Press Release
Game on! Olympics and Six Nations could be a huge boost for pubs, says CAMRA
- WhatPub, CAMRA’s online pub directory allows spectators to search for pubs screening the games
- Award-winning authors Adrian Tierney-Jones and Roger Protz share bespoke beer pairing recommendations for each game
- A video on traditional pub games is available for those who prefer playing to watching
Following months of restrictions and falling footfall, CAMRA is urging pub-goers to support their local by choosing to watch the Winter Olympic Highlights and Six Nations games down at the pub.
To help viewers find a local screening for the games, CAMRA has set up a special filter on the home page of its online pub directory WhatPub, which allows people to search easily for local pubs with sports TV online, or by using CAMRA’s Good Beer Guide app, available on Google Play and the App Store.
In addition, two award-winning CAMRA authors have developed bespoke beer recommendations to see viewers through both sets of games.
Adrian Tierney-Jones, an award-winning journalist and author of the soon-to-be-published CAMRA title United Kingdom of Beers, which features a selection of 250 beers from across the home nations, suggests the following British brews from his latest title to enjoy with the rugby:
- Fyne Ales – Highlander (Scotland)
- Purple Moose – Dark Side of the Moose (Wales)
- Allsopp’s – India Pale Ale (England)
- Heaney Farmhouse Brewery – Irish Stout (Northern Ireland)
- Traquair House Brewery – Jacobite Ale (Scotland)
- Wild Horse Brewery – Buckskin (Wales)
Tierney-Jones says: “There is a thirst for good beer on these islands – particularly during special occasions and events such as the Six Nations competition. These brews will see you through the ups and downs of the games, no matter what team you support. Coincidentally, this really is what my forthcoming title United Kingdom of Beer is all about – finding a fantastic British beer to pair with every occasion, palate event or mood.”
Olympic spectators can also crack into a variety of delightful international beers available here in the UK, thanks to a specially curated list compiled by one of the world-leading beer writers, Roger Protz.
Protz, who edited CAMRA’s wildly successful Good Beer Guide for many years alongside publishing CAMRA titles such as the World Beer Guide, suggests the following brews during the Olympic Games:
- Sierra Nevada Torpedo IPA (US)
- Unibroue La Fin du Monde (Canada)
- Chiltern Brewery Bodgers Barley Wine (UK)
- Little Creatures Pale Ale (Australia)
- Duvel Moortgat Duvel Triple Hop (Belgium)
- Budweiser Budvar (Czech Republic)
He adds: “Beer is one of the most sociable drinks, and pubs are the heart of our community. What better way is there to celebrate the spirit of the Olympics, which is all about coming together, than to do so with good friends down and a good pint down at your favourite local?”
For those who prefer playing games to watching, CAMRA has also worked with award-winning beer communicator and Chair of the British Guild of Beer Writers Emma Inch to develop a video guide on the joy of traditional pub games.
CAMRA’s National Director Nik Antona hopes pub-goers will use this occasion to celebrate and support their local after such an extended period of restriction and social isolation.
Antona says: “It has been an incredibly difficult time for pubs, clubs, breweries and cider producers over the last few years amidst ongoing lockdowns and restrictions. It is hard to believe these games were cancelled and postponed at the beginning of the pandemic. To see them return is a mark of normality. Now more than ever we need to show pubs our support, and there truly is no better way to do so than using them. I think that win or lose, we can all cheer to that!”
The United Kingdom of Beer is now available for pre-order from CAMRA books for £17.99 by visiting https://camra.org.uk/camra-publishing/united-kingdom-of-beer/
The Good Beer Guide app can be downloaded from Google Play (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ionicframework.gbgionic299560) and the Apple App Store (https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/camras-good-beer-guide/id1233650729)
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