When Jonny Met Kenny
Eighteen years is the number bandied about since the Glasgow CAMRA Branch last held a Beer Festival. So, the 1997 Winter Ale Festival in the Old Fruit Market doesn’t count? Back then Hector knew few CAMRA Members, this would change when I started working at the Foreign Bar at the Annual Paisley Beer Festivals thereafter. It was here that Howard first became aware of Hector, – so knowledgeable at The Foreign Bar. So Knowledgeable that an Irish Chap wrote to What’s Brewing singing the praises of ‘Hector’ and Alistair Boyd at the Cider Bar. But which Alistair Boyd? There are Two of them!
So Paisley, Troon and Alloa can all run Annual Ale Festivals, even Aberdeen and Larbert have got in on the act. Not Glasgow, until Kenny introduced himself to The Company. First Contact was late one Saturday in the 3 Judges when Dr. Stan introduced Hector to Kenny. Weeks later at Loch Fyne Ales, Kenny approached this Commentator with the immortal introduction – You’re Hector who writes Curry-Heute! Instant Friendship.
Jonathan has been part of The Company for some Eight Years during which time he and Howard have discussed sporadically the need for a Glasgow Ale Fest. Bring in Kenny and there was Spontaneous Combustion. Jonathan and Kenny became the Catalyst which made today possible. Meanwhile Howard had found himself installed in The Chair of Glasgow CAMRA. FYI – Hector and Yadgar remain in the wings, awaiting the go ahead for the selling of Curry. Not this year.
The Next Generation
Capturing The Briggait (Bridgegate to non-Weegies) was certainly a Coup. The Municipal Halls do not have the raw potential this Cavernous Construction presented. It is also a building which has been under-utilised since its renovation some Twenty Years back into some sort of Artists’ Quarters. The installation of the Stillage began on Sunday, the Ales being Racked through the week. Without the Technical Expertise of our Paisley CAMRA Buddies the Festival could well have been a non-starter. Indeed, CAMRA Members from all over Scotland would be staffing the Three Bars, even The Man from Bradford would be there to, do, whatever he does, at Ale Festivals.
The Festival opened to The Trade at 15.00 this afternoon and at 17.00 to The Public. Hector was completing his last few hours before the Long Summer Break. Just the Eight Weeks in case anyone hasn’t heard. At 18.00 Dr. Stan and Ricky – The Man from Bradford – took a Break to meet up with Hector for a Curry at Charcoals Café. Hector was anticipating working behind the Foreign Bar, commencing at 20.00.
The Organisers had everything in place. They could not predict that Olaf would arrive at 14.00 today, days late and one hour before Opening Time, without the promised Kegs of Deutsche Bier. This left One Hour to chill the modest array of Bottles that had been brought. A Kick in The Teeth. I can imagine The Angst.
On entering The Briggait, Peter was on the Desk along with Yvonne. The necessary Paperwork was signed, then Tracey looked after me in the Staffroom finding my ID Card and securing a Staff Polo resplendent with the G-RAF Motif. Williams Bros. (Alloa) were sponsoring the event and so their Logo was also printed proudly. Volunteer– it said on the right hand sleeve. Yes, Everyone working at this Festival was doing so on a Voluntary Basis. Why? It’s Fun! One also gets to sample The Fayre, payment enough. All of The Company would be present except The Crawley Two at some point in the next Three Days.
All Our Favourite Ales
As The Organisers are part of The Company it should come as no surprise that many of the Ales on offer this week will be The Ales We Like! As many Hops in a Glass as possible. However, the Masses have to be catered for and other Tastes too. What is fair to say, particularly to Scottish Brewers, if your Ale was not here, you’re not doing it right. Take a lead from Oakham (Peterborough, Cambridgeshire), Hawkshead (Stavely, Cumbria), Ossett (Ossett, W. Yorkshire) and Dark Star (Partridge Green, West Sussex) Oh, these are all English Breweries. What will Ricky be having then?
Stewart was in charge of allocating Staff to their various tasks. The Foreign Bar was combined with the Cider Bar, the latter as ever under the charge of Mr. Alistair Boyd. Ricky was parked there too. There lies Madness, I would be happier well away from this. The Stillage was in two parts. The Casks were arranged A-K on the left and L-Z on the right. Dark Star and Hawkshead on one side, Ossett and Oakham on the other. Howard was working L-Z, Stewart led me to A-L where Alan had been appointed Bar Manager. Craig was there too. Three of The Company, plus others, behind the same Bar. Here we go…
No more words, other than these are the people I know who were there on Thursday. Even Colin Valentine, National CAMRA Chairman, in case you don’t know who is standing on Ricky’s right. I saw Robin depart, the first and last time I saw him.
By the end of Day 1, over Five Hundred had crossed the Threshold. The G-RAF had been built and They had come. Despite holding back a considerable Stock of Untapped Casks, we wondered how there would be enough Ale left for Saturday. There was only One Man in the House who knew how the Stock Control worked, and he was saying nothing.
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