On Friday 14th August 2020, I went out for a pint, an event that was once so mundane but now a radical move in a world gone mad. There was anxiety, fear, and a questioning of everything. There were rules to follow. But, at the end of it all was beer, lovely beer.

Where did I go, I hear you ask. Well, being from Belfast and having zero faith in our own local government, I took a short hop over the Irish Sea for a quick socially distant embrace of the Glasgow craft beer scene. The city seems to have itself in order. READ MORE

Pales, Trains & Pub Crawl Ideals – Best Craft Beer Venues in North England

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Northern Monk Refectory Manchester - Hit the North Neon

On a recent episode of one of my favourite beer podcasts, Hopinions, the show focused on the concept of a fantasy pub crawl – they picked eight pubs or bars that they would visit in one trip if time and money was no obstacle. This got me thinking… I was struggling to limit myself to just eight as they did on their worldwide fantasy pub crawl.

I expanded my selection to ten whilst also limiting my drinking zone to the north of England. I think it makes my route somewhat plausible though it may take an overnight stay at some point. READ MORE

30th April 2019

The Best Craft Beer & Quirky Bars in Soho, London

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We’re just back from a fun, beer and gin-fuelled weekend in London. As part of the trip, we spent an afternoon checking out the bustling west end streets of Soho and its eclectic mix of places to eat and drink. Our recommendations are listed below so if you intend to spend some time in Soho soon, we’ve got you covered!

29th November 2018

Northern Monk Refectory, Manchester – A Peek Inside the new Taproom

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Northern Monk Refectory Manchester - Outside

Following a successful crowd-funding venture at the beginning of the year, Northern Monk opened their Manchester Refectory on 29th September. We visited Manchester’s sunny Northern Quarter recently to check it out.

If you know Manchester and you know craft beer, you’ll almost certainly know Port Street Beer House and it just so happens that the new Refectory bar has opened just around the corner on Tariff Street, in the space previously occupied by Kosmonaut. READ MORE

7th June 2018

Craft Beer in Kilkenny – City Guide: Best Bars, Taprooms & Bottle Shops

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Kilkenny has a rich brewing history, most famously known as the home of Ireland’s oldest beer… no, not Guinness… Smithwick’s! The Smithwick’s brewery was founded here in 1710 – acquired by Guinness in 1965, production finally ceased in Kilkenny in 2013. The old brewery is now the home of the Smithwick’s Experience, a tourist attraction.

There’s more to beer in Kilkenny than Smithwick’s though – and as one of our favourite places in Ireland, we’ve listed the best beer spots below…