Curmudgeon - Beer & Pubs Archive - 2005

INDEX

January

Divide and Rule - the government’s plans to curb smoking in pubs are ill-informed and likely to produce perverse results

February

Genius in a Bottle - bottle-conditioned beers can be superb, but they are not real ale as such
A Niche too Far? - branding of pubs makes them less welcoming to the casual caller

March

Don't Knock It Till You Try It - ignore the doom-mongers – licensing reform will curb town-centre disorder
Lies, Damn Lies... - comparing drink prices with incomes is a dishonest use of statistics

April

The Third Way - will smaller measures persuade more women to drink beer?
No More Room at the Inn - the traditional coaching inn is a fast-vanishing part of our drinking heritage

May

Another One Bites the Dust - the loss of Jennings is bad news for choice and diversity in the beer market
Pale and Uninteresting - the current wave of “blonde” real ales is distinctly underwhelming

June

Stuffed - restaurant culture is killing the British pub

July/August

Really Good Pubs - it’s hard to imagine anything worth calling a good pub without real ale
Belt, Braces and the Rest - dishonest official propaganda encourages ludicrous over-caution over alcohol and driving

September

Not in My Back Yard - the aims of the new licensing laws are being subverted by a strident minority
The Open Door Lottery - despite longer hours, you may not be able to get in the pub at all when you turn up

October

Chimneypots - a captive market is no guarantee of trade for a pub
The Well-Presented Pint - technique and appearance are important when pulling a pint

November

Out of the Woodwork - licensing reform has brought Prohibitionists blinking out of their dark holes
Beyond the Pale - limp colour schemes reflect insipid pubs

December

First, they came for the smokers... - if you won’t defend other people’s liberties, there will be no-one to stand up for yours when they come under attack

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