Beer blogging since 2007, covering real ale, craft beer, pubs and British beer history.
Longer, hotter summers are a serious existential challenge to cask ale – a product which already has its fair share of problems. Last year we wrote about the effect of heatwaves on pubs and our drinking habits. But this year, it’s been worse again, with one heatwave after another, and 2026 is set to be [ ] Instead of a newsletter for August 2026… Cask ale in the hottest of summers originally…
Every Saturday we round up the best writing about beer from the past week. This time, we’ve got shipwrecks, dive bars and Japan. First, by way of news, there’s a glimmer of hope in the latest stats from SIBA on UK brewery numbers: The rate of brewery closures has slowed in the first half of [ ] News, nuggets and longreads 15 August 2026: Saturday Night and Sunday Morning originally posted at Boak…
We’ve seen some great professional behaviour from the staff in pubs lately, from dealing with dodgy pints to treating customers with kindness. We’ve long said that the main thing we want from bar staff is to feel as if they’re engaging with us like fellow human beings. We try not to be annoying, no doubt [ ] Some good bar staffing we have seen originally posted at Boak & Bailey s Beer Blog
Every Saturday we round up the best writing about beer from the past week. This time, we’ve got Hanoi lager, warm ale and Belfast oysters. First, news from London of possible changes to a unique (?) drinking culture: Westminster Council is running a consultation on whether to limit the amount of people allowed to stand [ ] News, nuggets and longreads 8 August 2026: Gold Coast originally posted at…
If your pub is painted mostly grey or has an industrial look, it probably feels old-fashioned. The best modern pubs are just Victorian enough. These thoughts were prompted by The Crown Inn in Stockport, of course, but also by The Kings Head here in Bristol, where we find ourselves drinking at least once per week [ ] What makes a pub feel modern? originally posted at Boak & Bailey s Beer Blog
Every Saturday we round up the best writing about beer from the past week. This time, we’ve got warmer Guinness, Italian pils and the Good People. First, a rare example of a story from a retail technology vendor press release that is actually interesting: payment provider Dojo has provided a granular breakdown of exactly when [ ] News, nuggets and longreads 1 August 2026: African Psycho originally…