Tim recently co-ordinated a historic re-enactment voyage from England to Russia, The Great Baltic Adventure 2011. This involved taking 14 UK-brewed versions of Russian Imperial Stout to St Petersburg in June 2011, on a clipper ship, ‘Thermopylae’.

The London tasting event, addressed by HE Alexander Yakovenko, the Russian Ambassador to the UK, was jointly hosted by the Parliamentary Beer Group and the All Party Parliamentary Group Russia.

Mr Yakovenko quoted Queen Victoria’s famous remark: ‘Give my people plenty of beer, good beer, and cheap beer, and you will have no revolution among them!’

He urged his audience to take forward the recent UK-Russia agreement to boost trade and economic co-operation, through encouraging joint projects to take advantage of Russian market opportunities:

‘The entrepreneurial initiative of British brew masters can contribute to successful  relations between our two countries. We need beer without borders”.

Commenting on the event, Andrew Griffiths MP, Chair of the Parliamentary Beer Group, said:

“This was a magnificent event and was well attended by MPs and Lords from all parties. It was a perfect opportunity to cement relations between the UK and Russia and to promote great British beer”.

(L to R): HE The Ambasssador; Tim O'Rourke (Master Brewer); Chris Bryant MP (Chair APPG Russia) and Andrew Griffiths MP (Chair, Parliamentary Beer Group) Waloff