Some highlights from an afternoon sesh in #NorthShields yesterday #BskyBeer

The next Kölsch-dodging spot in Cologne 🇩🇪 tonight is the Tipsy Monk. This Stigbergets West Coast IPA is scratching an itch but is as West Coast as... well, West Coast Sweden. The venue itself is, yes, Belgianistic. It also does that quaint thing where you go to the bar to buy your drink 😂 #BskyBeer

Next stop in Cologne 🇩🇪 is a return visit to the Bavarian enclave of Augustiner am Heumarkt, for an Augustiner Edelstof, followed by their Dunkel. Such good beers! 🍻 #BskyBeer

Final night in Köln 🇩🇪. In an attempt to escape from all the Kölsch, I head to Craftbeer Corner, which appears to be about to fall into a large pit (see pic #4) 😂. But it seems fairly safe inside 😬. My Empire of Emotions IPA from Hop Hooligans is hitting the spot 🍻 #BskyBeer

Früh with a view in Cologne 🇩🇪 🍻 #BskyBeer

This is what a well stocked hotel minibar looks like in Cologne 🇩🇪 😆 #BskyBeer

Final Altbier stop in Düsseldorf 🇩🇪 is at Brauerei Schumacher 🍻 #BskyBeer

Next Altbier stop in Düsseldorf 🇩🇪 is Brauerei im Füchschen 🍻 #BskyBeer

Onward in Düsseldorf 🇩🇪 to Hausbrauerei „Zum Schlüssel“. I much prefer the Altbier here to Uerige: it's noticeably hoppier here, whereas Uerige's is much more malt-forward #BskyBeer

Took a day trip from Cologne to Düsseldorf 🇩🇪 Lunch at Uerige 🍻 And yes, Altbier is better than Kölsch 😁 #BskyBeer

It's not a bar, it's a biersalon 😁 More Kölsch (Gaffel) at Papa Joe's Biersalon, Cologne 🇩🇪 #BskyBeer

It's not very difficult to do a Kölsch krawl in Köln 🇩🇪, you could literally crawl between venues and hardly scrape the skin off your knees... Next stop is Brauhaus Sünner im Walfisch. For some Sünner Kölsch, it goes without saying. #BskyBeer

Onward to the impressive surroundings of Bierhaus En D'r Salzgass, for more Päffgen Kölsch 🍻 #Cologne 🇩🇪 #BskyBeer

Back on the Kölsch, at Brauerei Pfaffen #Cologne 🇩🇪 #BskyBeer

Going temporarily Bavarian in Cologne 🇩🇪: enjoying a Weissbier at Augustiner am Heumarkt (needed a break from the Kölsch 😆) #BskyBeer

"A few small beers" Yet more Kölsch... Peters Brauhaus, Cologne 🇩🇪 🍻 #BskyBeer

More Kölsch... Brauhaus Sion, Cologne 🇩🇪 #BskyBeer

Brauhaus FRÜH am Dom in Cologne 🇩🇪 🍻 No, I didn't buy any socks #BskyBeer

Willkommen in Köln 🍻 #BskyBeer

Onwards in Aachen 🇩🇪 to more crafty surroundings, in the form of The Wingman bar. Here's the draught board. There's also a 5-page menu of bottled offerings, which is very impressive but I can't be arsed taking photos of it 😆 #BskyBeer

Enjoying some Dom Kölsch at the Domkeller in Aachen 🇩🇪 Prost! 🍻 #BskyBeer

Onwards in Aachen 🇩🇪 to the very handsome Hopfen+Malz #BskyBeer

Guten Abend aus Aachen 🇩🇪 Enjoying some unfiltered goodness at the Aachener Brauhaus 🍺 #BskyBeer

#TrainBeer 🍻 Liège 🇧🇪 ➡️ Aachen 🇩🇪 #BskyBeer

Sexy beast. And only £5 a pint. Outrageousness at the Seven Stars in North Shields #BskyBeer

Switching fruits, blowing a raspberry... Bacchus Framboise, on tap and correctly glasswared, at the Seven Stars in #NorthShields #BskyBeer

Popping a cherry 🍒 Draught Bacchus Kriek in the correct glassware (extra points!), at the Seven Stars in #NorthShields #BskyBeer

