We’ve been to a couple of weddings recently where the couple have rejected the traditional beers of such events in Britain (Worthington Cream Flow, Guinness and Fosters) and gone out of their way to ensure that there’s a decent cask ale available. The modern bride, it seems, insists on a pint of bitter with her white dress and bouquet.
A few weeks ago, we found ourselves at a wedding at the Cutlers’ Hall in Sheffield where, as well as the usual suspects, there were casks of several local beers, including Thornbridge Jaipur. At a pound a pint. Let’s just say that there was no trouble getting people dancing.
And, this weekend, we were at a reception in a Young’s pub in the City of London that is normally closed on Saturdays, but which is available for private hire. Young’s Special may be one of those boring brown bitters everyone hates now but, by heck, it was in good nick, and certainly better than the dreaded Creamflow. It made a pleasant event that bit more pleasant again.
On a related note, if there’s a beer geek couple in your life who are tying the knot, what better gift than a few bottles of Boon GeuzeMariage Parfait? The 2004 vintage has a best-before of 2028 — perfect for celebrating their tenth or fifteenth anniversary…
6 replies on “Beer at weddings”
I did insist on decent beer for our wedding reception too, wandering around with a pint of ESB was great. The bouquet was discarded but the pint remained. 🙂
It’s a good way of getting a lovely venue at a reasonable cost too, as you mention many pubs in the City of London are shut on the weekends but do hire them out for parties and receptions. I don’t know what Youngs charge is but Fullers’ Bank of England pub charged a minimum spend which could include food, so after paying for the buffet the rest went behind the bar.
This is better than some less grand looking venues who charge for hire, food and then corkage.
I’m getting married down in Cornwall next year, but the reception venue only hold the standard, as you mentioned. They do Doom Bar by the bottle, but do not have a pump for ale.
On the plus side, they have offered to get other beer in for us, but I imagine this would end up costing guests a fortune as it would be at a premium…
We had Goose Eye Chinook on the pumps at our wedding ‘do’. Luverly.
I’ve already decided I’m going to have a tiny ceremony so I can go all out at the reception. I want an open bar stocked with great brews and lots of liquor. I’d rather party with all of my friends than force them to sit through a ceremony they may or may not enjoy.
[…] only social situation where you’re less likely to find decent beer than a wedding is a work Christmas […]
Having good beer at our wedding was so important to us. We were able to hire our own bartender and supply our own kegs at our venue, so that was a (reasonably priced) godsend. We had Redhook’s ESB, Smuttynose Brewing’s Star Island Single, and Chambly Noire from Unibroue (near Montreal, where we honeymooned).
Seeing the list, though, the bartender suggested having a “safe” option like Budweiser. My husband & I pretty much shouted in unison, “The guests will drink good beer & they will like it!” And, of course, they did. 🙂