Beer Compurgation

I'd like to talk to you about your actions outside of work. You might take your dog for a walk. People own dogs so do things with them but it can't be because they want to. You might go for a run or play a sport. People do physical activities for exercise but, again, I'm not sure they should be enjoying it. You might stay in and watch a few episodes of that television series you are enjoying. You might do some baking. Maybe you like baking. You might crochet. You might garden. You might order a takeaway. You might go to the local pub. You might do some homework with your child. You might see a neighbour. You might go to your evening Spanish language class. You might have a beer. Ah, that's what I'm here to talk to you about. That beer you might be having. Nobody should be making rational, human decisions themselves. It is disgraceful. You might be thinking about having beers. You like beers. You know the type of beers... ...

WE ARE STAYING UP!  It is Sunday the 13 th March 2018. There is glorious sunshine overhead. The gilet is becoming more of a regrettable choice of jacket by the second. There is a twenty-five minute walk ahead of me; the same twenty-five minute walk I’ve been making at approximately 2.30pm on every other Saturday afternoon for eleven years. My destination – the John Smith’s Stadium . My departure point – The Grove, Huddersfield. I pause by the leisure centre, an imposingly modern building that was a flat car park eleven years previous, and turn to take a photograph, probably for the first time on this walk. For I will return to the John Smith’s Stadium again in August, but I can’t be certain that I can say the same for The Grove. "Out of the Blue" and Ceefax I grew up in a football family on both sides. My mother was a keen Liverpool supporter who used to be at Anfield every home game prior to becoming a parent. My father was a Huddersfield Tow...

Is your pint actually expensive?  During the recent seasonally warm bank holiday I was in a supermarket doing the big shop in preparation for two days of barbecues. For a quick purchase I placed a 12 pack of Brewdog Punk IPA into my trolley already loaded with mincemeat and four different varieties of buns, thinking that it would suffice for fridge-reaching beers. 12x330ml cans cost £13 - possibly on offer but I wasn't sure.  I hesitated, deciding whether the cost was too much, then looked around me where 12x Heineken or 12x Corona bottles of the same size came to £11 and £12 respectively. This seemed a no brainer. "Is that good value?" my partner asked, eyeing up the box now sitting atop the burger sauce.  That question occupied my thoughts for the rest of the day.  It is coming up to the tenth anniversary of the end of my student years. A love of good beer still defined me in those years, but price and availability dictated that I joined in the...