Saturday was a jolly day indeed, for it marked the first Birmingham Twissup and another positive sign that Birmingham is inching towards a stronger, beefier, more something something beer culture.
As Otherton Aleman has already reported, the festivities started at the Lamp Tavern, before moving through the Anchor to the Post Office Vaults, with an epilogue at the Wellington.
Strangely enough, most of the participants of Birmingham's first Twissup, aren't actually from Birmingham. We had @19irishdragon (Walsall), @ckdsaddlers (Wolverhampton), @MarbleTim (Manchester), @OthertonAleman (Penkridge), @RobertoRossUK (Halesowen) and @CarlDurose (Birmingham resident, but recently imported from Herefordshire). Luckily I was there. I come from Leicester and live in Sandwell. Errr.
Most of the party met up at the The Lamp Tavern, which is a warm little pub, tucked away on the edge of industrial Highgate. I chose to start here because I wanted to showcase a hidden gem, a survivor, a pub of principles. I sampled a Welback Abbey Donovan - a dry golden ale, billed as a Polish pale ale: which was a bit of a novelty. The Lamp was throbbing with conviviality.
From heritage and values, we moved on to some solid real ale choice. The Anchor has been the best pub in Brum for ages, and it's still my favourite (shush). The assembled throng swelled slightly here, with the arrival of our Southern guest @mrdavidj, along with a cameo from one of Birmingham's top pub reviewers ilooklikeme. Sat in the 'quiet room' of the Anchor, we had a good chin wag and sampled (well I did anyway) a beautiful Stout George from brand new Middlesbrough brewery Truefitt. Like I said - beautiful. I also took advice from Twissup's chief brewer and enjoyed a De Ranke Pere Noel. Microbrewed UK excellence and established Belgian spiciness - a nice blend.
The most exciting moment of the Twissup's Anchor period came when 2x unexpected guests joined us. Stewart and Kate had learnt of the gathering via, wait for it - social media and allowed their curiosity to get the better of them. What a massively pleasant boost, to tangibly realise that there are like minded, intelligent beer fans in the city, just itching to be part of the movement towards a more robust beer topography. In addition to the people who had already arrived, obviously.
From the Anchor, we bolted to the Post Office Vaults for a stint of quality foreign bottles, including Nogne Saison, Rodenbach Grand Cru and a Hellers Kolsch, the latter of which didn't quite meet the standards of the evening. PO Vaults was as rammed as expected, but we miraculously got some seats and hooked up to the wireless to tweet some photos into the ether.
The Wellington was an extra helping, but by that point, the good work had already been done. A bunch of friendly, passionate West Midlands beer fans got together, in the name of Twitter and made concrete, a previously nebulous network.
What was the point of Twissup? Well as far as moi is concerned, it was to put down a starting point, another marker on the route to good beer. I'm not suggesting that a load of blokes drinking beer in some pubs is in any way an unusual thing, but when a gathering happens in the name of something, then perhaps it means err something. Our route took us from humming local boozer, to scoopers' stronghold, to our newest beer bar - provider of the best beers from outside our borders. Perhaps by the next Twissup (or the one after), we'll be able to add an extra venue onto our journey - a bar offering kegged IPAs, the hottest US-brews and a palette of the very [very] best UK microbrewers.
(Oh and big respect to Richard of Porter Pages - Twissup was his idea and even though he couldn't make it, I notionally raised several glasses in his honour on Saturday).
Showing posts with label tipping point. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tipping point. Show all posts
Monday, 23 April 2012
Sunday, 26 February 2012
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.
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.
Tuesday, 21 February 2012
What is the Tipping Point?
Wow, I read a great book this week called The Tipping Point, by Malcolm Gladwell. You guys and gals have probably already read it.
It's about social epidemics - i.e. what causes clothing trends to take hold, or a book to become a bestseller. The author cleverly summarises different bits of sociological research, to come up with an overarching theory of what causes epidemics to 'tip': namely i) the Law of the Few, ii) the Stickiness Factor and iii) the Power of Context.
There are obviously lots of applications for these theories (which you'll notice I haven't bothered to explain, principally because I'll make a mug of myself and totally trivialise a great book); but here and now let's use the Tipping Point to examine the possibility of a 'craft'* upsurge in Birmingham.
