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21-12-2023, 22:00
Visit the Paul Bailey's Beer Blog site (https://baileysbeerblog.blogspot.com/2023/12/the-beer-bucket-list-from-personal.html)
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It's strange how people sometimes come into one’s life then,as quick as they appear, they vanish. When you're approaching the 70thanniversary of your arrival on planet Earth, all sorts of people have crossedyour path, often going back many decades. Apart from family members, thesepeople include those who we went to school with - infant, primary, andsecondary school, and then, for those fortunate to have attended university, peoplefrom your student days. Following on, and into the world of employment, in whatevercategory, there are work colleagues who become a part of one’s life, forvarious periods of time. If, like me, you've worked in a variety of industries,and for several different employers, sometimes in different parts of thecountry, then there are more people whose career paths cross with yours.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDSqvB7jdHJB6riJHz-rU9bXfvRWwRhXPZVfCiLaTfVbOW4X1KxnFhkgbPLDZdiQvAEfB dCDMed3l_n7bXMBorVteXZweNv6XoI414zz2NFUYFiSToM7kw3 k0_y3jdVRtGj0xqOifS_X99jjkmGpqSvJmH0hyphenhyphen3z E662-L_vc9adYOwydASE50S6UX7LEg/w400-h296/Bucket%20list.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDSqvB7jdHJB6riJHz-rU9bXfvRWwRhXPZVfCiLaTfVbOW4X1KxnFhkgbPLDZdiQvAEfB dCDMed3l_n7bXMBorVteXZweNv6XoI414zz2NFUYFiSToM7kw3 k0_y3jdVRtGj0xqOifS_X99jjkmGpqSvJmH0hyphenhyphen3z E662-L_vc9adYOwydASE50S6UX7LEg/s2048/Bucket%20list.jpg)
The example I'm about to give, isn't someone who was part ofmy life for any significant period of time, and it isn't someone I claim toknow well either, but the other day his name flashed up on a well-known beerblog (Boak & Bailey), along with a link, that provided a fascinatinginsight into how this individual started off with a beer related blog of hisown, before branching into the world of writing, publishing and PR- the latterwith at least one well known and well respected international brewery. With thisin mind, it's worth taking a brief look back not just at what this formerblogger's achieved, but how one of his later books ended up give me somethingto reference my own their experiences against, and this latter point is reallythe main subject of this particular post.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRsU82dJZTTLBE1otDI_ev-k66b62cbag10VuF5M4o-7K4_bccY9IFAnYLXHQm4n0HVFc8vgHt7Cx2BwrQ2xkZNhlFkyl F-r5mJz8_TZtCUpTxFKQIkEvUv1QlhMbNoREEydSUOjqlUmSrSn6 G7UuxfBTpSzFQr_lcVqf-onJEQ6sp1jjf3yX_ZUrnU10/w400-h300/DSC00419.JPG (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRsU82dJZTTLBE1otDI_ev-k66b62cbag10VuF5M4o-7K4_bccY9IFAnYLXHQm4n0HVFc8vgHt7Cx2BwrQ2xkZNhlFkyl F-r5mJz8_TZtCUpTxFKQIkEvUv1QlhMbNoREEydSUOjqlUmSrSn6 G7UuxfBTpSzFQr_lcVqf-onJEQ6sp1jjf3yX_ZUrnU10/s2048/DSC00419.JPG)
