Status Quo swap boogie for booze with own beer

The rock veterans are ditching Marguerita time to Down Down a pint as they hope their ale will provide their next hit.

Quo – led by Rick Parfitt and Francis Rossi who have been known for their own love of a tipple – are launching their Piledriver beer in hundreds of pubs from today.

They teamed up with the Wychwood Brewery to create their drink, named after their 1972 album, which will become available in more than 900 Wetherspoons

Rossi said: “Music and beer go well together. Anyone denying that has never been to a gig – and certainly not a Quo show.

“We wanted to create something special for the fans, and us of course, to enjoy. Piledriver is it.”

Parfitt added: “Piledriver is renowned as one of those albums where it all went right: the chemistry was perfect and the fun flowed. Wychwood Brewery has helped us create a beer with the same ethos – and a huge gorilla as a truly arresting logo.”

Quo follow in the footsteps of Iron Maiden and Elbow who have also developed beers.

Jeff Drew, head brewer at Wychwood Brewery, said: “We wanted to create something interesting that had a malty, hoppy bitter flavour, but wasn’t too strong or too sweet. The result is Piledriver – a classic English beer for a classic English band.”