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New York Times
7 days ago
- Business
- New York Times
One Way to Sell Beer in Britain? Buy Into a Soccer Team.
With a portrait of Queen Victoria watching over him, a 75-year-old man frowned at a pint of something unfamiliar. 'This isn't beer,' Michael Walker said, teasing. He was sitting in a 178-year-old pub called the Victoria (Katz) near Birmingham, England. The drink reminded him of a goat's milk yogurt that he said helped cure his debilitating arthritis. Sitting across from him, his son, Steve Walker, 52, and a friend, Mark Sykes, 60, laughed. It was, in fact, a pint of beer, a citrusy I.P.A. called Cowboy's Payday, that they had placed in front of him. The pair had chosen this particular ale because they support Walsall Football Club. The beer came from an American craft brewery, NoFo Brew Co, which is among the English soccer club's sponsors. The pub, run by a Walsall fan, has a permanent tap of Cowboy's Payday. Michael Walker, a card-carrying member of the Campaign for Real Ale, an appreciation society for enthusiasts of traditionally brewed British beer, kept grumbling as he drank the more modern offering before him. But after a while, his companions noticed that he had downed his glass before either of them. In 2022, when Bryan and Shannon Miles became investors in Walsall F.C., they saw an opportunity to expand their Georgia brewery, which then distributed only in the Southeastern United States. Now, on the strength of its connection to the team, NoFo has 150 accounts in central England and is expanding into Ireland. 'They're doing something very savvy to build that local connection with a craft brewery,' said Ruvani de Silva, a British freelance beer journalist. 'I'm surprised more breweries aren't doing it.' For years, British soccer fans and beer drinkers, often one and the same, have watched American money and methods infiltrate their favorite pastimes. With some exceptions, they've enjoyed it. In soccer that meant big teams (Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester United) and small ones (Wrexham, most notably) have been funded by U.S. investors, some of them celebrities. The American influence on beer meant airy beer halls serving easy-drinking ales popped up amid traditional pubs with the warmer, yeasty brews. As the Mileses ventured into two very British realms, they arrived at a particularly friendly time. A Trojan Horse When Mr. Miles was a teenager in San Diego, the English Premier League team Aston Villa invited him to be part of its organization on what's called a schoolboy contract: He would attend school in England while training with a professional soccer organization in hopes of playing professionally. Mr. Miles's parents said no. So he played soccer in college, then got a job in corporate America. In 2010, he and his wife cashed out their retirement accounts to start a virtual staffing company, which eventually became worth more than $100 million. As their wealth grew, they wanted to diversify their assets. When a friend, Joe Garcia, approached them about opening a brewery, they went for it. Next, when another friend asked Mr. Miles if he'd be interested in joining a small investment firm, Trivela Group, to buy soccer clubs, the couple was in. Walsall Football Club, owned by Trivela Group, is in England's League 2, the fourth tier in English football, three below the Premier League. That made it more affordable than larger clubs. It also meant that with some improvements of the stadium grounds and other capital injections, Trivela was able to quickly build value. 'They will follow their heart and wallet with whoever's sponsoring their club,' Mr. Miles said of the team's fans. 'And so it just seemed to me that if we could embed the NoFo brand in that, it would be kind of like a Trojan horse.' In 2023, NoFo became the sponsor on the front of the team's warm-up jerseys. There was already a pub at the 11,000-seat stadium, which had been shut down for decades. Rehabilitating it had been a condition of the purchase of the team. In December 2023, NoFo reached an agreement with an English brewery to produce its beer, rather than shipping it from the United States. That has lately turned out to be a sound decision. It means the uncertainty of the global tariff system won't affect it. Nick Burton, the company's dedicated sales representative, said American beer was considered 'more exotic, more interesting' than other offerings. 