I started Paul’s Beer & Travel blog, in the autumn of2008, joining a number of individuals whose names and reputations were far moreillustrious than my own, and some of whom are still writing about beer today. Mostthough why they got bored with the subject, branched out into different areasof interest, made a definite career out of beer writing, or sadly in a numberof cases, have shuffled off this mortal coil. Just over a year later, inDecember 2009, I had an enforced day off work it's due to heavy snowfall, I wasunable the drive into the factory. In addition, there were no trains runningeither (no surprises there), so feeling at a loose end, I decided take a wanderdown into Tonbridge.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4bYssFdiAQOZetRou-at0bRMX5Ie5Zud1YwtKE_yRWEG_RoOicC2g5m1tnxOdjYjkzL-OWvO-sq7ZiRA5pYtL0GqhyOdfJNP0iL19nMWHjHSC9TChoVD_xdhcNS jsg3KY5-9XYSe6kmMBcjNkh4Ettfu25GpxnrUcAhCDUJY2moDbJveVh1mo ooJ05jM/w400-h300/20190906_155703.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4bYssFdiAQOZetRou-at0bRMX5Ie5Zud1YwtKE_yRWEG_RoOicC2g5m1tnxOdjYjkzL-OWvO-sq7ZiRA5pYtL0GqhyOdfJNP0iL19nMWHjHSC9TChoVD_xdhcNS jsg3KY5-9XYSe6kmMBcjNkh4Ettfu25GpxnrUcAhCDUJY2moDbJveVh1mo ooJ05jM/s4128/20190906_155703.jpg)
The following narrative, from my post of 18th Decembertells the story, and provides the link to this article, some 14 years on. Thesnow clouds had cleared leaving a beautiful bright and crisp sunny morning. sooff I went with no clear-cut plan, apart from picking up some Czech currencyfor my forthcoming trip to Prague. This accomplished, I made my way toTonbridge's only independent book shop, MRBooks (http://www.mrbooks.co.uk/), for a chat with the then owner Mark Richardson, and also to see if Icould pick up a copy of Jaroslav Hasek's, satirical classic, The GoodSoldier Svejk, ahead of my forthcoming visit to Prague.
"You're not the first beer blogger in today", Mark informed me."Oh", I replied, "who was the other?" The "Pencil & Spoon (http://pencilandspoon.blogspot.com/)"blogger, I was told, and he said he wants to meet you. "Mark Dredge"I said, slightly surprised, "in here? "Why not," said MR Books'proprietor, "he only lives across the road in one of the new flats".I responded that I would like to meet Mark, so following a quick phone,call the winner of the British Guild ofBeer Writers (http://www.beerwriters.co.uk/) New Media Writer of the Year 2009 duly appeared in MRBook’s shop.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv-QjW3xqWEe6HKill1A3LLqAbWR83Y53ubyKWhIOaWiHyiP1H88z h5r2WF0wlvCl1lYgTXKzV9BUg7zzCeJ2rMi8PzI-oPxPdkd8NZmfQHMWUT4mItI-kwljnP4gcG8NWccJhQqi8AsJze0aaI6o9fXut6QsUAKU0w8D6M xlIqQzDb23L2Q4ArwikVuw/w400-h300/20181020_100021.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv-QjW3xqWEe6HKill1A3LLqAbWR83Y53ubyKWhIOaWiHyiP1H88z h5r2WF0wlvCl1lYgTXKzV9BUg7zzCeJ2rMi8PzI-oPxPdkd8NZmfQHMWUT4mItI-kwljnP4gcG8NWccJhQqi8AsJze0aaI6o9fXut6QsUAKU0w8D6M xlIqQzDb23L2Q4ArwikVuw/s4128/20181020_100021.jpg)
I hadn't realised that Mark lived in Tonbridge, but it turned out that him andhis girlfriend had recently moved into one of the newly-built flats that occupythe old market site, opposite MR Books shop. Mark couldn't stay long, as he wasin the middle of preparing dinner, but we had a pleasant chat, nonetheless. Weboth griped about the lack of a decent boozer in Tonbridge, and certainly thelack of anywhere selling the darker ales which ought to be about this time ofyear. MR Books suggested that I open a pub but having run the Cask &Glass off-licence for five and a half years, I'd had more than enough ofthe licensed trade!
