Abbott is well rewarded

Anyone who reads my comments regularly will have noticed that I've been bellyaching recently. Sometimes you need something to remind you what a joy it is to work in this industry.

That very thing took place last week when I attended the Abbot Ale Perfect Pub awards. Never mind the fact that Greene King took the time to recognise pubs that weren't all its own (in this age of corporate-ness, a rarity) but more than anything it was fantastic to be in a room full of great licensees - from my table companions Stiubhard and Libby Kerr-Liddell from the Hunting Lodge in Scotland, to the overall winner Darren Kent from the Turf Tavern in Oxford.

Moreover it was brilliant that these awards were run by a cask ale brand. So often we scratch our heads at how cask beer brands can market themselves effectively, outside of straight advertising. Here was a cask brand heading up an event which has had trade coverage and partnerships with both The Daily Telegraph and Classic FM. Plus it had the endorsement of celebrity judges in the form of Brian Blessed, Antony Worrall-Thompson and Philippa Forrester.

It gets across the right messages regarding cask beer in a simple and effective manner and in a very public arena, one which will hopefully speak to potential drinkers. The company gets bad press sometimes, but bravo to Greene King for this one.