July 2026. Keighley. I could paint you two very different pictures of Keighley. One one hand, one of the UK’s scruffiest towns, litter down every street, laundry hung up across side roads, a virtual absence of vibrant independent trade. The old story of a once affluent mill town without a mill. And a town centre… Continue reading TOP TOPING IN THE TIMOTHY TAYLOR TAP
Tag: Craft beer
GOING LOW IN NEEPSEND SOCIAL CLUB
July 2026. Kelham. Sheffield. I know jealousy is a terrible thing, but I really am jealous of Simon’s frenetic progress towards completion of the Beer Guide. It’s not always fun, and BRAPA has the really scary stuff still to come (probably in a boat in a storm near Sark), but nothing gives you that adrenaline… Continue reading GOING LOW IN NEEPSEND SOCIAL CLUB
TOO HOT FOR PUB GARDENS, TOO HOT FOR CASK ?
July 2026. Sheffield. It’s that time of year again, when local newspapers, even the subscription ones without clickbait, send reporters out to find your city’s top beer gardens, and invite comments from folk who like to reminisce about “The Good Old Days“. I subscribe to Sheffield’s Tribune, which has good if often grim journalism, and… Continue reading TOO HOT FOR PUB GARDENS, TOO HOT FOR CASK ?
THE PROBLEM WITH TOMATO GOSE
June 2026. Yerevan. Armenia. Just the hour late, our tour bus returned to its slot opposite the Yerevan Opera House just past 7, and we turned down tickets for Sleeping Beauty just to bring you reports on the craft bar scene. We’ve found clusters of “authentic” craft beer bars all over eastern Europe and into… Continue reading THE PROBLEM WITH TOMATO GOSE
AN EPIC TREK TO THE UNOFFICIAL GYUMRI BREWERY TAP
June 2026. Gyumri. Armenia. Too hot to blog last night, a week ago in northern Armenia it was too hot to go trudging round back streets and scrubland in 33 degrees, but I always accept a challenge from my mate ChatGPT. “Given your track record, I wouldn’t be surprised if by Thursday you’re telling me… Continue reading AN EPIC TREK TO THE UNOFFICIAL GYUMRI BREWERY TAP
OUR BIG SIBIU CRAFT DAY
May 2026. Sibiu. Central Romania. A couple of nights in one of Transylvania’s top tourist towns, which normally means you ensure you can visit all the best pubs. But in this case it meant we left the highly recommended St Andrews Scottish pub till the Monday, only to find it “closed !“, despite that wide… Continue reading OUR BIG SIBIU CRAFT DAY
CHECKING OUT KELHAM IN ADVANCE OF THE AMERICAN INVASION
March 2026. Sheffield. Back from Driffield in triumph, East Yorkshire GBG complete, I find Mrs RM in full-on “Operation Yank Invasion” mode, with a list of jobs to make the house ready for Chicago guests (not Dick and Barb) last weekend. Saturday night had been earmarked for a Curated Exploration of Kelham Island Public Houses,… Continue reading CHECKING OUT KELHAM IN ADVANCE OF THE AMERICAN INVASION
STUBBORN TICKING
February 2026. Timperley. Greater Manchester. At Sunday School we used to sing “Jesus wants me for a Sunbeam“. No, not the Wolverhampton pub serving 9am pints of Abbot, Paul. I guess I’ve maintained that positive outlook on life, finding the best in everyone and everything. Even Maidenhead. But that relentless positivity is occasionally tested by… Continue reading STUBBORN TICKING
LETCHWORTH GOES “CRAFTY”
February 2026. Letchworth Garden City. If you can’t be bothered to read the next week’s deluge of posts, here’s the spoiler: Letchworth was really good, with a great variety of drinking establishments (I’ll let CAMRA debate whether they’re “pubs”). Start onLeys Avenue, the main shopping street; there’s a rambling furniture shop called Martin’s (clearance sale… Continue reading LETCHWORTH GOES “CRAFTY”
CHECKING OUT POTENTIAL LOCALS IN STOCKPORT
February 2026. Stockport. Hah ! Clickbait. Not a new local for me, though Mrs RM is already tired of Sheffield as our house has a garden that she now regrets buying. Why can’t you make an increased offer to buy a property without a garden. Youngest lad Matthew is looking to leave the rents of… Continue reading CHECKING OUT POTENTIAL LOCALS IN STOCKPORT
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