This pic was taken in Rome early 2010. It's at the beer dinner hosted jointly by Birra Del Borgo and Dogfish Head, which sort of doubled as the launch for the Italian-only book "Eur-Hop!" - it's a beer-lover's guide to Europe. As well as the brewers Leonardo Di Vincenzo, Teo Musso and Sam Calagione, the chap on the left, holding a copy of said book, is Lorenzo Dabove (aka Kuaska), Italy's most celebrated beer writer. At the launch, Kuaska talked to me about the "Holy Trinity" of beer cities in the North of England (that's how they are described in the book) - Sheffield, Manchester and Huddersfield. I also note that the author for the portion on northern England is some guy called Dave Szwejkowski, who has apparently "viagiatto attraverso i cinque continente in cerca delle birra perfetto" - which makes Dave Unpronounceable's international scooping exploits sound impossibly glamorous.
I also remember feeling slightly crushed that Leeds wasn't part of that group, but hey, that's life. And what a difference a couple of years makes.
This is a time of year when it's natural to look backwards and assess, but let's be the perverts we want to be and look forward and speculate. I think 2012 is going to be a good year for Leeds. Not only is the European Beer Blogger Conference coming to Leeds in May, but it's also North Bar's 15th anniversary, which must surely be the cue for all sorts of unusually fabulous events. Throw into that mix the
Included below is a little piece I did this morning on BBC Radio Leeds about the EBBC 2012. The keen observer will note that I'm getting my years confused a bit, but live radio is quite intense. I'm just pleased I got through it without freezing, corpsing or profanity.
It's good to see the mainstream media showing an interest in the event so far ahead - I hope that we can all keep some sort of momentum up, and put Leeds and great beer on the map for May next year.
Manchester ahead of York?!
ReplyDeleteVery well spoken by all accounts. I know how nerve wracking radio is.
ReplyDeleteI'm just wondering how huddersfield got in the trilogy?! Obviously now it has grove and magic rock but Leeds has had plenty for longer!
Anon - like I say, crushed.
ReplyDeleteSteve - thanks for the kind words. While the entries for Sheffield and Manchester are reasonably long, Huddersfield lists just two breweries - Mallinsons and Empire. It also appears to pre-date (or overlook) The Grove.
I'm obviously biased but Huddersfield has had 4 pubs serving 8-10 rotating guests for more than 8 years now: The Star, Kings Head, Rat & Ratchett, Head of Steam (now The Sportsman as well). I don't recall anywhere in Leeds having such a good selection for tickers until the last couple of years, but may be wrong?
ReplyDeleteRich -Magic Rock
And obviously that's without even mentioning The Grove...
ReplyDeleteRich - you're quite right of course - and as you say, you're as biased as as I am. Let's not let the facts get in the way!
ReplyDeleteI managed to listen to the broadcast live, and it was pretty good once the presenters stopped wittering! biased? of course. Proud? Definately. We should be proud of our city and count our blessings - and the EBC is part of that - vindication, if you want to look at it like that. We've got nothing to fear and a little positivity every once in a while is a good - no, great - thing.
ReplyDeleteWE ARE LEEDS!
Nice work Zak and I hope the confrence will be a great chance to showcase the amazing and progressive brewing that is going on in The North. Magic Rock, Mallinsons, Summer Wine, Red Willow, Quantum, Thornbridge (closer to Leeds than London), Marble, Buxton (well Derbyshire), Hawkshead all brewing wonderful beer I hope they all get involved.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for posting this! Looking forward to seeing you at the conference next May.
ReplyDeleteMOT.
ReplyDeleteDing - MOT?
ReplyDelete