Side Pocket for a Toad, Tring Brewery’s flagship beer and one of Hertfordshire’s best selling brews, has been served in Parliament.
Jared Ward, of Tring Brewery, with Victoria Collins MP, behind the Strangers’ Bar
It came on at the Strangers’ Bar, having been nominated through the Parliamentary guest beer initiative by Victoria Collins, MP for Harpenden and Berkhamsted.
As part of the nomination, Tring Brewery beer sommelier Jared Ward was invited to Parliament for a tour of Westminster, and a tipple of ‘Toad’ in the bar.
Named according to Tring Brewery’s theme of local legend, Side Pocket for a Toad takes its title from an old Hertfordshire saying which alludes to a sense of uselessness, akin to a chocolate tea pot.
Far from useless as a beverage, Side Pocket celebrated a quarter-century of production last year, and was named Hertfordshire beer of the year at the St Albans Beer and Cider Festival, in November.
“To have Side Pocket for a Toad nominated for service at Westminster is truly historic,” said Ward. “What started as an unconventional name and playful mascot 25 years ago, soon morphed into the brewery’s champion ale and remains top of the pack after all these years.
“We’d like to thank Victoria Collins for her work in getting Tring ale into Strangers’ Bar. We relished the opportunity to tour the hallowed halls and chambers, and to prop up the bar at one the country’s most exclusive pubs. To have our local representative give us this platform is a very special moment indeed for Tring Brewery.”
The MP added: “It has been great to be able to champion a brewery within the Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency in Tring Brewery. It was such fun to pour a pint of Side Pocket for a Toad in Strangers’ Bar. Here’s to supporting local.”
The visit comes at a time when conversations in the beer industry are dominated by on-trade VAT relief, a market access review for independent brewers, and consideration for cask beer to recognised as an asset of Intangible Cultural Heritage. These were all subjects raised by Ward at the Strangers’ Bar.
