Blogmatic: Week 147, Roger and Out, maximum break

June 7 1985.

In the pub, as usual, the Frog and Parrot, a regular haunt. It was a neat and quiet pub, other than when occupied by huge numbers of people. The pub had no jukebox, dart board, or pool table, and still had original features such as the enormous sheets of curved plate glass window on each side of the main entrance. I understand it now has noise, slot machines, and other entertainment for those unable to make conversation or sit silently sulking, and the curved plate glass has long since been destroyed by oafish behaviour.

By 1985 there was no frog, and the parrot had been retired from public display - there had actually never been a frog. The parrot had been removed due to becoming a little moth-eaten after developing an enforced beer habit, the habit due to some customers not respecting the dietary requirements of your Norwegian Blue.*

Roger and Out, the strongest draught beer in the world apparently, went on sale in the Frog and Parrot on Division Street in Sheffield on Friday 7 June 1985. On first release it had an original gravity of 1125, roughly 15% alcohol.

For each one third of a pint glass of Roger and Out, up to the third glass, you were issued with a different certificate. It was rumoured that any drinker was limited to three glasses, that was nonsense, it was actually the certificates which stopped at three. The limit was all part of the mythology, no attempt was made to stop anyone drinking more, and in fact the likelihood was that having got your three certificates you were relieved you didn't have to drink any more as it wasn't particularly pleasant.

I have all three of the certificates - they are reproduced below - and on the 7th June 1985 I drank five thirds of the stuff. After the thirds of R&O I moved onto one of the normal brews (Conqueror with an OG of 1066 or Reckless), and probably went to the Wapentake and then Rebels. At that time I had the constitution of an ox and was able to drink well into double figures with absolutely no ill effects whatsoever, until the next day at least...

Many may have the certificates, but few will have collected the maximum set on the first night, with authentic advertising literature too - before leaving I also pinched this A4 poster from the window.