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgctfcgVVhBqr6f-HoFN9wurLKbZLqk6Xdh1-ey0uTL5VDVjv6XzGlmDaLxQ3GRYHlu_DVqs0o5bp3JdKvT2-wVjTRM8K9v6OT5FBe0eUI6NzfUiN5kx04NqxLOQ9C-1AgkX3f0pIXnHiXKDyUWgTJUD8Mkf9kTn36nNoG5aU56lfWWd_ Ma5vnT0Nq6lpA/w400-h240/IMAG1765.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgctfcgVVhBqr6f-HoFN9wurLKbZLqk6Xdh1-ey0uTL5VDVjv6XzGlmDaLxQ3GRYHlu_DVqs0o5bp3JdKvT2-wVjTRM8K9v6OT5FBe0eUI6NzfUiN5kx04NqxLOQ9C-1AgkX3f0pIXnHiXKDyUWgTJUD8Mkf9kTn36nNoG5aU56lfWWd_ Ma5vnT0Nq6lpA/s2592/IMAG1765.jpg)We parted company, promising to meet up soon for a drink, but as is often theway with such well-meaning intentions we never did. Continued following Mark’s Penciland Spoon blog, even though he seemed to be branching off it in a slightlydifferent direction, and it was to be a further five years for our pathscrossed again. In the summer of 2014, I attended my first European Beer Bloggers Conference. Held in Dublin, this was one of three such events held invarious European capitals I enjoyed, during the latter half of that decade, andwas, as fellow beer Blogger, Tandleman, forewarned me, a very boozy affair. Tandlemanwas right of course, and to say that the beer flowed freely would be an understatement,and what’s more it was included in the price of the conference package.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-N4wML-A8t7aWOUMbQ2lISOAD25VbEq4ftypnRzLm2LgMJucrE5Cm35M6 qzwpMllPIC7bYKMEpLa-nBxPTEAiwHi-AEJX1ECZFLJ9-krY_ln2QGaBtXHkH7ug_Lg93t5tAdwYqg6tPAaZIHyHoXCSbu-FUAYhrwWstst_CIdZNjKCq1S3J3uyOa9tPcg/w400-h210/Pilsner%20Urquell%20Party.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-N4wML-A8t7aWOUMbQ2lISOAD25VbEq4ftypnRzLm2LgMJucrE5Cm35M6 qzwpMllPIC7bYKMEpLa-nBxPTEAiwHi-AEJX1ECZFLJ9-krY_ln2QGaBtXHkH7ug_Lg93t5tAdwYqg6tPAaZIHyHoXCSbu-FUAYhrwWstst_CIdZNjKCq1S3J3uyOa9tPcg/s1200/Pilsner%20Urquell%20Party.jpg)
Not included though, was accommodation, or the cost of travelto and from the host city. However, some pretty decent food, plus a substantialend of conference meal, was part and parcel of the deal, so who stumped up thecash for the food and the beer? The answer of course, is the sponsors, and giventhe location of the conference, it’s no surprise that Guinness were one of the mainbackers of the event. Also high amongst the main sponsors were Czech brewers, PilsnerUrquell, who had brought over their own mobile bar, complete with integralcooling unit, plus glass rinser. It was then that I bumped into Mark Dredgeagain, who by this time was working for Pilsner Urquell, as part of their PRteam.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdp1CZM6s-R44B8Jfv3J0UkZker6FjCj_j_lRXRqyyt-T6dWFvk19X01cDibenXOfGfmhDzIRhcLiA43UOuls_jrY0mYiq swYu8wHBinucbC2W1ov5j9LzpUsd8splnU68fbDYPemgxoImK0 lt2i2RY7sY-kEKqPdEmaeUOpRwEe0pYEyRQQ5iBICEA7A/w400-h225/Frankenfest.JPG (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdp1CZM6s-R44B8Jfv3J0UkZker6FjCj_j_lRXRqyyt-T6dWFvk19X01cDibenXOfGfmhDzIRhcLiA43UOuls_jrY0mYiq swYu8wHBinucbC2W1ov5j9LzpUsd8splnU68fbDYPemgxoImK0 lt2i2RY7sY-kEKqPdEmaeUOpRwEe0pYEyRQQ5iBICEA7A/s3034/Frankenfest.JPG)
Three years later, and Mark and I crossed paths again, notin a physical sense, but following an approach from the publishers of his latest book. Titled The Beer Bucket List,” was described bypublishers Dog ‘n’ Bone, as a “Collection of over 150 unmissablebeer experiences, featuring the world’s greatest beer, bar, breweries andevents: it’s the ultimate bucket list for every beer lover.” Askedif I would like to review what turned out to be Mark’s 5th book, Iof course said yes, and after my complimentary review copy arrived, I soon gotstuck into it. You can read what I wrote here, (https://baileysbeerblog.blogspot.com/2018/05/the-beer-bucket-list-mark-dredge.html) but for the point of thisarticle, I want to list those unmissable beer experiences of Mark’s that I haveenjoyed myself. So, without further ado here they are, in no particular order.
