Celebrity beer tasting event to take place in London

Brewery industry veteran and top chef have teamed up to host a tasting event of beers brewed by celebrities.

Beer Academy founder Rupert Ponsonby and top chef and bar owner Mark Hix are holding Britons Backing Beer to highlight the importance of beer in Britain.

Six celebrity beers will be available for tasting including Chalky's Bite and Chalky's Bark by Rick Stein, Cornwall; Blonde Ale by Neil Morrissey and Richard Fox, Yorkshire; and Duchy Originals Organic Ale by HRH the Prince of Wales in Oxfordshire.

The night is aiming to "reinvigorate" the image of beer, grow awareness of www.beergenie.co.uk​, improve knowledge of beer and demonstrate that a growing number of celebrities are becoming interested in the industry, buying pubs and brewing beer.

"I was sitting with Mark and we were mulling on the fact that the French are madly proud and protective of their wine, but that we Brits as a nation didn't seem to give the same reverence to our beer," said Ponsonby, on where the idea for the event came from.

"This non-campaign is meant to be fun and pull people together for their love of beer."

Ponsenby is hoping to have a big turnout for the event including hop and barley farmers, brewers, licensees, politicians, restaurateurs, pork scratching producers, chefs and journalists. Representatives from the British Beer and Pub Association and Society for Independent Brewers and some of the celebrity brewers are also expected.

The event will take place on Monday 17 January at one of Hix's bars — Hix in London (W1).