Blogroll Deleted. Doh!

Shit.  I've accidentally deleted my blogroll while amending an incorrect entry. Blogger it seems has no way of recovering this.

So, looking on the bright side, I suppose it brings me the chance to bring it all up to date.  If you wish to be on my blogroll could you send me your blog's details and url in the comments column so that you appear when I reconstruct it.  Sorry about this. My fault I suppose, but I still don't understand how it happened.

Of course, if you already appear on my "Latest Blog Info" on the left hand side, there is no need to do so.

In fact I might just add you to that. Or maybe I will reconstruct Blogroll.  Either way it has pissed me right off.

New Blogger?

In Sheffield last week we were on our way to the Wellington for a beer or three and happened on a pub that looked bright and attractive. I can't recall its name, but there was a decent enough selection, though the Greene King ownership was clear. Nonetheless we stopped for one, which became two.

The young - well mid twenties - that's young to me - barmaid offered us tasters and to talk us through the beers. Excellent. She chatted amiably to us old guys and then said. "Do any of you know anything about blogging? I'm thinking of starting my own beer blog." I asked her why and she said she had been inspired to do so by a beer tasting by the Beer Beauty that she had attended. So well done her.

I did mention one or two things about the blogging world, but hopefully in a positive way.  I do hope she does take it up. She has a degree in English too and in writing, though what sort, I can't remember, so she might well be good.  Whatever. We need more female bloggers. Preferably opinionated ones. I believe blogs should be personal and opinionated.  That's just a personal opinion though!

 OK - I did mention my blog and showed it to her on my smartphone. Wouldn't you have?

And she was a nice lass and works in a pub, has a great attitude to beer and service, so that's good too. We were all impressed.

Singing from the Same Hymn Sheet

Back in the days when I was an IT Project Manager, delivering multi million pound projects (on time of course) we used to have a lot of jargon and management speak. It was the culture of projects, though personally I liked to bring people on board without resorting to that sort of thing.

While the phrase that heads this piece is kind of clichéd, it does describe in a way most people can understand, that when working together to deliver something, everyone needs to understand exactly how it all is meant to fit together, in order to reach a common and defined goal.

I was drawn to look at BrewDog's site, simply as it headed up the list on Zak's blog, which I use as a reference point as he subscribes to lots of blogs I don't and it makes things quicker. Seems they've employed a new Brewery Manager.  I was struck by what he is expected to do. It seemed reasonable, being to "to orchestrate the planning, production and packaging of countless gallons of BrewDog from the raw materials to finished product, every day." Quite a responsibility I'd say. There followed an interview with the putative manager "what sort of tasks does Nikola foresee filling up the rest of his day?"

“As a newcomer to the BrewDog brewery, I’m going to presume how my days are going to run but I think, in general, it’s going to be a heady mix of brewing, planning, tasting, meeting, some more brewing, deliveries, maybe a bit more tasting, driving the BrewDog-mobile and then some more brewing. All in all, a pretty cool number.”

Well I'm glad he remembered the planning, but otherwise more or less a complete mismatch. Better get the hymn sheets dusted off in Fraserburgh! Unless it was all tongue in cheek of course. With BrewDog, you just don't know.

Slightly Excited

Sometimes I read blogs where the word "excited" is used as a descriptor for things, some of them seemingly so minor or mundane, that you wonder what would happen if something genuinely cataclysmic happened to the writer. Would they physically explode with joy and wonder? Then you chide yourself for being a boring old fart, a dyed in the wool cynic and consider how lucky the author is to be young enough, either in body or soul and so emotionally open to new experiences, to the extend that they use a word, that as you get older, duller and blunted by life, seems to be find few scenarios for genuine use. However there is nothing emotionally mature in being a killjoy, so definitely a little slack should be cut, for it is precisely this sense of wonder and enthusiasm that beer and beer writing needs. It should be embraced and encouraged, for some of it at least, is the future.

Lately too, I have detected that despite falling comment numbers, that our collective blogging has rightly been overwhelmingly positive in promoting good beer however the writer defines it and feel that in itself is exciting. The Great British Beer Festival is presently a catalyst for many good pieces on beer, both here in the blogosphere and elsewhere in the national press. I think beer is on a roll at the moment and there is a chance to press home advantage. That's exciting too.

