Vedett
I wouldn't normally indulge on a Monday at noon (honest mum), but one has to sample one's own supply. Today we started selling Vedett, the swish Belgian lager from the brewers of Duvel. The presentation of the bottle and the glassware provided is beautiful. Of course, Vedett isn't the best beer I've ever had, but it's fabulously dry and clean-tasting. It accompanied my lunch of calf's liver and bacon very nicely. I think it'll be very popular.
I did at least wait until our first customer's pint was poured before I cracked open a bottle for myself. And who was that first customer? No prizes for guessing.
15 comments:
This will sound rude, but I really don't mean it to: Vedett is one of those beers which (along with Innis and Gunn and Desperados) to me signals a pub or bar where the manager has the will to sell 'interesting' beer, but doesn't know much about it. So, out of interest, what made you start stocking it?
Was your first customer Will Ferrell?
Bailey, remember I'm tied so am buying from a list, and Vedett is on that list. There's volume in specialist cask beers, which is why some tied publicans like myself can enjoy flexibility there, but not for packaged products. Most people don't go to a pub to drink beer from a bottle, and those that do tend to want something dreadful like Becks or Corona.
Having said all that, I can't think of many bottled lagers on the UK market that I'd rather stock even if I had a free choice. I like the branding, I like the product, and it's supported by a proper marketing effort.
"supported by a proper marketing effort???"
so you're encouraged to stock a beer because of the marketing???
It helps.
oh spam comment above.
I had one of those glass's at home til the other night (great for drinking 330ml beers from mmmmm Celibration Ale!) when it got knocked over on the kitchen side, cursed my self all night i did. be careful with them!
When drinking 330ml bottles, it's got to be a Trappist glass like Westmalle.
Crown Brewer, speak not to me, but to my bar staff and customers. That might be the last time I handle one of those glasses...
Isn't "dry and clean tasting" a synonym for "insipid and pointless"? I tried a Vedett once in Quinns, and decided that other than as an expensive substitute for drinking soda water, it didn't really have any practical use. But y'know, each to their own, I guess...
Hey Jeffo,
Have you tried the white Vedett on draught? One of my favourite wheat beers at the moment.
Pete (from Shoreditch but never been to the Wenlock Arms..)
bar staff be careful with those glass's!
Pete from Shoreditch, I have tried the Vedett wheat beer, having had a sip from my girlfriend's half in the Charles Lamb on Elia Street, N1. It's nice. However, when there's a handpump dispensing Dark Star Hophead next to it, I'm unlikely to go there!
Jason, I'm a lager fan. Can't help it.
Last time I had one of these it was skunked (light struck) beyond recognition, due to the green bottle.
Watch the fluorescent lights in your cooler as they will be enough to do the job...
Turnover's quicker than that. The longest one of these bottles will come into contact with light will be a couple of days. Budvar comes in green bottles and I've never had any problems with that.
Hey Jeff - spent an interesting afternoon with Giles from Tim Taylors, he was praising the way you respect their beers. sends his regards. I tell you what..that Ram Tam is a decent drop through a sparkler. And the landlord, it really got some extra body pushed through the sparkler too. Hopefully see you soon
See, I like the glass and the label, but I don't think they're swish. I think they're splendidly retro and old-fashioned. I might think it's a bit ersatz sitting in a pub in London pretending you're in a Belgian café, but that seems to be popular nowadays. At least it's not Stella.
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