Tag: blogs

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Goodwill and good beer

Spent a very pleasant evening at the Hillsborough Hotel with the Beer Widow planning how to spend my year as Beer Writer of the Year (did I mention that?). I’m not going to broadcast my plans for world domination right here, but boy, I’m going to be busy.

Anyway. It starts right here, on this blog, which will be seeing some changes in the New Year.
But it’s nearly Christmas, and I’m very happy with my success last week, and for those two reasons, rather controversially, I’m declaring December “Let’s Be Nice On Pete Brown’s Beer Blog Month.”
So if anyone is logging on to see my thoughts on Brew Dog’s latest Portman spat, or to enjoy me ripping apart the Daily Mail’s latest risible bunch of bullshit and barefaced lying, I’m sorry. I’m biting my tongue till the New Year, and writing only nice things. December is a time of celebration, of recognising everything that’s great about the human spirit, and what better way of toasting that than with beer? The guns of common sense fall silent. The grenades of rhetoric and the tear gas of well chosen swearwords are held in check. Yep, it’s just like the Christmas armistice in the trenches during World War One. Only perhaps not quite as historically significant.
There will be some slight exceptions when I get to posting my review of the year. I had a great reaction when I did this last year and I’ve decided to make it a Christmas tradition. Rereading last year’s it’s amazing to realise what a busy year it’s been – it reads like it was written about five years ago. I’m enjoying compiling the new one, and will post just before Christmas.
But talking of celebration, here – at very short notice – is my announcement of one of the coolest things I’ve done all year. As regular readers will know, I spent most of the summer travelling up and down the UK promoting Hops and Glory in pubs, at beer festivals, food festivals, literary and music festivals. I finished in early October, and had always planned to do a final gig (I started calling them gigs after I performed at Latitude. Take the piss all you want, but my name is on the back of the t-shirt – quite far below Thom Yorke, Doves and Spiritualized and in significantly smaller type, it’s true – but I believe you’ll find that’s how I roll of late) at the Rake in London.
Anyway, this – ahem – end of tour gig was going to take place late October/early November, but I’m very disorganised and so are the chaps at the Rake. So it’s now happening this Thursday, 10th December. Yep, just two days from now.
But if you’re anywhere nearby, it’s worth trying to get along to, and here’s why, in no particular order of merit:
  • It’s going to be the last time I ever do my Hops and Glory reading presentation in the format I’ve done it this year. Next year I have all three books being reissued in paperback and will be writing a new talk/presentation/speech/routine/whatever you want to call it, about beer more generally. So it’s your last chance to hear about Barry the Barrel, William Hickey and Brazilian prostitutes.
  • I’ve got a cask of Seaforth – the special beer created this summer by Thornbridge which is basically Jaipur brewed with all-English ingredients, and which they asked me to name. So I did.
  • I’ve also got a cask of Crown Brewery Hillsborough IPA – the insanely hoppy brew created by Crown Brewer Stu, which I helped brew in the summer. It’s now been aged in a warm room for four months and should have started to gain some authentic IPA characteristics.
  • Finally on the beer front, we’ve got – get this – THE LAST EVER PIN OF CALCUTTA IPA!!! I thought we’d had the last one at my Burton book launch, but they found one last one at the brewery. It’s not been on the sea voyage, but traditional IPAs that did not go to India were aged for at least a year before being sold domestically. This one is now two years old and as such should be as close as possible to how IPA was when it was consumed in India (with one exception – we’d probably get punched if we served it authentically ice-cold).
  • And finally overall, I’m delighted, privileged and honoured to be sharing the room with legendary master brewer, Burton god, curator of Worthington White Shield and creator of Calcutta IPA, Mr Steve Wellington. Ask Steve about brewing traditional IPAs, keeping the Burton flame alive and generally being one of the greatest living brewers on the planet.
The room above the Rake is very small and tickets are extremely limited. They’re available from Utobeer or the Rake, by emailing melissa@love-beer.co.uk or phoning 020 7378 9461.
I’ll be selling all my books on the night at generous prices. They make perfect Christmas gifts.
In the words of the great Roger Protz, what more do you want, blood?
See you there.