So, as I pack my belongings for London, I am excited to be part of it all. I'm looking forward to GBBF and have a feeling in my water that it's going to be the best ever. I'll see friends, old and new, talk beer with them, exchange ideas and thoughts, gain insights and hopefully, also have a bloody good time See? Excited three times in one piece. It's a red letter day! Beer and friends are always worth a modicum of anticipation and I'm sure it will live up to expectations.

I can't wait.

Blog Redesign

I see many of my blogging chums have redesigned their sites, upping the clashing colours level, squeezing themeselves into a small middle strip of the screen and generally jazzing themselves up a bit. Way to go?

Tandleman's offering is starting to look a little old fashioned, but in my view it is at least readable in the strictest sense of the word, in that you don't have to wander all over the place looking for the content. You will sense that I feel some of the redesigns are, shall we say, more successful than others, though I may well be deluded about my own.

Should I tinker? I'm thinking of it. Do I want to be the the only lemming left at the top of the cliff?

Quite possibly!

Follow, Follow

I've been trying to catch up with those blogs I thought I was following and which I subsequently discovered I'm not. This was kicked off when I became Fuggled's 60th follower. So today I have caught up with Pencil and Spoon and Cooking Lager. Apologies Gents, it was an oversight.

I'll be going though the rest of you too to sign up.

Nothing Ever Happens?

Pete Brown set the challenge. We are all too boring it seems and we need to buck our ideas up a bit and start thinking outside the box. We've settled into a "complacent rut" he says. And you know, I think he has a bit of a point. But only a bit of one. To me, most blogs I read are pretty good, though varying in style and content and some of course are better than others. Wasn't it ever thus? When I started blogging a long time ago (November 2007 in fact) it was due to being inspired by Stonch who has since packed it in. And he isn't the only one. Many have come and gone since then and some were actually quite good. What caused them to go, I can't say, but one thing was for sure, those who blogged then did it for fun and for their own amusement and edification. For most that is still the case, but we do have more "professionals" now and they have a big influence and share of the market, at least as indicated by Wikio? I'll come back to that.

Darren Turpin in a thoughtful piece on his blog said " I've been wrestling with questions like "what's the point?" and "why bother?" and have been on the verge of quitting this blog (and, most likely, blogging in general) several times during the past few months." Well indeed. Who hasn't? But why? For me blogging was a chance to put across my view of beer drinking to a wider audience and my main slant has always been a mix of industry comment and pro pub bias. I don't tend to do detailed beer tasting notes, which to me seems a bit of a nil sum game in a crowded market and which few do well anyway. I like to choose what I think are fairly interesting subjects, then write a piece which is then thrown open to debate. And therein lies at least some of the current problem or malaise. People just aren't commenting any more. There is little debate, which to this writer at least is discouraging. Now maybe I'm just getting my subject matter wrong, but then if that were the sole reason, everybody who does write interesting things would be flooded by comments. But they aren't and when they do get comments, it is generally words of agreement from fellow bloggers. How have we arrived at this point? Well Twitter has a part to play and a bit of the blame to shoulder. It seems easier just to write inane and boring posts there, than to take the time to write a thoughtful response to a blog post. I have little doubt that blogging has suffered from that. Maybe too it has all got a bit cosy? Maybe we have through this cosiness, driven off the casual reader and commenter? Maybe it has all just got as bit complacent, cliquey, self congratulatory and just too bloody nice? Or maybe it is all too boring and samey and just not worth commenting on?

