Great Stolen Beer Festival

“It’s so good they’re stealing it before it gets here!”

15,000 pints of real ale stolen on its way to the Great British Beer Festival

Issued Saturday 4th August 2007. For immediate use.

Last night a lorry packed full of real ale was stolen from a hauliers yard in Lincoln, on its way to satisfy the 60,000 thirsty beer drinkers expected at the Great British Beer Festival at London’s Earls Court. But organisers, the Campaign for Real Ale, with the help of the Small Beer Agency and several brewers have already sourced replacement beer.

Marc Holmes, Organiser of the Festival said, “We knew it was going to be popular, but we’ve never had the beer stolen before! 15,000 pints is a lot of beer, but no one will be disappointed as we have another 335000 pints already here and we hope to have the missing beer replaced by Monday morning.”

Tony Eastwood, Managing Director of Small Beer said, “Crisis averted, we’re pulling out all the stops to get the beer to London by Monday morning and it will all be ready to drink for the opening on Tuesday. I’d like to thank Dave Scott and Glyn Williams at Small Beer for working so hard today to find replacement beer, to the brewers for rising to the challenge and to Tom Wood
of Highwood for letting us borrow a truck and driver to replace our stolen vehicle.”

Marc Holmes said, “It’s amazing to see how brewers have pulled together today to make sure that no one visiting the Festival will miss out.”
For more information

 Tuesday 7th August Trade Session 12.00-17.00:
Admission to trade by advance ticket only

 Tuesday 7th August 17.00-22.30:
Admission £6.00, CAMRA members £5.00

 Wednesday 8th August Noon-22.30:
Admission £6.00, CAMRA members £5.00

 Thursday 9th August Noon-22.30:
Admission £6.00, CAMRA members £5.00

 Friday 10th August Noon-22.30:
Admission £6.00, CAMRA members £5.00

 Saturday 11th August 11.00-19.00:
Admission £5.00, CAMRA members £3.00

For more information contact:

If calling from August 6th – 11th please call Owen Morris on 07939 425471 or
Great British Beer Festival Press Office at Earls Court on: 020 7244 3925

CAMRA Press Officer Owen Morris on 01727 798443.
CAMRA Senior Press and Marketing Manager Tony Jerome 07736 948186.
CAMRA Chief Executive Mike Benner: 07971 591224.
CAMRA Research and Information Manager Iain Loe: 07801 706607

Camra web page on Great British Beer Festival

BBC news report on this stolen beer
Police are looking for thieves who stole a lorry containing 15,000 pints of real ale, from a haulier's yard in Lincoln.

The beer was in 18-gallon barrels which brewing industry experts believe will be melted down and sold for scrap.

The lorry, which was due to transport the real ale to London for the Great British Beer Festival, was stolen in the early hours of 4 August.

Replacement beers were found and sent to the festival.

Thirsty work

James Daley from the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) said he did not know how the thieves would get rid of the haul apart from trying to sell it to pub landlords.

"I don't know if there are some discerning thieves out there who actually like real ale and have stolen it for their own purposes but 15,000 pints is going to take a few weeks for them to drink," he said.

Tony Eastwood, managing director of wholesale company Small Beer from whose premises the lorry was stolen, said the firm had been supplying the Great British Beer Festival for 20 years and had this year received its largest ever order.

He added: "There's a growing concern in the brewery industry about casks being melted down and sold for their scrap metal value which can be as much as £30 a cask."

Tags:GBBF
Real Ale
Camra

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