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Exclusive… the Christmas number one

It may still be three weeks away, but Christmas is already here in our hearts. People are recommending Hops and Glory as the ideal gift, and I didn’t even pay them to. Twitter is alive with the sound of people debating the best Christmas beer.
And our thoughts turn to who is going to be Christmas number one.
It’s always a contentious issue. It carries more weight than the number one at any other time of the year – not commercially perhaps, but symbolically.
And this year, I have the preview on who it is.
At this stage I should point out that I’m not talking about the pop charts. No one gives a shit about that any more. The drama has gone out of it. It’s all been downhill since Jonah Lewie.
No, I’m talking about the new obsession, the all-important wikio rankings.
I may have given the impression over recent weeks that I’m quite obsessed by wikio rankings. If you believe that, you fell for my irony-laden trap. I don’t care. Honestly I don’t. Not about my position personally.
The only reason I’m writing about them now is that wikio ask a different blogger each month to reveal the latest monthly rankings in advance of official publication. This month, they asked me again. So I’m in a position to tell you who is the number one beer and/or wine blogger over Christmas, with no jealousy or bitterness whatsoever.
And so… *drumroll* step forward Brew Dog. You are the blogging world’s Cliff Richard.

1 Brew Dog Blog (=)
2 Pete Brown’s Blog (=)
3 Pencil & Spoon (=)
4 Tandleman’s Beer Blog (+2)
5 The Pub Curmudgeon (-1)
6 Woolpack Dave’s beer and stuff blog (-1)
7 Spittoon (+1)
8 The Beer Nut (-1)
9 Jamie goode’s wine blog (+6)
10 Stonch’s Beer Blog (=)
11 The Wine Conversation (+3)
12 The Bitten Bullet (+1)
13 Bibendum Wine (-2)
14 Reluctant Scooper (+3)
15 Real Ale Reviews (+3)
16 Brew Wales (-7)
17 Called to the bar (-5)
18 Taking the beard out of beer! (+7)
19 Tyson’s Beer Blog (+3)
20 Impy Malting (-4)

Ranking by Wikio

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The biggest thing in beer. Ever.

