Looks like it's over for the Punks...

GOOD MORNING! Here's our weekly round up of the best writing about beer and pubs from the past week, with slightly too many mentions of Guinness and alcohol-free beer, once again. 🍻🍺 boakandbailey.com/2026/02/news...

📢 NEW BLOG POST Over the course of a pint in an unfamiliar boozer, I think about the "proper jobs" I could've explored, what it means to be a bartender, and why it is so hard to leave. 8bitsandbobs.co.uk/2026/02/13/i...

At the risk of being boring as shit....... Is anyone interested in reading 83,000 words about the history of meat in America, and writing a (brief) review at the site of your choice?

I've been told a book cover needs to be seen five times before it registers on a viewer's eyes. I dunno. But: I'm willing to give it a shot. Available wherever you buy your books, from hard cover to audio. INTERESTED IN REVIEWING THE BOOK?

New @londonbeercity.bsky.social out this weekend. Featuring: - what does ‘Irish pub’ mean in modern London? - crunch-time for Ye Olde Swiss Cottage - who is London’s top porter producer? - trifle and darts in East Dulwich Sign up here: www.willhawkes.net/london-beer-...

Well that’s nice. In its latest newsletter, Hochstamm Deutschland highlighted the German translation of my Cider Review article on part time cider makers. If you read German, here’s what they had to say about it, with a link to the blogpost on our site & other articles on what we do.

Wow! Palestine Action win judicial review - Guardian report. This is a *big* legal win. www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

The kids in America are caskin’! Loved writing about the blossoming US cask beer scene for @insidehook.bsky.social - so much great British-style beer to enjoy stateside now 👌🏽🍻🌟 And big thanks to all who participated 😊 www.insidehook.com/beer/young-a...

I loved talking to Shahrbanoo Sadat about the movie she fought for, made and stars in, Afghanistan's first romcom, which is opening the Berlin film festival today. On finding joy and connection against the odds and how hard it is to be a good man #Berlinale www.theguardian.com/film/2026/fe...

The hop industry has an endless stream of hyped-up products, aimed at making beer more awesome than you can possibly imagine. But do they make any real difference? Today on the blog, I investigate, albeit not very thoroughly: thebeernut.blogspot.com/2026/02/cryo...

BLOG POST: “One publican told us that not only had January been hectic but that they were now struggling to source cask ale because so many breweries they usually deal with had... reduced the amount they brewed in anticipation of a slump that didn't come.” boakandbailey.com/2026/02/fear...

Niche #job alert! Want to come work with my team? Are you UK-based (ideally - definitely need to be on this side of the Atlantic), w/a lot of bibliometrics experience? Want to help unis, non-profits, etc, show the impact of their work beyond the usual journals? HMU. docs.google.com/document/d/1...

The new ETA guide around cross border travel on the island of Ireland is an unhelpful combination of "it's needed for non UK/Ireland citizens" and "we don't check (so don't sweat it?)". Don't be misled by this - in country checks can happen - and for foreign nationals an ETA will thus be needed:

The Harbour Board office at Town Quay was declared open by Admiral Sir John Jellicoe on 8 September 1925. Jellicoe, who was born in Southampton in 1859, had commanded the British Grand Fleet at the Battle of Jutland in 1916. 1/5

Had my first visit to the Brunel in the week, report on the dartboard here: fredcook.co.uk/2026/02/07/T... 🎯🎩🎯🎩🎯🎩🎯

The latest (last) newsletter is now online explaining how we've chosen to solve the Substack problem and take a mildly stressful monthly task off our to-do list at the same time. boakandbailey.substack.com/p/the-last-b...

Anyone been to Koblenz? What should I expect?

Had no idea, but am not surprised, that the bicycle food delivery business completely stinks. If you order from Uber Eats, Wolt or the like, watch this so you're at least informed.

There's light at the end of the tunnel.

we've got an AI policy at @texasmonthly.bsky.social and i think you'll like it www.texasmonthly.com/press-room/t...

Schöner, moderner - und zwei Wochen früher fertig als geplant: Das Kino International in Berlin-Mitte soll Ende Februar wieder eröffnen. Knapp zwei Jahre lang war es wegen Sanierung geschlossen. Auch der Pailletten-Vorhang des 1963 eröffneten Premierenkinos der DDR funkelt wieder wie am ersten Tag.

