Here we go again

A full page advert and a half page article in todays' Wirral News got my goat. Here is my e-mail reply:

"I read your advertisement in today's Wirral News. I felt moved to respond to the misinformation that you peddle. You state that men should not drink more than 21 units a seek (sic) and that a pint or can of strong lager = 3 units.

You give the impression that a limit of 21 units per week some scientific basis. I remember when a recommended weekly limit was introduced it was set at 42 units per week (or 'seek' as you prefer to call it). I have never seen any medical research justifying the reduction or indeed proving that 21 units is o.k. but, say, 25 is bad.

Also, you scaremonger the readers by stating that I pint or can of strong lager = 3 units. That may be true but a typical pint of bitter or weaker lager drunk by most consumers contains just over 2 units. A bare comparison of units is unhelpful anyway. Someone who regularly drinks on an empty stomach will be more at risk that another drinker who only drinks after a meal.

In the same edition Dr Stefan Janikevic of the Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust criticises Wirral Borough Council for failing to support minimum alcohol pricing. The duty on beer has increased by 32.4% since october 2008. Surely enough is enough. Price increases hit everyone but the binge drinker will not be concerned. They will carry on regardless. Stop supermarkets selling alcohol below cost and clamp down on vertical drinking bars but don't use a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

I am not belittling the damage that excess alcohol can cause. A close friend of mine is battling alcoholism. But like any addict price increases make no difference to him. There is now a concerted effort by what is known as the 'health lobby' to prevent responsible adults from enjoying alcohol in moderation. It is time that we the consumer fight back."

They wouldn't do it here

I was over in Paris at the weekend. It was noticeable that most bars were advertising Happy Hours, usually lasting five or six hours. Now the happy hour concept is a dying breed in Britain as the various health lobbies have put pressure on pub groups and breweries.

So its as well that they aren't aware that Wells & Youngs own a pub in Paris called the Bombardier just round the corner from the Sorbonne. Not only does it have a Happy Hour (or six) but it proudly advertises that Happy Hour lasts all night for students with valid ID. They wouldn't get away with that in the U.K.

Brimstage Brewery



I know you love pretty pictures. So here's a sneak preview of the new pump clips for the beers brewed by Brimstage Brewery here in Wirral. The Beatles once played at Brimstage Village Hall but you already knew that.

The pump clips will no doubt catch the eye on any pub bar, not that the brewery needs any help in shifting it's beers. Legal notice: Oystercatcher Stout is 4.4% not 4.6%. If you'd like to find out where you can sample the beers there's a list of some of the best stockists on the website: Brimstage Brewery

Sandpiper can be found in some Woodward and Falconer pubs
rebadged as 'Piffle'. Don't ask.

More on minimum pricing for beer

'Wirral Council has abandoned moves towards minimum pricing of alcohol. It follows a public consultation by the authority which showed no strong majority for or against the proposals. The autority's licensing and general purposes committee decided unanimously to stop short of supporting a Merseyside-wide bylaw for pricing of alcohol.'

The propaganda war against drinkers continues though. In the same edition of the Liverpool Echo a headline proclaims '40% of Liverpool tipplers "at risk"'. The article states 'Regularly drinking two pints a day is enough to impact on health according to government guidance so the focus isn't so much on alcoholics but the 42% of Liverpool drinkers who are storing up problems without even knowing it.'

Alright, Scousers like a drink. We know that. But can we really believe that 42% of those who drink alcohol 'are storing up problems'? Anyway isn't it supposed to be MORE THAN 2 pints a day that is bad for health. I thought that 2 pints was the maximum so called 'safe' level. Where is the evidence for this 2 pint danger limit? I remember some years back when it was 4 pints. Why the cut?

When one of these 'experts' provides reliable data showing that 1½ pints a day is o.k. for health and

2½ pints isn't then I'll accept it. Until then I'll ignore them.

Buying bottled beer

Following the demise of BeerRitz  I gave some thought to buying quality bottled beer.

The Merseyside and West Cheshire region lacks a specialist beer shop which is surprising considering the size of the potential market. There are some excellent online beer sellers but delivery costs can make this method of purchase expensive. So what about our major supermarkets?

I did my usual shop to Tesco last Friday. It’s classed as a Tesco ‘Extra’ so it’s as big as they come. Perusing the shelves was a disappointment. Sticking to British beers only two bottle conditioned beers were on sale; Coniston Bluebird and Fuller’s Bengal Lancer. Widening the brief to ‘craft beers’ gave me Brewdog Punk IPA and 77 Lager plus two beers from Innis & Gunn and Morrisey Fox Blonde if you class that as a ‘craft’ product. Just about everything else was your typical mediocre ‘bitter in a bottle’ and was dominated by Greene King, Marston’s, Hall & Woodhouse and Fuller’s.

A trip to Sainsbury was slightly better but not by much. Meantime London Porter is good, Tom Woods Shropshire Lad, St. Peter’s Golden Ale and Purity Ubu are interesting without being outstanding. I know that Sainsbury stock Meantime’s bottle conditioned 75cl bottles in some branches but not in Wirral they don’t!

When you think of the excellent individually crafted beers that are produced in this country it’s a shame that they are so hard to find unless you are lucky enough to live close to the breweries or a dedicated beer shop.

Guinness

I thought it was appropriate on St. Patrick's Day for my blog to ask a question that has vexed quite a few of the beer cognoscenti over the years.

Why won't Guinness produce a bottle conditioned of their Foreign Extra/Special Export Stout? It's very good as it is - try it chilled on a hot day in, for instance, St. Tropez (memories!) - but could be even better.

While they are at it they could produce a draught version as well. As I'm asking the earth they could restore bottle conditioning to the standard strength brew as well.

Minimum price alcohol

Today's Liverpool Echo has a article which states that Wirral Council is hoping to introduce a minimum price for alcohol. Committee chair Cllr Sue Taylor said "If you are a normal drinker you are probably looking at an increase of £1 per month".

Point 1. What is the justification for those of us who drink in a responsible manner paying over £4 extra per month? We've been hit with a succession of excise, VAT and other price increases. Surely enough is enough.

Point 2. I find the use of the word 'normal' a bit sinister. The only other word that can be used in contrast is 'abnormal'. I'm happy with less pejorative words like occasional, regular, heavy, light, social, excessive or moderate. I'd certainly never call anyone a normal drinker.

Not a problem

I was amused by this poster I spotted in Belgium last week. Somehow I don't think the juxtaposition of children playing on the back of a vehicle without seat belts in the proximity of crates of beer would be sanctioned by the ASA.