tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65821352340386480192012-02-09T21:33:08.773Z<i>The Man Whose Head Expanded</i>Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.comBlogger1511100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-10498723244051383352012-02-04T20:59:00.002Z2012-02-04T21:36:40.310Z

He is Eric Appleby, chairman of 'leading national charity' Alcohol Concern. Not content with trying to force their neo-pro fundamentalism down the throats of the retail sector, they've now teamed up with something called BreathScan to take on the FTSE 250. A press release issued on Thursday sets forth, thus...Alcohol Concern calls for specific inclusion of alcohol policy in the Corporate

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-8112486603836534232012-02-03T14:28:00.005Z2012-02-03T14:58:09.117Z

This is my first go at The Session. When the subject was announced, I posted on Stan Hieronymous' blog that I thought the subject was a bit too US-centric. However, being an occasionally contrary sort, I have had some dealings with them so thought I'd break my Session cherry.That pic below first appeared on here in February 2010, the last year Russian River Brewing Co. made the contents available

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-86320504840358444172012-02-02T21:07:00.008Z2012-02-02T21:57:08.298Z

Boggle finally got to the pub today. After almost a fortnight when caring commitments buggered up my afternoon off (thank gawd for Brodie's and Kernel bottles last weekend), it was off to Cask and The Rake for some beery goodness.The freezing, sunny London winter days we get always cheer me up. Makes the trip to the pub feel like I'm earning my pint. Travelling on a bus that never got out of

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-3364825880183472842012-01-31T14:01:00.002Z2012-01-31T15:04:22.955Z

At 1910 hours on 30 January, in his response to Melissa Cole's criticism of his views on the unfriendly British brewing scene as published in the beer book authored by Matt Allyn and Greg (Stone CEO) Koch, James Watt from Brewdog followed up some initial comments and an exchange with Kristy McCready of Molson Coors and Sharps head brewer Stuart Howe, thus:I would rather quit beer than work for an

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-26309494369960221272012-01-30T20:19:00.007Z2012-01-31T08:31:45.185Z

I was going to post the following to gauge readers' views on how things have changed, but then I saw Melissa Cole's latest blog, where comments from Brewdog in the recent book by Stone's Greg Koch and Matt Allyn have provoked a gush of steam from her fragrant ears and some pointed comments from elsewhere in the industry.This is from the scrapbook, a letter to the Ed published in What's Brewing

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-75010101842525858402012-01-27T16:06:00.005Z2012-01-27T17:39:27.997Z

Recently, our elected great and good organised a little beer tasting, supported by the BBPA. Tyson already referred to it in his post here, and like a lot of bloggers, I got a press release about it.Tyson's post is titled 'How Low Can You Go'. Judging by the views of one of the brewers invited to participate, low calumny in the form of a bit of wool-pulling over eyes was going on. The press

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-79872521499328783722012-01-17T08:54:00.004Z2012-01-17T09:06:22.486Z

I've been having a clear-out. No missus. Not what you're thinking. Cheek.Piles of clipped and torn articles, ads, items which caught my eye some years back, and which I finally forced myself to deal with. So I've been reviewing, second-guessing myself about why I kept stuff in the first place, and scanning items which still have an interest. Some of it is beery-related, so may well appear

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-54490757356168619352011-12-26T09:54:00.006Z2011-12-26T14:25:54.673Z

Anybody see that feature in the Grauniad the other day? Based on Paul Moody and Robin Turner's book The Search for the Perfect Pub: Looking for the Moon Under Water (reviewed here by Reluctant Scooper), the authors picked out ten of their favourites for the paper's Food & Drink section.They included the Jolly Butchers, and a part of their description caught my eye. They wrote:2010's thoroughly

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-14404167322840551252011-12-09T14:02:00.005Z2011-12-09T15:46:11.712Z

Last year I shamelessly appropriated and subverted the concept of the worthy, democratic and inclusive 'Golden Pint' awards and made up my own, The Boggle Awards. As a London blogger, I wanted to recognise what I thought were the best brewer, bar, pub and retailer in our capital city. Luckily, over the past couple of years, that sort of thing has developed some meaning with the renaissance of

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-47153789455477864972011-12-07T08:56:00.003Z2011-12-07T09:27:28.632Z

Another week, and another seasonal beer release for those legendary respecters of beer, the spoogebeerians, to get into a frenzy over. This time it was the release of Batch 5 of Captain Lawrence's Cuvee de Castleton, along with very limited batches of their latest Barrel Select Series beers. Bottling runs of fewer than 250 for the Barrel Select stuff had the spoogerbeerians vibrating at higher

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-18007720529921519372011-11-19T16:47:00.005Z2011-11-19T17:35:47.603Z

I like those Shepherd Neame Spitfire ads. Some people don't care for them, but I think that, at their best, they're clever and witty. Yes, I know it was all a long time ago. Anyway...Saw this in the Cask & Glass in Victoria last week.Clever and funny. See? The Germans drink lager. Hahahaha. But then I thought about it, and I wondered if it could mean something else.I mean, Sheps have a reputation

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-84863141196409886342011-11-06T13:32:00.007Z2011-11-06T14:50:04.597Z

Last month when Mark Beerbirrabier was in New York City, he remarked on the availability of cask-dispensed beers in many of the bars he visited. I told him that the single person responsible for this was Alex Hall, ex-pat once-cellarman and now catalyst for getting good brewers to cask their beer, and good bars to sell it. I first introduced him in this blog last year, when I popped along to his

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-84213274899257997712011-10-27T19:59:00.004+01:002011-10-27T20:08:33.880+01:00