Back to the professionals. When I started blogging there was little by way of blogging from the "professionals". Now we have Pete, Zak, Melissa, Dredgie, ATJ et al, quite prominent in our blogging world. Yes they do self promote, mutually support, name drop, and the rest but while doing so, generally just are annoyingly better writers than the rest of us. It can make you feel a little inferior at times, not just because of the writing, but who they know, the places they are invited to and the like, but is it a contributing factor to making blogs boring? I really doubt it. In fact most of it is to me at least, very interesting and enhancing, but it is a factor in the sense that it is in the beer blogosphere and it is happening and it may just have an effect on other writers. Have they brought about a subtle change in the way we do things? I first tackled what I called the" uneasy co-existence" between the professional and the amateur way back in March 2008. You can read it here. I think then though the beer blogging world was a different beast. Much more independent. At least my post seems to imply it was. So now as more professionals have come in, has it put others off? Maybe. Has it put commenters off? I would think not, but clearly something has happened, as blogging has become a little more competitive than it used to be and sometimes at least, a bit less edgy and it was a kind of edginess that Pete called for. To blame the "proper" beer writers would be inaccurate and wrong. In my view the pros enhance blogging on the whole, by upping the standards, making you think more about what you write and often, just writing very good pieces that are great to read. (Some are more inclusive than others, but you could say that about anyone.) So it isn't them. But I think there is a collective feeling that something has changed.

Assuming we agree it has all gone wrong in some way, how do we make blogging meaningful again? Well I think like Darren, there probably isn't a need to. Is lack of variety the problem? I don't believe so. Beer blogging is still incredibly varied. Darren pointed out some of the types we have doing it. A diverse lot indeed and there are still plenty who write, not about the big wide world, but their local scene. And why not? For most of us, we'll just continue to write our blogs as we wish to. It's probably all we want out of blogging. It may be boring from time to time, but for me, like many others I suspect, it is about the writing. I do it for me. I don't want to become a professional beer writer, I don't particularly feel the need to use my blog to convert people to anything other than (perhaps) pub going, properly kept beer and sparklers, though I do want to open people's eyes a little to the beer world I see. Isn't that what everyone does? Mostly I want people to comment on what I say, even when they disagree with me and I am discouraged when I get few or none. Do others feel the same?

So, yes we can do some things to improve matters, or rather those who feel there is a need to can. For those, I would urge more challenge, more grittiness, more disagreement, less cosiness and maybe the odd row. This is blogging after all. It should be opinionated and open to challenge and comments should be made where possible. It should be fun (always) and controversial (sometimes). We should recognise that blogging and bloggers may inspire or irritate, but we should call it as we see it, whether you are a disgruntled old soak, an evangelising idealist, a dewy eyed cheery beery sort, or just someone who wants to write in their own way about their local beer scene.

So we should keep blogging in our own individual and idiosyncratic ways, but whatever we write, it shouldn't bring about indifference. If we are doing that then we are all getting something wrong.

I keep changing this trying to get it better, but bugger it. Just let me and the rest of us know what you think.

Whatever Happened to Dave Hastings?

Anyone remember him? He came, he insulted, he left and now his blog has gone from the blogosphere. 

Was he a spoof?

All Change

The British Beer Blog scene is changing, so my blog list is too. Bloggers come and bloggers go, so my links list will reflect this. Out goes A Good Beer Blog, Beer Buzzing and the Young CAMRA Collective as all are defunct in terms of updating. One or two more may join them for the same reason. It isn't personal, so do let me know if you intend to start up again or are just taking a break and I'll restore the link.

Of course there is new stuff too. So welcome to my blog list to Barm, Brewer's Union, Cooking Lager and Leigh from Leeds.

I don't usually link to Yankee bloggers unless I know them personally - there are just too many to read - but I make an exception for Brewer's Union 180. My American mates - well some of them - live in Oregon, I've been there and loved it and a cask ale pub in that great beer state is just such an interesting concept.

If I've missed you out, just let me know. It wasn't intentional.

Oh and is anyone having problems opening John's Random Ramblings? It now says "By invitation only".

Feedback

It's nice to get feedback about your blog (good and bad) and I don't just mean the comments which are usually specific to a particular topic, or daft stuff elsewhere, but when you hear about it in another way, or someone writes to you "off blog".

I had two such instances this week. Firstly a brewer wrote to me about various comments I've made about his beer. He actually agreed with me and explained what had gone wrong and what he was doing to put it right. Refreshing - and there will be more about that in a separate post. The second was less direct in some ways, but worth mentioning. I wrote a piece about a character in a local pub I frequent. It's here. Yesterday Wayne, the subject of said piece, said to me he had been approached by the Manchester Evening News about the plaque featuring him that I mention in my article. They had got it from my blog and wanted to write about it. Excellent. Wayne is delighted and so am I.

