Wednesday 17 August 2016

Exhibition Ale

Breweries were very proud of winning medals in beer competitions. They still are, now I think about it.

I've found loads of adverts bigging up victories. But were they playing fair? Were they entering their standard beers, or were they brewing up something special? (It's an accusation that's been thrown around more recently, too.) I only know this: I've found a few brews in the logs marked as being for an exhibition or competition.

Of course, some stretched the rules. So why shouldn't I?

August is competition entry time. For beer hacks like me. Not just the British one now, but the US one, too. Time for me me rush out my exhibition tome. A book mostly intended as a competition entry.

As a lowly blogger and occasional magazine writer, I like to have something more lumpy to throw at the judges. Something that looks vaguely like a book, rather than just some flimsy internet crap.

Last year's effort I thought one of my best books. Vaguely coherent and with jokes. Hang on, I'll just check how many copies I've shifted of it . . . . . wow . . eleven . . . but I bought six of those. An impressive five actual sales. I doubt this year's exhibition book will match that.

What can the three or four of you expect this year? You remember all those filler posts maquerading as beer reviews? With elastic bands and selotape I've made something resembling a book out of them. If you don't look too closely. I'm, really selling this, aren't I?

Should you feel inclined, you can waste your money here:


Sorry, but it's dead expensive because I want the images in colour.

I'd buy a copy as an investment if I were you. Assuming you can track me down to sign it. It'll be one of the rarest of my many rare books. I'm buying 20 copies, signing them and burying them. The map showing where they are is the kids' inheritance. I plan drinking away the house. (Don't tell Dolores that.)

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