UK pub charges Aussie journalist Peter Lalor $100k for one beer

The Australian’s cricket writer Peter Lalor was charged $100,000 for a single beer at a bar ahead of the fourth Ashes Test.

Peter Lalor's really expensive beer.

The Australian’s cricket writer covering the Ashes series in the UK claims he drank “the most expensive beer in history” after being incorrectly charged a whopping $A99,983.64 at a Manchester pub.

Peter Lalor was staying in a branch of the Malmaison Hotel ahead of the fourth Ashes Test match when he bought a bottle of Deuchars IPA at the hotel bar.

The Australian’s revered cricket journalist (and beer writer) was only supposed to pay about £5.50 but coughed up far more than he bargained for before realising the mistake.

We’ll let Lalor take up the story, in his own words.

See this beer? That is the most expensive beer in history.
I paid $99,983.64 for it in the Malmaison Hotel, Manchester the other night.
Seriously.

Contd. pic.twitter.com/Q54SoBB7wu

— Peter Lalor (@plalor) September 5, 2019

“See this beer? That is the most expensive beer in history. I paid $99,983.64 for it in the Malmaison Hotel, Manchester the other night. Seriously,’’ he tweeted.

“It’s a good beer. The original version of it won a heap of awards, including the Supreme Champion Beer of Britain, but if you are thinking that no beer is worth the best part of $100,000, then I am inclined to agree with you.

“It was a quiet Sunday night when I made the fateful purchase. I asked a young barman if he had anything that was not an American craft beer or Eurolager. I wanted something a little British. He had no idea. Said he’d only worked 6 shifts at the establishment.

MORE: The List — Peter Lalor’s Top 20 beers

“He said he would get the senior bar attendant. She suggested Heineken, so I knew she had no idea what she was talking about. Just quietly, it annoys me a bit when people show no interest in their job, but I persisted politely and opted for the very English IPA pictured above.

“Anyway, I didn’t have my reading glasses when she presented me with a bill for the beer and when she had some problems with the machine I didn’t think much of it, but it was eventually resolved, I said I didn’t want a receipt and she went to leave.

“Something, however, made me ask ‘how much did I just pay for that beer’. She checked, covered her mouth, started to giggle and refused to tell me, saying only there had been a mistake and she would fix it. I insisted.

“She kept giggling, I told her it needed to be fixed and fixed right now. She ran to get her manager who took the situation far more seriously and went about attempting to arrange a refund. She told me somebody would be in contact. Three days later I’m still waiting.

A much younger Peter Lalor enjoying a far more reasonably priced beer at the Evening Star Hotel in Surry Hills.

“Then came the call from home. The sum of $99,983.64 had been removed from our account.

And, there’d been a transaction fee of $2499.59 to add to the pain. The fee has been refunded but not the larger amount.

“It really is baffling that both Visa and our bank would allow such an amount to go through unquestioned. And, guess what? They agree that there is a refund in the system but it will take 9 working days for it to go through. In the mean time there’s a massive hole in my finances.

“Lesson to be learned: Always find your glasses when presented with a bill.’’

A Malmaison spokesman told local news outlets an investigation into the incident was underway.

“We are currently carrying out an investigation into what took place,” the spokesman said.

“We have been in contact with Peter to apologise and ensure this has been resolved as quickly as possible.”

Lalor compiles The Australian’s annual list of the top 20 beers.

The Daily Telegraph