Oz And
James Drink To Britain
“They’ve
taken France and America
by storm — now ‘odd couple’
Oz Clarke
and James May want to find the drinks
that speak
to modern Britain in this
light-hearted DVD from the series Oz
And James Drink To Britain...”
STRANGE BEDFELLOWS THEY MAY BE, but international wine expert
Oz Clarke and Top Gear's James May made compelling
viewing as they travelled through France in a classic Jaguar convertible and then
to California to sample the best wines the Sunshine State has to offer.
And
yes, they certainly did their fair share of bickering on the way as James tried
to get one over on Oz. Despite being unlikely travelling companions — Oz
is a seasoned wine connoisseur and proud of it; James is a less cultured, beer-drinking,
fast car fanatic — the last two journeys proved such a massive hit with viewers
that they're back on home turf for Oz And James Drink To Britain.
Arranging
to meet high up on the White Cliffs of Dover — the 'Gateway to Britain',
Oz and James reacquaint themselves with each other before setting off to spend
a fantastic summer with a mission: to find the drink that speaks for the nation.
Wedged into a classic 1982 Rolls-Royce Corniche Convertible and a banged
up Sprite caravan, the two erstwhile travellers tour the length and breadth of
the UK seeking a drink that defines Britain — with a lot more bickering along
the way.
From Kent the pair travel 300 miles to the Tan Hill Inn, at the
highest point of the Yorkshire Moors, where regular customers are milk-drinking
sheep and the pint is the best of British Yorkshire Bitter.
Then it's
on to the Head Office of Thomas Fawcett & Sons, who have been turning barley into
malt for 200 years, before setting off to Derbyshire and then on to meet an Italian
and a New Zealand brewer who work on a large estate near a stately home.
Two
men, one cramped caravan and a whole load of arguments about who gets to drive.
Oz And James Drink To Britain is a defiant celebration of British drinks
by two patriots who, despite ranting and raving at one another, enjoy each other's
company. With bed-stealing micro breweries and humungous hangovers aplenty, Oz
And James Drink To Britain is an interesting venture into the realms of Great
Britain with all its tipples, bevies and poisons. And no venture into British
drink would be complete without a visit to Gateshead and the home of Newcastle
Brown.
Things get worse for James as he discovers that Oz is as clued
up on beer, stout, cider, whisky and lager as he is about wine. But as James begins
to air his knowledge, Oz soon struggles to keep the upper hand.
Learn
how beer is made and the language of brewing as Oz and James visit Patsy's Brewery
— which is a serious business, run from her mother's garage in Wigan —
then set off for The West Riding licensed refreshment rooms: a former waiting
room on Dewsbury Station. It has been voted Pub of the Year and is stocked with
Real Ale. But there are two more station pubs down the line and it is just as
well that the guys are travelling by train...
Setting challenges to brew
their own Beer of Britain as they rib each other and generally over-drink and
over-act, Oz and James dabble with the clubbers and end up at the Northumberland
coast where Christine Forsyth and her daughter Hannah now brew their own beer
for their own pub — including one called Dolly Daydream.
This hilarious
and endearing third helping of Oz and James' latest escapades arrives on DVD as
a two-disc set on 2 March 2009 courtesy of Acorn Media. Photography is by Ian
Salvage, the Executive producer for the BBC is Lisa Edwards and the Series Director
is Michael Davies. If you like crazy wit and repartee served up with a light-hearted
exploration into the Great British drink, Oz And James Drink To Britain
is definitely for you!
• Oz And James
Drink To Britain | Catalogue No: AV9665 | Running Time: 240 minutes Approximately
| RRP: £19.99.
"As always with these two, their enjoyment is contagious"
— The Times
"If you like crazy wit and repartee served up
with a light-hearted exploration into the Great British drink, Oz And James
Drink To Britain is definitely for you!" — Maggie Woods, MotorBar
