United Kingdom
British food & drink writer and photographer. Author of '50 Years of CAMRA', the Best Beer Book in the World 2022.
It's not just the designated drivers - more Brits than ever are expected to go alcohol-free, at least some of the time, this Christmas. Whether it's to swerve the crippling hangover, to drop a few calories or simply to maintain an abstemious lifestyle into the new year, the nation's drinking habits are changing.
Assistant brewer Chris carefully and methodically fills bottles with a crisp pale ale using a simple machine. He gently passes the bottles to his colleague Michaela, who is ready with a manual capping tool. She is absorbed in the task, carefully sanitizing new caps before lining up the bottles to stamp on a lid.
"I like beer. I just really like beer," Steve Dunkley, Beer Nouveau's founder and sole proprietor, tells me. If you're lucky enough to visit Steve, it's best to forget everything you think you know about the history of beer.
How to spend your beer money with more ethical, sustainable and responsible businesses.
In the latest addition to our consuming passions series, Laura Hadland (drinks writer and author of 50 Years of CAMRA: Celebrating 50 years of the Campaign for Real Ale) celebrates the dark mysteries of stout, the style of beer made famous by Guinness, whose rich and smooth flavour makes it a beverage with a vast range of culinary possibilities.
Will ever be such a thing as an unmistakably British wheat beer?
Audio Description Login here to listen to the audio description Real ale fans were saddened to hear of the forthcoming closure of Manchester's Beer Nouveau (pictured). Though Steve Dunkley's popular tap is no more, the story is not yet over under the railway arch at 75 North Western Street.
They used to be a feature on almost every residential corner-but corner shop numbers are in decline. Can the tradition be saved? With more than 46,000 convenience stores in the UK, we could be forgiven for thinking there truly is one on every corner.
Despite brewing having historic roots as a female-led occupation, women have struggled to gain a foothold in the industry in recent generations. But a new wave of women is helping to turn the tide internationally. They are brewers, industry figureheads, and beacons for professionals and consumers alike.
Buying from local producers is a sustainable and delicious way to top up your larder. We're all used to supporting bakers, cheesemakers and farmers on our doorstep, but do you get your wine from UK makers too? The renaissance in English wine is well and truly underway.