Beer Geek launch

Yesterday was the long awaited launch of Birmingham's newest brewery (which makes three in total).

Beer Geek Brewery touched down at the Post Office Vaults on Saturday 25th at 3.00 and there were plenty of people on hand to show their appreciation.

I had the chance to sample three of their five releases on hand pull.  They were:

Great White Geek - a 4.5% pale bitter, with a dry, salty hop profile.  This was very refreshing and insistently bitter.  Would be a perfect 'mowing the lawn' beer, assuming of course that I am the type of person who mows lawns, which of course I am not.  Would probably work equally well as a beer to watch Ceefax with.

Dark Side of the Geek - a 5.5% dark bitter, which was probably my favourite of the bunch.  Crispy, with prickles of coco pop, a minerally tongue knobbling quality and an easy to drink lightness that belies its strength. Reminded me slightly of a Schwarzbier, or the type of Scottish Ale which pops up in US brewpubs.

Geek Unique - a 4.3% bitter, with a ruddy hue and a couple of fruity, perhaps nutty moments.  Imagine liquid autumn leaves and you won't be far away.  Fizzy and light too.

I look forward to grabbing Geek Chic and Legend of the Golden Geek soon. 

So that's not too bad is it?  The other good, nay great thing about Beer Geek is that their branding and marketing is slap bang on the money.  The pump clips looked a treat - bright, bold, colourful, cool. 

There is now an exclusive club of three Birmingham breweries, but of those, Beer Geek look the most likely to tip the balance in our City.  With their spot on marketing, which skillfully avoids real ale cliche and demonstrates a youthful vigour; they can attract a new audience and (hopefully) start to post regular, challenging and of course, tasty beers for a long time to come...

The other good thing about yesterday, was that the Post Office Vaults was rammed on a Saturday afternoon, despite the weather being glorious and them not having a TV to show the Six Nations rugby.  There was a buzz about the atmosphere, that felt redolent of a subcultural sleeping giant rubbing its eyes and waking up.  I got the chance to meet lots of positive, local beer figures and soak up the feeling that something might be happening.  This year (and next and next) could be the best yet for beer lovers in the West Midlands.