'I don't want to get myself out of a job here, but it's not that hard selling it,' Mr. Burton said. In 2024, NoFo produced 2,235 barrels of beer in the United States and Britain. Having begun selling in Ireland as well this year, they expect that number to increase to 3,630. Most U.S. brewers produce fewer than 1,000 barrels per year, according to statistics compiled by the Treasury Department. But it is a top-heavy industry. The largest producers make millions of barrels of beer each year. Craft beer became popular in Britain two decades ago, boosted by a tax benefit given to small breweries in 2002. Aspiring brewers visited the United States to learn more about the process, according to Matthew Curtis, a co-founder of Pellicle, an online magazine about drinking culture. He said breweries were shipping hops from the States so they could have the same ingredients found across the Atlantic Ocean. And although the number of breweries in Britain peaked in 2019, then steadily declined, the country had developed a taste for that kind of beer. NoFo debuted at the Locker, the revitalized stadium pub, in April 2024, and in March of this year, NoFo began selling its beer in Ireland at the stadium for Drogheda United, the Irish team that the Trivela Group bought. The Trivela Group also owns an 80 percent stake in a Danish team, Silkeborg I.F., and founded a soccer team in Togo, Trivela F.C. The Mileses said getting distribution in Ireland had been more difficult than it had been in England. But the experience has them thinking even more internationally. Mrs. Miles said they were considering expanding into other countries in Europe. The Ryan Reynolds Model English soccer fans are accustomed to American investment in their teams. Fans of the Premier League team Manchester United, for example, were famously not delighted by their American owners, the Glazer family. One of the most successful examples of American investment in a small soccer team is Wrexham A.F.C., a team in Wales that the actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenny bought. (The basketball player LeBron James is part of an ownership group that controls the Liverpool Football Club.) Their involvement and the money they have spent on the team have made Wrexham a tourist destination, attracted a global fan base and, most important, led to the club's playing well enough to be promoted to a better league in three consecutive seasons. A fourth promotion would land it in the English Premier League. 'You go to Wrexham, and if you went there five years ago, the kids on the streets would be wearing a Manchester United or Chelsea or a Liverpool shirt,' Mr. Curtis said. 'Now you go and everyone is wearing a Wrexham shirt. It wouldn't surprise me if they managed to do the same with Walsall. People are pretty cool with their club having money.' (Mr. Curtis is a fan of Lincoln City, which has American investors. Landon Donovan, a former U.S. national team player, is a strategic adviser for the team.) And Walsall jerseys did become a lot more common around town this season as Walsall F.C. got off to a promising start. By January, it was in first place in League 2 by a wide margin and expected to be promoted to League 1. (The top three teams are automatically promoted while the fourth through seventh place teams enter a playoff for the fourth promotion.) Trivela opted not to sign flashy and expensive players, planning to expand the team's business first. And then the team's fortunes turned, and the standings got tighter. On April 5, Walsall faced Port Vale, a team that was threatening Walsall's standing atop the league. The winner would leave the day in first place. The Victoria (Katz) opened at 10 a.m. so fans could drink before going to the stadium about two miles away. In England, drinking alcohol on the grounds is illegal during a match, so attendees drink their fill in advance, at halftime and afterward. The Locker buzzed before the game, with every seat filled and a line to get drinks. Groups made up mostly of men gathered around high-top tables or picnic benches, their voices echoing in the cavernous space. 'It's a family affair for us,' said Dale Birkett, 51, who was there with his father and his 22-year-old son, Joe. 'My dad, he used to take me in the mid- to late '80s.' 'We just really want to get out of this league, don't we?' Joe said. 'We've been in this for far too long.' Joe and Dale Birkett were both drinking Cowboy's Payday, saying it was less boring than going for beer they could get just anywhere. But the eldest Birkett, Dale's father, refused. Walsall scored early, but lost. The Port Vale fans sang taunts. After the game, Walsall's supporters returned to the Locker, but they shuffled in this time, glumly. Matters didn't improve. By the end of the day, the team had fallen to fourth place; it would end the season without being promoted to the higher league. Still, after the loss to Port Vale, fans kept their post-match plans at the Victoria (Katz). Beer was the move after a win, and the move after a loss. 'There's a few Walsall fans in here,' the bar's owner, Jason Paddock, said. 'They've come to commiserate.'
The Sun
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Britain's best 20 pubs for retro pints revealed – is one near you?
