Andrew conjures up a beer worth Thwait-ing for!
By: JimOldfield
November 1st, 2012
Cricket-loving beer fan Andrew Bratt hit the competition for six when his imaginary “dream pint” was turned into real ale by a top northern brewery.
Andrew, from Manchester, bowled over the judges of Daniel Thwaites’ perfect pint contest, who chose his theoretical beer “Switch Hit”, as their next special brew.
And as part of his prize, he got to try the very first pint with former England and Lancashire cricket hero, David ‘Bumble’ Lloyd.
The 4 per cent “mellow and nutty-flavoured amber beer brewed with challenger and styrian hops” impressed Thwaites with its simplicity and creative cricketing name.
The Blackburn brewery – a sponsor of Lancashire County Cricket Club – had challenged website visitors to craft fantasy beers using their online tool.
Brewers made 80 casks of Switch Hit in their new “craft” brewery, dubbed Crafty Dan, to be sold in their pubs and bars.
The beer was launched at the KRO Bar Picadilly in Manchester, where Andrew toasted the brew’s arrival with David Lloyd, who launched the competition.
Andrew said: “I had great fun experimenting and creating my own brew and I’m very proud to see my perfect virtual pint become a reality like this. I was trying to come up with something a little unexpected as a switch hit might be in cricket.”
Ian Bearpark, Thwaites brewing director, said: “We had a number of very strong entries from armchair experts inspired to create their own brew.
“We chose Switch Hit as the overall winner as the ingredients and name encompass the very essence of the Craft Brewery – to create and produce innovative and inspirational ales.”
Hand-Pumped link:
Daniel Thwaites
