GBBF 2013

I'm not! Sounds absolutely ghastly. Thousands of beards and guts brigade, beer nerds, tickers and beer bloggers all thrown together in an aircraft hanger in sweltering London.

Prospect: grim.

 

Yeah, a packed building in summertime London isn't my idea of fun. Don't know why they don't take a leaf out of others books and host it in a park or at least somewhere relatively open.

Plus I saw the list of bars and it seemed to be all the big Marstons and Greene King types, I.e. the ones who don't actually need promoting and will probably be serving the same bland shit that they can still sell because of having a formerly respectable name.

I'd rather use the train ticket to go around London sampling some nice pubs where the beer isn't too warm because its in a hot room with just a damp rag to keep it cool.

 

We are firmly entrenched in the miserable jaded curmudgeon camp and it suits us fine.

 

If it helps I hate the really hipster beer brewers and personalites even more.

 

So I take it both Aye & CwrwAmByth have been regular attenders at Olympia over the years (think it switched to Earls Ct in '05?) and if so - were you dressed up in 5 layers of clothes?

The air con was a god send back in the sweltering summer of '03.

Coolest place in London.

 

I'll have to pick you up again James - have you ever been to the GBBF ?

It's not everyones cuppa tea but the bars you refer to are irrelevant, they are just the sponsors.

There are 5 or 6 regional bars, German bar, US bar, European bar with a good 800 or so beers available from small to medium breweries.

No kudos for jumping on a moany bandwagon without checking the place out in person first !

 

I'm guessing he isn't familiar with the website or the set up.
He's simply listed the sponsored bars which are announced months in advance.
As you touched on above the 'provisional' beer list is likely to be announced in the next week or so.

 

Yeah but haven't you noticed, being an arsehole about stuff is my thing. Don't try to change me maaan!

God I hate this whole internet thing.

 

But seriously I would check it out but I'm always on my dig in summer. The list of bars thing was the list of bars from their Facebook, which I thought was a bit crap because the Welsh one had a bar for brains yes, but also for some of the newer up and comers giving them a better chance to talk to the customers and show case their beers, which I thought was pretty cool.

 

you pay pretty big £££££ to host a bar at the GBBF - the small guys can't afford it !

as well as the beards and the tickers the GBBF is full of office groups and people who genuinely don't know a lot about beer and such types often drift to the sponsored bars (which are located as you enter the hall) to begin their 'beer education' and for those brands to try and get loyalty from the new comers.

 

Well yeah that's part of the problem, It's all about branding and advertising and ultimately how much cash they can put into those things. Something lots of ale drinkers usually criticise the big lager brands for.

 

Nope never visited Olympia, probably never will, the logistical and financial negatives far outweigh the access to all those beers. I had actually assumed that the place would be quite stifling like many fests ive attended but my sweltering comment was aimed at London itself. Recently returned from a nightmare 2hour return underground/bus ride across London in what must have been 30 degree + weather, hopefully never again. This poor naturally pale blue northerner thought his end had come

 

Last year Greene King brought 5X, a 12% old ale vatted for two years in oak.

 

I do 90 minutes on the tube on an average day - used to it, dont like it but used to it !

Olympia is a decent venue - glad they moved it from Earls Ct.

It's even in a logistically sound location as you can hop on a train and head south to Clapham Junction or north to Watford Junction and be at either in around 20 minutes to get yourself out of the smoke.

 

If you don't like the tube on a really hot day just ride the central line all the way to Epping. It's really surreal but nice traveling through countryside-esque fields and woods. (all 30 seconds of it)

Was it nice or just a gimmick though, what was your verdict?

 

Tipopils. Tipopils. Tipopils.

Don't give a fuck about anything else provided I can buy some Tipopils to take home.

Actually, I'm looking forward to the Czech bar too.

 

I'll be there, as usual, and having just completed the listing for BSF bars I'll not tempt you with the goodies in store. Air conditioning at Olympia works fine, beards & bellies, yes but you don't have to fondle them if you don't want to. Sweaty bodies? You really do live a sheltered life. Not every brewery represented? name one festival where this happens, we will be serving around 60,000 visitors. They vote with their feet and their wallets.