SUMMER is approaching, and it's the perfect time to visit some of the UK's best pubs. Whether you fancy a riverside retreat, a lively beer garden, or a quirky spot with history, the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) has picked 20 pubs that offer something special. This list comes from CAMRA's Good Beer Guide, and its chairman Ash Corbett-Collins is urging everyone to try a retro pint this summer – mild. Yes, mild... This underrated beer is making a comeback. It's lower in alcohol, packed with flavour, and perfect for sunny days without leaving you feeling too full. Ash said: "Celebrating CAMRA's Mild Month this May is a great way to try something a bit different and to support brilliant independent breweries across the country at the same time. "Mild beers are a great option at the bar during the warmer weather thanks to their sweeter flavour profile. "Cask conditioned mild beer is enjoying a resurgence in popularity as people recognise the great taste and quality of cask beer freshly made by artisan brewers, as well as exploring traditional British beer styles." From Norfolk to Leicestershire, and as far as Northern Ireland and Wales, the pubs on CAMRA's list are perfect for enjoying a pint of mild. So, why not raise a glass to Mild this summer? Whether you're a seasoned connoisseur or a curious first-timer, these pubs offer the perfect setting to enjoy this traditional British brew. Britain's best beer ranked New Plough Inn - Hinckley, Leicestershire 11 With outside seating at the front and a sheltered beer garden and heated, covered smokers' area to the rear of the pub, this pub is a great place to visit all year round but particularly in the summer. Open noon to midnight every weekend, they have won the Hinckley and Bosworth CAMRA Pub of the Year 2011, 2012, 2022 and 2023. Marston's Cask Ale Pub of the Year 2014 (South Region). Darts, dominoes, crib and skittles are played in the games room, and you can enjoy a fresh pint of Shipstone's Mild while you play. The Cricketers Arms - Saint Helens The Cricketers, home to St Helens ' last remaining brewery, Howzat, has brewed a new beer to mark Mild Month. Launched on May 10, Gully Mild (3.5%) is a traditional dark brew served alongside a variety of other milds at the bar. The pub serves Real Ale and Cider and is dog friendly, with a brilliant beer garden – a great pub for these hot months. The Smithfield - Derby 11 A handsome riverside pub with a central bar serving the main bar and separate quiet back bar. They serve Sarah Hughes – Dark Ruby Mild and were Derby CAMRA Pub of the Year 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2024, as well as East Midlands Pub of the Year 2019. On a fine day the large outside terrace overlooking the river is very nice and we would highly recommend. Pharmacie Arms - Syston This pub features Shipstone's Mild on the bar and is also offering guest Milds throughout May as part of CAMRA's Mild Month. There's a lovely outdoor area with tables where you can sit and enjoy your drink. With its 1950s pharmacy theme, including medical artefacts, adverts, and even a skeleton in a dentist's chair, it's a quirky spot with live music every Saturday night. Southampton Arms - Kentish Town, London This small independent pub in Kentish Town has a total of fourteen handpumps serving almost equal amounts of ciders and beers from microbreweries across the UK. It has a lot of great traditional elements for example they play music on vinyl and the piano is in frequent use. It was the Local CAMRA Pub and Cider Pub of the Year 2024 and is currently featuring a Kent – Born to be Mild drink for punters to enjoy. Blackfriars Tavern - Great Yarmouth This independent pub was named Local CAMRA Pub of the Year and Regional Cider Pub of the Year 2024. It offers over 20 locally sourced real ciders, Mr Winter's Caramel Mild, and more than 100 bottled Belgian beers. Family, dog, and cyclist-friendly, it's the perfect spot to visit with loved ones this summer. Full list of CAMRA's top 20 pubs for mild beer Antwerp Arms - Tottenham, London Blackfriars Tavern - Great Yarmouth Chapter Arts Centre - Cardiff Dirty Duck Ale House - Holywood Drummer's Arms - Blackburn Duke of Wellington - Norwich George Inn - Portsmouth Grapevine - Exmouth Half Moon - Hitchin New Inn - Colchester New Plough Inn - Hinckley, Leicestershire Ostrich - Prestwich Pharmacie Arms - Syston Puckersley Inn - Royton Southampton Arms - Kentish Town, London The Cricketers Arms - Saint Helens The Smithfield - Derby Victoria - Walsall White Lion - Hampton in Arden Woolly Sheep - Skipton Grapevine - Exmouth This great pub in Exmouth, have their beer supplied almost entirely by their own brewery on site. They always have at least three cask Ales on selection at any