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19-02-2024, 20:30
Visit the Paul Bailey's Beer Blog site (https://baileysbeerblog.blogspot.com/2024/02/bryan-betts-beer-viking-1962-2024.html)
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS9qIrsVM-i2Wba3rANRtO0sfEWqku0_dIrMUKkqv9olLsWQbc692lJWZwFu MEhDxrJtBsbjrSjwkl33EucNs8jRyojjPt0g1vs02lt9M5-i1cT4q6cg0dn3Q6hLX5gd2wuIskX8vRhyKBnAnOmIhJEK6VVNy uGW0zpcF1egMWpfR8QrvA7-AZDdNlt-Q/w268-h400/Bryan%20Betts.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS9qIrsVM-i2Wba3rANRtO0sfEWqku0_dIrMUKkqv9olLsWQbc692lJWZwFu MEhDxrJtBsbjrSjwkl33EucNs8jRyojjPt0g1vs02lt9M5-i1cT4q6cg0dn3Q6hLX5gd2wuIskX8vRhyKBnAnOmIhJEK6VVNy uGW0zpcF1egMWpfR8QrvA7-AZDdNlt-Q/s1600/Bryan%20Betts.jpg)
They say that only the good die young, and this wasdefinitely the case with the recent sad passing of Bryan Betts aka Beer Viking.Bryan left this world, unexpectedly, and far too soon, following a brief, but particularlyvirulent illness on 2nd February. He was just a few months short ofhis 62nd birthday. He leaves behind a loving wife, two children, variousother family members, colleagues plus his many friends from both the world ofbrewing, as well as Viking re-enactment. I first met Bryan back in 2014, whilst attending my first European BeerWriters Conference, which took place in Dublin. Bryan was stayingat the same centrally-located accommodation as me, an establishment called the Gate Hotel, just off O'Connell Street right in the heart of Dublin. The Gate was ideally situated for theconference and, as well as being reasonably priced, served up an excellentfull-Irish breakfast each morning. It was whilst getting stuck into one ofthese amazing breakfasts, on my first morning in Ireland, that Bryan and I firstmet.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQqhUuX0l-U-E99_QBWFi85ew8uJRGN9XYc4JrJ9BiuQk6bm0BNfbETxbClSPZ IeUnpxGtYCwAc7QV83f-zYgJd7cSTx96OqLBoR24M6D56te8ibeSEh0844ePc7AZMSXmSx GKDGo52RsGB7WWwrzLWOzXlPjkogFagc5SjIq_ginpBAmXAASZ Dr9MKRw/w400-h240/Bryan%20B%20note-keeping.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQqhUuX0l-U-E99_QBWFi85ew8uJRGN9XYc4JrJ9BiuQk6bm0BNfbETxbClSPZ IeUnpxGtYCwAc7QV83f-zYgJd7cSTx96OqLBoR24M6D56te8ibeSEh0844ePc7AZMSXmSx GKDGo52RsGB7WWwrzLWOzXlPjkogFagc5SjIq_ginpBAmXAASZ Dr9MKRw/s2592/Bryan%20B%20note-keeping.jpg)
It didn’t take long for the two of us to gel, which wasn’tsurprising, as Bryan had a real ability to engage with people, and to share hispassions about beer and brewing. His inquisitive nature was apparent from the startand, given his journalistic background, he was a prolific note-taker, stoppingoften to write things down. You can see Bryan’s note-taking in action, in thephoto above, taken at the Dublin Conference.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWvQ7JETluuol915K_9WZpBM5iq1XxlovFo1NCs7fQ-W6HDnV9JYaf-A09TBLsNfZR2P8zP_MNA3QvuEk-jr0F-FJNlEZP5mFcczHMIrkHySknNKPXk-WPBaEqteOZ3z4dUXkf_Fmb7Q6B0wcJmD_aSreQM0e3yFkhJ-UjxFOVtjUP3dSTXJWS1DXVcR8/w400-h240/Full%20Irish.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWvQ7JETluuol915K_9WZpBM5iq1XxlovFo1NCs7fQ-W6HDnV9JYaf-A09TBLsNfZR2P8zP_MNA3QvuEk-jr0F-FJNlEZP5mFcczHMIrkHySknNKPXk-WPBaEqteOZ3z4dUXkf_Fmb7Q6B0wcJmD_aSreQM0e3yFkhJ-UjxFOVtjUP3dSTXJWS1DXVcR8/s2592/Full%20Irish.jpg)
