Posted:15/02/2010
This Week in the Pub Industry
Generous publicans and pub goers at two pubs have helped raise almost £12,000 for the Haiti earthquake appeal.
The Black Horse village pub, in Naunton, Cotswold, raised £7,000 by throwing a party and hosting an auction. The most sought after item in the bidding was a meal for 10 cooked by the pub’s chef.
Meanwhile, the Cluny in Newcastle upon Tyne raised £4,600 with a raffle and a sold-out gig (pictured) featuring Paul Smith of Maximo Park.
Maverick Scottish microbrewer Brewdog is reclaiming the title of the world’s strongest beer from German rivals – with a 41 per cent IPA called Sink the Bismarck.
The company had its title snatched from it earlier this month after it emerged that German brewer Schorschbrau had produced the 40 per cent Schorschbock.
Now the controversial Scottish firm has unveiled the 41 per cent ABV Sink the Bismarck, which will cost £40 a bottle and be exclusively available on-line.
The beer is a quadruple IPA that contains four times the hops, four times the bitterness and is frozen four times to create the strength.
The company has argued it is trying to push a responsible approach to drinking beer.
It previously held the title of world’s strongest beer with a 32 per cent brew called Tactical Nuclear Penguin.
Brewdog managing director James Watt said: "Beer has a terrible reputation in Britain, it's ignorant to assume that a beer can't be enjoyed responsibly like a nice dram or a glass of fine wine.
"A beer like Sink the Bismarck should be enjoyed in spirit sized measures.
"It is important that you be careful with this beer and show it the same amount of sceptical, tentative respect you would show an international chess superstar, clown or gypsy.”
A vicar fulfilled her part of a job swap with a licensee when she pulled pints for an evening – and boosted bar takings by 35 per cent!
The Reverend Derath Durkin of St Faith’s Church in Hounslow, Middlesex went behind the bar at the nearby Lord Nelson on a recent Sunday evening. And with the bar full of parishoners and friends, it meant a bumper night’s business for licensee Lee Bartlett.
A few days later it was Lee giving the sermon at St Faith’s, which he delivered with aplomb.
Bartlett said: "What a great turn out to see Derath fulfil her half of the deal. I’m still so impressed with the way she handled it, hope I will be able to call on her in the future”.
The pair cooked up the idea for the job swap after the pair had a chat at the church’s Christmas Fair about their roles – and they realised just how similar they were.