It's been an exciting week for the OCtB, with Garrett Oliver taking exception to comments on Martyn Cornell's blog about the accuracy of several of the entries. Personally, as somebody who can't smell a rat about some of this stuff, I wouldn't be buying it until I feel more confident that the inaccuracies are being addressed in a 2nd edition. My Xmas list has Amber, Gold & Black on it,

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-1052619224137251602011-10-12T14:40:00.006+01:002011-10-12T15:51:41.961+01:00

Do you believe in serendipity?A month back I decided to start drinking my stash of Fuller's Vintage Ale and compare the original tasting notes to the beer now. I didn't know it, but Fuller's themselves were planning an event where a full vertical tasting of all 15 vintages would take place, and a week after my post, lo, I got an invite.Thus it was that I joined an assembly at The Griffin Brewery

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-21538437589897831272011-10-07T15:23:00.004+01:002011-10-07T17:05:28.398+01:00

I popped along to The Crosse Keys, a vast Wetherspoons pub in Gracechurch Street on the edge of the City of London, to have a go at a few of this autumn's Real Ale & Cider Fest beers. This hasn't really been on my radar in the past 18 months or so, but they usually get some interesting beers brewed, and I've enjoyed the practice of bringing overseas brewers in and turning them loose in some of

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-89708388170347102092011-10-02T09:06:00.004+01:002011-10-02T12:34:29.916+01:00

Where's Shaw Taylor when you need him?Brodie's had their brewery van stolen a few days back. It was loaded with some draught beer and almost 100 cases of their new Black IPA. Over 1,000 unlabelled 500ml bottles went west. I tried one of the bottles still in captivity, and it'll be a lost classic, assuming the van and beer don't turn up. I don't suppose the thieves knew or cared what was in the

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-87530247363214216902011-09-27T12:54:00.002+01:002011-09-27T12:58:13.723+01:00

Simon over at Reluctant Scooper has already posted this, and it's been linked all over Twitter, but it's so funny I offer no apology for linking to it as well...A thought occurred to me as I watched. And that is, shouldn't CAMRA overdub Kevin Valentine's address to the last Members' Weekend with some of Der Fuhrer's Nuremburg speeches, by way of reciprocation?

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-46582940838420092322011-09-23T14:03:00.005+01:002011-09-23T14:47:21.413+01:00

The new Utobeer premises in Westfield Stratford City has been open for a couple of weeks, so I figured it was time to check out the trip and the place. I've been enjoying Rabid Barfly Glyn Roberts' intense dislike of the bar's environs with schadenfreude aforethought, and knew that the place isn't finished yet.So, door-to-door, Kennington to the entrance to the shopping centre, took about 25

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-78724359862551308922011-09-11T20:41:00.004+01:002011-09-11T21:30:47.245+01:00

"It's good."So sayeth Fullers brewmaster John Keeling in response to a tweet about the 2000 Fullers Vintage Ale. I've been hanging on to a few different vintages of these beers, and thought I ought to get cracking on them. A vertical would leave me hospitalised, so I'm aiming to work through them over the coming weeks. I attended the Vintage Ale tasting John did at LoveBeer@Borough a couple of

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-63743036490588824462011-09-08T13:32:00.005+01:002011-09-08T14:07:34.440+01:00

The estimable Washington Post has shone its investigative light on the sordid secondary market for spooge beer. Read the whole thing here. Woodward and Bernstein would be proud.Of course, readers of my own estimable (?) e-organ would have picked up on this dark and unseemly activity in posts past. The Post's article is interesting in including views from such tickerific brewers as Lost Abbey,

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-20499187159172131692011-08-31T13:31:00.005+01:002011-08-31T13:50:13.798+01:00

Say you were looking to diversify your pub's offer. Say you approach a supplier to get some new beers on the bar. Would you do it this way..? Hi we own a pub here in XXXXXXXX, and would like to know who's Dick you need to suck to get a fucking keg of your beer. I can confirm this was not the work of our own beloved Rabid Bar Fly. I also imagine Dredgie will be tutting over the poor grammar. I am

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-91245909096222852472011-08-22T14:22:00.004+01:002011-08-22T15:01:07.822+01:00

An interesting weekend for coverage of beer. Friday evening's BBC1 'One Show' featured a piece by food critic Jay Rayner on microbrewing. He focused on the traditional role of women in brewing, so took a trip to Brodie's to chat with Lizzie and sample some beers. he also took some of the Brodie's bottles to some unsuspecting ladies in Essex, generally getting a positive response. (His piece

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-64072774487314590142011-08-05T18:21:00.008+01:002011-08-06T09:48:58.580+01:00

WARNING: before you read any more, please note that I have included the full name of a new beer, and it might be offensive to you. If you object to use of strong swearwords, click away now. Thanks.To Brodies on this inaugural International IPA Day to record a gathering of brewsters. I'm not sure if it's a first in London, but I think it's the first time that a gathering of all-female London

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-13942166023332909412011-08-04T18:26:00.007+01:002011-08-04T20:51:24.527+01:00

I remember my first trip to the US. In 2002 I headed for San Francisco, with plans to see Las Vegas, San Diego and Los Angeles. I had no idea what kind of beer I might find, but I knew there was a scene brewing there.I did my travelling, visiting several brewpubs in a few cities, and for the first time, drank beers that were mental with hops. Hops that British brewers didn't seem to use. Cascade,

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-44290855836158788932011-08-01T18:24:00.005+01:002011-08-01T19:16:55.364+01:00

