Lordy! I’m in a pew!!!

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...

Earlier this week I refused to speak to BrewDog for a story and they were "disappointed". I had no idea how much influence I had.

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?

There’s a whole lotta money to be made for a whole lotta years in treating people who get ill long term through the cancellation of cheap childhood vaccine programs.

Thinking back on my big interview today, this was probably not my *best* answer.

Neckties are just tiny scarves. Grow up. That’s all they are.

Booze up!

As the cold room drips from the thaw and the sidewalk has become an obstacle course, talk a moment to consider your approach to getting your beer home and how to do it in style. Here’s your beery news notes for a Thursday in mid-February.

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...

I heard a comedian point out that one of the bizarre things about the Epstein files is how many emails ended with "Sent on my iPad" So now I can't stop imagining the most evil people in the world writing horrific shit looking like

Fact: I am Al with an LLM. But it’s not my fault.

Newt Albiston has a complex relationship with their hometown of Epping, Essex. Visiting their dad's local pub after the anti-immigration protests in the town last year brought up some heavy feelings. www.pelliclemag.com/home/2026/2/...

Meaning the paid DHS agents, right?

Having read the last newsletter from B&B, I've put a link to the @ciderreview.bsky.social RSS feed on the front page social links. I haven't used RSS feeds in a long time, and they're right, it's a good way to curate what you see and avoid doomscrolling.

When studying the history of beer there are two important rules to always remember. 1. If one beer has the same name as another that doesn't mean it's the same beer. 2. If two beers have different names that doesn't mean they are different.

Des was a man of many layers. Years after the event, I discover my first interaction with him was buying the 12” remix of Charlton Heston by Stump - that was him, as half of the Irresistible Force. He made the Popbitch newsletter as Secretary of the Ramblers Association (moor, geddit?) 1/2

The only thing that lasts longer than January is my backlog of 2025 beer reviews. Here's more of it now: thebeernut.blogspot.com/2026/02/five...

I hate that I watched the super bowl highlights this morning - a crap game of a boring sport pushed on us by the last dregs of American cultural imperialism. Anyway, how's your Monday going?

If I ever needed to check something about London beer, it was always - what does Des say/what has he written? He was the most reliable of sources.

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

In all future mentions Lutnick should be called Epstein's former business associate and neighbor.

Someone has him mocked up as an orangutan, right? I mean he’s half way there already with his self inflicted makeup. www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...

Join us!!!!!!

Coincidentally, that's the face he made when Reinaldo told him the police were at the door

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...

BREWERS' SWOOP Fancy a pint of expensive but watery beer? My piece in the latest Private Eye. #BskyBeer

Not so much frustrated as disgusted. Who made the decision to put out such a crap broadcast?

CBC and TSN’s opening ceremony broadcasts flooded with ads, leaving Olympics viewers frustrated

Unbelievable. #CBC #ShameOnTheCBC Guess I will dip out of watching this years #Olympics now then. #WTF

#cbc way to ruin the olympic opening ceremony with commercials.

So #CBC cuts to commercial DURING the handoff of the Olympic flame Again DURING This is worst CBC has done during an Olympic Opening What the hell is wrong with you

“…and here’s a breakaway for Canada, the gold medal on the line, 26 seconds to go… but first let’s hear from our sponsors Sobeys and RBC!” #CBC

Ambience, Canadian tavern, February 2026.

I just realized today that this month is five years since my last drink of alcohol. I don't remember the exact date, I just realized I was feeling like crap all of the time and decided I needed major changes, so I stopped buying beer and I think I'm better for it, overall

You might find minced peas here, but never minced words.

Did you know… that this week’s beery news notes were brought to you by @totalcurtis.bsky.social @stanhieronymus.bsky.social @dinfontay.com @boakandbailey.bsky.social @petebrownbeer.bsky.social @beesononbooze.bsky.social and a long trudge in the snow.

As billionaires mismanage and dismantle great American news organizations please remember public media, while imperfect, is non-profit and exists ony to inform and tell powerful stories. Support us so we can hire more great journalists to serve you.

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.

Heard some folk wanted to keep politics out of beer. lol If y'all knew how many racist and sexist ads I leave outta this feed...

Google mail junked this article because of its content. It’s nothing that radical but it’s very great writing as ever from @divalentinope.bsky.social

Eckhart Beer Co. in Bushwick, NY—a place of community and what look and sound like absolutely delicious crispy pints. Thank you @divalentinope.bsky.social for the escapism, the joy, and the hope. www.pelliclemag.com/home/2026/1/...

Early observations. Palm better than the kriek. The chocolate is dry and dark so a lack of sweetness in the kriek left it a bit stark but the Palm was that bit richer. The container is, however, a fabulous mini beer crate. Choc-o-beer brand from Carré: www.chocolateriecarre.be/en/

Frozen Lake Ontario.

This is possibly the first ever single variety perry made from this variety, Jeremias Runde. A rare pear that comes from the Heilbronn area, more a baking pear, but my oh my, what a wonderful flavour! Like a baked apple with spices and just a light grip of tannin that centres it.

GOOD MORNING! Here's this week's edition of news, nuggets and longreads, with thoughts on publicans with personality, among other things. 🍻🍺 boakandbailey.com/2026/01/news...

Music, people, energy and beer, makes for a great Friday night at the @topshambrewery.bsky.social sometimes I like the quiet tick tock of a quiet pub but Friday night demands more

Publicans (and taproomicans): has January been as quiet/busy as you expected? More so? Less so? You can DM if you like. We're after data.

Today, grassroots organizers have called for a national strike in the US, asking businesses to close, and people to stay home from school or work. Breweries are using the event to speak out, with surprising force and transparency.

Glitter IPA.