Monday 25 October 2010

World Tour (Birmingham Leg)

I'm delighted that the lovely people of Marston's have had the good taste to invite me down to the Birmingham CAMRA Beer Festival to say a few words about some of their venerable beers.

I'm going to be holding a tasting of Banks's Mild, Bitter, and Marston's Pedigree on the Banks's stage, for each of the Saturday sessions. Not only that, but in a fit of creativity, we are also going to attempt to Tweet it live from the stage, and there will also be video and photos of the event uploaded as it happens. That's the plan, anyway - I'm worried that it has the makings of an Orbital gig, with a couple of people huddled behind a bank of technology, but with more facial hair and beer, and less hands-in-the-air action.

I'm also going to lug a few copies of "500 Beers" with me for a 'guerilla book signing' (™ Pete Brown), so if you'd like a freshly defaced copy, do stop by the Banks's stage to catch me in full flow at 3pm and 6pm. After a slightly nervous flick through the index, I'm relieved to see that I have included Marston's Pedigree, and describe it as "an unreconstructed English classic". The whole tasting will be themed around one of my great loves - ordinary brown beer - and I might even have a stab at a beer cocktail, or as they used to be called, a mild and bitter.

Come along, it'll be fun.

TRANSPARENCY STATEMENT: I am being paid to host these tastings. If you think that means I'll say anything I wouldn't ordinarily say, or will prevent me from saying what's on my mind, then you've clearly never met me. So come along and meet me.

10 comments:

  1. Not had Banks's Bitter recently as it seems to have retreated back to its heartland, with Marston's Bitter generally taking over. Banks's Mild, though, is surely one of the archetypal British beers.

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  2. There would definitely be hands-in-the-air action if anyone asked me to drink Pedigree live on stage. Ugh!

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  3. Are signed copies worth more or less than unsigned ones?

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  4. Curmudgeon - funnily enough, Kieran Haslett-Moore said he too had a soft spot for Banks's Mild. I'm looking forward to trying it on Saturday.

    TBN - Everybody in the house say YEAH!

    Cookie - I guess it depends on who signs it. You should send your copy to Pete Brown and see if he'll write something nice in it for you.

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  5. I've spent a lot of time in the Black Country this year and really got a taste for Banks's Mild, I think it's an absolutely beautiful, refreshing drink. I'm from Dublin and this drink reminds me of a lighter version of Guinness but it tastes much nicer! I love it and will get to the festival if I can :-)

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  6. How I wish I had known more about good beer when a student in Brum! Mind you the Caffrey's went down well, as did discovering Zywiec in the All Bar One.

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  7. Avery, you get your ass over here for a book signing!!! I'll camp out at the location, just to be the first inline!!!

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  8. Catherine - drop by and say hi if you can!

    Al - Caffrey's, eh?! Would've believed it.

    Monty - it's going to be about 18 months, so you have a long camp ahead of you if you start now!

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  9. I was young and knew no better. Still, it could have been worse, I could have been drinking Foster's or some such.

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  10. you would obviously have to get paid to do a beer tasting for Banks bitter and Pedigree. good luck you will need it. john

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