TOASTING her 40th birthday with her own beer was a Rawcliffe pubgoer last week.
Rosy Greaves received the shock of her life when she attended the Thursday night quiz at her local – The Jemmy Hirst at the Rose & Crown.
As she was sampling the real ales on offer, she found her own face staring back at her from one of the hand p
umps!
Unbeknownst to her, Rosy's partner Gerald had arranged for a beer to be named in her honour, with Lady Rosy created by the Great Heck Brewery.
Rosy, 42, a cartoonist who lives in Doncaster, suffers from Crohn's Disease, an incurable bowel condition.
Gerald said: "Rosy had been feeling very unwell lately and I wanted to do something to cheer her up."
He consulted with friends Simon and Jane Hicks, who own the Jemmy Hirst, and Doncaster CAMRA chairman Gary Proctor. They all suggested he try the Great Heck Brewery.
Owner Denzil Vallance said he would be only too willing to help. Gerald supplied a photo of Rosy, and Denzil's partner, Lisa, designed the hand pump graphics while he started on the brew. The name was chosen as
Gerald also bought his partner a Scottish title, so she's now officially Lady Rosy Greaves of Lochaber!
"Rosy isn't easy to keep a secret from," said Gerald. "So I decided the less people that knew the better.
"The beer was delivered a week before Rosy's birthday but the barrel was hidden so she didn't see it. How I managed to keep it a secret I'm not sure, but Simon and Jane at the Jemmy Hirst must have two of the best deadpan faces I know – they never cracked once!"
Rosy said: "I was truly stunned. When I arrive I always look at the board to see what beers are available that night, the type and their strength. Simon and Jane then pour me a taste from each beer.
"As Simon poured out a sample from one pump, I saw my own face staring back at me. To say I was stunned would be an understatement!"
