[BITList] Fwd: [INDIA-BRITISH-RAJ] The ale that 'built' the British Empire

[John Feltham]

IPA - India Pale Ale was (and still is) the second most
precious gift of the British-India Empire to the world, after
curry. It's very popular in the USA, I'm told. But how many
are aware of its history?

Here is the story of a beer enthusiast who recently recreated
the original journey of the ale that 'built' the British Empire.



Pete hops to it on a pale ale adventure

A BEER enthusiast has recreated the original journey of the
ale that 'built' the British Empire.

For many years avid beer drinker Pete Brown, 40, had heard
the tale of the India Pale Ale which was brewed in Burton during
the 19th century to be shipped out to India and how during the
journey it would mature to develop a unique taste.

Mr Brown found that many beer companies boasted an 'authentic
taste' of the India Pale Ale, but he wanted to find out if they
were accurate in their assumptions and, on a whim while sitting
in a pub, decided he would recreate the 18,000-mile journey.

The Londoner asked the White Shield Brewery, at the former
Coors Visitor Centre, in Horninglow Street, Burton, to brew him
a barrel of the legendary drink and set off on his adventure by
canal boat from Burton.

His journey took him to London where he caught a sailing boat
to Tenerife and then sailed to the port of Santos, in Brazil, where
he narrowly missed an altercation with pirates.

> From Brazil the writer sailed across to the Cape of Good Hope,
in South Africa, and then the Indian Ocean before docking in
Mumbai, India, before boarding a train to Calcutta, where the
cask was opened and tasted.

To mark the epic journey Mr Brown has written a book titled
Hops and Glory which tells his experience and the history of
the Pale India Ale.

He said: "The book tells the story of my travels but also the
history of brewing in Burton and the East India Company, why
the British were in India and how drunk they were most of the
time.

"I was looking to get the history of the beer and I hope that by
doing this we can draw some attention to how important Burton
was in the brewing world. It's a shame how now in Burton you
can't see much evidence of where the breweries used to be.

"I also think a lot of people today aren't aware of what happened
in Burton hundreds of years ago shaped the beer we drink today
and hopefully the book will help Burton back on the map a bit."

Mr Brown will be signing copies of his book at Waterstone's book
store, in Burton's Coopers Square shopping centre, from midday
on Saturday, July 4.

http://www.burtonmail.co.uk/burtonmail-news/displayarticle.asp?id=427114