Anyone know of any innovative approaches, products or events that English and Welsh wineries are offering this Christmas...

Oh good, fingerless glove season is back upon us in the office.

A good read 👇 #Stout #Porter #Beer

A big thank you to acclaimed beer writer @morrighani.bsky.social who gave Northern Rising, our collaboration stout with @northernmonk.bsky.social, 5/5 stars when compared to Guinness! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Read the full article here: www.telegraph.co.uk/gift/0701ce4...

We're Oompah Stomping at @redwillowbrewery.bsky.social! Prost!

My stout (and porter) blind taste test is now live on The Telegraph.

I am eating some oysters, drinking plenty. And this event necessitates a lot of people in close proximity, so why was I not warned.

Train travel without Bam Bam is very dull. When I see cows, there is no one to say "cows" to. Equally, when I see horses, there is no one to say "horses" to. And there is no one to ask me how you can tell whether a horse is too hot, which was the hot topic on our last journey.

You can get out of Wolverhampton Station, get a sausage butty, eat it and get back to the station in 23 minutes. This is useful new knowledge. Thanks train cancellation!

Thanks to Alan for sharing. Reminds me that not reading the comments is always the best route in life.

1500 words researched, written and proofed, a slow cooker sausage casserole bubbling away and a bunch of other jobs done means that I can now reasonably go to the pub for lunch (mainly so The Boy can fix the microphone set up ready for next week's quiz.) Productivity is my middle name! Today.

You can get DC Superhero Kinder Eggs now and I am covetous for the Wonder Woman. There may be a fight for supremacy with Bammers if she gets that one...

All set up for a special vertical tasting of St Austell Tribute online this evening.

What to expect at the Shrewsbury CAMRA Beer Festival - read my thoughts (and see my pictures) on My Shrewsbury.

I'm talking about the export of English and Welsh wine in the latest issue of Vineyard Magazine. With particular thanks to WineGB, @rathfinnyestate.bsky.social and Hattingley Valley Wine for their contributions.

I finished my quiz this evening with a round entitled 'Plumbing'. I think it's fair to say that even the most die-hard quizzers did not see that coming.

We were thrilled to spend an afternoon in London with the terrifically talented @morrighani.bsky.social discussing all things 🍺 & brewing. It’s pretty amazing to be featured as part of this write up about the nuances of proper serving temperatures for maximum enjoyment. Give it a read (with 🍺 in 🤚🏾)!

I've been up to my eyeballs in Guinness for the last 10 days (not literally, that would be very bad for you) and I have just filed the second of the two articles. I'm rather pleased with them. Hope you enjoy them when they come out too. Now I feel it's time for something completely different. Phew.

After pitching this out to various publications for literally YEARS (the first I can spot in my emails is Jan '22), now the BBC has pipped me to the post. Ah well, cross that one off the list.

Very glad that I decided to rouse the troops for swimming at 9am, instead of waiting for the afternoon session. The rain is appalling out there and we are safely back home and dry.

Really pleased to see this one out in the wild. Beer and temperature for The Telegraph.

Lost and Grounded is now in the directory.

If you already have a ticket for the #ISBFX Friday Evening Session, this talk will be fabulous - and highly recommended. Great beer people talking about great beer. @amitybrewco.bsky.social @elusivebrewing.com @runawaybrewery.bsky.social #ISBFX #BeerPeopleAreGoodPeople

After a week of bad news for GBBF, some good news for cask.

Do not have to go anywhere until next Friday. Yay. Have to write up nitro in 150 words now. Boo.

How can I go to a food festival and not have any lunch? My life makes no sense.

Laura be joined by Russ Clarke (Amity Brew Co Farsley, Leeds), Andy Parker (Elusive Brewing, Finchampstead) & Mark Welsby (The Runaway Brewery, Stockport). There will be a small charge for the tasting session (£5), payable on the door on the Friday. And as always, all profits are donated to START.

Laura Hadland (@morrighani.bsky.social) said some very kind things about us in her book Beer Festivals: A Great British Tradition. On the Friday evening session at #ISBFX, Laura is hosting a chat & tasting featuring three of this year's collab. beers, comparing and contrasting cask with keg.

Great day at Ludlow Food Festival as always, thanks to Will at Shropshire Salumi and Slow Food for helping me to put on a great tasting.

An old guy at the train station just whispered "love the hat" then went 🤫 and pointed to his wife who was also walking past. Guess he's not allowed to complement random at train stations!

Alright my Hereford massive. Where's good for lunch that probably has WiFi and plugs to boot?

Happy 40th anniversary to "Thundercats". Opening animated by Masayuki (who was only 22 years old at the time).

I am not taking The Good Camera to many events these days as The Books are so heavy. It's making me a bit sad, but I do want to maximise the amount of people who read The Book. Maybe L7 could do a follow up for me.

I think blind taste tests are a lot of fun, but The Boy doesn't seem to agree, since he is having to do all the labelling, pouring and running back and to. 😬

Just got a very polite email asking if I would like to join the Illuminati Brotherhood. I mean, since they asked so nicely...

First world problems: the beer, cardboard box and beer glass situation in my house is now officially untenable. I did say it's a first world problem. I only have so much liver, shelving and space in the recycling bag though.

I think I need a full time PA just to input all the messages from school into our calendar.

Can I just say how disappointed I am that 4 months after publication, no one has congratulated me on the best phrase in my new book, Beer Festivals.

I had two diet Pepsis over the three or so hours of calling my quiz tonight and now I have a headache. I can only assume it's the caffeine, and I think it's a pretty spiteful move on the part of the universe, if I'm honest.

I just made up a new word. Sponsorshire. It's like sponsorship, but your brain is tired.

I am watching for the results of this tribunal with interest. The details so far are quite the insight into life for a Greene King general manager, regardless of the outcome.

I spend a lot more time being slightly unsure of what country I'm in than when I lived in Leicestershire

The London Oyster Championships are coming to Bentley's Oyster Bar & Grill and I for one will be enjoying pairing the native oysters with London Black and Nyetimber English Sparkling. My first foray out for @broadsheetcast.bsky.social London.

Some of our contributors reflect on the 2025 Ross Cider Festival, where cider, community, and personal connections all manifest in one place. @rosscider.bsky.social Featuring @barmas.bsky.social @adamhwells.bsky.social @andrewmassoura.bsky.social @morrighani.bsky.social Brett St Clair and Jack Toye

Hey @morrighani.bsky.social I'm reading your book and the quality of the photos is impressive, as is knowing that there was already a craft beer competition 50 years ago.

Drinking incredibly niche Italian craft beer on the train home, but the name made me laugh.

Put my umbrella up and took it down again 4 times on the walk to the station. Guess the April showers have finally caught up with us.

Paging #WineSky - are there any non-UK wine writers out there who have an opinion on the reputation of English and Welsh wine exported to your own country please? Please drop me a DM. Preferably one of the key importers like Norway, Japan, US, Sweden or Hong Kong, but I'm open to others! Thank you!

An update to Crisp Malt's empty malt sack recycling scheme - scroll right to the bottom!

Today I have been plagued by rainbows.