It's our third installment of our #MeetTheTeam series, and of course we also asked YOU to vote for which one of four beers you'd like to see reviewed in 60 seconds or less in our #BeerStashBeerDash
Firstly, below we've got a few beer related questions for Tom Lane, our East & South London beer ambassador. Tom has suggested the following four beers from his stash, you voted on Twitter for which one you'd like to see reviewed in 60 seconds on Friday afternoon's #beerstashbeerdash. See below for the winner!
Pressure Drop – Its my Party and I’ll cry if I want to – 10% Maple Coconut Chocolate Imperial Granola Stout
Warpigs – Frank the Tank – 5.3% Pale
Andechs – Doppelbock Dunkel – 7.1%
London Brewing Co – Beer Street – 4% Unfiltered Best
Meet The Team
Tom Lane East & South London Beer Ambassador
t: @euroboozertom / i: iamtomlane
What do you do at Euroboozer?
I’m beer ambassador for South & East London so look after all customers in SE, SW & E postcodes. Throughout the last year I have also been looking after a lot of operations tasks while working from home so have been processing orders, scheduling & routing deliveries etc
What age did your “beer journey” start & how?
There is a photo somewhere of my earliest drinking experience during Euro 96, on a bouncy castle, face painted with an England flag with ‘GAZZA’ across it drinking a stubby bottle of French Biere - I would have been 9 so don’t think my Mum was too happy with my Dad about that one (and probably why she is saying she can’t find the photo)
Myself and a couple of friends also borrowed suits from our Dad’s wardrobes to change into after school to go for a pint in the local and discuss what a tough day at the office we had had, worked quite a few times until a couple of our teachers also happened to be in there for an after school pint.
A little bit further down the line it would have been drinking whatever lager was on offer around the various haunts of Mirfield, Dewsbury and Batley in West Yorkshire before going to uni in Manchester and trying some Brewdog & Brooklyn etc and going on from there.
What the best NEW beer you discovered in 2020?
2020 was all about going back to the classics for me, when the pubs were open drinking cask and when they were closed drinking European lagers. Martyn kindly sent us some beers just before Christmas and although not a new beer a new beer to me that stood out was the Hallerndorfer Rauchbier from Rittmayer - I’d always avoided smoked beers thinking I wasn’t a fan but have been completely converted.
Other mentions for 2020 have to go to Newbarns, Deya, Pressure Drop & Beak for smashing it with every release.
What’s your favourite comfort beer, the one you always go back to?
Has to be a pint of Five Points Best (with sparkler) a Stiegl Goldbräu or an Augustiner Helles.
What’s your favourite pub, the one you’re most looking forward to getting to post lockdown #3?
Pembury Tavern for a pint of best or watching the football in The Hare E2 - a proper East End boozer with a great atmosphere.
What’s the most memorable beer and food pairing you’ve tried?
This is an easy one as it’s a day I don’t think any of us will forget... The day lockdown number 1 was announced at the warehouse, Martyn told us to down tools and come downstairs from the office and we spent the afternoon polishing off all the sample beers sent in to us pairing them with a variety tin of biscuits. The Darker beers went particularly well with a bourbon… from what I remember!*
*Edit: I just so happened to have some photos of this very event which Tom didn't know about... Mitch
When Scott and I left the warehouse to get the train back into London I remember saying it felt like breaking up for the 6 week holiday from school and then thinking surely this wont go on for 6 weeks… and here we are nearly 12 months down the line!
What do you enjoy drinking the most when you’re not drinking beer?
Quite partial to a bloody mary or an aperol spritz
If you weren’t Beer Ambassador at Euroboozer what would you do?
God knows… Before Euroboozer I’ve worked in pubs, in Banking, for a security wholesaler and for a company that made navigational equipment for the MOD and Royal Navy - Jack of all trades (master of none)
Finally, tell us something that you don’t think many people will know about you…
Despite living in London for the last 9 years I have a season ticket for Man United and have been going with my Dad and Brother for 25 years, when we are eventually let back in I will have a plaque with my name on my seat to mark my 25th year – hopefully by the end of this season to watch us lift the title in May (maybe not - but either way I can’t wait to get back)