Amateur Drinker
Around Town with Amateur Drinker
After my observation last month regarding stouts it is gratifying to report that a fantastic event was recently dedicated to the style at the Duke’s Head in Highgate and two wonderful examples of barrel-aged stouts were released by Beavertown. ‘Darker Days’ was the third annual celebration of that colour of beer that Matthew Curtis has…
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It was entirely appropriate that in a period in which the County Championship triumphantly returned to its rightful home in North London, Middlesex’s finest brewery put on a performance that would have done Angus Fraser just as proud. [Middlesex county no longer exists and Yorkshire is the rightful home of County Championship – ed] It…
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London Beer City week obviously dominates this month’s correspondence. The opening and closing events provided a perfect illustration of this year’s main theme: the exponential rise in demand for quality beer, and the response to the capacity constraints this produces. It is slightly churlish to criticise the Opening party held at Five Points as they…
Read MoreAround Town with Amateur Drinker
After a month in which the country managed tear itself apart in a dispute, almost, but obviously not quite as, vicious and confrontational as craft versus keg at a CAMRA meeting, this column will concentrate on the beer. It is to be regretted though that some others in the industry did not remember this, as…
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For beer nerds (and let’s face it, I wouldn’t bother writing this if I wasn’t one) the quality of a tap selection is what makes an occasion. However, for most people, and even for us anoraks seeking variety as the quality of the normal line-up in London bars goes ever upwards, it is good to…
Read MoreAround Town with Amateur Drinker
Apologies for the delayed arrival of this latest monthly review of beer proceedings in the capital but I got waylaid with a rather heavy workload. Anyway, here we go: It is fair to say that The Kernel is in the vanguard of the London scene: they were among the first of the new wave of…
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Fortunately January has been far from dry here, as there has been some really superb beer and events I would have missed out on. However, I have to start with the main news as another takeover saw Camden Town Brewery give up its independence. It may have been the timing, in the slow news…
Read MoreAround Town with Amateur Drinker
A month that began with a tap takeover, which eerily foresaw an actual takeover ended with two fantastic parties on successive Friday nights in Bermondsey. Brewdog Camden hosted Ballast Point, with the highlight unsurprisingly being the Grapefruit Sculpin. A couple of weeks later the brewery was acquired by Constellation Brands for $1bn. We are fortunate…
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This month was a tale of two festivals, just a fortnight apart, and both dependant on the heavyweight names of the US scene, but completely opposite in the underlying motivation of the organisers and therefore enjoyment. The Rainbow Project was a genuine celebration, hosted at Beavertown and featuring seven American and seven British brewers collaborating…
Read MoreAround Town with Amateur Drinker
Any review (albeit delayed by my day job) of a drinker’s month must concentrate on the marathon that was London Beer City. That involved a week of excellent well-organised events. But I’m not going to start there. I’m going to begin with an event that unfortunately is not going to get off the ground –…
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