VB celebrates Australia’s Ashes win over the Poms with an England beater
VB brews new beer after Ashes debacle Slabs of England batter sent to Poms Australia hold Ashes due to bad weather in England
Beer giant Carlton United Breweries (CUB) is bringing the ‘England Bitter’ to Australian shores to take another chill at the old foe after winning the Ashes.
CUB released the beer earlier this month on the back of England’s controversial defeat to Australia in the second Ashes Test.
The brewers produced a limited edition ‘England Bitter’ for Ben Stokes and his team after their coach Brendon McCullum said they would not be drinking beer with their rivals ‘any time soon’.
A special edition ‘England Bitter’ beer was created for the English cricket team
Slabs of beer, branded in the same identifiable green-labeled bottles as VB, were sent to captain Ben Stokes (pictured) and the rest of the England team.
Cases of lager, branded in the same recognizable green-labeled bottles as VB, were put on a plane and sent to the English team at Headingley.
A note attached to the drink was the British gift to drink hot or cold, whatever the outcome of the third clash in the series.
‘You can get it without protecting your stumps, you can get it by ignoring the amps,’ the note said in a nod to the iconic advertising jingle.
Aussie fans were also given free t-shirts bearing the England beater logo at the match.
On Monday, the brewer told Daily Mail Australia it was bringing ‘England Bitter’ to Australia after ‘massive public demand’.
‘The response from the Australian public has been amazing. The England Beater campaign reflected the vibe of the nation, so what better way to say ‘cheers’ to England retaining the trophy than with England Beater,’ said VB spokesperson Mark Lord.
CUB is producing a limited run of England’s Bitter Stubbys for sale early next month.
The England beater made international headlines when it was bundled on a plane and delivered to the England cricket team to help vent their frustration over the Aussies’ famous win in the second Test, which gave Australia a 2-0 series lead.
England coach Brendon McCullum says his side won’t bear with their rivals after Jonny Bairstow (pictured) was stumped in the Lord’s Test.
The brewer has even re-recorded the iconic VB jingle in the grand tradition of the banner between two great cricketing nations.
‘Australia’s overnight draw at Old Trafford – thanks to some traditional English summer rain – meant we retained the trophy,’ Mr Lord said.
‘We raise our glass to the English and how they fought their way back into the series. We hope both teams can share a nice England beater together in the changeroom without any bitterness. We will even throw in ice so the players don’t have to drink hot water.’
The brewer will release a limited 30,000 cases of England Bitter, which will be sold in major bottle shops across the country.
The Brits were devastated to see Jonny Bairstow stumping while Australia had to cheat to beat them.
Bairstow, whose home ground is Headingley, walked off the crease after the last ball of Cameron Green’s over and was stumped by Aussie keeper Alex Carey’s throw on the final day of the Lord’s Test.
England admitted the decision was correct, but slammed the Aussies for taking wickets, which they believed was against the spirit of the game.
Australia believed it was fair and square, with the prime ministers of both countries embroiled in the debate, each backing their side.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told Bairstow to be ‘tough’ during a TV appearance, while a spokesman for his British counterpart Rishi Sunak said, ‘The Prime Minister agrees with Ben Stokes. He said he didn’t want to win a match the way Australia could.’