Updated Antwerp Guide entry: Station 1280 - a modern bottle shop bar with a range of Belgian beers + a good selection from other countries: www.beerguideantwerp.com/pubs.34

I’m very saddened to hear about the death of Des de Moor. I think a lot about the pints we had one night in South London where he held court, sang songs and was so warm to everyone

Since I'm a horror writer, people tend to get my daughter horror-themed children's books pretty often. Starting a thread of my reviews for these for anyone who is also a spooky parent or has a spooky kid.

A few (aerial) images I had not seen: youtu.be/1Lp0MqkGBfA?...

After the cyclocross, the main event: Den Toogoloog, Middelkerke. Outstanding as always, this time I'd two fantastic beers from Hugel/Zeven Zonden, then found out they're stopping 😥. Such excellent beers, if you see them, try them now....

I'm spending the afternoon in a muddy field on the Belgian coast, my first time at the cyclocross🚴‍♂️ 🇧🇪

I’ve now had multiple requests to pull together a listing of Dublin pubs that (still) have darts…clearly, there’s interest elsewhere, too. I just need to get to some first.

GOOD MORNING! Here's this week's edition of news, nuggets and longreads, with pubs, pub crawls, pub dartboards, more pubs, and a taproom. 🍻🍺 boakandbailey.com/2026/02/news...

Advice sought from fellow veg growers: looking for a truly excellent standard-sized (i.e. closer to golf ball than tennis ball) red tomato variety to grow this year. Flavour more important than yield. Suggestions welcome!

Some other places I can be found: 1. LinkedIn, talking mostly about content design and hardly ever about ghosts or films. www.linkedin.com/in/ray-newma...

I could be planting peas outside in a month but for now, the time of bad winter is here. The former fluffy stuff now frozen into ball joint snapping block, sidewalks glazed into ankle crackers. Have a great day! Here’s the news.

Had a couple of pints in The Harp on Chandos St last night, next to the James Mason With Cat In Lascaux Caves painting and was wondering if we ever got to the bottom of the story behind this masterpiece? (I’ve got this home-made bootleg copy on my wall at home)

Portugal cakes may have been influenced by the many cakes and pastries made in Portugal in the Middle Ages by the nuns and monks of monasteries. You can find the recipe at piespuddingsandpottages.com/recipe-post/... #britishfood #foodhistory #recipe #baking #cakes #currents #Georgian

Bit of reading for your evening pub visit as you listen to the voices all around you atjpubs.substack.com/p/are-you-lo...

I've just seen that the best - and most ephemeral - Brussels café experience has just re-opened in the centre of town. Aux Trois Rois was a Schaarbeek estaminet, and before it was closed its interior was rescued & now lives again as a travelling pop up pub Details: www.facebook.com/BOp.brussels...

I'm starting a series of pub dartboard reviews! First edition. The Bell: fredcook.co.uk/2026/02/03/T...

As we gear up for the 85th anniversary of The Belfast Blitz this year, we're keen to hear YOUR stories... So, please share this post with your followers and let us know what you, your family or friends experienced during the Luftwaffe raids on Northern Ireland in April/May 1941.

Follow-up to my “No One’s Apolitical Now” post. Here we have what appears to be the truly boneheaded brewery owner of Wonderland Brewery in CO. (I say this because he says “I am not a smart person” and “I have bad judgment” and his actions confirm it.) A short 🧵 expanding on this issue.

Serious question: have any of you ever finished a pen?

Watch it here 👇

This is a rich but homey and comforting dish…a pâté de pomme de terre, a French potato and cream tourte. Perfect for winter, perfect to forget our woes. jamieschler.substack.com/p/pate-de-po...

If you’re thinking of ideas for your chicken wings for your Super Bowl party, check out my recipe for Tandoori Chicken Wings at SimonMajumdar.com/tandoori-chicken-wings

Hertford family brewer McMullen has sold 30 TENANTED pubs to Punch for undisclosed sum. Not good for tenants & for beer choice Full list not yet available. Macs retain 90 MANAGED pubs. Key question: will Macs continue to brew? Will they "do a Youngs" & have the beers brewed under licence? #BskyBeer

Comida casera isn't what you think. www.texasmonthly.com/food/how-mom...

Ugh no. Aargh. Google Books has stopped working.

Going to see Florence & The Machine at Sheffield arena in a couple of weeks. Gonna head up in the afternoon and do some pubs + dinner. I know Rutland, Tap Sheaf and Bath Hotel. I was going to try Shakespeares. Any other suggestions? And any recommendations for dinner? Thanks!

The data collection via Palantir makes the Nazi ‘Black Book’ for the invasion of Britain - a list of political enemies and Jews to be rounded up, basically - look positively tame.