Over the years, I quite often bumped into Bryan at otherbeer-related events, primarily the summer and Christmas parties organised bythe British Guild of Beer Writers, of which we were both members. Unlike me,Bryan played an active role in the Guild’s activities, and formed an integral part ofthe membership committee. His dedication to the post was evident in hisin the way he welcomed new members, and helped foster connections, in order to ensurethe Guild thrived as a vibrant community of brewers and beer enthusiasts.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_J8QLPE4kcyqBJrOjrw9I4SqFPiQnZUjyivnQaeRDVq wR3vQPN0UO8ZqUwRbHNkU_nm2S4PBlrZobpHDKbS16YLLsL00Z 413qnsxF25uTMT7hTSHne3ocqhj8Ic5W45sCarfkrTtrR_e5np I9EuhU4htU274BMVRi_unUFPpVd1tNg7mRMq1vx1IVrb8/w400-h225/Hukins%20hops.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_J8QLPE4kcyqBJrOjrw9I4SqFPiQnZUjyivnQaeRDVq wR3vQPN0UO8ZqUwRbHNkU_nm2S4PBlrZobpHDKbS16YLLsL00Z 413qnsxF25uTMT7hTSHne3ocqhj8Ic5W45sCarfkrTtrR_e5np I9EuhU4htU274BMVRi_unUFPpVd1tNg7mRMq1vx1IVrb8/s4000/Hukins%20hops.jpg)
I always looked out for Bryan at Guild events, welcoming hispresence, and appreciating him introducing me to other members. Due to clasheswith holidays or other events, I missed out on a couple of Christmas dinners, aswell as last year’s summer party. Because of this, the last time I saw Bryan wasin August 2022, when I receivedan invite from UK Brewery Tours, tohave a look at hops growing in the fields, with Hukins Hops attheir farm near Bethersden.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguzRz4pjAEYFKZXU4BrXnNJVqGdNbEeoRPpokMDa4G9I XOLO2l_Z5XScm6uh4XvPLpPRkv78JcyKb8kxS2RupbMda8GZSJ H9Y1elkBZZzXS7O8jaiZmTpb_0BuTUT8dNAS1UxXI-TNdx4yQiK43Dl93__Fg0P0bWV9zcwpHKD1dFIUMddGqJpjbies XgE/w329-h400/Hukins%20stencil.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguzRz4pjAEYFKZXU4BrXnNJVqGdNbEeoRPpokMDa4G9I XOLO2l_Z5XScm6uh4XvPLpPRkv78JcyKb8kxS2RupbMda8GZSJ H9Y1elkBZZzXS7O8jaiZmTpb_0BuTUT8dNAS1UxXI-TNdx4yQiK43Dl93__Fg0P0bWV9zcwpHKD1dFIUMddGqJpjbies XgE/s2235/Hukins%20stencil.jpg)
Bryan was on the tour, accompanied by his daughter, who particularlyenjoyed the part where we were all given a glass jar, and told to pick sufficienthops to fill it. We could then take the hop-filled jar home with us, as a souvenirof our visit. I have fond memories of that day, enjoying the sights and aromas ofthe extensive hop gardens, whilst soaking up the warm, late August sunshine, inthe beautiful Kent countryside. It was therefore a great shock to learn of Bryan’s passingwhen, almost by accident, I clicked on an email from the British Guild of BeerWriters. I don’t always open communications from the Guild, as they are ratherfrequent at times, but fortunately I did with this one, learning the sad news lastMonday, and discovering that the funeral would take place at the end of thatweek.