To the Kernel to rack off my 50th birthday beer, where I find the arch interior undergoing some minor demolition and Dominic Driscoll from Thornbridge watching wort recycle. These two events are unrelated.worty saison; Dom watches a sci-fi nightmare come true Dom is down for GBBF, but takes the opportunity to pop in with some saison yeast for Evin, so a new beer codenamed 'Saison De Dom' is about

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-33861982507401196732011-07-29T19:10:00.003+01:002011-07-29T20:25:45.073+01:00

I don't usually get to range very far afield during my weekly beer trips. Time constraints and things like opening times (blimmin' Jolly Butchers) mean some interesting pubs and bars are just slightly out of reach. However, I was pulled like a magnet to The Southampton Arms in Kentish Town on the promise of Brodie's Mental Hop Bastard, and beers from Magic Rock.I hadn't been to Kentish Town in

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-27836134651703487562011-07-19T15:11:00.003+01:002011-07-19T15:38:03.722+01:00

The Beer Interwebz are alight with the reaction to the news today that BrewDog's proposed Brewery Bar at this year's GBBF has fallen through.It would appear that a revised final payment deadline for the pitch was approaching, and meantime BrewDog and GBBF organisers, led by Marc 'Goliath' Holmes, were still negotiating over the size of containers and the dispense. The BrewDog blog has the full

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-21434664102021570522011-07-13T12:05:00.006+01:002011-07-13T16:49:29.032+01:00

This is Greg Koch, CEO of Stone Brewing, pictured, I am informed, at the National Homebrewers Conference in San Diego last month. And yes, that face on his tee shirt is, erm, Greg Koch.Greg recently received the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Award for San Diego, and will go forward as a finalist in their national competition. Accepting the award, Greg said,Receiving this award is a true honor. I’m

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-39984009074781722512011-07-12T17:24:00.004+01:002011-07-12T20:47:13.471+01:00

From last Friday's South London Press...Leaving aside the 'real ales' bit (I assume outsider shorthand for small-scale production artisanal beers) and whether you think Kernel actually has a 'signature' beer (I don't), my immediate thought was what posting this would do for the old Rabid Big-Head's ego. As you might know, he co-created the Black IPA with Evin O'Riordain.Despite the SLP being his

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-35012631665476544702011-06-20T18:35:00.005+01:002011-06-20T19:41:16.958+01:00

The postie brought me a nice surprise this morning, a cheque for a tenner from The Kevins. I'd resigned my membership, and they were nice enough to agree to refund me part of my subscription. Thus ends 12 years.To celebrate, I popped open a bottle of Brodie's Grand Cru, an 8.8% Belgian style ale which, coincidentally, is another beer wot I helped to brew. As a guest brewery monkey, Jamie Brodie

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-14087010605276880512011-06-18T18:10:00.008+01:002011-06-19T12:04:14.528+01:00

So, as usual, I missed the Jolly Butchers launch of the latest London collab beer, 'Big Brick', this past Tuesday. One day one of our so-called 'progressive' beer bars will figure out the benefits of a breakfast launch and I'll be able to attend.The beer is a souped-up version of the 'London Brick' rye beer brewed at Redemption by a cabal of London's (and Sussex's) finest including Mark Tranter

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-38766180762511190222011-06-01T10:20:00.008+01:002011-06-01T12:15:20.365+01:00

Take a look at the pic above. One of these is from a Sonoma County winery, the other is from Russian River. Which is which?As mentioned in an earlier post, local provenance is big here. Sonoma is one of the largest agriculturally-active counties in the US, but the most obvious activity is wine-making, with around 300 wineries producing in a dozen American Viticultural Areas. But beer is here, too

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-57844035042241227212011-05-29T16:01:00.003+01:002011-05-29T16:38:29.827+01:00

Language is funny.The current chair of the Campaign For Real Kevins decided to use his platform at the recent Kevin AGM to label beer bloggers a 'threat', as if by our sometimes inane scribblings, we might create a favourable climate for the Rise Of Keg and undo 40 years of Kevin activism.Previously, Roger Protz, a senior Kevin who has a wider reputation in the world of beer thanks to his books

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-40585409417648315812011-05-29T08:37:00.008+01:002011-05-29T10:56:24.727+01:00

After watching Man City win the FA Cup, and full of coffee jitters and beans on toast, Rap and I head out for a visit to Santa Rosa, home to my favourite US brewer, Russian River. There's a hint of rain as we head over the Richmond Bridge into Marin County. We aren't going the direct route up Highway 101, instead we've got a couple of stops to make, which is a good job given the condition of my

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-12641390618458988012011-05-26T12:20:00.007+01:002011-05-26T20:23:05.605+01:00

As you'll have read earlier, Oakland has some very nice places to drink. This post deals with some other fine bars elsewhere in the East Bay, but first, I need to discuss food.I'm no gourmand, much less a gourmet. I do like good food, and these days I'm usually much more aware of things like provenance and production, but my tastes are pretty basic. When I'm travelling, a decent breakfast and

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-58589632964285845112011-05-23T18:45:00.005+01:002011-05-23T20:37:49.634+01:00

I love this city. Really, I do. It was the first place I headed when I started to visit the US. I loved the compactness, I loved the Bay, the green spaces and the buzz around the place. Heading to a bank one morning, I stood at an intersection as a tanned Californian couple passed me in a convertible and waved to me. Waved. Nobody waves at you while driving in London unless you're being pulled

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-73060784053067267532011-05-22T13:17:00.006+01:002011-05-22T15:39:34.551+01:00

