Best back

"It's really good to be back," Gerry told Bar Talk, "I've really missed everyone. I enjoyed it at the cricket club but I prefer having a bit more of a free reign.

"When I left we were always busy so I'm obviously hoping to recreate that success."

Gerry is philosophical about his legendary likeness to the wayward footy genius Bestie, which is a constant source of amusement to drinkers in Skelton.

"I'm jealous of his women but not his liver!" he joked.

Patriotic Gerry is planning a range of events at the pub for the Queen's Jubilee, including a bouncy castle, fireworks display and a penalty shoot-out.

u GREAT news! Beer is good for you.

Bar Talk has been sent a cracking booklet from our old Tadcaster mate Peter Peake at the North East & Yorkshire British Beer & Pub Association.

Called Benefits Of Moderate Beer Consumption, it does just what it says on the tin. And we quote...

Three glasses of beer a day may reduce the risk of coronary disease by 25 per cent.

Two glasses of beer a day reduces the tendency of blood to cause clots.

One glass of beer a day increases "good" cholesterol levels by four per cent.

One glass of beer a day reduces the risk of kidney stones by 40 per cent.

And that's not to mention research showing that beer is protective against gallstone formation, osteoporosis and even diabetes. Best of all, the booklet states categorically: "Drinking beer does not make you fat"*.

Bar Talk has taken all this health advice seriously and is embarking on a rigorous regime of drinking seven glasses of beer a day.

u BEER guru Barrie Pepper published his latest book this week. The Landlord's Tale tells wonderful stories of a typical Yorkshire pub, the Coach and Four in Oldford, during the 1950s.

"It was not all beer and skittles," Barrie said, "but there were plenty of laughs along the way."

The Landlord's Tale is published by CAMRA priced £6.99 (CAMRA member? £4.99 to you squire).

u NEW Labour, new liars. In 1997, the party promised to outlaw short pints. Now, ministers said they are instead to introduce a legal 95 per cent pint.

This is State-sanctioned robbery. What next? A 95p pound? A 95-year century?

This bunch of turncoats couldn't keep a promise if it was locked up in a box. Give 'em an inch and they take 95 per cent of a mile.

Just remember who short changed you next time you're in the polling station.

u BLACK Sheep Brewery is never short of an idea to make life less dull. And this week it has come up with two.

First up, it is inviting beer loving travellers to become "Sheepy Spotters".

Black Sheep is one of the few remaining breweries that still has its own fleet of brewery lorries, known as drays in the trade.

To celebrate the arrival of the latest addition to the dray "flock" - the eighth - the Masham brewery has set up its Sheepy Spotter club.

The new lorry can haul 24 tonnes of beer around the country. If you spot it, or any of the other drays you can claim a free "I'm a Sheepy Spotter" sticker.

For more details see the brewery magazine, Ewe R Baa..red, available free from any outlet that sells Black Sheep.

The brewery's second idea is open to question: it's the Black Sheep Pub Quiz Book. This tome, published by Dalesman priced £4.99, was launched at a charity quiz night at the brewery visitor centre yesterday.

Just for fun, here are some sample questions taken from the section on drink (answers at the bottom):

1 What name is given to the barrel containing 18 gallons of beer?

2 What is the most common pub name in the country?

3 What is the Spanish word for "Cheers!"?

* The sentence continues "provided that it is part of a balanced diet and consumed in moderation with meals". Sorry.

Answers: 1 Kilderkin; 2 Red Lion; 3 Salud

Updated: 08:52 Saturday, March 23, 2002