time and currently they are serving Crossed Anchors – Workmans Mild on draught. There is live music every Saturday and their rear garden patio is perfect to sit outside in during these next few months to sample their fantastic beer. Victoria - Walsall This two-roomed pub dating from 1845 is very close to the town centre and for the hot months ahead has a pleasant garden and smoking facilities at the rear. Open mic and quiz nights are held there regularly, and they have a pool table upstairs that'll keep you in there for hours. The pub currently has Church End – Gravediggers Mild on tap and is a great venue to visit when in the area. Duke of Wellington - Norwich Friendly pub with a changing range of guest ales that are served alongside the permanent beers (mainly from Wolf brewery). Wolf in Sheep's Clothing is their latest offering of mild on draught. The attractive enclosed rear garden/patio area hosts a beer festival in late August, and regular barbecues at weekends in summer, making it an ideal spot for the coming months ahead. Dirty Duck Ale House - Holywood Perched near Belfast Lough, the Dirty Duck Ale House is a cosy haven. It boats three real ales, largely drawn from national and local brands and also has a great beer garden that is fantastic once the sun comes out. They also have a nook celebrating local golfing hero Rory McIlroy and are a two-time former local CAMRA Pub of the Year. George Inn - Portsmouth Another pub with an interesting story, the George Inn was formerly a tram stop on the Portsdown and Horndean Light Railway. The pub offers extensive views over the city from their patio garden overlooking Hayling Island and the Isle of Wight. Serving cask ale and milds this summer, CAMRA would highly recommend. Chapter Arts Centre - Cardiff This former school turned arts venue is the perfect spot in Cardiff to find a great selection of cask beer. The guest beers are sourced from across the UK, and usually include small independents, supplemented by a local ale. They currently sell Brains – Dark Mild and it is a family friendly pub which features a community garden for you to sit in to enjoy this tasty beverage. White Lion - Hampton in Arden Offering a real high quality and quantity of cask beers, the White Lion in Warwickshire is a traditional country pub that is well worth its great reputation. Currently serving a Timothy Taylor – Golden Best Mild, the pub looks to rotate two of its regular beers every five to six months. There is a pub garden out the back and is a great pub at this time of year. Half Moon - Hitchin Friendly and welcoming one-bar pub dating from the 18th century. Nine ever-changing guest ales ensure that a variety of beer styles is available always. A former local CAMRA Pub of the Year and current Cider Pub of the Year, it is an excellent spot for a drink in the sun. New Inn - Colchester 11 A rare example of a two-bar pub. With a quiet, comfortable saloon bar and an open public bar featuring music, TV sports, and friendly conversation, this is a venue of two halves. The garden comes to life in the summer and with a great selection of cask beer available, we highly recommend this place. Antwerp Arms - Tottenham, London This CAMRA favourite community-owned pub is a must-visit, especially in the summer. The Georgian building, complete with a beer garden, is Tottenham's oldest working pub and has been serving the neighbourhood since 1822. It was saved from demolition in 2013 thanks to the efforts of the local community and CAMRA campaigners. Ostrich - Prestwich Built over 300 years ago, this historic venue is a great Community pub with a friendly, relaxed atmosphere. The beer garden is an ideal place for families with children. Serving a Joseph Holt – Mild beer currently that will no doubt be a favourite amongst locals. Puckersley Inn - Royton The Purkersley Inn in Royton is another fantastic spot in Greater Manchester. It currently serves JW Lees Mild, a popular choice among visitors. This detached pub also offers stunning panoramic views over Royton, Shaw, and Oldham from its dining room and spacious beer garden. Drummer's Arms - Blackburn This pub regularly serves Three B's - Stoker's Slake Mild and is full of historic charm, with walls covered in breweriana and old pub signs. The bar offers a wide range of beer styles, from stouts to hoppy bitters, ensuring there's something for everyone. At the front, there's a cosy terrace with upcycled drum tables, perfect for enjoying a drink outdoors. Woolly Sheep - Skipton The highlight of this pub in summer is its traditional cobbled courtyard. It features decking with comfortable seating and a canopy, creating the perfect spot to relax. Here, you can enjoy a pint of Timothy Taylor Dark Mild at the bottom of Skipton High Street.
