The people's porter on the march

Hello,

          its been a taxing week this week. If any 24 hour period had the word day in it I was out fighting the fight, making sure every last drop of the people's porter, recently voted the most accessible and socially conscious beer ever brewed, by a panel of ignoramuses, was supped.

Shakespeares did their best to defeat me by "hilariously" telling me the arrival of the beer was weeks away then springing its availability on me Saturday night. Monday night I was straight into the pub to make sure I got some. In beer blogging circles, its usually expected that one provide at east a modicum of detail (see posts passim for the extent to which a modicum is the most that is provided) about the beers drunk but there is no point elaborating here. Seven lovely pints of the Pilcrow Porter brewed by Blue Bee Brewery was the totality of my roll call.

Tuesday night arrived and I had to pop into Shakespeares for some reason or other- I seem to recall it involved Pilcrow Porter. Just to confuse matters however, I also decided to sup a pint of the excellent easy drinking Black Iris American Red. Slotted in between 2 pints either side of the people's pint this stood up admirably well.

On Wednesday things took a massively divergent turn - I went to a venue to be photographed drinking beer. The venue was Shakespeares. The beer was Pilcrow Porter. I even got to drink it from a Blue Bee glass. It was also a great opportunity to be reunited with the brewing team of Robenbakker, Mister Christopher, Chris Wa Wa, JSB and Alex Corner form the band of the same name. Oh, and to drink beer. Just the four this time, including a half of the rather disappointing Red Squirrel Redtail Citra. I recalled really liking their beer but I suspect it was their excellent dark ales that I have gorged on in the past. Not that it was unpleasant - but it needed about twice as much Citra. Perhpas 600kg, as is the new standard in brewing which I obviously know all about all of a sudden....

Thursday I was having a pint after work wit my mate Steve and we decided he might like to drink Pilcrow Porter in Shakespeares. I say we. His acquiescence was presumed. Pilcrow wise, as a non beer drinker, his description of it being an not unpleasant drink was eye moisteningly kind. Mind you, this time I also mixed it up by having a pint of the Revolutions John and Yoko, a 6.9% pale ale. Boom! This was an absolutely fantastic beer. Packed full of hops that complimented each other perfectly (or were all the same hop, as can happen) it was the ideal accompaniment to the mellow drink-ability of the Pilcrow. The people's porter. Did I mention that?

By now news had arrived from the Closed Shop and the Rutland Arms that they had also put the liquid if the common man on their bars - so having drained the barrels in Shakespeares almost single handedly, the revolution had now spread across the fine city to other fine pubs, which had I bothered to visit them, may have made this a slightly less one dimensional post.

Finally, last night I escaped from work early and went for a walk. I "accidentally" ended up at the Wellington where i had a pint of the Little Ale Cart European Union, 4.0% and £2.35 a pint, and the Bittern from the same brewery, 5.0% and £1.35 a half. This was the precursor to a final visit of the week to the little mentioned Shakespeares Ale and Cider House on Gibraltar Street. Replacing the people's porter was a far more elitist beer which had coffee in it. I ask yer - coffee? What next, Earl Grey?

Well, since it was Roosters Londinium coffee porter and they also brew the Mad Hatters Earl Grey IPA I guess the answer is yes. I had a couple of the porter and a very enjoyable pint of Rat brewery wheat beer - well, it was cloudy, so assumed it was a wheat beer. Either way it was a very nice easy drinking pint.

With a cask having arrived at or being due at the excellent Travelers Rest Apperknowle, and another on order for Sheffield (and Yorkshire's) best pub, it seems like the chance to catch the people's porter still exists.

So go out there! Men, women and children (not literally)! Claim (not literally) your entitlement to the people's pint! Drink it for all of us!

(etc)

Cheers!

Wee Beefy