What I Did On My Holidays

With eleven days off work, I thought about getting out to enjoy a beer or three. Here's what I ended up doing:

Went to a small pub festival and drank excellent guests (Whim Armadillo, Dark Star APA) and some of Amber Ales' finest (Black IPA, Saison).

Drank IPA whilst reading about the history of IPA.

Sought out a pub that had been highly recommended to me - the Five Lamps in Derby - with great atmosphere, great Buxton beer and stupendously good wild boar sausages.

Visited Thornbridge and Buxton breweries to chew the fat with the brewers. Swapped gossip and discovered the wonder of ATP bioluminescence.

Took the long and winding Penistone line to Huddersfield so I could drink in the Grove: beers from Stone, Mikkeller, Brewdog, Cantillon, De Molen and more.

Literally lent a hand to the Marble brewery in Manchester and caged nearly seven hundred bottles of beer with them. And then enjoyed the beery delights on offer around the city at Marble Arch, 57 Thomas Street, Common and Port Street Beer House.

Wandered over to my local in the next village for their beer fest; Thornbridge beers, crusty pork pies and too much sun for my pasty skin.

Had a lazy walk along a lazy river and then sat high in the stands watching Derbyshire smear Sussex all around the Racecourse ground. And drank cold cans of Brewdog Punk IPA.

Drank up some of the last pints at my local's festival, made beer cocktails and opened up some random international bottles from Moa, Braufactum, Kiuchi and Deschutes.

... and all in the company of friends old and new.


Why did I do it?

Because I love beery places. I love beery people.

Because I love beer.