Posts by Glynn Davis
A beer for all seasons
One of civilisation’s greatest agricultural success stories, beer has naturally always found itself tied closely to changing of the seasons. From the ‘need’ of a warming porter or stout in winter to the craving for bright, crisp pales and lagers in summer, beer is a drink we have clear notions of when it is best…
Read MoreThe East and West of London Beer Week
To people from outside London the suggestion that the great metropolis is made up of various villages probably sounds ridiculous. But if you live here you find this is exactly the case – just without the green fields separating the different bits of course. Forget the geography lesson, what about the beer, I hear…
Read MoreLooking to satisfy high expectations at Cloudwater
Cloudwater Brew Co. opened with something of a fanfare having built things up with a fair dollop of hype. There were great expectations and they’ve delivered on some areas but are still working on others. There is no doubt that this is a classy brewery. From the attractive hazy artwork on its bottle labels to…
Read MoreMore focus needed on freshness and fridges
The desire for fresh beer is something that’s important to every American beer drinker yet, as residents of the British Isles, it’s not something that’s part of our beery landscape – but why? The main reason is because of refrigeration (or lack of it) in the UK and Europe. Many British breweries actually brew beer…
Read MoreAround town with Amateur Drinker
Bizarrely, in a beer column, the two most pleasing incidents in the last few weeks actually occurred when I went out not planning to drink beer (it does happen!) and largely stuck to that agenda. The London Wine Fair, an annual event that bills itself as one of the world’s leading wine trade events, is…
Read MoreDog Bless America – BrewDog to Open US Brewery and Bar Chain
The explosions, the hop cannons, the language… Given how many cues it has taken from America’s beer scene, it would be weird if BrewDog didn’t have plans to take its beer and considerable brand there. Still, the plans formally announced at its 2015 AGM (and hinted at numerous times beforehand) indicate a bold undertaking indeed.…
Read MoreCoffee + Beer – Spot the difference
Can anybody tell the difference between artisanal coffee and beer anymore?
Read MoreDoes beer taste different in different glasses?
I can tell you now that the answer to the question of ‘whether beer tastes different in different glasses’ is a resounding ‘yes’. Here’s some thoughts on the topic from Andy Hamilton who’s got a new book out. I can remember the first time I went to Germany on a beer tasting tour and…
Read MoreIs it a pub, a bar, a Chinese restaurant…?
Walking in off Berwick Street in London’s Soho you are hit by four gleaming copper tanks of Pilsner Urquell. This is no ordinary pub. Duck & Rice is restaurateur Alan Yau’s newly opened joint. You initially can’t work out whether it is a pub, a bar, a high class hotel toilet (with its marble effect…
Read MoreNew brews looking back into the archives
Along with the explosion in the number of new breweries there has been a burgeoning interest in brewers looking back into the archives to resurrect old beer styles and recipes, which taps into drinkers’ growing desire for provenance and authenticity. London-based Kernel Brewery has long been tapping into the heritage and tradition of brewing in…
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