Of course if the MEN wants to credit the source, it'd be even better.

Busy Bloggers

There's been a lot since I went away I want to comment on. I'll do my report on my travels later, but I want to concentrate on my observations of the German pub scene. It was booming. I think I understand why it is, and how it might influence or compare with the UK.

I need to think it through though before writing it down. I doubt if it will give much hope to publicans here though.

Around the Beer Blogs (4)

It's been quite some time hasn't it, but back by popular demand (well YCC demand actually) is this occasional look at what other beer bloggers have been up to. It was in fact May when I last did one of these and I keep meaning to, but you know how it is.

Right. Lets get cracking. I think I'll look at some newcomers first. Jeff Pickall used to be a thorn in the side of contributors to beer related "Usenet" sites such as uk.food+drink.real-ale, but this and these are more or less moribund now. Instead Jeff has started his own blog, plugging similar issues there. The good thing about a blog like his is the opinions are very personal and you have little doubt where he is coming from with posts like "Why I'm not a member of CAMRA" and "I feel Dirty and Ashamed" where he has a pop at JDW. I enjoy replying to him, even if I don't agree with everything he says.

The Bitten Bullet is written by an Irishman living in North Germany. Now I am a big fan of German beer, but he manages to squeeze out wonderful descriptions about beers I'd struggle on. Well done on that one. He has a mission to encourage the somewhat narrow minded German public to drink better and different beers. Now that's a worthwhile challenge. A blog that is always well written and interesting, especially if you have an interest in German beer as I do.

The Reluctant Scooper is quite eclectic in his choice of subjects. He admits (or is it boasts) of being a CAMRA member for economic reasons - to get into beer festivals cheap or free. And why not? He is also one of the Rate Beer gang, which somehow doesn't attract me. I liked his report on his day at Thornbridge Brewery and his views of the various beer festivals he attends. He is unafraid to criticise, which I also like. Anyone who says a beer is "shite" when he thinks it is, is a good 'un in my book. Unlike other reports, he actually made me feel as though I missed out by not attending "Beer Exposed". Not sure if his uncritical love of Thornbridge and Meantime is wholly agreed, but nonetheless, a very readable blog.

The last of the newcomers I'll mention this time is Dave's Beer Blog. Well written by a Cumbrian pub owner and brewer, I recommend this highly. Always thoughtful, covering interesting subject matter such as the beer tie, beer duty, CAMRA, beer tasting, JDW and more make this my kind of blog.

And now the old lags. I've always liked Boak and Bailey and their unique take on things. The last few months have been great and what photography. Their posts always have lovely illustrations which put mine to shame. Like me they are big fans of Germany, so that's not bad either. Ron Pattinson does some great stuff, particularly when he describes his various boozy jaunts. I loved his Copenhagen reports and his trips to other places are described in a way I like. Ron, you need to get out more, just so I can read about it!

One blog that has stuttered a bit is Impy Malting. I think this is one of the most acutely observed blogs there is (even if I appear to have been banned from commenting on it for reasons unknown.) When I say stuttered, I mean in quantity, not quality. I know Allyson felt she was getting too much flak and too many trolls, as she said so in her blog, but I hope she can overcome this, as her observations are so worthwhile, even when I don't agree with them. I love her use of words such as "tipsy", "swanky" and "grumpy" and her description of drinking herself "silly" in Brussels was sublime.

A few more to finish off with, as I really need to get packed for my trip to see my Mum in Scotland. The Beer Nut, who I met in London, has been out and about a fair bit. His notes on the Copenhagen bash were full and insightful as usual. He has also been up to Belfast for Belfast CAMRA's Real Ale Beano and gave it a slight demerit as the Yanks would say. The advice on cask ale fests though, is always get there on day one. The beer is best then. I also got a laugh from Knut Albert's comment on his visit "Did everyone have to shave their heads at the entrance to the festival?" Have a look at the photos to see why.

Tyson's back. After a pause of a couple of months, he has returned and is supping as well as ever. His observations on beer are well worth reading and his reflections on the antics of Eddie, WHB, the Manx Minx and the rest of his motley crew, must have his readers wondering if they really exist. They do! Good to have him back as waspish as ever.