(So, a trip Stateside, my first in almost two years. I am making my first visit to the West Coast since the infamous November of 2008, when temperatures in California hit 90 degrees, causing forest fires and sunstroke in a de-hatted Matt Wickham from the Evening Star. I am staying with my friend Rap who lives over the bay from San Francisco in Oakland. This post is about my beery experiences

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-68666464951485148352011-05-20T15:00:00.003+01:002011-05-20T15:22:11.161+01:00

I have to confess I never bother with the ads in either 'What's Brewing' and 'BEER", CAMRA's newspaper and periodical for members, respectively.However, with all the heat over Roger Protz's April op-ed about keg, and the feedback in the current WB letters page being broadly supportive of the man they apparently call 'The Colonel', and then Tim Webb and Tandleman doing the head-to-head on whether

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-66800098825918304462011-05-10T08:01:00.002+01:002011-05-10T08:04:35.707+01:00

I'm off for a holiday. Beer will be involved. Watch for further bulletins as events warrant.That is all.Image nicked off the Buddha's Drive-In blog. They nicked it off R Crumb...

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-52838011654751430032011-05-06T09:44:00.006+01:002011-05-06T10:38:02.512+01:00

Jay Brooks, blogging on the US West Coast, picked up on a recent survey which seemed to indicate that Budweiser was America's Favorite Beer. US drinkers, the survey concluded, preferred domestically-brewed beer, and Bud came top of that list. Jay rightly raises an eyebrow at the sample size and the way questions were asked of respondents. But the story got a fair bit of play in the US.However, it

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-20291515232355803472011-05-02T12:24:00.005+01:002011-05-02T12:58:08.261+01:00

To The King William IV for a day of Brodies beers at their Bunny Basher festival.I've been late to the party when it comes to Brodies. I met Lizzie and her mum at London Brewers Showcase last autumn, and had made a note to get along there as soon as I could. No opportunity presented itself until I was invited to go along and help brew one of the festival beers, Noisome Cru.I didn't get a chance

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-33544720375440480232011-04-28T14:16:00.014+01:002011-04-28T17:12:16.220+01:00

To The Kernel (Will Hawkes, sometime Independent beerhound, gives us this nice piece) to witness and if necessary, lend a hand to the birthing of the new version of acclaimed collaboration brew, London Brick. That version was a meaty 6%, this will be a bit different...Toby not thinking aboutextract efficiency as he mashes inAs I arrive, Matt Wickham is loafing about outside with his lovely wife

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-59377576612128757212011-04-24T19:15:00.003+01:002011-04-24T20:19:15.629+01:00

So, no beer to be served at this wedding on Friday. The news from Buck House has inflamed the UK beer wires, Pete Brown leading the way with this wonderfully controlled polemic and call for action to protest the snubbing of The Nation's Drink.But is it so shocking? I mean, the evidence appears to support the idea that The Establishment hate beer and beer drinkers. The medical "profession" can

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-36702114248876210822011-04-09T18:15:00.005+01:002011-04-10T08:53:54.518+01:00

Sam Smiths appears to have provoked an unholy row during the restoration of one of its London pubs.The Cardinal sits in the back streets of Westminster, not far from the Catholic Cathedral, surrounded by mansion flats. I was intending to pop in a couple of weeks ago and was told by Peter at Cask that the place had been closed for renovation. Sam Smiths takes a great deal of care in carrying out

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-47427293493291654062011-04-09T08:14:00.002+01:002011-04-09T08:19:44.944+01:00

I see some of my fellow bloggers have recently done one of these viral "seven things about me you didn't know" lists. Here's mine...1. TACO!!2. SIERRA NEVADA!!3. OKTOBERFEST!!4. er...5. that's it6. no wait, there's one more...7. If you own a tee shirt with the slogan 'get over yourself', you probably need to get over yourself...

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-38988399297956877532011-04-07T17:33:00.006+01:002011-04-07T20:13:15.618+01:00

It's been an amazing 12 months for London beer and brewing. National awards for some of our best pubs and brewers, new bars, new beers, new drinkers all picking up and building on the wonderful vibe that has been resonating since the London Brewers' Alliance showcase event last autumn.As your Man At The Bar I've been commenting on facets of this scene while being delighted myself by new

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-65306934864525546632011-04-01T13:09:00.011+01:002011-04-01T14:38:53.294+01:00

"Nuffink"Thus spake Boggle in response to an enquiry about what I was doing on March 31st, from Dark Star's Matt Wickham. Then come and brew at Brodie's, he says. I'd wanted to head out to the King William IV pub in Leyton for a while, as part of an infrequent effort to get around the members of the London Brewers Alliance, and to get a look at the brewery. And a chance to get my hands dirty?

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-51537618265744450352011-03-15T13:36:00.005Z2011-03-15T14:08:14.509Z

As our Beautiful British Beer Scene reels from the shock news of the closure of Beer Ritz in Leeds (and my best wishes to Zak, Ghostie and the team), even more sad news reaches the Boggle Newsdesk.Nichols Ltd, manufacturers of Panda Drinks, recently discontinued their Panda Pops fizzy drinks, saying that having a sugary carbonated drink in their portfolio was contaminating the rest of the Panda

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-91826435266344816682011-03-11T13:51:00.004Z2011-03-11T15:44:26.335Z

It's been an interesting week for British Beer. Pete Brown lit the blue touch paper on Monday, painting a big picture of the threats facing our home brewing industry. That's brought others in the blogosphere into the debate here, here and here.Now, as bloggers, my feeling is that we have a somewhat intense and narrow focus on beer, for different reasons. I'm not in the business, but I like my

