News

Journalist and beer sommelier Sophie Atherton is the new editor of the annual Cask Report that traces the growth of the real ale sector. The statistics and analysis in the report are vital for brewers, retailers and drinkers in a fast-changing beer scene, with cask expected to grow to 20% of the total draught sector

Added: Wednesday, June 29th 2016

Stone Brewing of California, one of the leading American craft breweries, is opening a brewery, restaurant and beer garden in Berlin on the site of a former gas works. The aim is to transport fresh beer to all parts of Europe rather than importing them from the US. Founder Greg Koch says he chose Berlin because of its blossoming craft beer culture and says most of his beers will meet the demands of the German Beer Purity Law

Added: Thursday, June 23rd 2016

Sour beers from the Bavik brewery in Belgium are based on a unique blonde base beer known as the Mother Beer that is used to blend and make an Old Brown and a Cherry Beer. The Aged Pale was never released for public consumption until in the 1990s beer writer Michael Jackson appealed to the De Brabandere family to make it available. It has gone on to win many world awards

Added: Tuesday, June 14th 2016

Freedom Brewery in Staffordshire, best-known for its lager beers, is launching its first-ever pale ale -- in prototype form. It will ask drinkers to vote, using ballot papers in outlets or via the brewery's website, to comment on the beer and those comments will be used to re-launch the beer in September

Added: Wednesday, June 8th 2016

Rob Lovatt (pictured left) and Garrett Oliver have collaborated to produce a beer aged in Bourbon barrels and using lees or sediment from Herefordshire cider to allow wild yeasts to create further fermentation. The resulting beer -- with cider, wine and whisky notes -- is called Serpent and is a fascinating collaboration between Thornbridge Brewery in Derbyshire and Brooklyn Brewery in New York City

Added: Friday, June 3rd 2016

There are fears that tenants of giant national pubcos will be denied the right to apply for the Market Rent Only option following the government's decision to withdraw its new pubs code. The code, due to come into effect on 26 May, had "drafting errors". The delay means that pubcos can now impose rent increases with tenants having no right to apply for MRO. In one case, Trish Mason, who runs the Millwright Arms in Warwick, has been told by Punch Taverns that her rent will rise by 40%.

Added: Sunday, May 29th 2016

Beer Day Britain is back for the second year running on 15 June. Organised by Jane Peyton, 15 June will see a national celebration of our national drink. There will be special events staged in pubs and breweries as drinkers are encouraged to raise a glass to good old British beer. Jane has even penned an Anthem to Beer that she invites all beer lovers to sing on the day

Added: Saturday, May 21st 2016

Hawkshead Brewery in the Lake District, founded by Alex Brodie, has completed a £175,000 expansion programme to boost production to keep pace with the demand for such iconic Cumbrian beers as Lakeland Gold, Windermere Pale, Brodie's Pride and NZPA. Profits have doubled in the past two years and the brewery's success will be celebrated at its 10th anniversary beer festival in July

Added: Monday, May 16th 2016

Little Valley Brewery in Yorkshire has entered the referendum debate with three beers -- In, Out and IDK -- designed to help British beer drinkers make up their minds on which way to vote on 23 June. The brewery helpfully provides a ballot paper as well as beer.

Added: Sunday, May 15th 2016

India Pale Ale stole the show at the World Beer Cup in Philadelphia, with 275 entries for American-style IPAs and 181 for Imperial IPAs. In awards to breweries, the mid-size category was won by Brewery Ommegang in Coopers Town, New York State (pictured), which specialises in Belgian-style beers. There were more than 6,600 beers entered from 1,907 breweries in 55 countries

Added: Saturday, May 7th 2016