I very, very nearly titled this blog post "Can a CAMRA friendly Bottle Conditioned Beer also be a Crafty, and stylistically oxymoronic, Smoked Imperial Black IPA?" but decided it was a bit of a mouthful. (That may, or may not, be a joke)What matters most is the beer itself. That's what we're all here...

I’ve been making burgers since my University days. They’re simple to put together, really satisfying, and relatively economical. The recipe I continued to use for a long time was from a great book my parents bought me before I headed off to Uni in Leeds (I never came back), it was called something like...

I love a good Bloody Mary. They have a genuine, physical, restorative power to them that can pull you from the depths of a hangover in the time it takes to drain a glass. They're also the perfect cocktail, a balancing act of flavours, textures, salt, sweet, seasoning and spice that comes together to...

I was looking forward to visiting Create after reading Jay Rayner's review in the Guardian. The food sounded excellent. Seasonal, unfussy, gutsy, and with a modern flair and artistry that lifts a dish to something much more exciting. I didn't even think about the beer really. I've trained myself not...

Every now and again you try a beer that genuinely knocks your socks off. It happened with My Antonia by Birra Del Borgo and then again with I Hardcore You, the BrewDog and Mikkeller collaboration beer. Then last night, when I wasn't really expecting it, it happened again.I thought I had a handle on...

Some of you may have tried a Blonde Belgian beer called Augustijn, it's pretty rare over here but a few of the more specialist bars do have it. You may also have heard that SabMiller (booooo hissss) have struck a deal with the brewery behind the beer to launch it proper to the UK market, under the new...

I read an interesting interview recently with Garrett Oliver, the charismatic brewmaster of Brooklyn Brewery, on the James Clay website. In the interview he talks about British beer and how it inspired him to set up the brewery, and also his love for traditional English Bitters and other British beers...

This is quickly turning in to a Thai food and beer blog, but please bear with me. This one is something you've got to try, it's super easy, and tastes amazing. Essentially marinaded steak flash cooked and served with a fiery, peppery, hugely savoury dipping sauce.It's something I first tried at Thai...

Roast Rib of Beef How have I never had this before!? We pushed aside the cries for a bird for Christmas Dinner this year and went caveman instead. A massive 3 Rib Roast that looked like something you'd hang off the side of Fred Flinstones motor.It was charred and caramelised on the outside, with creamy,...