Guest Columns

Jane Peyton calls on the government to promote our national drink by making it available at parliamentary and embassy dinners and events. The French, she says, wouldn't serve imported wine at official functions yet all too often British government event serve wine rather than home-grown beer. Sign her petition!

Added: Thursday, October 30th 2014

Beer Sommelier Jane Peyton says it's time to bang the drum for British hops and to wax lyrical about the need to have balanced beers in which malt and hops are in harmony. She has no problem with the big citrus character of New World hops but says drinkers must be encouraged to enjoy the more subtle yet distinctive character of home-grown varieties

Added: Monday, October 13th 2014

So what is "craft beer"? Georgie Denny and Deborah Finding of design research agency The Big Picture find out how drinkers define -- and choose the beer of the moment, such as BrewDog with its redesigned labels

Added: Monday, September 15th 2014

Beer sommelier Jane Peyton of the School of Booze says it's a great time for drinking beer -- but there's a schism in the ranks as real ale and craft keg drinkers bandy insults. She argues that all lovers of good beer should join forces

Added: Monday, August 18th 2014

Justin Hawke of Moor Beer argues that adding finings and other clearing agents strip beer of flavour and character. His beers are naturally hazy, find favour in pubs and win beer festivals prizes.

Added: Saturday, November 16th 2013

Marston's brewer Simon Yates hails the complex lemon and lime aromas and flavours of the Wakatu hop from New Zealand that he's using in the latest of his Single Hop beers, available in September and October

Added: Saturday, August 24th 2013

Simon Jenkins reports on Dan Jones's new brewery Hamelsworde in the 'wild frontier' between West and South Yorkshire. Dan, a keen home brewer, has gone commercial with a range of beers that includes Wheat, Stout and IPA

Added: Monday, April 8th 2013

Pub owner Dawn Hopkins on the dire impact the Beer Duty Escalator is having on pubs, customers and the people who run them. As next week's budget looms, she says it's time for the government to help struggling pubs. Dawn is pictured speaking at the Save the Pubs rally in London earlier this year

Added: Thursday, March 14th 2013

Brewer and pub owner Stuart Bateman on why he likes real pubs, real people and real games -- and tells the powers-that-be to look on the traditional pub as the solution, not the problem

Added: Saturday, March 2nd 2013

Simon Jenkins on how a collaboration between Sierra Nevada of California and Thornbridge of Derbyshire has produced a hands-across-the-pond new beer

Added: Monday, February 18th 2013