As soon as he could legally drink beer Dean Pugh joined Wetherspoons and has showed no signs of his passion for malt and hops diminishing since; especially for hops.

Dean undertook Wetherspoons management training course after leaving university and in 2007 joined York Brewery, helping them open their first pub outside the old city walls, Mr Foley’s Cask Ale House in Leeds.

Dean grew ‘Foley’s’ from scratch, managing it from the new kid on the block to Leeds Pub of the Year in 2009 (as voted for by the local branch of CAMRA). Set in a grade-II listed building opposite the iconic Leeds Town Hall, the pub has become a magnate for geeks of all kinds, whether that’s football (telly screens and comfy sofas), beer aficionados (bottles and cask ales aplenty) or weekend art critics (the bar is a stone throw from Leeds Art Gallery and the Henry Moore Institute).

Dean was integral in encouraging the growth of beer lovers in Leeds, with Foley’s well known as a place to find well kept real ale and interesting bottled beer from around the globe. Under Dean’s stewardship Foley’s has hosted many beer focused events, from  Meet The Brewer evenings with the local lads at Summer Wine or Kirkstall, to making Leeds centre stage in the UK celebration of IPA Day. Most recently Foley’s hosted a lunch with Garrett Oliver as he toured the UK at which Radio 4 were present to interview Garrett and the beer bloggers of Leeds.

After five years Dean hung up his boots at Foley’s and jumped onto the BrewDog ship, becoming manager of the all new BrewDog bar in Manchester. The people of Leeds have lost a good man, even if he is (undeniably) as passionate about Sunderland FC as he is about beer.

The Beers

Hi Dean, welcome to our Desert Island. Bit warmer than Manchester, eh?! Which 5 beers would you want to have with you if you were stranded here, and why?

Brooklyn Brewery – Black Chocolate Stout – (Brooklyn, New York, USA – 10.0%)

“Brooklyn Lager was the beer that got my interest in American beer going, but it was Chocolate Stout that first gave me that WOW feeling, and still does now. Also goes well with a scoop of vanilla ice dream.”

BrewDog – BrewDog Punk IPA – (Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire,  Scotland – 5.6%)

“This would have to be my quaffing beer. It’s a modern classic (I’m not at all biased!) and perfect for long, hot days on a tropical island.”

Cantillon – Cantillon Gueuze – (Brussels, Belgium – 5.0%)

“I’ve developed a real taste for sour beers over the last couple of years and this was one of the first and best I’ve had, so it gets my pick.”

Summer Wine Brewery – Diablo – (Holmfirth, Yorkshire, UK – 6.0%)

“My favourite beer from one of my favourite breweries. It rarely matters what else is on the bar, if I see Diablo I usually buy it. It seems to get better every time I try it too.”

Stone Brewing Co. – Stone Sublimely Self Righteous Ale – (Escondido, California U.S.A. – 8.7%)

“Another of my favourite breweries and I love the black IPA style. This is one of the best examples for me, I just wish I could drink it more regularly.”

And which beer of those five would you rescue from the waves if a beer hungry tsunami hit?

“Ah, I have to choose one?! I think I’d have to go with Diablo; it’s got everything I want from an IPA and the guys who brew it are alright too.”

The Meal

You can also take one meal to go with your beers, what would it be and why? Is it a ‘last supper’ or a perfect pairing for one of the beers?

“Chicken Tikka Bhuna, Mushroom rice, and a Garlic and Keema Naan on the side and butterscotch Angel Delight for dessert. Oh, and a bag of Haribo Starmix and some Dr Pepper.”

The Books

You might be waiting a long time on your lonesome on the desert island, so we will automatically allow you a few books to keep your mind busy. You can pick between two beer books and two tomes:

‘The Brewmaster’s Table: Discovering the Pleasures of Real Beer with Real Food’ by Garrett Oliver, or

‘Beer’ by Michael Jackson; plus The Bible, or another appropriate religious or philosophical work.

“I’ve got a copy of The Brewmasters Table and love it, so I’ll go with that. Plus Paulo Coelho The Alchemist.”

The Record

You have a CD/mp3/long player but you can only take one album. Choose wisely!

“This is probably the hardest question; my musical taste varies a lot so pinning it down to one album is almost impossible. I’m going with Ocean Colour Scene’s Moseley Shoals, for me one of the most underrated bands from the Brit pop era and this album is almost perfect start to finish.”

The Luxury Item

And finally, what luxury item would help make your stay on the island bearable?

“My iPhone, I don’t know what I would do without it.”

Thanks Dean. Have you tried Dean’s favourite beers? Let us know and many thanks to him for taking part and being our castaway for the week.

This article was simultaneously posted at Real Ale Reviews on 4th January 2013 as part of a collaboration on ‘Desert Island Beers’.

Tags: BrewDog - BrewDog Punk IPA, Brooklyn Brewery - Black Chocolate Stout, Cantillon - Cantillon Gueuze, Dean Pugh, Desert Island Beers, Stone Brewing Co. - Stone Sublimely Self Righteous Ale, Summer Wine Brewery - Diablo

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