New Blog Post : musinganorak.com/london-to-is... Two in two days! A combination of the gentle chiding of @boakandbailey.bsky.social plus @europeanbarguide.bsky.social requesting information on Bucharest. I won't promise to keep up this pace, but I'll try to be less tardy!

New Blog Post : musinganorak.com/london-to-is...

Unbelievable! I've actually written the next day of our August rail trip on the blog! musinganorak.com/london-to-is...

Had to change tube stations at Hammersmith. It would have been rude not to visit Craft Beer Co. 20 taps and 6 handpumps.

Over the canal and through Paddington to The Bear. Craft Beer Co pub with the usual fantastic range across 29 taps and 6 handpumps.

It's a walking kind of day! 10 minutes towards Paddington and the Heist Bank. Bar and pizza place close to Paddington Basin. 18 taps with a good range of beers.

A shorter walk north to The Globe on Lisson Grove. Corner pub close to Marylebone Station and popular with commuters. 12 taps and a couple of handpumps. There is always something interesting lurking on the list.

Another 20 minute stroll north to Marylebone and The Royal Oak. Corner pub with a dozen taps and up to three cask. My cask is in good condition but the overall range is nowhere what it used to be. After a couple of previous reprieves this is likely the second casualty of 2026

A twenty minute walk to Mercato Mayfair and the German Kraft bar there. No longer brewing on site they offer 8 taps of their own beers in a stunning setting.

A slow bus journey West but I'm finally in stop 5, The Jackalope. Popular Mews pub and part of the Tap family. 14 taps and 4 well kept cask ales avaliable. My dark mild is superb!

After a ten minute walk I'm at stop 4, Strongroom Bar & Kitchen. Small upstairs main bar with a dozen taps but there is a large courtyard with outside bar and some other rooms that open at different times.

Confirmation of the first deletion of 2026, although it apparently closed last autumn, Fountain Tap is no more.

Across the road to stop 3, The Volley - Old Street. Sports bar in the old BrewDog premises. Good range across the 15 taps.

A walk and a bus to stop 2, The Old Fountain. Classic boozer a short walk from Old Street Station. It offers a great range of beers across its 20 taps and 5 handpumps.

The first fine day of the week happily coincides with my day off! It's beer O'Clock. Stop one is the Kings Cross branch of Beer + Burger. 20 taps and 100+ packaged beers along with excellent burgers.

It is entirely possible that I have become addicted to creating maps. Here is my latest, done whilst stuck at home last week, a map of the entries in the "Belgian Tick Book," 294 Originele Cafés in België Hopefully it may be of use to some : u.osmfr.org/m/1338274/

For the past few weeks Google Maps has been increasingly unreliable stopping me updating anything. To that end I've been quickly learning Open Street Map and I am now happy to share the link : u.osmfr.org/m/1334010/ This will the Guide map going forward. The Google one will remain but not updated.

Great night at @brewerymarket.bsky.social. Dark Belgian beer tasting with @beersommelierkew.bsky.social of Ale Hunters.

Greetings! I have created a new map concentrating on brewery information, and where to try and find their beers. Initially London only I will, over time, add other places on to it. All feedback welcome! www.google.com/maps/d/edit?...

Headed back in to Brixton and Kraft Brixton is very much closed. Going to have to assume it is no more.

Short walk to stop 8, Bird House Brewery & Taproom. Former Canopy space. They have now expanded in to adjacent arches. 10 taps on offer.

Bus and walk to @Bullfinch_Ale. 14 taps and one cask at this cosy taproom.

And that's #Whamageddon for another year...

Following the success of August's rail trip to Istanbul through @TailorMadeRail we've just booked next August's holiday with them. London to the Baltic States. Booking before December means that all journeys, where applicable, have been upgraded to 1st Class at no extra charge!

12th and final stop for today is the Holy Tavern. Still with a good range of St Peter's beers but now with guests.

New Blog Post : musinganorak.com/london-to-is...

New Blog Post : musinganorak.com/london-to-is...

Fourth stop is BrewDog Reading for a Spyglass Brewing tasting event.

Third stop is Siren RG1, the new town centre location for Siren. 30 taps of their beers plus guests.

Second stop is Phantom Brewing and their impressive tap room space. 11 of their beers available at the moment.

First time using the Lizzy Line to get to Reading. Not cheap, but avoided the bustitution on the normal route. First stop here is the ever excellent @TheFoxBeerhouse. 6 cask in perfect condition and 13 taps.

Final stop of the trip, Cantillon. Treated myself to this.

Eurostar home this evening. Headed back via Oostende. Obviously. It's bracing!

Day two back here at this excellent festival.

Another 20 minute walk to my last stop of the day, Parazzar. 5 on tap plus c100 packaged. Popular bar just to the west of the centre.

You can't not visit 't Brugs Beertje!

A 20 minute walk back towards town and I'm at stop 3, Gauthierz Brasserie. 5 on tap plus c40 packaged beers. Easy to miss as you walk down the street, because I did!

A ten minute walk to stop 2, De HOPtimist. Fantastic bar with 6 on tap and an extensive packaged list. Worth heading out of the centre for.

And I've just discovered that my planned stop 2 is closed for Annual Leave. 🤬

Starting my time here by ticking off some gaps in my Beer Guide Bruges list. A 20 minute walk from the station to stop 1, Taffel en Toog. Modern bar to the south west of the city. 10 on tap and around 100 packaged.

Right, I wonder if there are any decent bars around here...

Just pulling out of St Pancras bound for Belgium. A fairly last minute decision to head to Bruges Beer Festival. What could possibly...

New Blog Post : musinganorak.com/london-to-is...

New Blog Post : musinganorak.com/london-to-is...

New Blog Post : musinganorak.com/london-to-is...

New Blog Post : musinganorak.com/london-to-is...

New Blog Post : musinganorak.com/london-to-is...

For anybody remotely interested, over the course of my trip I tried 227 different beers from 14 countries of which 220 were new.

Today's top tip, do not plan on eating at Istanbul Airport. This tray cost £50.