Pioneer Launch

Last night was the launch of Freedom Brewery's new beer - Pioneer.

Now normally, the arrival of a new UK lager wouldn't necessarily feel me with the throbbing of a deep joy, but as it happens I was rather glad I attended this.

Where was it held Dan?  It was held at the Post Office Vaults, whose staff were bedecked with Freedom shirts as they busily dispensed steins of free Pioneer to the hordes of free loading parasites, errr local beer enthusiasts, all eager to whet their whistle.  I include myself in the aforementioned number.

The beer itself tasted like a UK version of Victory Prima Pils, but hopped heavily with indigenous, rather than US hop varieties.  I detected herbal notes, some sweet grassiness and plenty of tongue wrapping, juicy, mulled lemon mulch.  It was very pleasant.  Hopefully it will become a fixture around the bars of the City, as it will offer a reliable kegged option, for refreshment porpoises.

Following the launch, I skedaddled to the British Oak in Stirchley, to hook up with an unspecified member of Brumcraft and top Birmingham beer reviewer the_Bish.  Having not been to the British Oak for many years, I must say I was very pleasantly surprised to see the well kept decor, and lovely atmosphere, which was a blend of hipster-honeytrap and family friendly.  I particularly liked the sprawling garden (complete with bowling green), which really is one of Brum's best beer gardens.

During the launch I was happy to grovel network with the head of Freedom Brewery, who struck me (n.b. not physically, he didn't hit me) as a nice chap indeed.  If the purpose of the evening was to demonstrate that Freedom brewery is safely being steered in the right direction, then that objective was achieved.  Now we just need them to launch that range of bottled Berliner Weisse they were talking about.

For a bit of formatting fun, why not cut and paste the previous paragraph into the correct position within this blog post?  Prizes for the best guess.

Following the British Oak, a quick dash into Stirchley Wines also, which saw me commit a classic schoolboy error - yes, I bought a beer I've already tried.  Heavens above/strewth etc.  There is nothing which drives more mad (for indeed I am a beer trainspotter) than to buy the same beer twice**.  So if anyone in Birmingham would like to do a swapsy with me, I am willing to listen to offers for a pristine bottle of Summer Wine Reaper Red IPA - which is a lovely beer.



**Not strictly true.  I do buy a number of beers more than once, if I like them - e.g. Lindemans Cuvee Rene Gueuze et al.