Around 20 invited guests attended the official launch of the Monster Raving Loony Party’s 7th ale which celebrates 30 years since the Party first stood at an election. The OMRLP are still the only Party to have their own range of ales (branded as Co-ALE-ition) and these are currently produced by five different micro breweries.
This latest ale is called Monster Mash, which is a rebranded version of Mash brewery’s award winning Mash Gold, this is a 4% abv golden ale, bursting with flavour and a lingering hoppy aftertaste. The unique, colourful and very eyecatching Monster Mash pumpclip  depicts Alan Hope (Leader) sitting on top of his OMRLP cabinet (see below for their names, job titles and responsibilities).
The party gathered from 6pm at the Mash Brewery premises in Burcot Farm near East Stratton and the official launch commenced at 7pm.
The event was hosted by Mash brewery Co-owner and Head Brewer Dr Graham Turner and his wife Sarah. Everybody was welcomed with a glass of Monster Mash straight from the cask and a welcome buffet, the feedback was very positive.
Alan Hope (Leader of the OMRLP) attended with all five members of his Cabinet who had travelled from Derbyshire, Sussex and London to be at this special event. The OMRLP Cabinet members in the same left to right order as they appear on the Monster Mash pumpclip together with their current OMRLP positions of responsibility are as follows:
Knigel Knapp – Shadow Minister for blatant lies and big fibs
Baron Von Thunderclap – Shadow Minister for saving the dodo
Chinners – Shadow Minister for spinning and bouncing
The Flying Brick – Shadow Minister for the abolition of gravity
RU Seerius – Shadow Minister for non committed manifesto commitments.
In addition, two other notable members of the OMRLP also attended, they were Badger, the OMRLP candidate at the Elmbride Council Elections later this month and Lady Hell ‘n Back.
At 7pm, Alan ” Howling Laud ” Hope the Leader of the OMRLP stood up and officially launched the Monster Mash ale and then as anticipation gripped the brewery he went on to formally announce the OMRLP European Elections manifesto and policies to the gathering throng. There was much amusement and laughter as he went through the prepared Press brief (copy attached above).
At 7.45pm everybody got into cars and taxis to be taken into Winchester where we went to The Fulflood Arms and were greeted by Clive Mansell ((Landlord), Ryan Mulcahy (Manager) and his staff. Clive was wearing a great piece of Loony memorabilia from the mid 90s, it was a Lord Sutch Loony rosette which the famous Loony legend had personally signed on the reverse side. The Fulflood Arms was packed and the atmosphere was electric as the Monster Raving Loony Party team entertained them with conversation and impromptu dancing whenever the iconic Monster Mash record from the 60s was played. In addition to the Monster Mash ale, Ryan had also sourced two of the Party’s other Co-ALE-ition ales which were HowlinGale from the Wild Weather brewery in Silchester and Winning Co-ALE-ition from the Longdog brewery in Worting near Basingstoke. Phil Robins, the Owner/Head Brewer of Longdog brewery, who produced the first ever Co-ALE-ition ale and also designed the 1st pumpclip back in Sept 2013 was also there to greet us.
The party now numbering around 30 moved on to the Albion pub in Winchester at 9.30pm where they were greeted by Paul Soulsby (Owner/Landlord) and his staff. The Albion is famous in Loony Party archives as this was the Loony Party HQ for ten days in Nov 1997 when the Party stood at the Winchester by-election. Screaming Lord (David) Sutch stood for the Loony Party on that occasion and this was the last ever time he stood at an election before his death in 1999. The Albion was packed to the rafters, Paul had sourced another Co-ALE-ition ale in addition to Monster Mash which was Wild Weather’s HowlinGale. The Monster Mash record from the 60s was played regularly and despite the lack of space in the Albion the Loony Party Leader and his cabinet were still able to demonstrate their prowess on the dance floor. The only thing on the night which was livelier than the Monster Raving Loony Party was the Monster Mash ale served in the Albion, it was explosive. All the Albion locals got involved and the party continued right until closing time when everybody left for their hotels or to make their way home.
The Monster Raving Loony Party certainly left their mark on Winchester and it was great to observe people we met, both young and old, having so much fun, laughing out loud and with wide smiles on their faces.