Posts by: Matthew Curtis
Is everything okay with Adnams?
I often think about Adnams beers with fondness. The Southwold-based brewer has a particular knack for making delicious cask ales with a rich barley ma...
Is draught relief the beer industry’s silver bullet?
It’s almost March, which brings with it a new budget from HM Treasury, how exciting. The incumbent (but likely not for much longer) chancellor of the...
Why campaigners still need to keep on protecting pubs
The story of the Crooked House rightly dominated the headlines last year. The pub, in Himley, near Dudley in the West Midlands, was sold to a develope...
Follow the money
When Black Sheep brewery announced it was lining up administrators in May 2023, it showcased the dire market conditions the beer industry presently fi...
Reverse ABV creep and why it’s happening
In August 2023 the British government launched an overhauled alcohol duty system, affecting all UK producers of beverages from wine and spirits, to be...
Cottoning on to Cottonopolis
I’ve never talked about this before, but when the time came to discuss moving away from London, I didn’t actually want to leave. I love London. Ever s...
What did we learn from the Noughties US beer boom?
I’m writing this from the USA. Specifically, the city of Fort Collins, Colorado, a town that has become a home from home for me since my dad decided t...
GBBF provides perfect chance for CAMRA to prove its relevance
There was a great deal of upset over the appearance of Rishi Sunak at this year’s Great British Beer Festival (GBBF). This should not come as surprise...
The emperor’s new clothes?
Making my way to a table just in front of the bar at my new local, Stockport’s the Magnet, I take a seat and watch a near constant stream of people ap...
Is Keykeg the way to open up the world of real cider and perry?
I recently spent a weekend at FyneFest, the annual festival run by lauded Scottish brewery Fyne Ales. The event has been running since 2010 and, since...
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