An except from the book "Colonial Liquor Laws" by G. Thomann, published in 1887.
And...Speaking of Chips...A Three Minute History of Fish and Chips...
Not quite as old as one would think - a quick history of Fish and Chips, by Annie Gray over at the BBC. Click Here.
Who Invented the French Fry? Read On...
Was it the French or the Belgians? Who makes the most authentic fries - can an authentic fry even be defined? And, if you really want to start an argument - who makes the best fry - French with their frites, the Belgians with their frieten, maybe the British with their chips, could it even be the Americans or the Canadians.
A great article from Emily Monaco, at the BBC. Click Here
Birmingham beer glasses seized for being too small
As this article says - Never get between a man and his pint!
From the BBC - Click here
What's In Your Chalice?
Yea, I know, there are a lot of folks out there who shy away from anything from Leffe. It's all got to do with that big beer company. Yea, I acknowledge that, too, but I tend to relax a bit more about my beers. I don't drink Leffe all the time, but a Leffe every now and then sort of reminds me about running around in Belgium. So I just chill and enjoy. Cheers!
A Pub Called "John Kavanagh" - But The Locals Call It "The Gravediggers"
You just have to love an old pub with a good back story - like Dublin's John Kavanagh pub. From an older story on the the BBC - Click here for the tale - about a little pub frequented by gravediggers.
Dogs Don't Like Nightclubs - Dogs Like Pubs - Dogs Are Right!
Eighteen reasons why Pubs are better then Nightclubs - not the least of which is most Pubs allow you to bring in your dog.
An older post - from the folks at Buzzfeed - Click Here.
What's In A Name? The Wiper Times...
A Belgian beer with a rather strange name - that is until you know a little bit about its history. It's a darned good tasting beer, and is available here in North America - good for us. So, pick up a four pack and click on this link for the whole story.
Old London - 1849
I just pulled the excerpt out of a book called "Handbook for London" by Peter Cunningham, published in 1849 - yep 1849. I wonder if any of these places still exist?
Go and Buy This Porter ASAP - Robinsons Trooper Red 'n' Black Porter
I picked up a few bottles of Robinsons Trooper Red n'n Black Porter a month or so ago, and just now finally got around to giving it a try - darn good, nice and rich and smooth and malty. Then I find out it is a limited edition, and when it's gone - it's gone.
Well, it's gone - Robinsons Brewery is sold out, and apparently they are not brewing anymore (let's hope they change their minds), so if you can, get out and seek out this porter.
Robinsons Brewery - Trooper Red 'n' Black Porter. Go find it.
Beer and Books - A Perfect Combination on a Rainy Day (well, any day, for that matter)
Even if you can't make the trip over the pond anytime soon, check out this article. The photos alone are great. UK pubs that have a connection with the literary past.
From the folks at Buzzfeed and VisitBritain. Click here for the link.
Alcohol - Not salads....
I just heard this on the Radcliffe and Maconie show on BBC Radio 6 - the topic of conversation was signs people have seen in a pub. So, a caller related that in his pub there was a sign that said: "Drink alcohol, as no great story ever started with a salad." Ha
Is Oak the Only Wood Suitable for Aging Whisky?
Here's a quick little article from the folks over at Slate. Although I agree with the answer, for the most part, I find it interesting that there is no mention of the beer/whisky connection, and the fact that this connection is two-way, i.e. beer aged in whisky barrels and whisky aged in beer barrels.
Here's the link.
From the Archives - 27 Times "Top Gear" Made You Laugh Like Hell
Great stuff - from back in 2015. Click here and enjoy.
In 1902, there were 3,279 breweries in Belgium, producing some 14 million hectoliters of beer - now that's a lot of hectoliters.
A short chapter from a 1904 book on Belgian industries, with a few insights on the state of the Belgian breweries of the day. Click here for access this chapter.
Save Money, Live Well, Drink Beer - Sounds Like a Plan for Life
Digging around some dusty old book shelfs I recently ran across this article in an old publication called "World's Work," published in 1908. The article is about how the Belgians of the day were some of the most thrifty people in the world, and also some of the biggest beer drinkers.
I just uploaded the article in The Reading Room. Click here to find the article. Great philosophy on living - and it includes beer. Win-WIn
One Can Only Dream....
You Want a Stout - Well, You Are Gonna Get a Stout
I mean, just check out the foam on this - it's a thick and creamy as a chocolate mousse. And, every bit as sweet. From a little brewery in Scotland - The Orkney Brewery's Dragonhead Stout. If you like a nice stout, you need to give this a try. Available in the U.S. Cheers!
A Thought for the Day....
“Whoever drinks beer, he is quick to sleep; whoever sleeps long, does not sin; whoever does not sin, enters Heaven! Thus, let us drink beer!”
— Martin Luther
Goldie Is For Sale - Well, if you are into that thing.
A one-off 1958 Austin Healey 100-6 - complete with 24-carat gold trim and an interior finished with mink fur accents - is going on the auction block. If you have an extra 400,000 plus pounds on hand, you may want to give the car a look. To be sold by RM Sotheby in New York on 6 December 2017. Let the bidding begin.
For the whole story - from the Daily Mail - click here.
1958 Austin Healey 100-6, nicknamed "Goldie." Photo courtesy of RM Sotheby via the Daily Mail