This is the lull before the storm that is The Great British Beer Festival. Earlier this week, I was trawling my local pubs delivering posters, tickets for the trade session and London Drinker magazines. Now is a rest day before the main event.
From Saturday onwards, over 1,000 CAMRA volunteers will descend upon Earl's Court exhibition centre and busy themselves preparing for the biggest beer festival in the world.
First will be the scaffolding and building the stillage. The beer will then go up for its last conditioning before sale.
By Tuesday morning, the bare floor space will have been converted into the biggest pub in the world, with a choice of over 450 British cask ales, 110 ciders and perries and 200 foreign beers. There will be the usual food stands, games and shops.
I will be in the press office looking after press and publicity, welcoming our press visitors, escorting camera crews around the site and doing various interviews through the week.
Our favourite task each year is to encourage the various photographers to take pictures that show real ale in a progressive light rather than the stereotypical beers bellies, beards and sandals. Every year, despite our best efforts of getting photos printed of Japanese tourists or young people having a great time, there is always one that slips the net. I guarantee there will be a photo on either Wednesday or Thursday of next week's press that will show a large man, with a very large belly and a long beard showing the world what drinking real ale is all about.
I will update throughout what has the makings of another great event.
Cheers !
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