The memorial funeral service in Bryan’s honour, took placeat Mortlake Crematorium on 16th February. It was a typically dulland overcast mid-February afternoon, but the chapel was packed full, packedwith family, relatives, colleagues, and Bryan’s many friends. Music from AC/DC,Pink Floyd, Hawkwind, Guns & Roses, plus Led Zeppelin formed the backgroundto the event. There were touching tributes from Bryan’s widow, Helma, hissister Jaqui, and one from Peter, an old friend from childhood who had grown upwith Bryan, attended the same school and shared many of his interests. Bryan’s childrenalso brought Toast, the family dog along to the service.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii_WfuzkkbmydYXvCTNvKNNswyE0sekG-IRtR6fZ9-0sQM65aqjDJ1UwDqoHi2Porjdw12PMbyV3n-hEbeYKuFQd_l227ReLgKhLNFV8JtlO9g7QrSYNfQ5xqI2TU38T aHsWbeWj6NOGGnwrIAHeam9nPwJcEHQn-O88iMa8qUK8Pxo85w3JtLh2A9gos/w400-h225/Fullers%20pumps.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii_WfuzkkbmydYXvCTNvKNNswyE0sekG-IRtR6fZ9-0sQM65aqjDJ1UwDqoHi2Porjdw12PMbyV3n-hEbeYKuFQd_l227ReLgKhLNFV8JtlO9g7QrSYNfQ5xqI2TU38T aHsWbeWj6NOGGnwrIAHeam9nPwJcEHQn-O88iMa8qUK8Pxo85w3JtLh2A9gos/s3881/Fullers%20pumps.jpg)
There was a wake afterwards at the Griffin, a charming,back-street Fuller’s pub, close to the site of the former Brentford FC footballground. As with the service, the event was packed, and people were able toexchange cherished moments and favourite memories of Bryan. His warmpersonality, quick wit, and genuine interest in others created a welcomingatmosphere, and helped put people at ease.Like me, Bryan hosted his own beer blog, called BeerViking. (http://BeerViking.)The Viking part referred to his other hobby of Viking re-enactment, and it wasat such an event, in northern Germany, that he first met his wife to be, Helma.Helma recounted the story during the funeral service, as part of a tribute toher late husband. Bryan was obviously aloving family man, as well as a thoughtful friend. I feel privileged to have knownhim, even though our shared experiences were, at times, rather brief, and I extendmy deepest sympathies to Helma, plus their children Elfie and Roric.
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https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS9qIrsVM-i2Wba3rANRtO0sfEWqku0_dIrMUKkqv9olLsWQbc692lJWZwFu MEhDxrJtBsbjrSjwkl33EucNs8jRyojjPt0g1vs02lt9M5-i1cT4q6cg0dn3Q6hLX5gd2wuIskX8vRhyKBnAnOmIhJEK6VVNy uGW0zpcF1egMWpfR8QrvA7-AZDdNlt-Q/w268-h400/Bryan%20Betts.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS9qIrsVM-i2Wba3rANRtO0sfEWqku0_dIrMUKkqv9olLsWQbc692lJWZwFu MEhDxrJtBsbjrSjwkl33EucNs8jRyojjPt0g1vs02lt9M5-i1cT4q6cg0dn3Q6hLX5gd2wuIskX8vRhyKBnAnOmIhJEK6VVNy uGW0zpcF1egMWpfR8QrvA7-AZDdNlt-Q/s1600/Bryan%20Betts.jpg)
They say that only the good die young, and this wasdefinitely the case with the recent sad passing of Bryan Betts aka Beer Viking.Bryan left this world, unexpectedly, and far too soon, following a brief, but particularlyvirulent illness on 2nd February. He was just a few months short ofhis 62nd birthday. He leaves behind a loving wife, two children, variousother family members, colleagues plus his many friends from both the world ofbrewing, as well as Viking re-enactment. I first met Bryan back in 2014, whilst attending my first European BeerWriters Conference, which took place in Dublin. Bryan was stayingat the same centrally-located accommodation as me, an establishment called the Gate Hotel, just off O'Connell Street right in the heart of Dublin. The Gate was ideally situated for theconference and, as well as being reasonably priced, served up an excellentfull-Irish breakfast each morning. It was whilst getting stuck into one ofthese amazing breakfasts, on my first morning in Ireland, that Bryan and I firstmet.