Saying ‘Cheers to Beer’ with Coronation Street

I’m late to the party here but Friday just gone was ‘Beer Day Britain’ - a day on which British boozers were encouraged to raise a glass and say ‘Cheers to Beer’ before posting a message and photo on social media with the hashtag #CheersToBeer.

Oh well, any day that ends in ‘y’ is ‘Beer Day’ in my book so here is my #CheersToBeer photo for Tuesday as I look forward to tonight’s hour-long episode of Corrie:

I’m supping a Co-op Golden Ale from my Rovers Return dimpled tankard. I’m also rocking my Stan and Hilda Ogden pinny emblazoned with the classic Stan quote, “Drinking’s a serious business. You gotta keep at it - like training for a football match.” Very true!

I picked the beer up at the Co-op in Croydon but it should also be available in that new branch on Victoria Street in Weatherfield. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get hold of Robinsons’ Co-op IPA as it seems to have been discontinued. I liked that one because the label featured Salford Lads Club which of course sits on the corner of the real life Coronation Street.

I have also been unable to obtain the Coronation Street Premium Ale which was produced for a while by Manchester brewers J.W. Lees. I’ll always regret not having tasted that beer. Did anyone sample it? Was it any good?

There is a solid relationship between Coronation Street and beer. Most of our favourite characters like a pint and almost all episodes feature beer. I mean... can anyone remember an episode that didn't feature beer?!! A few years ago, Flaming Nora posted a very good blog on ‘British Beer Day - Coronation Street style’. You can check it out here.

Since then, the craft beer craze has become bigger and bigger in Britain and Weatherfield has not been left untouched by this phenomenon. Remember when Tim set up a microbrewery in Sally’s conservatory? Here’s a taster to wet your whistle:

Then last year, Newton and Ridley chose the Rovers to launch a new craft beer. The bloke from the brewery tried to get Peter to have a taste of ‘Miscreance’ but Leanne stepped in to save him. She seemed to enjoy it:   

Steve McDonald didn’t like the changes being made at the Rovers though, saying craft beer is “just real ale with more tattoos and fancier beards”. There’s a tattoo parlour on Victoria Street now so I’m surprised there isn’t a craft beer shop or even a BrewDog bar for another brand tie-in.

Why haven’t they done a storyline where Tim gets his home brew behind the bar of the Rovers? I also wonder if the Rovers has expanded its range of low alcohol drinks given its recent teetotal management. There are some great non-alcoholic beers, wines and spirits around now, Peter - not that you'll be landlord for much longer.

Anyway, I dare say there were a few cheers to beers said in Weatherfield last Friday night. In fact, here are a few #CheersToBeer posts that I found on that 'TwitBook' thing...

I've worked up a right thirst with all this beer blogging. I fancy a pint of Miscreance with Leanne followed by a Stallion with Steve and then hitting Sally’s conservatory to down the home brew with Tim… #CheersToBeerWithCorrie!

By Martin Leay, on Twitter @mpleay

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Well, here’s to another wild and crazy birthday

I was looking through some old things in the loft recently when I came across the best birthday card I have ever been given. Not the image of Betty above but this beauty below:

It was given to me exactly ten years ago to this day when I turned 25. Back then, I was young and hungry. Now I’m just hungry.  

It was an official Coronation Street greeting card copyrighted by Granada in 2006 and produced by Hallmark. My brother got it for me and the picture and message on the front is just brilliant. Nowadays, I’d take a quiet drink in the Rovers with Norris over a wild and crazy night out anytime!

Right… it’s QUIZ TIME. At what Weatherfield event were Nozzer, Blanche and Emily pictured at on the front of this card? 

The prize for the first correct answer in the comments section below (should you wish to claim it) is a Newton and Ridley Best Bitter beer mat, as pictured:

Ready, steady… PLAY YOUR CARDS RIGHT!

By Martin Leay, on Twitter @mpleay

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Does Betty really own the Rovers Return?

I don't usually find myself getting annoyed at fantastical story lines in Coronation Street, but the latest story about Betty and the Rovers is making no sense for a number of reasons. The storyline contradicts the show's own history.

In 1984, when Annie Walker supposedly wrote Betty into her will, the Rovers Return was still owned by Newton and Ridley, the local brewery. Furthermore, in 1983, Annie signed the Rovers over to her son, Billy Walker, Billy Walker then sold the tenancy to pay off his debts, and the brewery appointed Bet Lynch as the manager of the Rovers. Annie Walker died before 1995, in that year, the Duckworth's purchased the Rovers from Newton & Ridley.

This would have meant that if Betty indeed had owned the Rovers in 1995 would have stood by and watched Bet struggling to try and find the money to buy the Rovers. Betty would not have done this, the two were good friends and Betty would not have stood by and watched her suffer.

I see no possible way that Annie Walker still owned the tenancy to the Rovers and she never owned the whole pub. Unless there is a side to the storyline that has not yet been revealed, I will be disappointed by the lack of research in that was put into this storyline, rewriting the street's history is just one of those rules that cannot be broken.

Though, I am no legal expert myself, if there are any people with expertise reading, it'd be great to hear if this sort of thing might be possible in the real world.

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ITV wins the battle for Newton & Ridley

News in today is that ITV has successfully prevented the registration of the Coronation Street fictional brewers, Newton & Ridley, as a trademark by another company.

In April 2007, Newton & Ridley Beer Company Ltd of Sunderland applied for registration of Newton & Ridley as their trademark but ITV opposed this, saying that consumers would assume the beer producer has been licensed by Coronation Street. In May the Newton & Ridley Beer Company Ltd was ordered to change its name following a successful application under the Companies Act 2006 by ITV Productions Ltd. So now you know.

Newton and Ridley ride again

With thanks to fellow bloggers at the Big Lorry Blog for this smashing old picture of a lorry named Newton and Ridley. The driver must have been a Coronation Street fan and if you're a fan of lorries you can find out all about it here. Go on, you know you want to.

What's the guest beer in the Rovers Return?

Grab your beard and sandals and head over to uk.food+drink.real-ale where there's a discussion on the guest beers being sold in the Rovers Return. It's been suggested that Roosters Ale is on sale. What? No Newton and Ridley?