Last couple - I do need to get on you know - Young CAMRA Collective have been bigging up Brew Dog, Hawse Buckler and a lot of excellent sounding pubs in their neck(s) of the wood. They have also joined the love in for Fullers Porter, which I singularly failed to find on my last London visit and which I won't now it seems, as I'll be too late. I like that they comment on parts of the country that I don't know so well.

No round up would be complete without a reference to Jeffrey Bell or the blogger formerly known as Stonch. A lot of his stuff these days is based around the pub which he runs, and why not? He still shoves in a lot of other well observed stuff - I thought his Gastropub post deserved a few more replies and his piece on Eatin's Cheatin' was excellent too. As always Jeff has his own angle on things, but that's what a blog should do. His posts tend to be short and to the point these days, but a few follow ups would be good though; for example on Wallsend Brown Ale. Did it go well? We don't know, but I'd be interested to find out.

So that's it for the time being folks. As always, sorry if you didn't get a mention this time, but no doubt next time you will.

Feeling My Age

Today this blog is one year old. Surely more than that I hear you say? But no, I started with this "project" on Monday 26th November 2007, with this post about the sparkler. Before the post you are reading now, there have been 290 others. Hopefully, some of them at least, worthwhile.

A lot of subject matter has been covered too since then and a lot of comments have been made. Thanks for them. Comments really do make it worthwhile, including and probably even particularly, those that don't agree with what has been written. Debate is good.

Blogging though is a personal thing. It is looking out at the beer world through ones own eyes. It isn't a consensual thing really, but a lot of opinions that some may share and some may not. We all do it differently and it is good to see new British Beer Blogs starting up and established ones thriving and providing interest. The common bond is that beer and beer drinking fascinates us all and makes the world seem a cheerier place.

Anyway, that's it - the occasion is duly marked and now I have to respond to another blogger's daft opinions. Please continue to do the same with mine!

Tyson Falls to a Technical Knock Out

If like me you have been wondering why Tyson's posts have suddenly dried up, I have the answer for you. It seems the Google Gremlins have been at him and he can't upload posts for the present. Or indeed since his last post. But he will be back as soon as he can get it sorted.

So for the time being, you'll have to put up with me and the rest of us bloggers, but he assures me he is still supping and isn't even a bit dead.

He's gone down the knocking shop to think the problem through. I think that's what he said!

Around the Beer Blogs 3

Slightly overdue, but this is my third beer blog summary in which I sum up and comment on what is concerning other bloggers.

First up this time is Shut up about Barclay Perkins, Ron Pattinson's Blog. I hardly know where to start. To call it prolific and diverse would scarcely do it justice. The last few weeks have been eclectic and entertaining. Among historical posts, we have an excellent discourse on mild (very dear to my heart) and a liberal dash of tongue in cheek baiting of American style gurus with some fictitious styles for them to consider; triple Russian Imperial Mild anyone? Ron continued to bait Americans by stating in his view (evidenced I should add) that Koelsch is NOT an ale but a top fermenting lagerbier. I am not sure whether he came off best or not, but he didn't seem to convince many on Ratebeer that he wasn't just being perverse - me excepted! I liked too the more mainstream recounting of his travels through Franken and the Czech Republic. Ron has an engaging style and is unafraid to heckle those he considers wrong or lazy and has a vitriolic turn of phrase from time to time. "Homebrew Twats" is probably as pithy and pointed as you are going to get. This is for me a "must read" blog, as I love the historical aspects, but am far to indolent to research it for myself. I enjoy his well observed personal beer travel stuff too.

Maeib has been out and about a bit, visiting various beer festivals in pubs and CAMRA venues as well as attending his first ever CAMRA meeting. He also mentions a beer for our four legged friends. Regrettably he didn't try the Dog Beer himself. Nor did I, even though it was sold in our pub. Maeib said he would have tried it. I am not so sure! He also celebrated a year in blogging about beer, so well done on that one. This is a blog where there is many different themes and topics and I like that.

