Paul Barber - first impressions

[Bozza]

.....and I think that you're underplaying the importance of Harvey's (& Piglet's pies!); the Large One's views are shared by more than just a few "exceptions" and you're expressing a lager drinkers view.

Every time that Harvey's hasn't been available in WSL after the match then my group of 8 friends head off to the the Swan, Brighton or Lewes. (and if we catch the train then we certainly don't wait 45 minutes)

Why would I express such a view, given I'm not a lager drinker?

And one of the staunchest pro-Harveys men I know, when offered a pint by me, moved to Fosters when Harveys ran out.

Question for you: if it wasn't Harveys but was A.N.Other well-regarded ale, would you head off, or would you stay and carrying on drinking the non-Harveys brew?

 

[Diego Napier]

Why would I express such a view, given I'm not a lager drinker?

And one of the staunchest pro-Harveys men I know, when offered a pint by me, moved to Fosters when Harveys ran out.

Question for you: if it wasn't Harveys but was A.N.Other well-regarded ale, would you head off, or would you stay and carrying on drinking the non-Harveys brew?

Good question - Probably stay for one pint but not 2 or 3 (and wouldn't get there early to have a pint either) (and if it was Greene King then would boycott the "real ale" completely!)

 

[Guinness Boy]

I can't see a problem with an 'official beer' because it will be a lager. So long as there is a lager, a cider and a Real Ale available I'll be quite happy and hopefully an official lager partner wouldn't insist on cider and Real Ale being dropped because they are competitors of a sort but not direct competitiors.

If the kiosks went lager only I'd stay in a pub that sold real Ale as late as possible before the game and leave on the final whistle. The Swan would probably have to put up the Full Up signs about 12.30.

On pies. I have always been of the opinion that if you cannot go between the hours of 3 and 5 without eating something you're a greedy fat James Blunt who's about to die of heart disease. I have never once eaten at a 3pm Saturday home game before last season (I have at aways but that was to soak up the beer). I have lost count of the number of pies I ate last season. Initially this was to try one to see what the fuss was all about but the Piglet's Pantry team have constantly delivered quality produce and I eat them, yes, for pleasure. I have never eaten a Pukka Pie for pleasure once, not even after 2 bottles of White Lightning. In evening games this becomes even more important. The pies ARE my dinner for night games. If they became horrid corporate tasteless shit I'd take a sandwich for the train.

 

[Hotchilidog]

Why would I express such a view, given I'm not a lager drinker?

And one of the staunchest pro-Harveys men I know, when offered a pint by me, moved to Fosters when Harveys ran out.

Question for you: if it wasn't Harveys but was A.N.Other well-regarded ale, would you head off, or would you stay and carrying on drinking the non-Harveys brew?

If it were a decent non-Harveys brew i'd stay. Whilst Harveys is my favourite ale, if it were replaced by another decent ale i would not complain. if it was something I didn't like then I would probably not hang around, I'd go to a pub.

Is there any chance the cider lobby could get together to campaign for something other than Strongbow? What would your preference be in that department?

 

[Commander]

Not so long ago, I am sure you said the pies make the stadium smell greasy....

If they got rid of the Kronenbourg, I would not get to the ground at 1pm on a Saturday and I certainly would not be leaving after 6pm as I did last season. Kronenbourg is not my favourite lager but it is certainly better than Foster's, Carlsberg, Carling etc. Although the majority may not be like me but I am sure there will be a signicant number that would be.

Blimey you must have a better memory than me, I have no recollection of saying that. Doesn't mean I didn't though. The Amex DOES smell different to other grounds though, and in my opinion, it smells much nicer.

Kronenbourg isn't my favourite either, but I think as long as they sell one weak and one premium lager and one real ale, it really doesn't matter which ones they sell. It might mean they sell a couple of hundred pints less every two weeks, but that is pennies in the grand scheme of things. If getting an 'official' beer brought us in a load more cash, then I cant see how anyone could argue that it wasn't the right thing to do.

We could give all that cash to Vicente.

 

[The Large One]

Kronenbourg isn't my favourite either, but I think as long as they sell one weak and one premium lager and one real ale, it really doesn't matter which ones they sell.

To a point, I agree. Or rather, instead of 'really doesn't matter', I'd say there is a large range of decent beers which would fit those three criteria.

If getting an 'official' beer brought us in a load more cash, then I cant see how anyone could argue that it wasn't the right thing to do.

