General
Learning to love cask
During various visits to The Wild Swan in Fetter Lane, on the edge of the City of London, I’ve experienced a very popular pub with numerous drinkers enjoying the freshly poured cask beer on offer. Many have been attracted to the venue specifically to sample the real ale, predominantly from the well-regarded Thornbridge Brewery. The…
Read MoreDesert Island Pubs – Graeme Bunn, property & acquisitions director, Red Oak Taverns
Beer Insider is pleased to bring you the latest Desert Island Pubs column, supported by Sunrise Beverages. So settle in and enjoy reading the stories behind the selection of pubs from… Graeme Bunn, property & acquisitions director, Red Oak Taverns 1. Earliest Memory of a Pub I was lucky enough to grow up in Pinner, part…
Read MoreThe opportunity for pub merchandise
When perched at the pewter-topped bar of The Grenadier pub in London’s Belgravia during a recent late-afternoon, all was peaceful until an American couple burst through the door, all mouths blaring. They had recently bought a Grenadier – “the car, not a soldier” they very quickly clarified – and wanted photos of themselves in the…
Read MoreTaps Flashback – 1 July 2019
This is an irregular column that rewinds the clock back some years to see what was on the taps at certain pubs. Too many of these will no doubt be from my local, The Great Northern Railway Tavern (GNRT), in North London that has been a tremendous pub over the years for its beer selection.…
Read MorePhilanthropy and pubs
King’s Cross’ ongoing multibillion-pound transformation has resulted in the widespread gentrification of the area and the opening of many smart new eating and dining establishments, welcoming a more moneyed clientele. But for something a little grittier and grounded in reality, I’d frequently eschew the glitz of the newer places and instead relax in the undemanding…
Read MoreDesert Island Pubs – Ryan Truswell, buying manager for Ale/Stout and Cider, Asda
Beer Insider is pleased to bring you the latest Desert Island Pubs column, supported by Sunrise Beverages. So settle in and enjoy reading the stories behind the selection of pubs from… Ryan Truswell, buying manager – Ale/Stout and Cider, Asda 1. Earliest Memory of a Pub I’ve very much grown up in pubs and the…
Read MoreMooring up at Sin Bin
With views over Chatham Maritime Marina and boats aplenty it proved to be an idyllic setting to enjoy a late afternoon drink in the spring sunshine at Shepherd Neame’s new Sin Bin bar. But the backdrop is not the main draw for customers at this new Kentish venue because the former Pier Five Bar and…
Read MoreNo small beer
When the story of the sale of independent brewer Innis & Gunn in a pre-pack administration to C&C Group landed in my in-tray recently, it was a surprise to say the least. It came while the drinks industry was still very much digesting the sale of BrewDog to US-based Tilray. In reality, I had long…
Read MoreTaps Flashback – 28 April 2017
This is the first in an irregular column that rewinds the clock back some years to see what was on the taps at certain pubs. Too many of these will no doubt be from my local, The Great Northern Railway Tavern (GNRT), in North London that has been a tremendous pub over the years for…
Read MoreThe future of festivals
The Mall Tavern pub sits at a busy junction in Notting Hill, and on a Friday evening in late February, it had a queue of drinkers around the building waiting for the doors to reopen at 5pm for the pub’s annual two-day Liquid Dreams beer festival. Each member of the queue was personally welcomed into…
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