Tuesday 23 November 2010

Something new for the beer drinkers of Alnwick?

Over a pint or two, a few Alnwick drinkers have agreed with me on this; looking for exciting bottled beer in Alnwick has always been a bit of a lost cause (unless you're in the John Bull). The supermarkets stock the 'usual suspects' range week in week out. Lidl has its value for money decent lagers, Sainsbury's have a few Fuller's beers and Brakespear Triple usually on offer but apart from that nothing much changes. More annoyingly I find the very same supermarkets in Harrogate and elsewhere offer a far better selection of bottled beer than those of Alnwick.

I have wondered, is this a perceived demand thing? Because retailers are convinced Alnwick just a town of lager swilling youth and John Smiths only working class oldies? These two stereotypes do seem in abundance but I have also met plenty of cask ale drinkers and one or two beer enthusiasts. But here's some evidence some one else out there recognises the same gap in the market as me now Threshers have diminished (not that they were that great anyway)



It seems Boutique wine of Alnwick is steadily developing a range of bottled beers to rival other local merchants. It started with a few Hadrian and Border offerings and Alnwick IPA but chap behind the counter has mentioned that the range will be expanding. The other advantage for these guys is that no local Alnwick supermarket sells a single local beer in bottled form (shame). So starting local seems a good place to start. I will be watching this space.

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