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-27761765978691864682011-03-05T12:21:00.004Z2011-03-05T12:44:42.024Z

To Bermondsey to buy some bottles of beer, where I learn that London micro and 2010 Boggle Award winner Kernel Brewing has picked up the award for best bottled beer at the 2011 SIBA National Competition.They won Gold and Bronze back in the summer of 2010 at the regional competition, for Export Stout and Simcoe IPA respectively, and it was the Export Stout which went forward for judging against

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-20404946292505498622011-02-25T18:08:00.006Z2011-02-26T08:21:30.054Z

So, the previous post about big-dick bullying of smaller brewers by multinational megaliths shook loose a mysterious message from a US correspondent concerning PepsiCo.My correspondent (we'll call him "Biff Boggle") referred to a relationship between PepsiCo and the giant brewing conglomorate AB Inbev, thus...Not sure many know this but Bud and Pepsi have been secretly in cahoots for a while now.

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-13212144794287361082011-02-20T17:27:00.007Z2011-02-20T18:47:20.068Z

"Do a piece" said Rabidbarfly Glyn Roberts. He's highlighting the spat between global drinks monolith Diageo and Lovibonds Brewery of Henley, over the use of the number 69. Seems Diageo think that drinkers will somehow be confused if they see Lovibonds 69 IPA, and think that in fact, they are consuming Diageo's VAT 69 'brand' Scotch whisky. I'd be inclined to credit people with more sense, but I

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-83604046450946377322011-02-16T14:29:00.004Z2011-02-16T16:40:52.026Z

To the Euston Tap, where BrewDog have commandeered the upstairs area to host a launch of their new limited range of single-hop IPAs. Our host, BrewDog's own south of England Duffman ("oh yeah!") is Tom 'The Cad' Cadden.The brewery's bold proclamations and often irritating promotional flights of fancy have provoked a well-documented and lengthy sigh of exasperation on the interwebs (Martyn Cornell

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-24491192274722053282011-02-13T08:41:00.006Z2011-02-13T08:55:24.209Z

It seems a few people were upset by my treatment of the main beer fanboy ticker websites in my previous post. Seems I was very harsh on RB and BA in blasting the latest antics Stateside. Of course, this was never my intention, and I therefore pledge in future to be more scrupulous about apportioning responsibility for the behaviour of spoogebeerian collectives who take extreme measures to tick

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-17136807178341794052011-02-09T08:55:00.003Z2011-02-09T09:14:47.362Z

I'm looking at you, HateBeer and TwatAdvocate. Natalie Cilurzo of Russian River relates the latest sorry episode of spoogebeerian gaming the system...Pliny The Younger on EBAY - Seriously?I've seen comments in threads on your pages where members who couldn't get to the brewpub were offering fervent wishes that maybe some of the 2011 batch of Pliny The Younger might be smuggled out and passed

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-67484950844238612562011-01-21T14:00:00.005Z2011-01-21T14:35:58.323Z

I see that Zak Avery has followed Adrian Tierney-Jones in writing positively about the Meantime College Beer Club in return for a bottle of their first beer. A loyal reader (I think there's one of them) might recall I asked who this club was for a while back, offering as it does some kind of colour-supplement lifestyle proposition as part of the package.I still don't know, but am interested in

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-37658491318705766982011-01-12T11:58:00.006Z2011-01-12T12:42:17.206Z

To The Rake for the Sunday launch of Kernel's new 6.8% Black IPA, a beer brewed with the input of Rake manager and blogosphere champion caner for January, Glyn "Igor" Roberts.A good mix of brewers, regulars and bloggers were in attendance. I include the usual 'pap' shot of Young DredgeThe event attracted a good mix of regulars, tickers, bloggers and brewers, and the first firkin kicked within

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-36262737298327821842010-12-31T18:14:00.002Z2010-12-31T19:48:32.033Z

The following piece was published almost exactly five years ago today in the New York Times... FOR the last nine years, the Blind Tiger Ale House on Hudson Street in the West Village was one of the best places for New York's beer lovers to be on New Year's Eve. But last night, its doors were locked. The wee hours of Dec. 29 marked the end of an era - the last pint was poured at the Tiger... The

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-85404550264629977722010-12-28T20:52:00.002Z2010-12-28T20:55:05.915Z

(I'd have posted a reply on the blog, but since you upgraded, I can't leave comments)A beautiful piece of work. Got me dribbling. But you don't say where the unblessed can buy it. Give us a clue...

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-61720168172042836412010-12-24T09:05:00.004Z2010-12-24T09:37:09.857Z

Highly-regarded Californian brewer Russian River has upset members of the beer trading community by announcing their programme for sales of seasonal Double IPA Pliny The Elder in 2011.If you were reading back in the Spring, you'd have seen that a 'growler' (64 US fl. oz. container) of the stuff made it here. RRBC launch the beer each year saying it should last "longer than a day, but less than a

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-63400163571608865262010-12-18T18:51:00.003Z2010-12-18T19:46:04.096Z

I don't have the budget or the engagement in the wider beer scene to be able to put together something like the impressive 'Golden Pint Awards' trailed on Young Dredgie's page. But I did want to recognise some good experiences in the London beer scene, so I've designed the "Boggle Awards", which are awarded in four categories:Best London Brewer - Kernel BrewingBest London Pub - The Harp, Chandos

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-3635034612288582632010-12-11T13:52:00.004Z2010-12-11T14:56:06.535Z