A few days ago, I figured out how to include the Wikio rankings badge on my blog, up there top-right. As I was number one, I was quite pleased with the result. I enjoyed looking at it. But only days later, I’m staring at a big fat number two. The Brew Dog Blog has overtaken me to become Britain’s most influential beer or wine blog. I wish I’d never suggested to Wikio that they include them, now. I don’t like this. I don’t like it at all. I want my top spot back. But how? I’ve been giving this some thought, and the answer is obvious. Brew Dog are experts at generating publicity, and this last month has seen their most ambitious scheme yet. They promised us they were going to change the world, trailed it weeks in advance. And while Equity for Punks may not have been the miracle it promised to be, it generated endless discussion online, with countless links to the Brew Dog blog, where it was hotly debated. That’s surely the reason Brew Dog succeeded on overtaking me. Well, two can play at that game. Soon – at a date I’ll think of in a minute – I’m going to announce something that’s better than changing the world forever. It will make changing the world forever look like changing your position slightly in a leather armchair to make yourself more comfortable, emitting a slight farting sound as you do so. What I am going to announce won’t just change the world. It will change the very laws of the universe. Time will run backwards. The speed of light will slow. Light itself will become liquid. Gravity will reverse. Dinosaurs shall walk the earth once more. Base metals shall turn into gold. You will believe a man can fly. Yea, New Order shall reform and even rediscover the ability to write a decent tune. Just you wait and see. I’m not kidding. I’m not exaggerating. (OK, maybe I am just a little with the New Order bit.) What I am about to announce – at 2am on 25th December, that’ll do – will rock the foundations of existence to their very core. In fact it’s so incredible, it can’t be held back. I can’t stop myself. I’m going to announce it right now. Right here. Brace yourself. What Brew Dog don’t understand is that Punk is now really old. It was 33 years ago, guys! Sid Vicious is dead. John Lydon is advertising butter on TV. Sham 69 are… well, I’m not sure what Sham 69 are doing. But equity for punks? That’s equity for blokes in their fifties with slightly waxy pallor after too many years hard living, who now mainly drink mineral water. Lame! Equity for Punks is also divisive – not everyone likes punk rock. It’s really noisy! They’re shouting, not singing. You can hardly hear the words. So here’s my universe changing idea: Equity For People With Interesting And Varied Mixes On Their iPods That Might Contain Some Punk And Alternative Stuff But There’s Probably A Bit Of Coldplay On There Too If You’re Honest. EFPWIAVMOTiTMCSPAASBTPABOCOTTIYH for short. Or maybe just Equ-i-Pod, thinking about it. Equ-i-pod gives you the chance to become part of Pete Brown’s Beer Blog. That’s right: I’m offering shares in what is currently – according to the judges of last year’s beer writers’ awards and now Wikio – Britain’s second-best beer blog. Equ-i-PodBlog then. No, Equ-i-PodBlogTM. That’s more like it. Equ-i-PodBlogTM will give you a 0.01% share in Pete Brown’s Beer Blog. As a shareholder, you’ll be able to leave comments on my posts – literally becoming part of the blog itself! You can even make suggestions for things you’d like me to write about if you like. Cynics may argue that because Pete Brown’s Beer Blog has no monetary value whatsoever then your shares are worthless. But don’t listen to them. That’s not what it’s really about. It’s more about being part of something exciting that’s got something to do with beer. And anyway, that’s not all you get. I’m also offering a lifetime discount on purchases of my books (conditional on you buying them through Amazon – it’s currently 40% off Hops & Glory I think). So: Equ-i-PodBlogTM is more up-to-date and inclusive than Equity for Punks. Equ-i-PodBlogTM gives you something even better than a genuine stake in an exciting, iconoclastic and rapidly expanding brewery. And thirdly, Equ-i-PodBlogTM is way, way cheaper than what Brew Dog are doing. I’m not going to ask you for £230 a share. I’m not going to ask you for £100 a share. I’m not even going to ask you for £50 a share. A tenner. Oh go on then, a fiver. A crisp fiver, and tell you what, I’ll give you three shares. You can’t say fairer than that. I’m robbing myself blind here. I’ll be having a pint to launch it at the Rake, probably, some time over the weekend. Tell your friends. Link to my blog by any means possible. Have a heated debate in the comments section. Twitter as if your life depended on it. Drive more traffic to my blog. Because now, it’s your blog too. And James and Martin – enjoy the view from up there at number one. Enjoy it while you still can, boys.

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OK, I am one to blow my own trumpet

People who say, “I’m not one to blow my own trumpet” always follow it with – well – blowing their own trumpet. So I’m not going to try to pretend.

The nice people at Wikio have been in touch again. A few months ago they gave me the exclusive preview of their gastronomy blog rankings, which rank UK blogs using a logarithm that works out how referenced they are – not just hits, but links to, etc.
Shortly after that they split off wine and beer blogs into a separate ranking. The new chart is published this week… and I’m number one! First time I’ve ever scaled such dizzy heights. I’m sure it can’t last, especially after my recent radio silence. Anyway, thanks so much to everyone who reads me and links to me. It’s made such a huge difference to my books sales as well as my ego so it really has had a tangible effect.

1 Pete brown’s blog (+3)
2 Pencil & spoon (+3)
3 Spittoon (-2)
4 Stonch’s beer blog (-1)
5 Brew wales (-3)
6 Tandleman’s beer blog (=)
7 The beer nut (+6)
8 Bibendum wine (+7)
9 Jamie goode’s wine blog (-2)
10 The wine conversation (-2)
11 Impy malting (+15)
12 Pubology (+43)
13 Called to the bar (+6)
14 Woolpack dave’s beer and stuff blog (+3)
15 `it’s just the beer talking` ? jeff pickthall’s blog (+6)
16 The southport drinker (-6)
17 Bubble brothers (-8)
18 Boak and bailey’s beer blog (+14)
19 Tyson’s beer blog (+1)
20 Bordoverview blog (+2)

Ranking by Wikio

And congratulations to Mark Dredge at Pencil and Spoon for soaring up the charts. Relatively new to beer blogging, Mark posts consistently and thoughtfully and does far more than just tasting notes. And he’s been nice about my books too.

I haven’t come across Pubology before but just had a peek and it looks really interesting – all about history and culture. Other bloggers and friends – Jeff Pickthall, Impy Malting and Boak and Bailey – are also showing strongly.
And I don’t normally go in for ‘beer is better than wine’ mudslinging, but beer definitely seems to be up in Blogworld at the expense of wine. Keep it up!