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQqhUuX0l-U-E99_QBWFi85ew8uJRGN9XYc4JrJ9BiuQk6bm0BNfbETxbClSPZ IeUnpxGtYCwAc7QV83f-zYgJd7cSTx96OqLBoR24M6D56te8ibeSEh0844ePc7AZMSXmSx GKDGo52RsGB7WWwrzLWOzXlPjkogFagc5SjIq_ginpBAmXAASZ Dr9MKRw/w400-h240/Bryan%20B%20note-keeping.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQqhUuX0l-U-E99_QBWFi85ew8uJRGN9XYc4JrJ9BiuQk6bm0BNfbETxbClSPZ IeUnpxGtYCwAc7QV83f-zYgJd7cSTx96OqLBoR24M6D56te8ibeSEh0844ePc7AZMSXmSx GKDGo52RsGB7WWwrzLWOzXlPjkogFagc5SjIq_ginpBAmXAASZ Dr9MKRw/s2592/Bryan%20B%20note-keeping.jpg)
It didn’t take long for the two of us to gel, which wasn’tsurprising, as Bryan had a real ability to engage with people, and to share hispassions about beer and brewing. His inquisitive nature was apparent from the startand, given his journalistic background, he was a prolific note-taker, stoppingoften to write things down. You can see Bryan’s note-taking in action, in thephoto above, taken at the Dublin Conference.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWvQ7JETluuol915K_9WZpBM5iq1XxlovFo1NCs7fQ-W6HDnV9JYaf-A09TBLsNfZR2P8zP_MNA3QvuEk-jr0F-FJNlEZP5mFcczHMIrkHySknNKPXk-WPBaEqteOZ3z4dUXkf_Fmb7Q6B0wcJmD_aSreQM0e3yFkhJ-UjxFOVtjUP3dSTXJWS1DXVcR8/w400-h240/Full%20Irish.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWvQ7JETluuol915K_9WZpBM5iq1XxlovFo1NCs7fQ-W6HDnV9JYaf-A09TBLsNfZR2P8zP_MNA3QvuEk-jr0F-FJNlEZP5mFcczHMIrkHySknNKPXk-WPBaEqteOZ3z4dUXkf_Fmb7Q6B0wcJmD_aSreQM0e3yFkhJ-UjxFOVtjUP3dSTXJWS1DXVcR8/s2592/Full%20Irish.jpg)
Over the years, I quite often bumped into Bryan at otherbeer-related events, primarily the summer and Christmas parties organised bythe British Guild of Beer Writers, of which we were both members. Unlike me,Bryan played an active role in the Guild’s activities, and formed an integral part ofthe membership committee. His dedication to the post was evident in hisin the way he welcomed new members, and helped foster connections, in order to ensurethe Guild thrived as a vibrant community of brewers and beer enthusiasts.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_J8QLPE4kcyqBJrOjrw9I4SqFPiQnZUjyivnQaeRDVq wR3vQPN0UO8ZqUwRbHNkU_nm2S4PBlrZobpHDKbS16YLLsL00Z 413qnsxF25uTMT7hTSHne3ocqhj8Ic5W45sCarfkrTtrR_e5np I9EuhU4htU274BMVRi_unUFPpVd1tNg7mRMq1vx1IVrb8/w400-h225/Hukins%20hops.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_J8QLPE4kcyqBJrOjrw9I4SqFPiQnZUjyivnQaeRDVq wR3vQPN0UO8ZqUwRbHNkU_nm2S4PBlrZobpHDKbS16YLLsL00Z 413qnsxF25uTMT7hTSHne3ocqhj8Ic5W45sCarfkrTtrR_e5np I9EuhU4htU274BMVRi_unUFPpVd1tNg7mRMq1vx1IVrb8/s4000/Hukins%20hops.jpg)
I always looked out for Bryan at Guild events, welcoming hispresence, and appreciating him introducing me to other members. Due to clasheswith holidays or other events, I missed out on a couple of Christmas dinners, aswell as last year’s summer party. Because of this, the last time I saw Bryan wasin August 2022, when I receivedan invite from UK Brewery Tours, tohave a look at hops growing in the fields, with Hukins Hops attheir farm near Bethersden.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguzRz4pjAEYFKZXU4BrXnNJVqGdNbEeoRPpokMDa4G9I XOLO2l_Z5XScm6uh4XvPLpPRkv78JcyKb8kxS2RupbMda8GZSJ H9Y1elkBZZzXS7O8jaiZmTpb_0BuTUT8dNAS1UxXI-TNdx4yQiK43Dl93__Fg0P0bWV9zcwpHKD1dFIUMddGqJpjbies XgE/w329-h400/Hukins%20stencil.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguzRz4pjAEYFKZXU4BrXnNJVqGdNbEeoRPpokMDa4G9I XOLO2l_Z5XScm6uh4XvPLpPRkv78JcyKb8kxS2RupbMda8GZSJ H9Y1elkBZZzXS7O8jaiZmTpb_0BuTUT8dNAS1UxXI-TNdx4yQiK43Dl93__Fg0P0bWV9zcwpHKD1dFIUMddGqJpjbies XgE/s2235/Hukins%20stencil.jpg)
