Jazz fans drink Brakspear pubs out of seasonal ale

November 21, 2014

Brakspear’s seasonal ale for November, Top Notch, has already sold out in all pubs in and around Henley, thanks to the overwhelming success of the company’s first-ever Jazz & Blues Week. Over 11,500 pints of Top Notch were sold up to 20th November, most of them during the 10 days of the music festival.

The Brakspear Jazz & Blues Week, which ran from 8th – 17th November, saw talented solo artists, duets and groups entertain music fans in around 20 local pubs. To take part in the festival, pubs were required to take at least one barrel of Top Notch, but most ordered at least one more to cope with demand.

Brakspear chief executive Tom Davies said, “This is the first time that I can remember selling out of a seasonal ale this early in the month. Jazz and blues fans are clearly a thirsty crowd!

“Our goals for the Jazz & Blues Week were to give our customers some top quality entertainment and to help our licensees to attract trade during November, which can be a flat month for pubs.

“Based on the phenomenal sales of Top Notch and the glowing reports from customers who enjoyed the gigs in our pubs, the Jazz & Blues Week has delivered in spades. We’re delighted with its success and look forward to building on it in future.”

With Top Notch now unavailable, Brakspear is bringing forward its December seasonal ale, Oh Be Joyful, which will be in pubs next week.  Customers buying four pints of the seasonal ale will receive a free Santa hat.

Brakspear marketing manager Emma Sweet added, “The Jazz & Blues Week proved more popular than we could have hoped in its first year and we are grateful to Henley Town Centre Manager Peter McConnell who came up with the idea in July and has been a driving force behind it.

“We are already planning the 2014 event, involving more pubs, more musicians and more performances. Jazz and blues fans should watch this space!”

Doug Green, licensee at the Little Angel, said, “We hosted opening and closing events for Jazz & Blues Week, and both were just phenomenal. The pub was packed, the atmosphere was amazing and we sold an awful lot of beer!  Everyone who came had a fantastic time, including the musicians, who put on some of the best performances I’ve ever seen. ”

Caption to above image: Papa George and Mick Moody (ex Whitesnake) open the Jazz & Blues Festival on 8th November at the Little Angel on 8th November