TourFuller’s Griffin Brewery
Best ofBritish Cask Ales (too many to mention)
Modern(Pale & Hoppy) Cask Ales
Drinkin some Wetherspoons Pubs
Best ofLondon’s Historic Pubs
BermondseyBeer Mile
BlueAnchor - Helston
KentGreen Hop Fortnight
Thanet’sMicro-Pubs
VisitBurton-on-Trent
Marston’sBurton Union system
Sundayroast with a pint of Cask Ale
Pint ofMarble at Marble Arch Inn
GreatBritish Beer Festival
Edinburghpub-crawl
DrinkGuinness in Ireland
PorterhouseBrew-pub, Dublin
OktoberfestMunich
AugustinerHell vom Faβ, Munich
Hofbräuhaus,Munich
Annafest,Forchheim
SchlenkerlaTavern, Bamberg
Weihenstephan– world’s oldest brewery
Altbierin Düsseldorf
Kölschin Cologne
Drink BalticPorter in Poland
DrinkPilsner Urquell in Plzen
Drink Polotmavý in Czechia
U Fleků, Prague
Drink Westvleteren12° at In deVrede café, next to the brewery
Three ClassicBelgian Breweries – Rodenbach, Brasserie Du Pont, Westmalle Tripel
ThreeEssential Belgian Bars - Moeder Lambic, 't Brugs Beertje, De HalveMaan
Amsterdam Braun Café, De Wildeman
CarlsbergBrewery, Copenhagen
Experiencea Hop Harvest
Visit China– the world’s largest beer market
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheQbflBQ0q5HYgPoIGHVB-L51FeRvIowUK9eNz5GVMhyphenhyphenH1cbKN8X1RhE4_t7GD VXkudAlDx6a1_GpLQHhV8x0IEuDxNfiY7nJ9gA3K4uHRPXf3sC UlaSI7D7QkH2E5ZTkKjMeGg2d0kZe5WJhTaz4LrREiW0EPAnOu 8PFERrTd2vOzgTU64OXH6aGrJf0/w400-h225/DSC_0153.JPG (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheQbflBQ0q5HYgPoIGHVB-L51FeRvIowUK9eNz5GVMhyphenhyphenH1cbKN8X1RhE4_t7GD VXkudAlDx6a1_GpLQHhV8x0IEuDxNfiY7nJ9gA3K4uHRPXf3sC UlaSI7D7QkH2E5ZTkKjMeGg2d0kZe5WJhTaz4LrREiW0EPAnOu 8PFERrTd2vOzgTU64OXH6aGrJf0/s3104/DSC_0153.JPG)
Writingabout the book on his blog, Mark says he was inspired by thinking about where inthe world he'd most like to drink a beer. And then by thinking about where he'dsuggest others go to drink. The list included the places that any beer loverreally should go, plus all those many oddities and idiosyncrasies thatmake beer – and travelling for beer – so great.So, with just 36, out of a total of 150 experiences ticked off, there are manymore places to go, and beers to drink, but don’t forget, Mark’s list is justone person’s take on the beer world, and others, including me will have their ownideas as to what constitutes anunmissable beer experience. Please let me know what you think.