The Law of the Few
Could Birmingham sustain a craft beer bar? If so, why hasn't anyone opened one? Well perhaps there isn't a visible beer geek culture in the City. And if that is so, how do we turn the current level of interest into an epidemic of beer desire? Well, we need three people, or perhaps one who can perform three roles:
i) a Connector - someone who knows people. Lots of people. Someone who not only knows people, but is able to make, wait for it, connections based on the interests, skills and contacts of the people who are 'on their list'. Perhaps there is someone in the industry who is able to galvanise others and get people excited, or perhaps there is a lucid, focussed, driven person who can flick some switches, fiddle with some knobs and get people to see the great benefits that a new type of bar could bring.
ii) a Maven - someone who is fastidious in their research, who obssesses about being more knowledgable, but who also has an inbuilt urge to share their knowledge and educate others. I am certain that there are beer Mavens in Birmingham, itching to unload a big wad of beer love/passion/schooling on an unsuspecting public.
iii) a Salesman - someone with the gift of the gab, who knows the arguments and how to win them. If people need to be persuaded to sample new beers, new styles, new flavours etc, then a salesman (or woman) is the person to do it. Money could be a motivator here.
The Stickiness Factor
How enduring a product is beer. Quite enduring. But what about new and different (and possibly more pricey) beers? What will connect an unsuspecting Birmingham populous to these products which thus far have not reached our City? I don't actually know this one, or at least I don't have anything succinct enough to write here. Mail me for more details.
The Power of Context
What conditions in the local environment (the Birmingham beer drinking scene) will make it ripe for a 'craft' beer bar/explosion? Well, my guess at this one is that people need to know what they're missing. But how can this happen?
More importantly, is this post turning into a massive load of airy fairy drivel? Don't answer that.
In conclusion then, Birmingham is in need of a tipping point, to start the new beer revolution, which has already happened in Manchester, London, Sheffield, Newcastle, Leeds, Cambridge..... I promise to do my bit as a beer Maven, but I am unable to open a bar by myself. Please will all potential connectors please contact me so that we can recruit suitable salespeople, in order to provide products which will become stickier and stickier.
*we won't be getting into what this term actually means, other people have already done that.
It's about social epidemics - i.e. what causes clothing trends to take hold, or a book to become a bestseller. The author cleverly summarises different bits of sociological research, to come up with an overarching theory of what causes epidemics to 'tip': namely i) the Law of the Few, ii) the Stickiness Factor and iii) the Power of Context.
There are obviously lots of applications for these theories (which you'll notice I haven't bothered to explain, principally because I'll make a mug of myself and totally trivialise a great book); but here and now let's use the Tipping Point to examine the possibility of a 'craft'* upsurge in Birmingham.
The Law of the Few
Could Birmingham sustain a craft beer bar? If so, why hasn't anyone opened one? Well perhaps there isn't a visible beer geek culture in the City. And if that is so, how do we turn the current level of interest into an epidemic of beer desire? Well, we need three people, or perhaps one who can perform three roles:
i) a Connector - someone who knows people. Lots of people. Someone who not only knows people, but is able to make, wait for it, connections based on the interests, skills and contacts of the people who are 'on their list'. Perhaps there is someone in the industry who is able to galvanise others and get people excited, or perhaps there is a lucid, focussed, driven person who can flick some switches, fiddle with some knobs and get people to see the great benefits that a new type of bar could bring.
ii) a Maven - someone who is fastidious in their research, who obssesses about being more knowledgable, but who also has an inbuilt urge to share their knowledge and educate others. I am certain that there are beer Mavens in Birmingham, itching to unload a big wad of beer love/passion/schooling on an unsuspecting public.
iii) a Salesman - someone with the gift of the gab, who knows the arguments and how to win them. If people need to be persuaded to sample new beers, new styles, new flavours etc, then a salesman (or woman) is the person to do it. Money could be a motivator here.
The Stickiness Factor
How enduring a product is beer. Quite enduring. But what about new and different (and possibly more pricey) beers? What will connect an unsuspecting Birmingham populous to these products which thus far have not reached our City? I don't actually know this one, or at least I don't have anything succinct enough to write here. Mail me for more details.
The Power of Context
What conditions in the local environment (the Birmingham beer drinking scene) will make it ripe for a 'craft' beer bar/explosion? Well, my guess at this one is that people need to know what they're missing. But how can this happen?
More importantly, is this post turning into a massive load of airy fairy drivel? Don't answer that.
In conclusion then, Birmingham is in need of a tipping point, to start the new beer revolution, which has already happened in Manchester, London, Sheffield, Newcastle, Leeds, Cambridge..... I promise to do my bit as a beer Maven, but I am unable to open a bar by myself. Please will all potential connectors please contact me so that we can recruit suitable salespeople, in order to provide products which will become stickier and stickier.
*we won't be getting into what this term actually means, other people have already done that.
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