I have mentioned before that I like Boak and Bailey's Blog and I continue to do so. They have a unique take on subject matter, often picking up stuff that causes me to say to myself "I wish I'd thought of that". An example was an interview with an old mate of mine Mike McGuigan who is behind Betwixt Brewing of the Wirral. Very innovative I thought. Another example was to do with night buses, which gave us all a chance to reminisce It was not all plain sailing though, as they ran into a little trouble - mainly from me I admit - over "Beer. A luxury or a right". This month they hosted "The Session" which is something I haven't got involved with. I am not sure why, but somehow it doesn't appeal to me, seeming to me to be a bit too "clubby and aren't we all clever" for my liking, but who knows, I might change my mind. I must also mention another innovation, occasional forays into Spanish. As I say, there is always a different take on things here which makes for an enjoyable read.

Stonch has changed direction a bit. I get the impression that this is a concious decision rather than a drift. His blog is always the first I reach for, indeed I have a button on my toolbar for it, such is the esteem in which I hold it. This is an unashamedly Londoncentric blog, but nonetheless always manages to set the cat among the pigeons. He did so again this round up, but from rather an odd angle. Recommending another beer blog to us all resulted in him being held to account for some opinions that he couldn't in the end sustain. It was entertaining stuff and can be found here. This blog is innovative too with Stonch bringing his father on board for a couple of well written pieces and his hilarious account of "Veg Stout" conjured up some very unpleasant visions, while his hangover experience surely chimed with us all.

The Beer Nut posts from Ireland though he has been worryingly missing for a while now. Are you OK over there? I loved his post on "The Session" - damn - entitled "A moment of clarity" I think for me it was the best thing written on that this time. Just a superb piece of writing. He continues to find interesting beers and writes about them in a way I like. My own tasting notes are far too clinical.

Tyson continues to set a fierce pace for pubs visited and beers drunk. He is a pub man through and through and shows a dedication to the task that few could keep up. Notable posts since my last review included a visit to a Bury Knocking Shop - yes really - and the astonishing fact that he managed to "do" so many Prague pubs in a short time. One piece that received no comments, but deserved to, was about Outstanding Brewing of Bury. Believe me you will hear more of this, so keep your ears pinned back. There is much serious comment and content tucked in amongst the gallons of beer drunk and a lot of common sense written by this keen observer of the pub scene.

Real Ale Blog written by Paul Garrard brings up the subject of mild. Unlike other bloggers who mention this subject, Paul has a gripe. He reckons CAMRA has got the month for its mild campaign wrong. As the weather turns warmer, he thinks not of mild, but golden ales. I always think of golden ales, though I do drink a fair bit of mild. Paul suggests March for Mild Month to enable the alliteration to continue unimpeded. He may well have a point. Paul also mourns the demise of two well known micros, Arran and Mordue. He hopes this isn't the thin end of a very big wedge, as do I. He also encountered Greene King's new font designed to dispense beer Northern or Southern style at the flick of a switch. He ordered Southern style but didn't take the opportunity to do a comparison side by side. Pity that. This is an interesting blog written from an East of England perspective, thus creating its own niche.

Lastly in this round up, we have a welcome newcomer about whom we were all alerted by Stonch. Impy Malting is written by Allyson, an American ex-pat living in London. Two interesting things right away, is that this is written by a female and by someone whose culture is different, so we can hopefully see ourselves with fresh eyes. She immediately and I suspect unwittingly courted controversy with an assertion that real ale and racism went hand in hand. Needless to say that brought opprobrium down on her. So much so that she barred all further comment on her blog. Stonch having pointed her original post out in the first place, picked up the baton and allowed it to play out on his blog. I'd merely comment that as a blogger what you write is open for challenge at all times, so you have to develop a thick skin. To return to the blog, Allyson has a neat observational style with a slightly idiosyncratic fixation with race and gender. She refers to the "lack of people of colour" - whatever they are - in pubs. As a female her concern about the lack of women in some pubs is understandable. I too am in favour of many more women in pubs, though I dare say my motives may be less egalitarian than Allyson's. Nonetheless this is a well written, perceptive and genuinely appealing blog which I recommend without hesitation.

As always if I have missed your blog out, don't worry. It'll likely be your turn next time!