Monday, November 10, 2008

Awards and Marketing

Did I mention I brew award winning beer? There was a delay in delivery of this certificate because I couldn't attend the event myself, but picked it up at the recent beer tasting evening where I met up with the fellow brewer who presented the beer for me. I was surprised my stout did so well because thanks to a bottling mishap it was horrifically over carbonated and invariably provided nothing more than a glass of viscous tan foam. The judges must have expertly dealt with this problem and actually got some beer into the glass for tasting.

This isn't my only award you know, I also won first prize when Oz Clarke and James May spent an evening in the Bull and Castle pub during the summer filming the last episode of their beer tour of Britain and Ireland show for the BBC. My Centennial Ale was voted the best of the home brew on offer, though it must be said that the decision was based both on the beer and also the blurb that the brewer could give to the camera in support of their beer. I couldn't attend the event, but had none other than The Beer Nut to do my marketing for me. Any one who reads his blog knows he has a wonderful turn of phrase and expertly talked the celebs into picking my beer at the expense of the the beer they actually preferred the taste of, brewed by Laura of Aran Brew fame. I'm a firm believer that beer must speak for itself and to hell with the blurb that comes with it, but I'm thankful nonetheless that TBN talked my beer up a storm. Seemingly James May took a bottle of my ale home with him, which is a bugger because I'll not see that bottle again, and those swing tops are hard to come by...

8 comments:

Barry M said...

I'm looking forward to seeing whether the ICB session they filmed ends up on the cutting room floor or not. I certainly hope not...

And congratulations on the double whammy! Do you have any of the stout left? ;)

Thomas said...

I have some small bottles, but it's getting on a bit and doesn't strike me as the kind of beer that will age gracefully. I'll try and get one to you when you're in town.

Tim said...

James May lives down teh road from me. If I see him out and about, i'll ask about the whereabouts of your bottle and then post it back to it's home across the Irish sea

Cormac O'Dwyer said...

It was the viscous tan foam that swung it for you.

Actually, in all seriousness, there was no over-carbonation in the bottle that found it's way on to the judges' table. There was a good tan head to it, but no more than is to be expected from a room temperature stout.
Who knows, if your bribe had been bigger you could have walked away with gold.

Thomas said...

Many thanks for that Tim. The power of the internet never fails to amaze me. I'll refund you postage of course.

Bionic Laura said...

You'll have to start putting Award Winning Black Cat Brewery on your labels now. I was talking to Oz Clarke and he said your beer and mine were the best on taste. My blurb wasn't as good as the Beer Nut's though.

The Beer Nut said...

Hoi! Tim! Remind him he owes us a case of his bitter as our prize.

Leigh said...

cool - good work!