Pictured above: Karen's Ale pub clip
Titanic Brewery has produced a special beer to celebrate a
Staffordshire pub landlady's appearance on a top TV quiz show.
Karen Malkin of the Marquis of Granby, Ipstones, is to appear on
BBC One's The Weakest Link on Monday, 24 May.
The pub regularly features guest ales brewed by Titanic from
nearby Stoke-on-Trent.
And the brewery has arranged for a special supply of one off
brew Karen's Ale to be served at the Church Lane pub on the day of
the screening.
"Arrangements were made with my husband, Justin, but they have
had to let me in on it before the big day," said Karen.
"We are planning to show the programme on the pub's large screen
and will put on a buffet for our regular customers."
Brewery bosses have arranged for a special pump clip featuring
Karen to be displayed on the bar."
Director Dave Bott said: "The Marquis is a great community pub
and is at the heart of village life, and we were delighted to be
able to join in the fun for Karen's big day.
"Karen's Ale is a full bodied deep red-brown beer with a hoppy
bitterness balanced by roast malt flavours to produce a rounded
finish. At a strength of 5.3 per cent Karen's Ale is a strongest
link among beers."
"I am keen on quizzes although I often take on the Ann Robinson
role when we hold them at the Marquis," added Karen.
"We have organised several charity quiz nights for the people of
Ipstones raising funds for charity groups.
Karen is not allowed to reveal how she did on the night, only
commenting that she was "pleased and a little surprised" by her
performance.
And, she added: "I am in a bit of an odd position as the BBC
were meant to screen the show on the day that Gordon Brown
resigned.
"They ran a special news broadcast instead of The Weakest Link.
But the programme still appeared on the BBC iplayer for a few hours
and I know some people in Ipstones have seen it."
A clue to the outcome may perhaps be revealed on the special
pump clip which features the strapline "The strongest link."