I don't get too much spam as a result of writing this blog. The occasional request to publish feeds from trade recruitment companies, or some PR trying to generate some excitement over a beer-naming competition for Butlins. I expect the 'opinion-formers' of our community are pestered more. Still, the odd interesting email turns up. I fished a couple of missives out of the spam box this week

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-4603008146509342612010-12-09T18:53:00.002Z2010-12-09T18:56:48.826Z

Oddsmakers predict that, at the moment, Evil Emperor Simon Cowell will likely be pushed for Xmas Number One by either Surfin' Bird by The Trashmen (thanks to repeated exposure on Family Guy over the past couple of years) or the celeb-performed 'Cage Against The Machine' gimmick release of John Cage's 4' 33".While I quite like the idea of X-Fucktor being beaten by four-and-a-half minutes of

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-65157578380725376102010-12-07T16:44:00.006Z2010-12-07T18:07:07.796Z

This morning, your correspondent was at London's excellent Kernel Brewery, as Rake manager and Rabid Barfly Glyn Roberts embarked on another brewing adventure, this time swapping the valleys of Wales for the backstreets of Bermondsey.Our host was the affable Evin O'Rioirdain, who in less than a year has built a formidable portfolio of bottled beers and a brilliantly simple yet effective brand.

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-83326813362257867102010-12-05T17:39:00.006Z2010-12-05T18:49:10.750Z

In a week or so, we'll have some sub-pub singer at the top of the pop charts, courtesy of the Grinch Who Stole Christmas No. 1, pop impresario and freak-wrangler Simon Cowell.But it doesn't have to be like that. Next Sunday, 12th December, Cherry Red Records are releasing Frank Sidebottom's "Christmas Is Really Fantastic" on download via iTunes and Amazon, in the hope that his fans will end the

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-87126721654161321892010-12-02T19:54:00.003Z2010-12-02T20:38:44.479Z

Then have a look here for the next few days. A Thousand Beer Vouchers American! For a bottle of beer!Story from the shadowy Beer Underground is that this beer was very nice on release some five years or so back. Locals knowing it was a one-off anniversary brew (Sarah Palin?), bought up a few cases, and have been slowly dripping it into the spooge beer pool as tradebait. The seller in this case

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-8862379284238836842010-11-27T15:47:00.004Z2010-11-27T16:25:03.233Z

Bloke called Shakespeare wrote that. I looked it up. Apparently he's big with the GCSE English crowd. I had to look it up because I'm stupid.I want to focus on the rose part, as that's a metaphor sometimes used to describe the radiant fragrant flowers of English Womanhood. Well, this week, I had a rare opportunity to see out last orders at a bar (my favourite London Beer Bar, as it happens), and

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-37243582367456349622010-11-23T19:31:00.003Z2010-11-23T19:57:10.778Z

(Sorry. Hehe)A regular reader (who isn't a Frank Sidebottom fan) might recall me getting all giddy with excitement over the prospects for London beer and brewing following the London Brewers' Showcase in September of this year. And so it comes to pass, with a couple of new venues establishing themselves, and a madeover pub taking the bull by the horns and offering its own London Beer Week. The

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-4583016207116945472010-11-17T14:01:00.003Z2010-11-17T14:44:16.262Z

Tickerific Tampa, FL brewer Cigar City Brewing (CCB) will be at New York's excellent Blind Tiger Ale House this evening, premiering over 20 kegs of their beers for the first time. Top man Joey Redner has decided to travel up and meet the punters, and while he's there I imagine he might have an interesting chat with the BT folks about how to deal with hostile local politicians.It seems that a

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-89189646409542896592010-11-16T14:27:00.007Z2010-11-17T17:38:18.769Z

Here's the third* of Greene King's newspaper ads promoting their pubs. As I mentioned here, they have built the campaign around responses to a survey..."But Sidney," you may reason, "everybody knows pubs sell beer. This is a chance for GK to attract new trade by offering an experience that isn't beer-centric." You might have a point. Personally, I think they have a subconscious fear that punters

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-9574666652950676192010-11-11T14:42:00.007Z2010-11-11T15:29:21.330Z

The ripples from Pete Brown's recent reflections on draught beer dispense have widened and observers such as Rabid Barfly, Zythophile and Barm have entered the debate.Zythophile contextualises the CAMRA viewpoint, and to me that's quite important, since CAMRA has defined the debate for many years with a general tendency to define cask beer both by what it is, and by what it's not, which was

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-34607549924661628132010-11-08T11:57:00.004Z2010-11-08T12:32:47.896Z

One of the effects of having been a colonial power are the ties that remain in place after the trappings of Empire have been cut away. These ties take many forms, and inform our history, society, economy and culture more than we know.Take New Zealand. We are taught that Britain conquered Everest. One of our finest post-War achievements, but the first man up, Sir Edmund Hillary, was a Kiwi. When

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-3203651501263814652010-11-05T09:17:00.004Z2010-11-05T10:54:35.520Z

Erin Thompson. Who she? She's the Head of Window Display & Merchandising at Selfridges, and it's her 2010 Christmas windows in Oxford Street and their misappropriation of Frank Sidebottom's image, that provoked the shitstorm which led to this blog receiving as much traffic in one weekend than its had since I started it. The story helped to compel an apology and "donation" to Chris Sievey's estate

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-56374998173546375542010-11-01T19:41:00.005Z2010-11-02T08:44:47.716Z

As I reported on Saturday, the swell of disquiet over Selfridges' apparently unauthorised use of Chris Sievey's Frank Sidebottom likeness built into a perfect storm that breached the media dam by Monday morning.The story has all the right ingredients: a big company riding roughshod over the little man; an online community of offended and willing fans ready to mobilise; a celebrity (Jon Ronson

