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I have to agree with silenus on the work that is required to put such an event together, it is a worthwhile endeavour however to advance the hobby and a few shiny corny keg setups would go a long way towards encouraging the general public to consider the idea of drinking what has been for many years considered a "student concoction".

I'll stick my hand up for this as well, maybe less in terms of organisation (cos Im a bit busy lately) but I'd happily provide some beer and animated chat - t'will only be kit beer tho! <!-- s;-) --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_wink.gif" alt="" title="Wink" /><!-- s;-) -->

&amp;quot;TheBeerNut&amp;quot;:thgr50xs wrote: I think a couple of shiny demonstration corneys would offer a lot of encouragement...[/quote:thgr50xs]

Along with shiny taps and shiny gas regs and shiny...

[size=59:thgr50xs]we should ask those who purchased dispense systems to volunteer, or i'll expose them <!-- s:lol: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_lol.gif" alt="" title="Laughing" /><!-- s:lol: -->[/size:thgr50xs]

There are only so many ways you can give away free homebrew without risking it being perceived as cheap swill. Just picture the set-up....free samples of homebrew in a pub at a festival. It'll be mayhem and stocks will dwindle fast, as is to be expected. I think homebrew and those trying to promote it should try to associate it with quality, try to distance it from how its been traditionally perceived.

I think alot could be said for a cooked food stall where ICB sell food items and offer samples of homebrew from a selected range of our brews. I'm talking about Seans three bean chili, Nobys sausages, a spicy Thai curry, any good beer food really. And with your portion of food you get a homebrew that's a good match to drink with it. A little like the IBA's 'Beer Naturally' campaign but without the desperate attempts of the corporate giants trying to offset their flagging beer sales.

How might this idea settle with Franciscan Well?

They don't have a kitchen, do they? Wouldn't the food have to be prepared in a certified commercial kitchen? It also takes the focus from the homebrew.

I can't see it being mayhem if the Expo closes at about 8, which is when I'd imagine the 'Well will want the space for the evening's paying punters. I think the best thing to do would be to run the exhibition from 2 to 7 or 8 over two days, with a big poster campaign in the run-up -- something I understand the 'Well are very good at. That way, only those interested in homebrewing -- or at least idly curious -- will show up.

I'm up for helping with this too.