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https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMni1FIEcqXBisGS4UXzwn8shcAdgGzOoj_uCqz6cf-mpg1zIvVUwy_tM_Yq80mPxFp-Vx_iPv8Hd5dXFSx7PdMqZ_bSlRBkeDI0qcnWkEcx_2N3yOAz4l _UOTh0k9-AYZsI9Za1IQHKB1ztjgkgUmWYYPHyEYxp-QP6XHlgd4kjMuAw35GDQPn_StzCk/w325-h400/Beer%20bucket%20list.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMni1FIEcqXBisGS4UXzwn8shcAdgGzOoj_uCqz6cf-mpg1zIvVUwy_tM_Yq80mPxFp-Vx_iPv8Hd5dXFSx7PdMqZ_bSlRBkeDI0qcnWkEcx_2N3yOAz4l _UOTh0k9-AYZsI9Za1IQHKB1ztjgkgUmWYYPHyEYxp-QP6XHlgd4kjMuAw35GDQPn_StzCk/s400/Beer%20bucket%20list.jpg)
It's strange how people sometimes come into one’s life then,as quick as they appear, they vanish. When you're approaching the 70thanniversary of your arrival on planet Earth, all sorts of people have crossedyour path, often going back many decades. Apart from family members, thesepeople include those who we went to school with - infant, primary, andsecondary school, and then, for those fortunate to have attended university, peoplefrom your student days. Following on, and into the world of employment, in whatevercategory, there are work colleagues who become a part of one’s life, forvarious periods of time. If, like me, you've worked in a variety of industries,and for several different employers, sometimes in different parts of thecountry, then there are more people whose career paths cross with yours.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDSqvB7jdHJB6riJHz-rU9bXfvRWwRhXPZVfCiLaTfVbOW4X1KxnFhkgbPLDZdiQvAEfB dCDMed3l_n7bXMBorVteXZweNv6XoI414zz2NFUYFiSToM7kw3 k0_y3jdVRtGj0xqOifS_X99jjkmGpqSvJmH0hyphenhyphen3z E662-L_vc9adYOwydASE50S6UX7LEg/w400-h296/Bucket%20list.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDSqvB7jdHJB6riJHz-rU9bXfvRWwRhXPZVfCiLaTfVbOW4X1KxnFhkgbPLDZdiQvAEfB dCDMed3l_n7bXMBorVteXZweNv6XoI414zz2NFUYFiSToM7kw3 k0_y3jdVRtGj0xqOifS_X99jjkmGpqSvJmH0hyphenhyphen3z E662-L_vc9adYOwydASE50S6UX7LEg/s2048/Bucket%20list.jpg)
The example I'm about to give, isn't someone who was part ofmy life for any significant period of time, and it isn't someone I claim toknow well either, but the other day his name flashed up on a well-known beerblog (Boak & Bailey), along with a link, that provided a fascinatinginsight into how this individual started off with a beer related blog of hisown, before branching into the world of writing, publishing and PR- the latterwith at least one well known and well respected international brewery. With thisin mind, it's worth taking a brief look back not just at what this formerblogger's achieved, but how one of his later books ended up give me somethingto reference my own their experiences against, and this latter point is reallythe main subject of this particular post.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRsU82dJZTTLBE1otDI_ev-k66b62cbag10VuF5M4o-7K4_bccY9IFAnYLXHQm4n0HVFc8vgHt7Cx2BwrQ2xkZNhlFkyl F-r5mJz8_TZtCUpTxFKQIkEvUv1QlhMbNoREEydSUOjqlUmSrSn6 G7UuxfBTpSzFQr_lcVqf-onJEQ6sp1jjf3yX_ZUrnU10/w400-h300/DSC00419.JPG (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRsU82dJZTTLBE1otDI_ev-k66b62cbag10VuF5M4o-7K4_bccY9IFAnYLXHQm4n0HVFc8vgHt7Cx2BwrQ2xkZNhlFkyl F-r5mJz8_TZtCUpTxFKQIkEvUv1QlhMbNoREEydSUOjqlUmSrSn6 G7UuxfBTpSzFQr_lcVqf-onJEQ6sp1jjf3yX_ZUrnU10/s2048/DSC00419.JPG)
