Just Another Opinion

Well now, that was shit wasn't it.

Last weekends fuck up of a beer festival obviously wasn't what the LBA wanted. There were some very key things that went wrong and these were 'discussed' at a rather heated LBA meeting on Tuesday, to which I might add, the organisers of London's Brewing did not attend.

Not that I was expecting them to.

I'm not going to bother going into what I think was wrong with it, everybody else has already has already voiced their opinions and frankly I want to move forward and try and have us rebuild a bit of credibility as an organisation.

One brewer asked though if we as an organisation really need this sort of event. Personally I think so, not in the same format though. The format that worked better was the brewery bar format, where members of the LBA set up their own bars and sold their own beer. It has to be noted that we all donated our beers and delivered them to the organisers this time, not something I'm keen to repeat again and 2 casks of free beer from a brewery the size of Tap East is a significant donation. I do feel that the brewery bar format will work in the future too(even with 49 breweries now in London!) and whilst nothing has been decided, nor will be any time soon, it's something for people to think about. It is key though, that the LBA learn from this event if there is to be another one so that the same fuck-ups don't happen again.

Watching the event unfold on Twitter on Saturday was like watching a car crash in slow motion and I even think my eyes may have started bleeding at one point!

I do wonder though, just how many people would have gushed about it online had it been a huge success though, not nearly as many I'm guessing.

For it's part, the LBA will be getting the organisers report 'at some point' and it's now trying to move forward and support some of the other events that are going on in and around our capital this year.

Starting with the hop shoot festival next Friday 17th May, that Peter Haydon of the Head in a Hat/Florence Brewery is organising, basically lots of people go and pick hop shoots, take them back to various restaurants and pubs where talented chefs will do amazing things with them. You can follow the London Hop Festival on Twitter @LondonHop for all the news.


Please note : I am not writing this on behalf of the LBA, rather just someone who is involved with it.