Posted in UK, beer, pubs, smoking, travel on May 1, 2008 | 4 Comments »
Northern Ireland’s pubs and bars are facing a “bleak outlook” a year on from the smoking ban, according to the Publican.
Stephen Kelly, chief executive of the Federation of the Retail Licensed Trade Northern Ireland, said he expects the country to lose seven per cent of its pubs over the next two years.
Figures released earlier this [...]
Posted in Ireland, beer, pubs, travel on May 1, 2008 | 3 Comments »
I learned a new word when in Dublin. Well, two if you count the fact that a hooker is a fishing vessel.
The word is shebeen. There was media coverage about a splendid excample, and it was easy to understand what it was all about. I looked it up in wikipedia anyway:
Chiefly in Ireland, Scotland, South [...]
Posted in Norway, beer, brewing, craft beer on April 30, 2008 | No Comments »
While I don’t worry much about Ringnes/Carlsberg whimpering about the rising price of raw materials, the same problems are now hitting the whole industry in Noiray, according to business daily Dagens Næringsliv. (The article is not online.)
Jens Maudal at Haandbryggeriet says that the price of malt is up 45 % this year, while hops is [...]
Posted in Denmark, beer, beer marketing, brewing, craft beer, travel on April 30, 2008 | 3 Comments »
After many years of decline, the value of the Danish beer market is growing again. The volume continues to slid, but the demand for more expensive craft beers compensate for the hectoliters of Tuborg lager.
Denmark is know as a market for dedicated beer drinkers, but, as in other core countries in the beer belt, the [...]
Posted in Norway, beer, brewing, craft beer, travel on April 28, 2008 | 3 Comments »
It is funny. I manage to get myself, usually on time, to meetings and leisure activities, all across Europe. I can figure out rather cryptic airline timetables, matching decent prices with convenient schedules. But when I try to organise an excursion to Drammen, forty minutes from Oslo by train, I manage to arrive at the [...]
Posted in Ireland, beer, beer blogs, craft beer, pubs, travel on April 25, 2008 | 7 Comments »
It had to happen sooner or later. I travel a lot, and while I do not actively seek out the seedy parts of town, I sometimes stumble across them. I booked a Brussels hotel on the web focusing on the rate and proximity to the centre. It was only when I returned there in the [...]
Posted in UK, beer, craft beer, pubs, travel on April 24, 2008 | 1 Comment »
They claim that this is the smallest pub in London - the tied lease for the pub behind Marlebone station is yours for £16,900 per year.
Flowers Original and London Pride are on tap. The sort of pub you wished was at the bottom of your street, according to Fancyapint.
I don’t know if you can influence [...]
Posted in USA, beer, brewing, craft beer, pubs, travel on April 24, 2008 | No Comments »
The Washington Post has an article on wood aged beers, both the local beer from the ChopHouse restaurants and bottled beers from across the US like Stone Brewing and Dogfish Head.
Posted in Sweden, beer on April 24, 2008 | No Comments »
That’s in Sweden.
This is what happens if they close down the Swedish alcohol monopoly. According to - the Swedish alcohol monopoly.
It takes one to know one.
Presumably there will be rivers of blood, too, but they do not have the exact figures for that yet.
A brilliant blog post about this on the Reason Hit and Run blog.
Posted in Ireland, beer, beer blogs, brewing, craft beer, pubs, travel on April 24, 2008 | 1 Comment »
When I was told I had a business meeting in Dublin, I was not hard to convince. There are direct flights, the taxi drivers are friendly, there are good beers to be had if you know where to find them.
Since my last visit two years ago, it seems the micro movement has evolved further, and [...]
