One Thursday in late October, as I was tucking into a well-earned lunch following judging 'duties' at SIBA's Great North Beer Festival in Manchester, Hawkshead brewery's Alex Brodie tapped me on the shoulder and asked if he could "borrow me for a minute". "Could you help me out" he explained
"the BBC are filming here tomorrow with Oz (Clarke) & Hugh (Dennis) and they asked if there was a flavour expert they could use, Tom (Wold Top), Andy (York Brewery) and I thought 'Alex!'"
I was introduced to Vicky, the production assistant and was asked to come back the following day to help Hugh "pose a challenge" for Oz. I prepared 3 different challenges which would test the shows star and hopefully inform and educate the audience a bit about beer. Come the day it quickly became clear that the name of the game was letting Oz do his thing, spout forth his beer knowledge, but ensure that the prank challenge would see him forfeit by drinking a yard of ale.
I did my bit, selecting and lining up 10 fine beers: blonde, amber and dark with the challenge to see if Oz's educated palate could select 3 medal winners from the previous days SIBA judging. I also suggested we set up in front of the beer festival's obligatory sausage stall to add the aroma of fried Bratwurst to Oz's challenge. I'm not giving anything away saying he failed, as everyone hoped he would. Cue the yard of mixed ales, which was thankfully not polished off entirely by Oz. Now, SIBA's first beer festival in the Palace Hotel Manchester's Grand Room was excellent, but will probably occupy no more than 5 minutes of the show. It may even be entertaining, but will it take forward a good message for British beer?
The dearth of current TV shows featuring our national drink in a positive light is appalling and while I don't doubt Oz's love of a pint, will it convert the uninitiated to sampling some of our fine cask ales or act as fodder for the neo-prohibitionists? Either way, I encourage you to watch the shows as they air over the Christmas and New Year period. There is NOTHING that will stimulate TV producers to make more shows about beer like good audience figures.
Oz & Hugh 'Raise the Bar' is on BBC2 on the following dates and times:
- Tuesday 21st December, 9.05PM - features the South of England
- Boxing day, 26th December, 7PM - features Scotland and Ireland
- Monday 27th December, 9PM - features Northern England (including SIBA Manchester)
- Sunday 2nd January, 8PM - features Midlands and Wales
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00x334f
