Opinion

Topical articles and pieces from a personal point of view.

Jay Rayner’s wrong on pubs

While it might lack the same grandeur shared by some of the buildings along Liverpool’s Dale Street, there’s a faded elegance to the exterior of the S...

You always hurt the one you love

The prime minister, Sir Keir Starmer, told the Daily Mirror he supported their campaign to save the country’s pubs as he recognised they were at the h...

Wheeling out the sexist tropes

As some of you will know, I’ve just finished writing a book on beer festivals (available through CAMRA Books from 8 May). As a result, I’m naturally a...

Missed opportunity

Heineken returning its cherished Beamish Irish stout to British pubs is unlikely to come as a surprise to anyone not living under a rock at the moment...

Can beer break Britain?

Well according to something called an AI Overview (thanks Mr Google), the answer is “Beer is part of the British culture and economy, and it's unlikel...

Ask a silly question…

The gentle hubbub of voices rises to greet me as I walk into the Malt Shovel. The fire is lit to ward off the February cold and the small, two-roomed...

Robust stout revival

When Cairngorm brewery stormed to victory with its Black Gold in CAMRA’s Champion Winter Beer competition it was further evidence of the astonishing r...

A way forward

Everything is finite, and all good things must come to an end. Most people understand this, even if only subconsciously, and it’s why I think we cling...

Reflections on announcing CAMRA competition results

Announcing the results of Champion Beer of Britain competitions can be a high-risk activity. I still recall with a shiver the occasion when I told the...

Trigger warning: sexual violence and rape

International Women’s Collaboration Brew Day (IWCBD) has been taking place since 2014. Women come together to brew a beer for release on International...


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