Crocs, Cowboys and City Slickers. Dudu, who is from Zimbabwe, has been toiling away on sets for his team, The Great British Beer Festival, for over two years, alongside a team of over 50. And this year he was joined by a few more beers enthusiasts as a reward. His latest creation was inspired by the film Brew Dogs in which three home brewing friends are asked to brew a beer at one of the oldest pubs in Britain. The film pokes fun at traditional British beer festivals and features a famous British character known as the Beer Hunter. Dudu made a strong representation of this style of beer using an ale, and then added a bittering hop which is usually associated with the hop-forward and hoppy ales known as American style ales. He said: “The Great British Beer Festival is an annual event which takes place every September, and involves beer drinking and drinking competitions with brewers from around the country as well as live music and entertainment. “It’s a really good festival and I like the crowd that attends it. It brings together beer lovers and newbies who are discovering the joys of ale, and those who like to drink a little of the good stuff – or a lot – if possible!” Mr Dudu is known for his craft beers but admits he started out making beer the traditional way. He said: “I started off brewing beer in my kitchen after my friend showed me a recipe. “I started off brewing with an extract kit, which is basically a box of sachets to make your own malt extract from home ingredients. “The reason I went down that route was because the beer I was making tasted much better than any of the commercial products, and this taught me a lot about brewing. “Then I discovered all about water chemistry and how brewing processes worked, all of which led me to being able to make almost any beer style imaginable. “It wasn’t long before I was brewing and thinking about new, interesting things to brew as I continued to gain more knowledge of beer making.” On his passion for beer, he added: “I love brewing beer, and I like that people can get really geeky over it – there’s something about a good brew that can make you appreciate the ingredients, the recipes and the different processes.” He admitted he doesn’t know where the term ‘beer geek’ came from but it was coined as a humorous reference to the stereotypical obsessive enthusiast. Mr Dudu said: “I also don’t really know why they call it ‘beer geek’ but I think it’s a really good phrase that describes a person who is obsessed with beer. “One of my friends always refers to me as ‘The Geek’ so I’ve given it a name, but it’s probably just the way I talk about my passion for beer.” His obsession, he says, is part of what makes beer so great. He said: “Being able to understand beer, and what goes into brewing a great beer, is something that I really love, and love to share. “I love the idea of being able to appreciate a beer for the ingredients and processes used to make it, as well as drinking and sharing it with people who enjoy beer as much as I do. “The fact that there are hundreds, if not thousands, of varieties of beer to choose from in the world, many of which were created by amateur brewers at home – or in small breweries – is one of the best things about this hobby. “Each beer you drink should be enjoyed and appreciated for the efforts that the brewer put in to making it. “Brewing is like making music – you can play it or you can listen to it, and that can be done anywhere from the kitchen, and in your own home – whether it’s a tiny, hand-built stove or a top of the range brewery set up. “It’s also a great way to learn about beer, so if you’re new to brewing then I’d recommend picking up a copy of ‘Brew Your Own: A New Artisanal Approach to Beer’ by Stan Hieronymus. “It was written by a very talented brewer, who went on to create a brewery in California and makes a mean IPA, and it’s a really good read and it teaches the basic processes involved in home brewing.” For more information on Dudu’s beers, click here. MORE: Britain’s first ever home-brewed beer festival – and the beer it brews is free! MORE: Is it OK to drink in an airplane? MORE: Britain’s growing number of beer festivals MORE: Top beer festivals to visit in 2019 MORE: Britain’s top beer destinations Advertisement Advertisement