Nicholson’s is launching its National Beer Showcase 2017 across its 77 pubs from today until 22 October.
Running for six weeks, the celebration of beer and Britain’s best breweries will feature 28 new beers. Events across the estate include guest talks, workshops and tastings.
Nicholson’s Cask Masters from each region have created six ‘District Beers’ from the UK’s best breweries, including Hop Stuff Brewery, London Brewing Co. and West Berkshire Brewery. Attendees can also pick up their complimentary There’s A Beer For That guidebook to learn more about the ‘District Beers’, which include Mjango Unchained, Rye the Hell Not and Ryeders of the Lost Cask.
Also available to the showcase will be the oaked pale ale, Two Bays – a collaborative beer from award-winning breweries Adnams and Cigar City Brewing*. Brit pop fans will get to sample a beer created by Yorkshire band Shed Seven and Rudgate Brewery, exclusively available at Nicholson’s Pubs from 1st October.
Joining the Beer Showcase from 8 October will be Nicholson’s own-brand Porter, back by popular demand after a three-year hiatus.
Showcase event highlights include:
The Old White Swan (York) – on 20 September, competition winners will get to visit Yorkshire’s Rudgate brewery to find out how the Britpop band, Shed Seven’s, ‘Going for Gold’ beer is made. The brewery tour will be followed by a launch party at nearby pub, The Old White Swan, as well as a meet-and-greet with the band themselves.
The Mitre (Cambridge) – on 28 September, Adnams will be hosting an exploratory tasting of their new collaborative beer, Two Bays, created with Florida’s Cigar City Brewing.
The Shakespeare, The Shakespeare Inn, Bacchus Bar & The Old Contemptibles (Birmingham) – Purity Brewing Co will host four events on 13, 20, 27 September and 4 October, featuring live beer-making demos alongside five half-pint tastings with hand-picked food pairings.
The Coal Hole, The White Swan, The White Lion & The Wellington (London) – to celebrate the welcome return of Nicholson’s own-brand porter, St Austell’s head brewer, Roger Ryman will lead an immersive West End pub tour and tasting in October for a selection of competition winners.
Ben Lockwood, Beer & Cider Procurement Manager for Mitchells & Butlers, commented, “With this campaign showcasing everything that’s great about Britain’s Beer and British Pubs, we’re excited to have engaged with our very own regional Cask Masters and given them the freedom to create six cask ales that their guests will love.
'We’ve added an exclusive transatlantic collaboration from Adnams and Cigar City with Two Bays that we know will be extremely popular, alongside our very own Nicholson’s Porter and the Shed Seven Rudgate beer, ensuring everyone will find a new favourite being poured this Autumn.”