Drink More (Real) Beer

I saw this piece mentioned on Stonch's blog, read it, and felt compelled to quote it here in its glorious entirety.

MY CAMPAIGN FOR REAL ALE
John Humphrys 25/11/2007
Sunday Mirror

The bbc has strict rules about people like me getting involved in campaigns. Quite right too. But I'm about to break them. And here's my campaign slogan: "Drink more beer!"

Pretty snappy, eh? It probably won't work though. Figures out last week show sales of beer are dropping faster than a hen party can down a bottle of vodka on a Friday night out.

It's lager to blame, of course, that bland fizzy stuff that has all the taste and character and unpredictability of a plate of over-boiled cabbage.

Make no mistake, we are a nation defined by beer. It got us through the last war (even the U-boats couldn't stop the hops getting to the breweries) and it's unique to our character. No other nation would tolerate a drink that needs such careful nurturing and if it's not treated right will be cloudy and sour with all the appeal of something the cat might spray against the wall. But treat it right and it repays you a thousand-fold.

There is, quite simply, no finer drink to be found in the four corners of the globe. No finer sight than a perfect pint of crystal-clear, golden brown nectar topped with its collar of white. No finer taste than that first sip, which tells you the world may be going to hell in a handcart but so long as you can get a decent pint all is not lost.

So I urge you - men and women - to rally to the cause! Leave the lager to the Aussies and the Continentals. Drink beer instead. You have nothing to lose but your head.

Amen.

Stonch adds that, "For overseas readers, John Humphrys is a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio."