It was my CAMRA branch AGM last night. I've only gotten involved with CAMRA since starting this blog, offering to help both publicise and work at the Northamptonshire Beer Festival. I decided it was time I gave something back to the organisation, and also enjoy the company of local beer lovers rather than just the usual crowd I hang out with at festivals who come from far and wide.
I enjoyed working at the festival far more than I could have predicted, and have since enjoyed social trips and more branch meetings. It was suggested last month that I might want to join the committee. Our branch needs new blood and I was willing to step to the plate.
I went to the AGM expecting to pick up the following jobs:
Membership Secretary
Brewery Liaison Officer Great Oakley
BLO for any other brewery that others didn't want.
I got the Membership Secretary job. It was uncontested not surprisingly, and looks like hard work if you do it properly, which I'll try to do.
I got the Great Oakley BLO. I've championed their beers before on here, and will continue to do so.
I volunteered in the absence of other volunteers to be BLO for Cherwell Valley. After all I wrote enough about them when they first kicked off.
And finally, wait for it, I am now the BLO for Carlsberg Northampton. What have I let myself in for? When my accreditation comes through, I'll be dropping them a line. Not sure how we can work together, but if they're offering free trips to Denmark or bottles of Jacobsen Vintage 1, then perhaps I've made a wise decision. I'm not so sure though!
4 comments:
Good Man You are! As for Carlsberg, if they want to prove to you they brew some good stuff, well, that's fine!
Mark;
I must take a look at your ratings of Carlsberg Eurofizz when ratebeer comes back on line.
My mate Pat,who you met on the Oxford crawl, went for an interview at said Carlsberg factory in Northampton. They were keen and he got taken up to the offices, where he could see The Malt Shovel out of the window. As he got less interested in the job he pointed out of the window and asked them if that was where he could buy decent beer. Interview over.
imdownthepub
Nice work! I aplaud your involvement! and your open mindedness to the larger brewer. The building at Northampton is a pretty cool archititectural effort, and yes, the Jacobsen beers can be pretty interesting - but not the best that Denmark has to offer ;-)
I fear tho, please do not get swamped with CAMRA duties. I am retisent to get involved - and I have a very energetic, outward looking, and well informed bunch of guys centering my local branch - Roger Marples is a local legend, and a big influence on my life.
just remember - the fastest growing Craft beer movement in the world is the US, and they have no consumer group, save for Ratebeer/BeerAdvocate, in the loosest sense.
Hell, I am heading into political realms here.... and it's only 9.50am... Yes, the fence is firmly wedged.
Glen, all breweries can make decent beer I am sure, it's just that they aren't allowed to by all the influences upon their business. Hell, I had a beer that blind I would have never said was a Sheps beer, and I really enjoyed it! Cainsian philosophy - change ones stance when the ground shifts. So Gordo keeps telling us!
Does this mean you'll be nicking tickers sandwiches at their next festival? Ah, no, that's just Derby CAMRA... good for you markey mark, just don't go buying sandals.
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