Beer O’Clock – The Tui Book

In which regular Beer O'Clock correspondent Neil Miller from Real Beer threatens his hard-won credentials as a beer expert with this salutary review of the first Tui book. His second review appears in a fortnight.Since 1997, Tui has been using the hugely popular and successful “yeah right” catchphrase on their iconic billboards. The phrase has well and truly entered the Kiwi vocabulary and helped launch Tui from a regional brand to one of the most drunk beers in the country.

Personally, I have drunk a lot of Tui East India Pale Ale in my time [this explains a lot-Ed]. Heck, I have a Tui couch and Tui television set.

These days, I tend to only drink Tui at sports events and each time I do I can hear a voice with a faint English accent saying “it’s not an ale, far less an India Pale Ale and I don’t believe there is such a style as East India Pale Ale”.

Leaving that aside, Tui has released Yeah Right – a collection of 100 of the best billboard slogans.

This is a light-hearted beer-table book that claims to be “endorsed by the Ministry of Culture” and to have spent “28 weeks on the New York Times Bestsellers List.” It is not meant to be taken seriously. There are more lies in here than David Lange’s autobiography. Fun though.

My own favourite ten “yeah right” slogans in the book would be:

• Let your mum stay as long as she likes
• I only read it for the articles
• For sale: Holden HQ, peach with lavender trim
• It’s a Swedish documentary
• I was reading her t-shirt
• Guys look great in Speedos
• Make mine a shandy
• Just popping out for a 4km swim, 180km bike and 42km run
• Her butt walked into my hand
• I past NCEA Inglish.

The last is definitely the cleverest. I f you don’t get it, ask a school kid to explain it.

I think this showcases the irreverent sense of humour the billboards have become known for. This easy-reading book captures some of the best examples and is well worth a read. For a comparison of the product itself, then my latest Salient review comparing nine budget beers is the place to go.

Cheers, Neil.

NB: Not PC endorses Realbeer & SOBA. No endorsement of Tui as either a refreshment or punishment is implied or accepted. Consumption of Tui should proceed only at the consumer's own risk, or under the advice of a recognised health professional.