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-80141453324256295572010-10-30T19:06:00.010+01:002010-10-30T19:48:21.248+01:00

Each year, "Top Peoples' Shop" Selfridges (sorry, I don't know what a "Top Person" is) gets a lot of media play over their Christmas window displays. This year, with a theme of play, they invite customers and passers-by to reconnect with their inner child, lighting up their storefront all along Oxford Street with a riot of colour and cleverness based on Christmas Day in a dolls' house.So far, so

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-25140470744942370562010-10-28T14:01:00.003+01:002010-10-28T15:05:30.095+01:00

...the UK may have its first clone brewery! Yes, folks, say hullo to Kent Brewery, a new start-up in the Garden of England. I say start-up, as the business is caught up in a planning dispute which has delayed their setting up in a permanent home. While they work with their prospective neighbours and the local authority, they are keeping their hands in with the help of a neighbouring brewer, said

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-44085722287540474662010-10-25T12:24:00.007+01:002010-10-25T12:47:54.799+01:00

Greene King has launched a series of ads for press and TV, following a survey they commissioned asking punters what they thought made up the 'proper pub'.I saw these two in yesterday's Observer...There will be a series of six of these ads, picking up some of the popular responses from the survey. I could only find these two online, so I'm guessing the campaign will be refreshed by releasing the

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-70865818657531221122010-10-20T17:48:00.004+01:002010-10-20T18:10:27.978+01:00

The news today is that our beloved leader "CallMeDave" Cameron gifted bottles of Fullers London Pride to each of 'Los 33', the Chilean miners who were trapped underground for 69 days until last week. In return, Chilean President Sebastian Piñera gave 'Dave' a lump of rock from the floor of the cave.A couple of things occurred to me. While CAMRA were delighted that Dave had finally 'got it' with

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-52165902902186166072010-10-14T14:37:00.004+01:002010-10-14T15:12:24.842+01:00

A delicious tale of spoofery and angst reaches me from The World Of Spooge. The normally reliable Beernews.org site carried news of a beer launch from the well-regarded and ticker-targeted Captain Lawrence brewery of Pleasantville NY. Reading from a press release purportedly from founder Scott Vaccaro, the site informed readers of the launch of several highly-desirable beers.The 'news' was posted

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-43304419327395807372010-10-13T16:21:00.009+01:002010-10-13T18:21:26.111+01:00

In the first part of this article, I set the scene and wrote about some of the pubs located around Kennington Cross. Thanks to local blogger The SE11 Lurker for linking to part 1. If you're a Kennington resident and found your way here via his blog, I'm interested in getting your non-'beer geek' perspective on the local pubs - the beer (especially handpulled cask beer), the prices, the clientele.

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-34482131630483709972010-10-09T14:13:00.011+01:002010-10-13T18:23:48.065+01:00

Probably not, actually. But I've been musing on some of the commentary which followed the publication of the latest Report. Target markets for cask, premium pricing, exclusion of non-cask consumers, have all been fermenting in my noggin. To test some of these points, I thought I'd have a stroll around my neighbourhood, and see what's what in the local pubs.I live in Kennington in South London.

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-20478955571865912852010-10-02T14:11:00.008+01:002010-10-02T14:43:42.335+01:00

One of the things I like about many US brewers is their sense of place and their support for the communities they sell beer in. Not just by the act of brewing and selling beer, but by embedding themselves in the life of the community.So it is that, each October, Russian River Brewing Co of Santa Rosa CA, supports Breast Cancer Awareness Month by raising money for a local womens' health centre in

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-40682964240868306912010-09-30T19:45:00.007+01:002010-09-30T20:53:49.736+01:00

A couple of weeks back, I was having a pint in the pub. As is my wont, I was belly-up to the bar, supping on a well-kept Dark Star APA.To my left, a couple of middle-aged ladies in red cagoules were sipping halves of Guinness. As I drank, I was aware my neighbours were aiming to order another beer. They were German, from Berlin, unfamiliar with 'our' beer but keen to learn, and wanted something

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-78642763229043441682010-09-20T19:45:00.009+01:002010-09-21T08:20:26.677+01:00

I'd previously referred to the nascent London Brewers Alliance. Being based in London, with a finger on the pulse of the beer scene, the good blogger has been tracking the development of this initiative, and indeed it has been subject to a good deal of interest in the trade. I, on the other hand, found out about it when I tried to send prime mover Phil Lowry a birthday greeting via Facebook.Phil

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-75188129884006306662010-09-16T13:24:00.008+01:002010-09-16T15:51:42.634+01:00

To The Rake for the UK launch of the Texels range of beers from The Netherlands. I'd previously participated in a tasting panel which sampled the full bottled range from the brewer, and lo, it has come to pass that Utobeer have agreed to distribute them, and their draught counterparts, in this country.Interestingly for a Dutch brewery, they haven't looked to Belgium for inspiration, but rather

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-58302175176849185982010-09-10T20:07:00.007+01:002010-09-10T20:52:42.253+01:00

Thus spake Brendan Moylan, owner of the eponymous brewery and restaurant in Novato, California, following the news that fellow CA brewer Tomme Arthur of Lost Abbey based in San Marcos, had filed suit contending breach of copyright over Moylan's use of a stylised Celtic Cross as a bar tap handle. Lost Abbey claims the design is too close to their own, and since they share markets, could cause

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-75822485795726563582010-09-09T14:03:00.011+01:002010-09-11T14:55:04.941+01:00

To Cask Pub & Kitchen for their latest Meet The Brewer event, featuring James Campbell and Dominic Driscoll from Manchester's highly-regarded Marble Brewery.I'd identified Marble as one of the 'Coming Wave' of new innovative British brewers in my GBBF piece, but they're no new kids on the block. The brewpub has been established for over a decade, and they've recently augmented their original

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-55090651835131099272010-08-26T18:13:00.005+01:002010-08-26T19:13:22.439+01:00

Our own Rabid Bar Fly, Glyn Roberts, has been fretting about reflecting on unkind comments about his profile pic. He pondered on having some kind of logo, but revealed he couldn't draw.Well, I can't either, but a few handy source pics off facebook and some photoshop fiddlin' about, and I hereby offer the following...There's no need for thanks Glyn. Really...

