Cloudwater-19 Cloudwater were one of the breweries I considered a consistent force for good, with a cold-chain ethos derived from it’s (outwardly apparent) symbiotic partnership with distributors such as Jolly Good Beer, and a real mission statement to prescribe, not describe, beer quality. Of the second wave of British Craft Read more…

Hey! Thanks for clicking! Yes, 20% off EVERYTHING. We’ve never done this before. We’ll never do it again! That statement is likely to evoke one of two responses from you, depending on if you’re a consumer, or in the trade. I’ll answer from both angles … SHORT VERSION: There is Read more…

INTRODUCING… Dolphin Brewery. Reading’s newest, and certainly Berkshire’s most exciting, Nanobrewery. As our followers will know, we’re always very keen to work with exciting small breweries, to show people something they may not otherwise be aware of, and to excite. Luckily, the breadth of Berkshire brewing talent at our disposal Read more…

ANNOUNCING TWO BRAND NEW BEERS // EXCLUSIVE FIRST POURS // PHANTOM BREWING CO (Reading) & THE MAD YANK (Pinner) This is exciting! Happy birthday to us, Happy birthday to us. Happy first birthday to A Hoppy Place, Haaaapy Birthday.. to us! If you haven’t heard, it’s our first birthday this Read more…

Thoughts on an Industry in turmoil As if lockdown wasn’t enough, as if the low rent thundercat that is Tim Martin stealing from .gov to subsidise a pint of Ruddles wasn’t enough, small breweries now have yet another issue to contend with. That of the SBR (Small Brewer’s Relief) review which Read more…

Well, hey folks. I hope this mail finds you well. The day job now has everyone working from home, which is the right call. It also gives me plenty of time to check out the fridge here and realise that I definitely need to order in more beer if I’m Read more…

During the set-up of A Hoppy Place, I was getting fairly regular email shots and calls from local breweries offering samples, trying to get their beer on the shelves in Windsor. For many of our breweries, what with the PubCo tie-ins meaning it’s basically impossible to sell their beer, even Read more…

In April 2018, CAMRA decided once again NOT to extend the scope of the organisation beyond real Ale. Unfortunately, for the relevance of our organisation I feel this was a huge mistake. The majority of members – as has been well publicised elsewhere, wanted the motion to go through. 72% Read more…