Cheaper cider on the way?

Just when I get the taste for cider, a record crop has been announced which should (and I say should) see cheaper prices for the product.
Funnily enough, sales of Magners have slumped amid competition from other brands and changing fashions. If you are drinking cider, it’s worth seeking out the real stuff as opposed to the likes of anything [...]

Will beer crash?

Filled with despair, I jumped into the (soon to be repossessed) car and drove for the beach with the idea of driving into the sea and not stopping until I joined Frodo and Igglepiggle in the Western lands.
I abandoned the plan when confronted with the monstrous £3 charge to park on the sands and a [...]

Beer prices rise again

Ale to go up 10p a pint, lager 3p, reports the Telegraph. The British Pub Association say that the £4 pint will be with us soon. We may as well all move to Sweden.

Manchester, The Rev and me

Manchester and the Reverend Horton Heat in concert turned out to be a great trip for the wrong reasons.
The Rev sucked. I’ve never been so disappointed in a gig in my life. After a solid start, the psychobilly kings decided to do a “journey through the history of music” playing covers by Black Sabbath and, at one point, [...]

Tokyo or bust

Scottish nannies are attacking Brewdog’s new 12%abv Tokyo beer. Chief loony and chairman of Scottish Health Action group, Dr Bruce Ritson, warned that the beer would have “devastating consequences” for Scottish health. This is not the first time that BrewDog has been attacked.
The SD once again asks what planet people such as the good doctor [...]

Camra beer night

The Baron’s bar is offering all real ales at £1.50 a pint tomorrow (Tuesday May 6) to all members of Camra who can search through their kitchen drawers and find a valid membership card.
That’s a choice of 11 beer-festival beers served in peak condition for £1.50 a freakin pint. Amazing value in these cut-throat days.
I’d [...]

Back on the binge

Back to Southport’s pubs after my Lenten sojourn, my crawl was boosted by a range of locally produced ales.
I was welcomed like the prodigal son by lovely staff at the Guest House and ordered a Natterjack Bitter by the Southport Brewery.
In my opinion, this has always been the weakest of the micro’s brews and our [...]

Industry blasts budget raid on alcohol – updated

Drinkers are reeling from a huge increase on alcohol duty in the budget. I will be posting reaction as I get it.
In a nutshell, beer, wine, cider and spirits are all going up in price, with duties rising 2% above inflation each year for the next four years after an immediate 6% above inflation rise. 
This means that beer goes up [...]

Budget 2008 for drinkers as it happens

12.28pm BBC interviews Big Brother contestant and racist celebrity Jade Goody while PM questions continues. She begs Chancellor Alistair Darling to increase tax on alcohol to put an end to “boozy Britain”.
12.31pm Chancellor stood up at 12.31pm. Said he would deliver a budget of “fairness and stability”.
1.14pm A tax on plastic bags if shops don’t bring charges [...]

Budget vigil

The British Beer and Pub Association explain why taxing alcohol tomorrow would be a bad idea, but it is too late, the sums are already done, the speech already written.
I wonder what the reaction will be tomorrow. Even the Daily Mail, which has been filled with calls for action on binge drinking, predicts a big [...]