Bryan was on the tour, accompanied by his daughter, who particularlyenjoyed the part where we were all given a glass jar, and told to pick sufficienthops to fill it. We could then take the hop-filled jar home with us, as a souvenirof our visit. I have fond memories of that day, enjoying the sights and aromas ofthe extensive hop gardens, whilst soaking up the warm, late August sunshine, inthe beautiful Kent countryside. It was therefore a great shock to learn of Bryan’s passingwhen, almost by accident, I clicked on an email from the British Guild of BeerWriters. I don’t always open communications from the Guild, as they are ratherfrequent at times, but fortunately I did with this one, learning the sad news lastMonday, and discovering that the funeral would take place at the end of thatweek.
The memorial funeral service in Bryan’s honour, took placeat Mortlake Crematorium on 16th February. It was a typically dulland overcast mid-February afternoon, but the chapel was packed full, packedwith family, relatives, colleagues, and Bryan’s many friends. Music from AC/DC,Pink Floyd, Hawkwind, Guns & Roses, plus Led Zeppelin formed the backgroundto the event. There were touching tributes from Bryan’s widow, Helma, hissister Jaqui, and one from Peter, an old friend from childhood who had grown upwith Bryan, attended the same school and shared many of his interests. Bryan’s childrenalso brought Toast, the family dog along to the service.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii_WfuzkkbmydYXvCTNvKNNswyE0sekG-IRtR6fZ9-0sQM65aqjDJ1UwDqoHi2Porjdw12PMbyV3n-hEbeYKuFQd_l227ReLgKhLNFV8JtlO9g7QrSYNfQ5xqI2TU38T aHsWbeWj6NOGGnwrIAHeam9nPwJcEHQn-O88iMa8qUK8Pxo85w3JtLh2A9gos/w400-h225/Fullers%20pumps.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii_WfuzkkbmydYXvCTNvKNNswyE0sekG-IRtR6fZ9-0sQM65aqjDJ1UwDqoHi2Porjdw12PMbyV3n-hEbeYKuFQd_l227ReLgKhLNFV8JtlO9g7QrSYNfQ5xqI2TU38T aHsWbeWj6NOGGnwrIAHeam9nPwJcEHQn-O88iMa8qUK8Pxo85w3JtLh2A9gos/s3881/Fullers%20pumps.jpg)
There was a wake afterwards at the Griffin, a charming,back-street Fuller’s pub, close to the site of the former Brentford FC footballground. As with the service, the event was packed, and people were able toexchange cherished moments and favourite memories of Bryan. His warmpersonality, quick wit, and genuine interest in others created a welcomingatmosphere, and helped put people at ease.Like me, Bryan hosted his own beer blog, called BeerViking. (http://BeerViking.)The Viking part referred to his other hobby of Viking re-enactment, and it wasat such an event, in northern Germany, that he first met his wife to be, Helma.Helma recounted the story during the funeral service, as part of a tribute toher late husband. Bryan was obviously aloving family man, as well as a thoughtful friend. I feel privileged to have knownhim, even though our shared experiences were, at times, rather brief, and I extendmy deepest sympathies to Helma, plus their children Elfie and Roric.
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More... (https://baileysbeerblog.blogspot.com/2024/02/bryan-betts-beer-viking-1962-2024.html)