Opinion
Topical articles and pieces from a personal point of view.
Just malt and hops make the perfect pint
One of the joys of pubs being fully open following the dread days of Covid and lockdown is the ability to enjoy fresh draught beer that’s a simple sym...
A tribute to pub dogs
One of the best gigs I ever had was managing the social media for a brewpub that wanted to tell the world it was dog friendly. I spent a few sunny spr...
Open letter to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt, MP
Dear Chancellor, Britain’s pubs and breweries are in crisis. In 2022 554 pubs closed and it’s estimated that 21 are closing every week this year. Las...
Fury over bulldozed pub
The loss of any pub saddens me. The destruction of a successful pub makes me boil with rage. The Bree Louise in Cobourg Street, North London, was just...
Historic hotels, strip mall chic and expansive brewpubs downunder
The last time I went to Australia was in 2004. I was a twenty something backpacker getting as far as I could on as little money as possible and tryin...
Beer Style of the Year: Stout
At a time when sales of such beers as IPA and golden ale seemed unstoppable it looked at first that the return of dark beer was an aberration. But it...
Never been a better time to shout about beer
It’s a common refrain in beer writing that there’s “never been a better time to drink beer”. But if 2022 is anything to go by, we may have to stop usi...
Low alcohol treats
Like most people I look to kickstart a bit of a detox after the festive season. Who can forget all those epic Christmas ales with their punchy ABVs? S...
Searching for prized old ale
An American friend, Julie Johnson, once told me the difference between our two countries is that the US has a past but Britain has history. As she wri...
Combine try and dry this January
The Dry January campaign is 10 years old this year. The idea of abstaining from booze after a December of decadence gains more traction annually. The...
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