Posts by: Matthew Curtis
Independence versus authenticity
Who makes your beer, and does that matter to you? That’s the question SIBA (Society of Independent Brewers and Associates) is asking with its latest i...
Lakes’ loss of community
Halewood Artisanal Ventures is to permanently close the Hawkshead Beer Hall and Taproom in the village of Staveley. Located on the Mill Yard industria...
Keep cask cool
Why does cask beer have a reputation for being warm and flat? I’m not talking about the feelings that exist among people like you and I, those in the...
The insanity of cask beer
At Timothy Taylor’s brewery, everything feels perfectly normal; full of life and as though the world is at peace. Soft summer light lends a warm glow...
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...
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