Will beer crash?

Filled with despair, I jumped into the (soon to be repossessed) car and drove for the beach with the idea of driving into the sea and not stopping until I joined Frodo and Igglepiggle in the Western lands.

I abandoned the plan when confronted with the monstrous £3 charge to park on the sands and a Sefton jobsworth of even more repellent character than usual.

With nothing else to do, I drove down to Crosby, hoping to see an old pal. Alas, the place he worked had gone to the wall and left no forwarding address.

I ventured into Stamps Wine Bar, in reality a bohemian/guilty-rich real-ale joint. A superb pint of Batemans XB reminded me of carefree days when employed and a seeker of fine booze. How good it tasted compared to the rotgut I’ve been drinking recently.

An advert at the bar appeals for ale drinkers to consume just one extra pint each week in order to bring the UK ale market up to 6 million barrels a year – thus saving it from economic worry.

Not only could I not afford a second pint, I suspect most ale drinkers are cutting down.

Along with HBOS, Lehmann Bros and all the rest, are we about to see a great beer depression? Can revolution be far behind?

 
Update: Stamps are having a beer festival from Saturday 27th September until Tuesday 30th September. There should be 20 ales on offer including ones from the brilliant Southport Brewery. The barman pitching it to me made it sound like a Mormon wake, but I’m sure it’ll be a winner.