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Beer Day Britain 2015

Beer Day Britain is a grass roots project ‘for the love of beer’. It has been set up by Jane Peyton (Britain’s Beer Sommelier of the Year), Sophie de Ronde (head brewer at Brentwood Brewery), and Sara Barton (founder of and head brewer of Brewsters’ Brewing Company, and former British Brewer of the Year). Many of Britain’s major beer organisations have said that they will support the idea which is a voluntary initiative by Jane, Sophie and Sara.

The trio have set June 15th as the date for the annual Beer Day Britain. This was the date (in 1215) that Magna Carta was sealed. In 2015 there will be national and international celebrations for the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta so the fact that ale is mentioned in the document, makes June 15th a logical date for Britain’s national beer day. 

Clause 35 of Magna Carta stated ‘Let there be throughout our kingdom a single measure for wine and a single measure for ale and a single measure for corn, namely “the London quarter”‘. 

The idea is for Beer Day Britain to be a self-starting activity and its success relies on beer lovers, pubs, brewers, supermarkets, beer shops, and beer related organisations planning events and publicity which encourage the appreciation of beer and pubs. This is an exciting opportunity for pubs and breweries to participate with Britain’s national drink, cask ale.

Some suggestions to get you started for Beer Day Britain are:

• Brewers to brew celebratory beers
• Breweries to arrange open days
• Pubs to offer a wider range of British beer styles than normal to celebrate the diversity of Britain’s brewing heritage
• Pubs to host special events and deck the exterior and interior with bunting
• Pub staff to enthuse customers and upsell British beer
• Pub groups to supply marketing and point of sale material to pubs
• Pubs/breweries might hire a Beer Academy beer sommelier to offer tutored tastings for customers
• Pubs to offer special beer lunches/dinners
• Restaurants and pubs to offer a beer tasting notes and a beer menu to customers and include beer matches on their food menus – this would be a permanent offering, not just for Beer Day Britain
• Pub hanging baskets planted with red, white and blue flowers
• Local Morris sides to dance outside pubs (and drink ale!)
• Pubs, local CAMRA groups, beer lovers to arrange beer festivals
• Organisers of ale trails , ale rail, or sail ale to put on special BDB services
• Beer lovers to try and get publicity for the special day in local or national media
• Spread the word on social media – Facebook and Twitter @BeerDayBritain – hashtag #BDB 

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