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-48172510668290044452010-08-06T09:18:00.003+01:002010-08-06T09:24:03.039+01:00

Following the giddy excitement of last month's International Brewers Day, I learn that yesterday was International Beer Day.Any takers? Anyone? No, me neither...

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-76126787411041067582010-08-05T09:31:00.012+01:002010-08-05T14:54:47.572+01:00

*With apologies to legendary scouse combo, The Wild SwansMy one day out to GBBF 2010 was the Trade Day. It's changed a lot since I first went in 2000. Then, you had a lot more trade attendees - crisp and snack sellers, hospitality trade businesses - who would check in for the Tuesday afternoon to schmooze with decision-makers then disappear like Wills o'the Wisp before Joe Cask turned up. Brewers

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-77205233308737017752010-08-02T13:49:00.004+01:002010-08-02T16:52:55.203+01:00

There is consternation amongst Britain's A-List today, as The New York Times reveals milk from cloned cows may have illegally found its way into the milk supply intended for 'ordinary people'.In the strange parallel universe populated by our beloved 21st Century Royalty, it has long been the case that unusual and special foodstuffs have been available in order to help them maintain longevity and

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-13219313145998810072010-08-01T15:45:00.005+01:002010-08-01T16:10:37.147+01:00

I was reading an interesting article this week. I offer some extracts here..."At this point I discovered that... has fans, in the same way that pop stars have fans: diligent and thankless defenders of the faith who have no truck with naysayers or unbelievers"These fans display"...a patronising superiority [that] certainly speaks of a passion that might be lauded were it not so blind."They are

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-68485429615101726352010-07-29T09:06:00.003+01:002010-07-29T09:37:53.600+01:00

There's some vibe going round about The Future Of Beer. Zak Avery over here says that the off-trade is the future, with opportunities to educate and inform, to sell enthusiastically and promote craft beer. Meanwhile, over here, Adrian Tierney-Jones offers a view on the consistency of bottle-conditioned beers, professing ambiguity about them.Boggle's view? Until we have more of our best draught

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-73664059986491394622010-07-28T09:29:00.003+01:002010-07-28T09:35:05.390+01:00

Today's Independent has a nice feature on US craft beer. Not so nice for British brewing, which they cast slightly more unfavourably than I think is the case, and I think their information on domestic market share for craft beer is a bit out of date (I have a feeling share is more around 7-8%). Still, a good read and should get the juices flowing for next week.Glyn Roberts, AKA Rabid Barfly and

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-32447152685121634822010-07-26T14:30:00.010+01:002010-07-26T14:59:02.762+01:00

I'm straying into Jay Brooks' territory, but I couldn't resist sharing this picture...(pic courtesy of David Rapoport)Vinnie Cilurzo, genius brewer at Russian River Brewing Company, happy birthday!

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-65035323286979292602010-07-19T08:16:00.001+01:002010-07-19T08:18:12.767+01:00

Apparently, yesterday was International Brewers Day.No, me neither...

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-60618706164497791252010-07-16T16:55:00.005+01:002010-07-17T08:21:18.198+01:00

A local spoogebeerian recently sidled up to me and asked if I'd been to Brew Wharf lately. Brew Wharf is/was a joint venture beer-themed restaurant near Vinopolis in Borough which opened in 2005 with its own 5-barrel plant inside the premises.I hadn't, though I was aware that the brewing plant, which had suffered several false dawns since test brewing commenced in the Autumn of 2005, was now

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-15674455945093525502010-07-11T09:33:00.003+01:002010-07-11T17:40:08.532+01:00

There's a lot of scuttlebutt doing the rounds about the Wenlock Arms.Story goes that property developers are once again interested in acquiring the site, and that an offer in excess of a million beer tokens has been put before the owners. We await developments (no pun intended...)

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-40047741895251100842010-07-07T18:02:00.003+01:002010-07-07T18:10:08.921+01:00

It's happening! iTunes are selling downloads of the 'new' Frank single Guess Who's Been On MOTD/The Robins Aren't Bobbins.This is a live version (recorded at the Reading Festival, likely in 1989) of the song he wrote to mark his appearance on an FA Cup edition of MOTD in the late 80's, while The Robins Aren't Bobbins was written when he was Altrincham FCs official mascot at around the same

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582135234038648019.post-59046653292432520122010-07-06T08:16:00.009+01:002010-07-06T14:33:02.323+01:00

Chris Sievey, creator of Frank Sidebottom, was laid to rest last Friday. Fans had raised over £20,000 to give him a decent send-off when it was revealed he'd died virtually penniless. And those same fans are committed to getting him to Number 1 in the charts and having some kind of memorial to him in the town he made famous, Timperley, a small satellite of Altrincham just off the A56.Chris Sievey

Sid Bogglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452473947039475736noreply@blogger.com1