What is the one thing you'd like to tell visitors to the Guild's website?
I am a freelance writer, author and photographer. I am currently the CAMRA Campaigner of the Year for my work around pub protection and the promotion of cask ale through my writing and tasting events. My work has been recognised with a number of awards, including Best Beer Book in the World for ’50 Years of CAMRA’ at the Gourmand Awards 2022. Find details of my portfolio online – I am available for commissions and projects.
What you can offer as a writer/beer lover?
I love beer because of the people it brings me into contact with – passionate brewers, dedicated publicans, and enthusiastic regulars. I act as a champion for the small businesses that make our beer industry so wonderful, especially those who are doing everything in their power to act sustainably, ethically and transparently.
I despair when we are told that Britain has no food culture, because our heritage in beer is unsurpassed. I am proud to offer an evocative insight into flavours, innovation and fantastic stories, reflecting on our brewing past and looking forward to the future of our industry. I do this in writing, and in person, by leading tasting events and giving talks.
The Campaign for Real Ale is pleased to announce the publication of 50 years of CAMRA, celebrating the first 50 years of the campaign. Written by beer writer Laura Hadland, the book is full of first hand accounts from members and volunteers and details some of the highs and lows of a campaigning organisation that has been championing consumers, pubs and breweries for half a century.
The ubiquitous Irish stout, Guinness, has reported a 24 per cent rise in female drinkers, according to Debra Crew, the chief executive of its parent company Diageo. The brand finally seems to be shaking off its ‘rugby lad’ image and is becoming more accessible to women. But how has this astonishing drinker increase been achieved?
I placed my order at the bar of the Malt Shovel and publican Brad invited me to take a seat.
“I’ll bring your drinks over in a second,” he said. “I’ve just got to see Ray to his taxi.”
It’s Thursday lunchtime and the Telford pub has only been open for 30 minutes, but already 96-year-old Ray has enjoyed his pint and is heading back home. Brad walks him out to the car park and makes sure he is comfortably seated in his ride home.
Ray has made a point of coming in today. Word has got around that the Malt Shovel’s final cask of Pedigree is on the bar. It’s hard to overstate what an important part of the pub’s identity this beer is.
In 2017, renowned beer writer and historian Martyn Cornell boldly proclaimed, “No, Heineken, the alcohol free beer market is NOT going to double in the next four years.”
He was sort of right. According to the Financial Times, writing in 2022, it only actually nearly doubled in five years.
Martyn was right to be cynical. When he was writing, we were just seeing the first embryonic glimpses of brilliance in the alcohol free beer world. An exciting glimmer of what was to come. But now the quality is there, and NOLO drinks are being hailed as one of the UK’s most dynamic markets.