Black's, Lockhart TX

it’s now time to share The Michael Jackson Award for Beer Writer of the Year This is the final award of the evening, and it goes to… 🏆 Winner: David Jesudason #BGBW25

So happy to be part of the festivities!! Have a fabulous night everyone! #bgbw25 🍻🎉🙌🏽🏆

A word from our 2024 Beer Writer of the Year, Ruvani de Silva (@amethystheels.bsky.social)

Great anti-war song from Jimmy Cliff (1946-2025): "Vietnam" (1970) - it told the sad story of a mother receiving a letter, informing her that her son had died in Vietnam. At the end of the track Cliff pleaded: "somebody please stop that war now" www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtqI...

New acquisitions: 44 Vietnam and political records

Visit to Spin Sounds, Dorking, Surrey

Visit to cidery in Sussex

Fancy beers, taproom-only specials & limited edition releases are great, but when you wanna just grab a great beer, kick back n chill you still want quality👌🏽🍻 My latest for The Alcohol Professor names a few-feel free to add your own in the comments! www.alcoholprofessor.com/blog-posts/b...

Catching up with friends at SW London bottle share

Catching up with friends in London

First day of Dripping Springs Songwriters Festival, 2025

New acquisition: "Shipping Out to Viet Nam" (1965), Billy Thomas

In her essay for FG09, @amethystheels.bsky.social wrote about the difficulties of trying to write about beer & leisure while rights & services are being stripped away, & the disappointments of seeing many breweries back away from DEI in the present environment. www.beantobarstool.com/shop/p/final...

At yesterday's @nagbw.bsky.social awards, @melindag.bsky.social & I were thrilled to see 4 of our Final Gravity writers recognized for their excellent work in our zine. 🧵

Yayyyyy y’all!! 🎉🎉🎉🍻🍻🍻 Ya girl won Best PR/Corporate Communications Best Emerging Voice in this year’s North American Guild of Beer Writers Awards - super-chuffed!! Huge congrats to all the winners - another great year in beer writing!

Back in Austin

New acquisition: "A Song to Florence Beaumont" - about the immolation of a US anti-Vietnam War protester. Not seen this one before, rare addition to the collection

Congratulations 🍾

Visit to Banff

1st stop in Calgary, Hot Wax. On the hunt for political and war records 🧐

Calgary buildings

Bryan Adams, Calgary

More Calgary beer tasting, at Cold Garden

Calgary beer tasting

New acquisition: "I'm a Demonstratin' G.I. From Fort Bragg" (1965), both Vietnam & Civil Rights: "if I can defend it overseas, why don’t you set my people free". Front cover featured images of the KKK and a burned-out school bus

Fancy cocktails in Calgary

Greetings from Calgary! First stop Ol’ Beautiful Brewing inside uber-hip vinyl-themed Sound Room bar - top pick is the black liquorice-cacao dark lager - cheers y’all! 🇨🇦 🍻

India’s drinking culture is vibrant, dynamic & phenomenally diverse - and always comes with delectable snacks Read more about one of the fastest growing drinks markets in the world @insidehook.bsky. www.insidehook.com/drinks/drink...

“Drawing inspiration from old Spaghetti Westerns…the soundtrack is lo-fi surf-rock with a Western twang, evocative of dusty trails, the whip of horsetails & muscle cars on lonely two-lane blacktops” Texan-French delight Le Calamar @austinmonthly.bsky.social www.austinmonthly.com/la-calamar-g...

Ya gal has been waiting soooo long for a kick-ass laksa in ATX - and the fabulous Chef Laila Bazahm more than delivers with her signature dish at newly-opened Siti - get your ressies in now, this menu is on fire 😋🍜 More @austinmonthly.bsky.social www.austinmonthly.com/siti-brings-...

Bruce at the US Open. Getting more attention than Trump. The real Boss

Excited to share Part Two of my @camraofficial.bsky.social American heirloom cider apple series live now - learn how lost apples are being rediscovered by academics, orchardists, cider makers & apple detectives, & how historic injustice is being addressed learn.camra.org.uk/courses/amer...

James McMurty at Gruene Hall on Friday night, he performed his new Vietnam-related song "South Texas Lawman" - "he reckons after Vietnam we must've all gone soft" - the war continuing to feature in songs. Great show!

15 Bruce Springsteen songs related to the Vietnam War - see the list here: rateyourmusic.com/list/JBrumme...

A few pictures from @waterloorecords.bsky.social which closes its current location this weekend, been one of my regular spots for nearly 10 years in Austin

Songs referencing the Occupation of Alcatraz (1969-71): rateyourmusic.com/list/JBrumme...

Static Records, Asheville NC

Two Vietnam songs from Connie Francis, who died 16 July: "A Letter From a Soldier" (1966) and "A Nurse in the U.S. Army" (1966) - the latter a promotional record for Armed Forces Radio. Billboard said: "Army nurses get an assist - singer Connie Francis... come[s] to the aid of the Army Nurses Corps"

Beer & cider are always more than beer & cider But equally, the best beer & cider make our industry shine History, culture, community & talent intersect at Green Bench Brewing, where the remarkable Khris Johnson creates quality & hope More @pelliclemag.com www.pelliclemag.com/home/2025/7/...

New acquisition: from Australia, "Vietnam Voices" flexi disc, "Sister Joan Davies and the Children of Vietnam"

New acquisition about the Vietnamese boat people

On the hunt with filmmaker Naeem Mohaiemen from Columbia University who is making a documentary on the Vietnam War. Thanks to Black Gold Records in Brooklyn for letting us film!

Huge thanks to @davidnilsenbeer.bsky.social & @melindag.bsky.social for publishing my piece on seeking motivation to write while the world burns, what keeps us going & what salve writers can offer to a world in crisis ❤️‍🩹 ✍️

On the hunt in Gruene TX while catching some country music at the dance hall

These days Jester King rarely do sours, wild ales, farmhouse at their taproom. Today's menu has 8 IPA variants.

Small record market at Ghost Note Brewing in Dripping Springs TX

Rượu đế is Vietnamese rice moonshine, secretly distilled in tall fields of grass beyond the prying eyes of colonisers & communists Meet the passionate distillers bringing it to America - my latest for Craft Spirits Magazine (p46-49)🥃🍚 🇻🇳 issuu.com/americancraf...

New acquisition: Humphrey campaign record, both song (a-side) and spoken word (b-side) reference ending the #VietnamWar

Digitising #VietnamWar and political songs, catching up on the backlog