable choice and diversity of Britain's best beers, and why not try out some of my own personal favourites all gathered together under one roof for the first time?”



Roger Protz’s Top Ten Beers to Drink in British Pubs (in alphabetical order!) are:
1. Brakspear Bitter, Oxfordshire
2. B&T Edwin Taylor’s Stout, Bedfordshire
3. Cains Dark Mild, Liverpool
4. Crouch Vale Brewers Gold, Essex
5. Fullers ESB, London
6. Harvey’s Sussex Best Bitter, Sussex
7. Harviestoun Bitter & Twisted, Scotland
8. Marston's Pedigree, Burton upon Trent
9. Taylor’s Landlord, Keighley, Yorkshire
10. Young’s Bitter, London


Monday, July 25, 2005

Two Local Beer Festivals This Week

These are at the Smithfield Hotel (Swan Street, Manchester) from Thursday until Saturday/Sunday. At least 15 real ales including 2 from Glossop's newest brewery, Howard Town.

The second is taking place at the Black Horse, Darwen from Thursday evening. This is just 40 minutes by train (hourly service from Manchester Victoria) and will feature 13 real ales on gravity plus regulars from Hopstar (on handpull). As with the Smithfield, the Howard Town beers will be available along with other new and interesting ales.

(Thanks to Graeme Wood for the info)


Smithfield Beer Festival
Bragdy’r Bryn cff - Bitter - 4.0%
Bragdy’r Bryn cff - Special - 4.5%
Great Oakley - Whot’s Occurring - 3.9%
Great Oakley - Harpers - 4.3
Great Oakley - Tail Shaker - 5.0%
Howard Town - Wren’s Nest - 4.2%
Howard Town - Howard Town Bitter - 4.7%
Lancaster - Duchy - 3.9%
Lancaster - JSB - 4.3%
Little Valley - Withens IPA - 3.9%
Little Valley - Cragvale Bitter - 4.2%
Little Valley - Studley Stout - 4.8%
Little Valley - Tod’s Blonde - 5.0%
Peakstone Rock - Dave’s Delight - 3.8%
Quartz - Blonde - 3.8%

The Black Horse Beer Festival
BULLMASTIFF - Yacci Dar - 4.6%
GOLCAR - Puzzle Fest - 3.9%
HOWARD TOWN - Howard Town Bitter - 4.7%
HOWARD TOWN - Wrens Nest - 4.2%
NAYLORS - Sparkeys Monday Night Mild - 3.4%
NAYLORS - Mothers Best - 3.9%
NAYLORS - Stoneys Triple FFF - 4.5%
RODHAMS - Wheat Beer - 3.8%
SIDECAR - Formula 2 - ?.?%
SPITTING FEATHERS - Thirst Quencher - 3.9%
SPITTING FEATHERS - Special - 4.2%
SPITTING FEATHERS - Wavertony Stout - 4.4%
Quartz - Blonde - 3.9%

Campaign for full pints


Getting what you pay for is a basic consumer right. When ordering a pint of beer you should receive exactly that – a full pint. The reality is very different, and because of loopholes in the law over 8 out of 10 pints are short measure.

Despite repeated promises, the Government have failed to act on short beer measures.
Under pressure from the pubs industry, the Government are now proposing to define a pint as “not less than 95% liquid”. CAMRA believes that this proposal will lead to the worsening of the current situation as it gives a green light to companies to short change consumers.
Please write or email your MP calling on them to support the campaign for an Honest Pint Law and to sign EDM 404. *

Click HERE to take action NOW! to demand Your Full Pint!

*EDM stands for Early Day Motion. These can be signed by backbench MPs to show their support for a campaign. Frontbench MPs do not usually sign EDMs. EDM 404 reads:
"That this House expresses concern at current proposals to define a pint of beer as "not less than 95% liquid"; notes that the Campaign for Real Ale, the Trading Standards Institute and LACORS believe that this proposal will result in the proposed 5% "tolerance" being added to the existing deficiency threshold normally applied by enforcement agencies before considering prosecution action, and which will result in licensees being able to serve "pints" of substantially less than 95% liquid; further notes that short measure costs consumers over £400 million annually, HM Treasury over £54 million annually in lost excise revenues, and Brewers £133 million in lost beer sales; that this House therefore calls on the Government to bring forward legislation to protect consumers from short beer measures by defining a pint of beer as 100% liquid."