I started this blog way back in the autumn of 2008, four and a half years ago. Things have moved very quickly since then. We had a pub then, we don't now. We had a tiny brewery then, ours is a little bigger now. We only sold beer in our own little pub then, now our beer makes it to several countries as well as all over the UK.There are many people I have met through the on-line blogging and twitter world. Many, many people who have helped our passion blossom into a growing business that now employs 5 people full time and is likely to increase beyond that in the near future. I've made many great friends in the name of beer who I'd never want to lose touch with.
So, it is with great sadness and shock that I hear Simon Johnson has now left for that great bar in the sky, where no doubt for him Orval flows in a constant waterfall and bits of pig will be freely available roasting, grilling and frying. He will, I imagine, have a whole experimental factory playing with confectionary which he can inject with whatever liqueur takes his fancy.
Somedays I get far too serious about beer and business. Somedays I know I work too hard and forget to have fun. Simon reminds me that beer is about fun, happiness and friends. I will never forget that he, more than anyone, has taught me that. And that lesson has been taught to me, by Simon, on many memorable occasions including the very first twiss-up at Sheffield, several GBBFs and random meets in The Sheffield Tap.
I doubt he'll rest in peace. He won't in my mind, he'll live on as one of the greatest pioneers, in his own way, with his own contribution, to the continuing success of a very vibrant and wonderful UK beer world.
Today I have to blog, and forget for a few minutes that I'm too busy to blog, because I'm too busy, at least in part, because of Simon.
5 comments:
Well said Dave.
Well said Dave
;o(
Good words. Kat and I only met Simon once, at IMBC last year. Kat owed him a beer and was looking forward to repaying the debt this year, but it'll never be... last night we found some Orval and raised a glass in his memory. :'(
The beer world will miss his humour, fun, & much needed & valued reality-check attitude.
Very well said Dave. A beer legend in the making has departed all too soon.
Nicely said Dave. I was thinking of resurrecting my own moribund blog to pen a tribute but I'm having difficulty finding the words to express the sadness I'm feeling right now. We first met on a crawl around Derby, or was it Leicester, back in 2004. Back then he went under the moniker Haddonsman and Reluctant Scooper was still well in the future. We've been in contact, met up and shared plenty of pints since that time. The realisation that we will not be able to do so again is a devastating loss.
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