Edinburgh Fringe: I won 'free beer for a year' after buying pint at Fringe and thought it was a joke

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Heard the one about the tourist who won a year's worth of free beer after buying a pint at the Edinburgh Fringe? He thought it was joke.

Alexander Mezger, 51, was visiting Auld Reekie from Germany when his lucky moment arrived. He strolled up to the bar at the Mound on Monday, ordered two pints, and was serenaded by confetti cannons and a Mexican mariachi band.

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The Fringe-goer “thought it was a joke” when he was handed a ‘Golden Ticket’ for free Innis & Gunn beer for a year – as well as Tattoo tickets Edinburgh Fringe show vouchers, and bottomless steak frites – after buying the millionth pint of the Edinburgh-based brewer's beer.

Now, Alexander will be able to eat and drink as much as he likes at Innis & Gunn's taproom on Lothian Road before returning home to Germany.

Recalling the moment he found out he'd won, the delighted tourist said: ”We’ve been here since yesterday, and we’re flying home again tomorrow so I can’t believe the luck that I’ve had to get the millionth pint.

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”I never win anything. It’s such a great moment, I’m still not sure what happened!”

August has been a great month for Innis & Gunn, with founder Dougal Sharp describing the first fortnight of the Fringe as being ‘like Christmas’ for the brewer.

He said: “People come to The Fringe for a cultural extravaganza so we wanted to give our winner the ultimate experience. Our lager has been crowned the best in Scotland and it shows, as we’ve served over one million pints in just the first few weeks of August.

“A huge congratulations to Alexander and what better way to celebrate the big win than with the amazing Rapido Mariachi and Innis & Gunn Lager.”

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