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Wicked Wikio!

Every month, Wikio compile rankings of UK blogs by subject, one of which is Gastronomy. Wikio explain that the position of a blog in the rankings is determined by the number and weight of incoming links from other blogs.  Then there’s some stuff about RSS feeds and algorithms which many of you probably understand but which to me is just a noise.  But the result is what they can authoritatively describe as the ‘most referenced’ blogs in a particular subject area.

I remember months ago Stonch was contacted by them to give an exclusive preview of that month’s rankings, because his blog featured in the top ten.  Of course, I had to have a look to see if I was in… and I crept in at number 48.  I was quite chuffed at having the 48th most referenced food and drink blog in the UK because it allowed me to make self-deprecating comments about my ‘success’, which are the only kind Mrs Pete Brown’s Beer Blog will tolerate.
Well, I can’t make them any more.  This month Wikio asked me to unveil the new figures, which I was very surprised by… then I saw I was up to number 6!
I’ll admit that when I saw I was only number 48 it did spur me to write a bit more frequently, but I’m blown away by this.  Thank you so much to everyone who links to my blog, for both your frequency and… um… weight.  Here’s the top twenty, due to be published tomorrow:
It’s great, considering that this is all food and drink, and that the top one belongs to The Guardian, that beer blogs feature so prominently. It shows that despite a tendency to moan in this medium, blogging has been a revelation for the beer community, and has allowed enthusiasts to gain a genuine influence in the world of not just beer, but broader food and drink coverage. I’ve only just broached the top twenty, probably due to Hops and Glory buzz, but Stonch and Tandleman are there every single month, hovering around the top ten.  When mainstream media continue to meet pitches from beer journalists with “I’m sorry, we just don’t cover beer, we don’t have room,” blogging reveals that there are talented writers, issues to be discussed, and an audience that wants to read them in the beer world.
And fair play to Wikio UK for categorising this area as ‘gastronomy’ – the US site follows the annoying trend that bookshops do and refers to ‘food and wine’, which always makes beer feel like a guest invited at the last minute to make up the numbers.  By accident or design, no beer blogs feature in the top 100.

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Top Ten Beer Blogs

I was just asked by www.blogs.com to give a list of  my top ten favourite beer blogs.  The results are here.

It was hard because I don’t spend a lot of time going through all the beer blogs I can find, and when I do many are quite similar.  Given that the site is primarily American and read internationally I realised my list was becoming quite parochially British, so I had to miss off some very good blogs by friends of mine in order to give it a more balanced and international feel.  So it’s not really my ten favourite beer blogs, more an overview of what the world of blogging has to offer.
I hope it drives traffic to the guys I featured (if you haven’t linked to this blog yet, would you?) And apologies to all the bloggers I trade comments with on here who weren’t featured.  Please don’t hold it against me!

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The first nail in blogging’s coffin?

OK, maybe not the first – but certainly the first one that makes me personally feel Death’s chill hand groping for my virtual collar.

I got an e-mail today. Does it look familiar to any other bloggers out there?

I am writing to draw your attention to a new online platform we have put together. Our President and Chairman is Pierre Chappaz, co-founder of Kelkoo, and our name is ebuzzing.

ebuzzing allows bloggers to earn money by publicising things they actually like, and even to define their own price for doing so.

They browse ad campaigns posted by advertisers, then create content for their blog highlighting those products and services that they genuinely wish to talk about and are paid for each article.

You can learn more about ebuzzing on our Blogger’s Page and also our FAQ. And we would love you to sign up and be part of our community of bloggers.

So just to be clear, they’re offering you money to take ads, and turn them into editorial on your blog. In other words, they’re bribing you to deceive the people who are kind (or sad) enough to read your blog that it’s not advertising at all, but the genuine opinion of someone whose words they, for some reason, value.

I said no.

The whole thing made me a little sad. But when I’m feeling low, I always find the tonic that puts a smile back on my face is Heineken, brewed in Holland since the 187os to an unchanged recipe that uses only the finest hops and barley and is available in all good off-licences – at prices that won’t put a hole in your pocket!

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