MyShout

It seems a while ago now, but for those who attended the Great British Beer Festival (GBBF) earlier this month - what did you think of the event?

This question was first put to me when I was a month into the job at Caledonian back in 1993 and I had just attended my first GBBF. I was asked the same question this year and I'm pretty sure that my answer remains the same.

The difference in 1993 was that Caledonian's Deuchars IPA had been nominated for the bitter category and it was rumoured that winning the Champion Beer of Britain could transform your business in a way that you couldn't imagine.

Obviously, we can now testify that such a "rumour" was absolutely true!

In 2006, we were more focused on ensuring that our new brewery stand - which was offering Deuchars IPA, Caledonian 80/- and our new beer, Caledonian XPA - was served in tip top condition.

Not being nominated this year (having won Champion Beer of Britain in 2002), meant that we could concentrate on making sure that everyone who had a pint, a half or even the new third of a pint, experienced a perfect one - after all, GBBF is the showcase for British beer.

So what was the answer to the question? That the GBBF is a great event run by a willing bunch of enthusiastic volunteers and we should be grateful that British beer evokes such passion that people want to give up their time to work at this event.

But let me pose my own question - would Gordon Ramsay, Gary Rhodes and the whole pantheon of celebrity chefs feel comfortable allowing passionate and hard-working restaurant enthusiasts to organise a showcase for their food without them?

The preparation and dispensing of beer is as important to us brewers as the preparation and serving of food is to a Michelin-starred chef or restaurateur.

It occurs to me that, sometimes in this business, we seem to do things because "we've always done them that way" rather than feeling free to challenge the norm. I am still slightly aghast that large cask shows are Camra-run.

I recently read an excellent article by beer writer Ben McFarland, who touched on how the summer months do no favours for sales of cask ale. So, I ask myself, why hold our festival in the hottest month of the year? Maybe the industry should consider a winter event to celebrate all that's best in cask ales.

We should continue to showcase this fantastic product to encourage more and more people to try it.

Perhaps we need to consider any additional options out there to ensure that the message reaches the widest cross-section of people it can.

The great news, however, is that the category of real British beer is alive and well.