Beer Compurgation

"The downfall of being a great beer lover and enthusiast is a tendency to hoard. Nobody I know is as guilty of this as I. As such, I’ve come to realise in recent months that I really need to start working through my already sizeable bottle stock before purchasing anything else this year, if for no other reason than to try the beers I’ve spent my money on whilst they’re still at their best. Added to this is the realisation over the last few months – based on certain depressive life situations – that life is too short not to drink the great beers I have available to me. I also need to find new encouragement and inspiration to write again. I have never wanted this to be a beer review blog (with the exception of Advent) but all the above factors have led me to begin a series of “Stock Clearance” posts where I drink beers within my hoard that really need drinking for reasons that will be explained." "I shall further clarify that my beer hoard started to grow around the t

This isn’t beer related, but this is my platform and I will continue to use it as I see fit. I’m not going to give regular updates on how I’m doing or my condition after I opened up about my depression and anxiety. It wouldn’t be beneficial to any of us, but I was overwhelmed by some of the initial response to that post and did feel a degree of release and freedom having put that into the ether. I’ve sought further help and I am currently on anxiety controlling (yes, a type of anti-depressant) tablets that have odd side effects but seemingly short term benefits. As well as giving me a couple of hours a day of random, endorphin-fuelled, unbridled joy, they’ve also made me a little numb at times to consequences or feelings. It’s not exactly what I wanted, and financially this new found recklessness isn’t favourable, but I’ve decided to embrace it for a period that I feel I need medication. Seeing the world through consequence-free eyes is a little satisfying and freeing. Of cou

It’s a crusade. I’ve long been a crusader. But it isn’t just a crusade – it’s the big divide between my two worlds. I have always been the awkward one. I’ve always been the beer enthusiast since before I could legally drink. Yet, I’ve also always been the party boy who loves a good, big night out more than most. I was the student who didn’t want the “pound-a-pint” Carling in the student bars. I was the student who ignored the student drinks offers in clubs when he spotted Goose Island available for 4 times the price. I was the student who started nights out in Mr. Foley’s rather than the SU. But still, I was the student who was there for EVERY night out and had stories to tell and forgotten memories to recall. I’ve written about my conflicts before. My love for having a good time without worrying about the hops was written about Blackpool and the Ale Trail. My love for football as well as good beer was written (poorly looking back) at the time of Euro 2012 . So last week I went o

"The downfall of being a great beer lover and enthusiast is a tendency to hoard. Nobody I know is as guilty of this as I. As such, I’ve come to realise in recent months that I really need to start working through my already sizeable bottle stock before purchasing anything else this year, if for no other reason than to try the beers I’ve spent my money on whilst they’re still at their best. Added to this is the realisation over the last few months – based on certain depressive life situations – that life is too short not to drink the great beers I have available to me. I also need to find new encouragement and inspiration to write again. I have never wanted this to be a beer review blog (with the exception of Advent) but all the above factors have led me to begin a series of “Stock Clearance” posts where I drink beers within my hoard that really need drinking for reasons that will be explained." "I shall further clarify that my beer hoard started to grow around the t

I wrote most of these notes last week at the time of finding the information. I’ve been exhaustingly busy since then to publish them but have reviewed them and felt they are still worth putting out there. Sometimes you find out odd nuggets of information when you are least expecting them. Take a quick trip after work to the Britannia Inn, Mossley for example. The pub is a decent little community pub that has always offered up to six ales for as long as I’ve visited. In recent years, these ale offerings have been dominated by macro traditional beers such as Well’s Bombardier and, the house favourite, Marston’s Burton Bitter. The choice of beer is hampered by the usual problem with the company that owns the pub. In this case, the Britannia Inn is controlled by Admiral Taverns . The pub changed licensee last year and has been consistent with its beer since. Though the range on offer often feels unimaginative, the beer is conditioned excellently and is a pub where you can taste s