I started Paul’s Beer & Travel blog, in the autumn of2008, joining a number of individuals whose names and reputations were far moreillustrious than my own, and some of whom are still writing about beer today. Mostthough why they got bored with the subject, branched out into different areasof interest, made a definite career out of beer writing, or sadly in a numberof cases, have shuffled off this mortal coil. Just over a year later, inDecember 2009, I had an enforced day off work it's due to heavy snowfall, I wasunable the drive into the factory. In addition, there were no trains runningeither (no surprises there), so feeling at a loose end, I decided take a wanderdown into Tonbridge.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4bYssFdiAQOZetRou-at0bRMX5Ie5Zud1YwtKE_yRWEG_RoOicC2g5m1tnxOdjYjkzL-OWvO-sq7ZiRA5pYtL0GqhyOdfJNP0iL19nMWHjHSC9TChoVD_xdhcNS jsg3KY5-9XYSe6kmMBcjNkh4Ettfu25GpxnrUcAhCDUJY2moDbJveVh1mo ooJ05jM/w400-h300/20190906_155703.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4bYssFdiAQOZetRou-at0bRMX5Ie5Zud1YwtKE_yRWEG_RoOicC2g5m1tnxOdjYjkzL-OWvO-sq7ZiRA5pYtL0GqhyOdfJNP0iL19nMWHjHSC9TChoVD_xdhcNS jsg3KY5-9XYSe6kmMBcjNkh4Ettfu25GpxnrUcAhCDUJY2moDbJveVh1mo ooJ05jM/s4128/20190906_155703.jpg)
The following narrative, from my post of 18th Decembertells the story, and provides the link to this article, some 14 years on. Thesnow clouds had cleared leaving a beautiful bright and crisp sunny morning. sooff I went with no clear-cut plan, apart from picking up some Czech currencyfor my forthcoming trip to Prague. This accomplished, I made my way toTonbridge's only independent book shop, MRBooks (http://www.mrbooks.co.uk/), for a chat with the then owner Mark Richardson, and also to see if Icould pick up a copy of Jaroslav Hasek's, satirical classic, The GoodSoldier Svejk, ahead of my forthcoming visit to Prague.
"You're not the first beer blogger in today", Mark informed me."Oh", I replied, "who was the other?" The "Pencil & Spoon (http://pencilandspoon.blogspot.com/)"blogger, I was told, and he said he wants to meet you. "Mark Dredge"I said, slightly surprised, "in here? "Why not," said MR Books'proprietor, "he only lives across the road in one of the new flats".I responded that I would like to meet Mark, so following a quick phone,call the winner of the British Guild ofBeer Writers (http://www.beerwriters.co.uk/) New Media Writer of the Year 2009 duly appeared in MRBook’s shop.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv-QjW3xqWEe6HKill1A3LLqAbWR83Y53ubyKWhIOaWiHyiP1H88z h5r2WF0wlvCl1lYgTXKzV9BUg7zzCeJ2rMi8PzI-oPxPdkd8NZmfQHMWUT4mItI-kwljnP4gcG8NWccJhQqi8AsJze0aaI6o9fXut6QsUAKU0w8D6M xlIqQzDb23L2Q4ArwikVuw/w400-h300/20181020_100021.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv-QjW3xqWEe6HKill1A3LLqAbWR83Y53ubyKWhIOaWiHyiP1H88z h5r2WF0wlvCl1lYgTXKzV9BUg7zzCeJ2rMi8PzI-oPxPdkd8NZmfQHMWUT4mItI-kwljnP4gcG8NWccJhQqi8AsJze0aaI6o9fXut6QsUAKU0w8D6M xlIqQzDb23L2Q4ArwikVuw/s4128/20181020_100021.jpg)
I hadn't realised that Mark lived in Tonbridge, but it turned out that him andhis girlfriend had recently moved into one of the newly-built flats that occupythe old market site, opposite MR Books shop. Mark couldn't stay long, as he wasin the middle of preparing dinner, but we had a pleasant chat, nonetheless. Weboth griped about the lack of a decent boozer in Tonbridge, and certainly thelack of anywhere selling the darker ales which ought to be about this time ofyear. MR Books suggested that I open a pub but having run the Cask &Glass off-licence for five and a half years, I'd had more than enough ofthe licensed trade!
