BEER lover Ray Midgley has completed the ultimate pub crawl - visiting every pub in the country which serves his favourite pint.In just 31 days he travelled the country and downed a pint in each of JW Lees' 149 pubs. Now the man who once never travelled further than his local for a pint is heading across the channel to have a pint in the only Lees pub on foreign soil - courtesy of the brewer.Divorcee Ray said: "The beer is an acquired taste and I have definitely acquired it!" Ray's mission to visit every JW Lees pub in the country started at his local near his home at Maud Street in Rochdale.In the past 31 days he has had at least one pint in pubs in Holyhead, Wrexham, Burnley, Bolton, Todmorden, Manchester, Middleton and Oldham. To show its appreciation the brewery is now flying him to the White Grouse in the French Alps so he can complete the pub crawl.He said: "It was a shock but a very nice one. I do love the beer and I have the belly to prove it." JW Lees is one of the few independent brewers still operating. It has been brewing at Greengate Brewery in Middleton Junction since 1828 and is still family owned.JW Lees dates back to 1828 when John Lees, a retired twill and linen manufacturer, bought the site of the present brewery and started producing beer. The 'passport trail' competition was launched earlier this year for drinkers to see how many pubs they could visit, getting their 'passport' stamped in each one.A spokeswoman for the brewery said: "A month later Ray sent his fully stamped passport into us. We were so impressed with his passion for the beer that we have arranged for him to visit our pub in the Alps."
