18th Annual , Denmead Community Centre, Sat 29th Oct 2016 As the only event of its type within staggering distance of my house, I’ve been going to the Denmead Beer Festival for years. It’s a fairly typical setup – a variety of beers, classic and new, local and distant, plus grub (hot dogs, burgers, roast…

Emsworth Brewhouse Flotilla (500ml, 4.4% ABV) Very new, very local and very green. That would be a good way to describe the Emsworth Brewhouse, a new, award-winning business which features a solar powered brewery and zero emission delivery of its products. It’s the brainchild of Grant Thomas, who works at IBM and has graduated from…

  Brewhouse & Kitchen Brewery Experience Day (Part 2), Portsmouth, £85, 10:00-17:00 Fri or Sat Read part 1 here. The fact is, I have to drive home at the end of the day, so I sadly refuse some offers of ‘a bit more beer’. Oli uses a laptop and some software to keep tabs on…

  Southampton Airport.  Priority Lounge customers at Southampton Airport are now in for a local treat whilst they wait to board their flight. Bottles of Old Dick,Skew, Liberation or Land of Hop and Glory are on offer among a range of other local refreshments. Like Suthwyk Ales,  it has an important heritage of it’s own. In 1936 the first test flight of the Supermarine Spitfire took place at the airport, making the Liberation and Land of Hop & Glory ales an appropriate fit. Unlimited WiFi, refreshments, comfortable seating, high chairs  and desks, laptop and mobile charge points are available for all Priority Lounge customers.  http://www.southamptonairport.com/

Brewhouse & Kitchen Brewery Experience Day (Part 1), Portsmouth, £85, 10:00-17:00 Fri or Sat Brewhouse & Kitchen is a chain of pubs that brew their own beer on the premises. They also offer a Brewery Experience Day in which you can get your hands dirty and assist them in brewing up a batch. Sounds good…

Hammerpot Ripa Black IPA (500ml, 5.0% ABV) The Hammerpot Brewery is located east of Arundel and has been brewing beer since 2005. Rather than aiming at the traditional English market, or making newer American style beers, they sort of do both, with some Aussie influence thrown in for good measure. I’ve long been a fan of their…

The Golden Lion, Southwick Something a bit different this time: a pub review! After all, where better to find beer than in its natural habitat? From the Southwick Brewhouse you can’t fail to spot the Golden Lion, given that the two share a car park. In the interest of a fair review, Helen and I…

  Skinner’s Hops ‘n’ Honey (500ml, 4.0% ABV) Hello, I’m Bob the Bearded Bee! That’s me, just below the logo of Skinner’s Hops ‘n’ Honey. You think I’m looking a bit forlorn? You’re not wrong – I’m the hardest working bee in the whole of the hive. And yet, despite all my efforts, no one’s…

Red Cat Contemplation American Brown Ale (500ml, 4.7% ABV) Brown. It’s not the most inspiring colour, is it? Wouldn’t you prefer a golden or ruby ale, or something else named after some precious material? Why drink brown? For the same reason you’d eat chocolate or freshly baked bread – taste. Give me great-tasting sludge over…

Hunter’s Black Jack Stout (500ml, 6.0% ABV) In my very first beer review, I made a jocular reference to an exploding stout. Well, it had to happen sooner or later … To be fair, Hunter’s Black Jack doesn’t so much explode as rush up the neck of the bottle at me with a foamy tentacle. A…