Stuart Howe, head brewer at Sharp's in Cornwall, is a reader of this blog. He kindly sent me a cask of his Christmas beer - Nadelik - as a gift. It arrived today, and was just inside the door when we rocked up to open for business. For some reason, I...

Last year there was a German-style Christmas market by the London Assembly on the South Bank.  This year, they've sited it upstream by the London Eye, lining a short stretch of the Thames with wooden huts flogging fairly appealing hot food and cheap,...

I spent Saturday afternoon at Decanter magazine's grand tasting at the Landmark in Marylebone. Despite tasting scores of wines over four hours, I walked out sober and managed not to disgrace myself in front of the young lady's parents. That's what...

A tegestologist is someone who collects beer mats. I kid you not, there's a word for it. A couple of years ago a friend's mum acquired a new house. In a neglected cupboard space she found a bag of old beer mats from the late '70s and early '80s. They...

Thanks to blog reader Matt Blajer from Ontario, I've had the chance to try a few Canadian craft beers. Whenever he passes through London, he drops by The Gunmakers with a few bottles from his local offie. Beau's Lug Tread has to be the most...