Top Totty

Top Totty
Type Golden ale
Manufacturer Slater's Ales
Country of origin England
Introduced 2002
Alcohol by volume 4%
Colour Blond

Top Totty is an English golden ale beer with a 4% alcohol content.[1] It is brewed by Slater's Ales in Staffordshire, England. It was initially brewed as a summer ale. It gained nationwide attention after being banned from the House of Commons.

History

Top Totty was first brewed and sold in Staffordshire in 1997.[2][3] In 2006, Top Totty won the Society of Independent Brewers Midlands Gold award for best specialty beer and Bronze for the overall SIBA Midlands Beer Competition.[4] It has been described by its makers as "a stunning blonde beer, full-bodied with a voluptuous hop aroma".[5]

Banned in the House of Commons

In 2007, Jeremy Lefroy the Conservative Party Member of Parliament for Stafford arranged for Top Totty to be sold as a guest ale in the Strangers' Bar in the House of Commons.[6] While it was on sale there, it sold out within three days.[7] In 2012, Top Totty was again placed on sale in the Stranger's Bar.[7] Two days later, the Labour Party's Shadow Minister for Women and Equalities, Kate Green became aware that the beer was for sale in the House and requested that it be removed from the Stranger's Bar due to the use of a pump clip depicting a bunny girl in a bikini, which she found disturbing.[8]

The beer was removed from the Stranger's Bar and the Leader of the House of Commons, Sir George Young stated that "action would be taken", which led to Top Totty being banned from the House of Commons.[1] A petition was submitted to the British government in February 2012 calling for the beer to be reinstated but was rejected as not covering an area for which the government or parliament was responsible.[9]

United Kingdom Independence Party Member of the European Parliament, Mike Natrass opposed the ban, saying that "knee-jerk puritanism does more to damage the cause of equality than a thousand beer labels."[10] Top Totty was replaced in the Stranger's Bar by another beer called Kangaroo Court.[11] Slater's Ales did offer to change the pump clip used when the beer was offered for sale in Parliament but did not intend to change it when offered for sale elsewhere in the United Kingdom.[12]

Reaction

The ban in parliament caused widespread publicity and an increase in sales. Slater's Ales started to sell the beer all year round instead of just in the summer, and orders were received from abroad.[12] A public relations company connected with Slater's claimed that the press coverage was good publicity for the beer.[13] Fay Slater of the brewers, commented "It's been positive to us, it's in our favour and expectedly so".[14]

References

  1. 1 2 Press Association (2012-02-02). "Top Totty banned from parliament bar". The Guardian. Retrieved 2015-01-17.
  2. ↑ Hall, Macer (2012-02-03). "Top Totty ale is pulled from MPs' bar 'for being offensive'". Daily Express. Retrieved 2015-01-18.
  3. ↑ AAA Best Pubs and Inns of Britain 2002. AAA. 2002. p. 398. ISBN 1562516876.
  4. ↑ "SIBA Beer Competitions » 2006/2007". SIBA. 2012-11-23. Retrieved 2015-01-17.
  5. ↑ Top Totty beer banned by MPs. Rupert Millar, The Drinks Business, 3 February 2012. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  6. ↑ "'Top Totty' beer removed from MPs' bar after complaint". BBC News. 2012-02-02. Retrieved 2015-01-17.
  7. 1 2 "Stafford ale banned by MPs' bar". Staffordshire Newsletter. 2012-02-03. Retrieved 2015-01-17.
  8. ↑ Naked Girl Beer Top Totty Banned from MPs' Bar. Tom Nicolson, International Business Times, 2 February 2012. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  9. ↑ Reinstating Top Totty beer to Strangers' Bar in Parliament, Petitions UK Government and Parliament, 2012. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  10. ↑ Martin, Daniel (2012-02-03). "MPs' 'sexist' beer ban: Top Totty ale outlawed in the Commons bar". Daily Mail. Retrieved 2015-01-17.
  11. ↑ "House of Commons Top Totty and Kangaroo Court beers". BBC News. 2012-02-07. Retrieved 2015-01-17.
  12. 1 2 "Top Totty beer sales rise after House of Commons ban". Daily Telegraph. 2012-02-09. Retrieved 2015-01-17.
  13. ↑ Top Totty beer ban makes mouth-watering PR. Octopus Public Relations, 8 February 2012. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  14. ↑ Slater’s defends Top Totty beer. Rebecca Evans, Brewers' Guardian, 3 February 2012. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
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