Beer Compurgation

Last year I wrote a post about the now infamous Rail Ale Trail running along the trans-pennine line that is local to me. The designed pub route flows between Batley and Stalybridge with people taking in as many stops as they choose . There are supposedly designated pubs to visit for each station that you are supposedly supposed to visit on the basis of trying the supposedly great real ale. The issue has been, of course, that this has become a piss up and day out for big groups of thugs , stag and hen parties and people with no interest in what alcohol they pour down their throat only to childlishly sick it up later. But then it is intrinsic to believe that this is no longer a fun day out for anyone who isn’t a hooligan who deserves to be locked away in a darkened room with Professor Stephen Hawkings trying to teach them about the wonders of the Universe over a soundtrack of Brahms and Schubert.   I called those who hold such an attitude snobs in my last post and part of me still

I had the post already written out in my head. I knew what it was going to be – the classic Mark Johnson mix between criticism and cynicism - the two key ingredients of my life that have served me little purpose. Those who know me best personally would be unsurprised. Those who know me through beer drinking perhaps a little exasperated. It was the day that so many fell victim to clever marketing exploits. I’m not constantly online so, whilst I’d seen some of the pre-launch hype, come May 16 th I wasn’t prepared for the sheer loss of sense and sagacity. It was the day that one brewery in the UK showed so many beer geeks up to be gullible fools. There’s nothing wrong with using social networking as an exploitive marketing tool, but when you fall easy victim to the trap you’re a tool too. I would love to try Un-human Cannonball. Human Cannonball is already one of my favourite beers from the last two years. No, I have not had chan