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgctfcgVVhBqr6f-HoFN9wurLKbZLqk6Xdh1-ey0uTL5VDVjv6XzGlmDaLxQ3GRYHlu_DVqs0o5bp3JdKvT2-wVjTRM8K9v6OT5FBe0eUI6NzfUiN5kx04NqxLOQ9C-1AgkX3f0pIXnHiXKDyUWgTJUD8Mkf9kTn36nNoG5aU56lfWWd_ Ma5vnT0Nq6lpA/w400-h240/IMAG1765.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgctfcgVVhBqr6f-HoFN9wurLKbZLqk6Xdh1-ey0uTL5VDVjv6XzGlmDaLxQ3GRYHlu_DVqs0o5bp3JdKvT2-wVjTRM8K9v6OT5FBe0eUI6NzfUiN5kx04NqxLOQ9C-1AgkX3f0pIXnHiXKDyUWgTJUD8Mkf9kTn36nNoG5aU56lfWWd_ Ma5vnT0Nq6lpA/s2592/IMAG1765.jpg)We parted company, promising to meet up soon for a drink, but as is often theway with such well-meaning intentions we never did. Continued following Mark’s Penciland Spoon blog, even though he seemed to be branching off it in a slightlydifferent direction, and it was to be a further five years for our pathscrossed again. In the summer of 2014, I attended my first European Beer Bloggers Conference. Held in Dublin, this was one of three such events held invarious European capitals I enjoyed, during the latter half of that decade, andwas, as fellow beer Blogger, Tandleman, forewarned me, a very boozy affair. Tandlemanwas right of course, and to say that the beer flowed freely would be an understatement,and what’s more it was included in the price of the conference package.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-N4wML-A8t7aWOUMbQ2lISOAD25VbEq4ftypnRzLm2LgMJucrE5Cm35M6 qzwpMllPIC7bYKMEpLa-nBxPTEAiwHi-AEJX1ECZFLJ9-krY_ln2QGaBtXHkH7ug_Lg93t5tAdwYqg6tPAaZIHyHoXCSbu-FUAYhrwWstst_CIdZNjKCq1S3J3uyOa9tPcg/w400-h210/Pilsner%20Urquell%20Party.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-N4wML-A8t7aWOUMbQ2lISOAD25VbEq4ftypnRzLm2LgMJucrE5Cm35M6 qzwpMllPIC7bYKMEpLa-nBxPTEAiwHi-AEJX1ECZFLJ9-krY_ln2QGaBtXHkH7ug_Lg93t5tAdwYqg6tPAaZIHyHoXCSbu-FUAYhrwWstst_CIdZNjKCq1S3J3uyOa9tPcg/s1200/Pilsner%20Urquell%20Party.jpg)
Not included though, was accommodation, or the cost of travelto and from the host city. However, some pretty decent food, plus a substantialend of conference meal, was part and parcel of the deal, so who stumped up thecash for the food and the beer? The answer of course, is the sponsors, and giventhe location of the conference, it’s no surprise that Guinness were one of the mainbackers of the event. Also high amongst the main sponsors were Czech brewers, PilsnerUrquell, who had brought over their own mobile bar, complete with integralcooling unit, plus glass rinser. It was then that I bumped into Mark Dredgeagain, who by this time was working for Pilsner Urquell, as part of their PRteam.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdp1CZM6s-R44B8Jfv3J0UkZker6FjCj_j_lRXRqyyt-T6dWFvk19X01cDibenXOfGfmhDzIRhcLiA43UOuls_jrY0mYiq swYu8wHBinucbC2W1ov5j9LzpUsd8splnU68fbDYPemgxoImK0 lt2i2RY7sY-kEKqPdEmaeUOpRwEe0pYEyRQQ5iBICEA7A/w400-h225/Frankenfest.JPG (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdp1CZM6s-R44B8Jfv3J0UkZker6FjCj_j_lRXRqyyt-T6dWFvk19X01cDibenXOfGfmhDzIRhcLiA43UOuls_jrY0mYiq swYu8wHBinucbC2W1ov5j9LzpUsd8splnU68fbDYPemgxoImK0 lt2i2RY7sY-kEKqPdEmaeUOpRwEe0pYEyRQQ5iBICEA7A/s3034/Frankenfest.JPG)
Three years later, and Mark and I crossed paths again, notin a physical sense, but following an approach from the publishers of his latest book. Titled The Beer Bucket List,” was described bypublishers Dog ‘n’ Bone, as a “Collection of over 150 unmissablebeer experiences, featuring the world’s greatest beer, bar, breweries andevents: it’s the ultimate bucket list for every beer lover.” Askedif I would like to review what turned out to be Mark’s 5th book, Iof course said yes, and after my complimentary review copy arrived, I soon gotstuck into it. You can read what I wrote here, (https://baileysbeerblog.blogspot.com/2018/05/the-beer-bucket-list-mark-dredge.html) but for the point of thisarticle, I want to list those unmissable beer experiences of Mark’s that I haveenjoyed myself. So, without further ado here they are, in no particular order.