A couple of schooners at Aperture Alehouse #NorthShields... L: 'Roads of Flames' from Rivington x Uchu, ticking all the DDH IPA boxes R: 'Pacific Rise' from Time & Tide x Burnt Mill, providing plenty of WCIPA goodness #BskyBeer

It's #FlashHouseFriday at Flash House Brewing Co in #NorthShields #BskyBeer (See alt text for beer details)

A low key local Friday at Low Quay #NorthShields #BskyBeer #DrinkLocal

Haven't seen Erdinger in cans before, so thought I'd give one a try. As with the bottled and draught versions, it's not a particularly characterful weizen. Has a light clovey wheatiness but lacks a proper whack of doughy banoffee. But it's inoffensively refreshing. #BskyBeer

Usual rules apply when calling in at The Seven Stars in #NorthShields: if they've got any Loch Lomond Brewery beers on... drink them! The Bonnie & Clyde IPA is a proper retro Westie, while the Rubus Cranachan Porter is a smoked-up fruity beauty #BskyBeer

Surprised myself by how much I enjoyed this Banana Split Pastry Sour from Pastore Brewing, at the Wobbly Duck in #Newcastle #BskyBeer

First visit to the newly relocated Mosaic Tap in #Newcastle, where this Dreaming of Motueka DDH IPA from @trackbrewingco.bsky.social is giving me a proper hopstinging slap across the chops #BskyBeer

After not particularly enjoying The Brew Grill & Brewery - see previous post - I retreat to the backstreets of Sliema and to The Hole In The Wall, the scene of my first beer upon arrival in Malta on Monday. Much more relaxed and convivial. I hereby declare it The Best Bar In Sliema. #BskyBeer

The Brew Grill & Brewery, a brewpub in Sliema #Malta 🇲🇹. Wanted to like it. Didn't. Sports bar vibe, lots of big screens playing Spanish football, while overly loud Cartoon Metal, plus overly loud Russians, sullied the air. The beer was passable, had their Hefeweizen followed by the IPA. #BskyBeer

(1/5) A visit to 67 Kapitali in Valletta #Malta 🇲🇹. Taplist consists exclusively of local Maltese craft beers, primarily from Lord Chambray. I approve this message. #BskyBeer

(1/5) A visit to the Salisbury Arms pub in Sliema #Malta 🇲🇹 this evening... #BskyBeer

Good evening from #Malta 🇲🇹 Enjoying a Paulaner Weissbier Dunkel at the Hole In The Wall in Sliema #BskyBeer

Was there in November. This article made me want to go straight back 😊

BBC News - Newcastle pubs ban AI art from breweries to protect local creatives - BBC News www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Not the easiest place to get to but well worth the effort. In an age when breweries are playing it safe and beer is being increasingly blandified, we need more breweries like this, where variety and experimentation are front and centre, where your eyes light up as you scan the board 🙌 #BskyBeer

This has just triggered some very fond memories of the place... (1/4)

Not far from De La Senne, on the way to the Metro, is La Source Beer Co, so it had to be done. Slightly odd setting, inside a big old warehousey thing where the main activity seemed to be roller skating. Looked promising though... #BskyBeer (1/2)

This place wasn't here the last time I was in #Brussels 🇧🇪. Been looking forward to it. Brasserie De La Senne 😍 #BskyBeer

A little trot along Rue Antoine Dansaert brings me to Brussels Beer Project, where I sup on their Delta IPA as a solid starter #BskyBeer

Fleeing the shouty drunks in Beer Capital, it's a 3-second walk to the positively serene Affligem Café, where this (June 2025) Orval had my name on it #Brussels 🇧🇪 #BskyBeer

Then it's a short hop, skip and jump to Beer Capital, where I opted for this Hapkin IPA, purely on the basis that I've never heard of it before. It's a decent refresher (despite the 6.7% ABV). #BskyBeer

To Les Brasseurs #Brussels 🇧🇪, where one of their Beers of the Month is De Ranke Hop Harvest, so it would be rude not to... #BskyBeer

Just been for a visit to the Belgian Beer World Experience in #Brussels 🇧🇪. It was... alright #BskyBeer