... however, bringing in an 'official' beer often comes with an insistence of an 'exclusivity' clause.

 

[Hungry Joe]

If we went down the official lager line it should be Budvar and sold and promoted exclusively by hot Czech women.

Home :: Budweiser Budvar ::

 

[Hiney]

I have a choice of Fosters (shit), Strongbow (shit) and Harveys (not to my taste really). This has absolutely no impact on my usage of concourse facilities before, during or after matches. I stay for the ambience, mates, chitter chatter and transport queue avoidance - both to and from games. Like many, I've spent a fortune. Many I'm with will drink whatever is the quickest to obtain - often Harveys - I doubt we're alone in that.

(This collective Harveys related back-slapping is also a bit off when lager and cider drinkers have been largely abandoned when it comes to on-concourse drinking.)

Definitely this.

The sandal-wearing bitter drinkers have COMPLETELY steam-rollered those of us who drink cider or lager

 

[sparkie]

Definitely this.

The sandal-wearing bitter drinkers have COMPLETELY steam-rollered those of us who drink cider or lager

Indeed. No effort at all has been put into supplying a decent lager.

 

[Commander]

bringing in an 'official' beer often comes with an insistence of an 'exclusivity' clause.

Would this get rid of the real ale though? Surely not? I cant see the club doing that.

Indeed. No effort at all has been put into supplying a decent lager.

Were you not aware that it is a crime to drink lager in trendy places like Brighton? It seems like it is, anyway.

 

[Hungry Joe]

I like a drop of real ale but am partial to a decent lager or cider when the mood takes. I agree the lager and cider drinkers have been overlooked thus far in terms of quality and choice.

 

[The Large One]

Would this get rid of the real ale though? Surely not? I cant see the club doing that.

This is my point. I can't see the club doing this either.

However, if - for the sake of argument - Carling came wading in and said that 'we want to pay you a stack of cash to have exclusive beer rights...', the argument about real ale not being a competitor would be immaterial to them.

To sell a pint of any other beer (whether it's cider, ale, lager) means that it's a pint of Carling that isn't sold.

 

[The Large One]

Were you not aware that it is a crime to drink lager in trendy places like Brighton? It seems like it is, anyway.

Hardly.

I was drinking lager in a trendy place like Brighton last night - and I never suffered the Long Arm of the Beer Rozzers.

 

[deletebeepbeepbeep]

I'd love Meantime Helles Lager and Darkstar Sunburst on tap.

 

[Publius Ovidius]

This is my point. I can't see the club doing this either.

However, if - for the sake of argument - Carling came wading in and said that 'we want to pay you a stack of cash to have exclusive beer rights...', the argument about real ale not being a competitor would be immaterial to them.

To sell a pint of any other beer (whether it's cider, ale, lager) means that it's a pint of Carling that isn't sold.

erm wasn't that the point I was making?

 

[The Large One]

erm wasn't that the point I was making?

Didn't seem like it - perhaps I was mis-reading you.

You appeared to be saying that striking a deal with someone like Carling would mean immediate funds for the club, therefore a hard-headed businessman would strike that deal.

That point that's countering is that it could be short-termist and unpopular. The amount of money Carling would have to cough up in order to account for the possible/probable drop in sales (i.e. the money the Albion wouldn't get) may not make it an attractive deal to them. It would have the knock-on effect of bollocksing up the management of the transport plan.

This is notwithstanding that Azure have the pouring rights for the next four years anyway.

 

[Commander]

Hardly.

I was drinking lager in a trendy place like Brighton last night - and I never suffered the Long Arm of the Beer Rozzers.

You got lucky.

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

Definitely this.

The sandal-wearing bitter drinkers have COMPLETELY steam-rollered those of us who drink cider or lager

It is not a choice is it ? You can't just have a decent beer OR a decent lager ?

Atilla (mainly wasn't it?) fought to get a decent beer - I doubt it affected their choice of lager.

Although I do sympathise about the lager - Fosters really is shit.

Cider drinking is mostly just a fad though isn't it ?

(counts to ten ................)

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

Indeed. No effort at all has been put into supplying a decent lager.

But don't blame the people who fought for decent beer.

 

[Commander]

I'd like us to sell the big bottles of Peroni, the 660ml ones, ice cold.

The only problem is a) they'd cost about £9 and b) imagine trying to get that agreed, allowing 2kg glass coshes to be sold in a football ground.

Apart from that I cant see an issue. Get them in, Barber.