TourFuller’s Griffin Brewery
Best ofBritish Cask Ales (too many to mention)
Modern(Pale & Hoppy) Cask Ales
Drinkin some Wetherspoons Pubs
Best ofLondon’s Historic Pubs
BermondseyBeer Mile
BlueAnchor - Helston
KentGreen Hop Fortnight
Thanet’sMicro-Pubs
VisitBurton-on-Trent
Marston’sBurton Union system
Sundayroast with a pint of Cask Ale
Pint ofMarble at Marble Arch Inn
GreatBritish Beer Festival
Edinburghpub-crawl
DrinkGuinness in Ireland
PorterhouseBrew-pub, Dublin
OktoberfestMunich
AugustinerHell vom Faβ, Munich
Hofbräuhaus,Munich
Annafest,Forchheim
SchlenkerlaTavern, Bamberg
Weihenstephan– world’s oldest brewery
Altbierin Düsseldorf
Kölschin Cologne
Drink BalticPorter in Poland
DrinkPilsner Urquell in Plzen
Drink Polotmavý in Czechia
U Fleků, Prague
Drink Westvleteren12° at In deVrede café, next to the brewery
Three ClassicBelgian Breweries – Rodenbach, Brasserie Du Pont, Westmalle Tripel
ThreeEssential Belgian Bars - Moeder Lambic, 't Brugs Beertje, De HalveMaan
Amsterdam Braun Café, De Wildeman
CarlsbergBrewery, Copenhagen
Experiencea Hop Harvest
Visit China– the world’s largest beer market
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheQbflBQ0q5HYgPoIGHVB-L51FeRvIowUK9eNz5GVMhyphenhyphenH1cbKN8X1RhE4_t7GD VXkudAlDx6a1_GpLQHhV8x0IEuDxNfiY7nJ9gA3K4uHRPXf3sC UlaSI7D7QkH2E5ZTkKjMeGg2d0kZe5WJhTaz4LrREiW0EPAnOu 8PFERrTd2vOzgTU64OXH6aGrJf0/w400-h225/DSC_0153.JPG (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheQbflBQ0q5HYgPoIGHVB-L51FeRvIowUK9eNz5GVMhyphenhyphenH1cbKN8X1RhE4_t7GD VXkudAlDx6a1_GpLQHhV8x0IEuDxNfiY7nJ9gA3K4uHRPXf3sC UlaSI7D7QkH2E5ZTkKjMeGg2d0kZe5WJhTaz4LrREiW0EPAnOu 8PFERrTd2vOzgTU64OXH6aGrJf0/s3104/DSC_0153.JPG)
Writingabout the book on his blog, Mark says he was inspired by thinking about where inthe world he'd most like to drink a beer. And then by thinking about where he'dsuggest others go to drink. The list included the places that any beer loverreally should go, plus all those many oddities and idiosyncrasies thatmake beer – and travelling for beer – so great.So, with just 36, out of a total of 150 experiences ticked off, there are manymore places to go, and beers to drink, but don’t forget, Mark’s list is justone person’s take on the beer world, and others, including me will have their ownideas as to what constitutes anunmissable beer experience. Please let me know what you think.
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