Beer In Pictures - Number 3 Beer Cocktails

There’s really nothing new under the frothy sun when it comes to beer cocktails. Long before the modern urge to garnish, infuse, and otherwise meddle, there were those of us quietly mixing things up at the bar.

A Black Velvet here, a Black ’n Tan there, simple pleasures, layered with a certain understated flair. No fuss, no ceremony, just the gentle alchemy of one good drink meeting another.

And yet, there’s something delightfully subversive about it all. Beer, so often treated with reverence, suddenly becomes playful, a canvas rather than a conclusion.

So I ask, with the utmost seriousness (and perhaps a raised eyebrow): Pint of 'mix,' anyone?

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Up the Junction — A South London Bitter with Backbone

I never thought it would happen, not with me, and certainly not with an ale from Clapham. Well… Battersea, strictly speaking. But geography has always been a little fluid after a pint or two, and Sambrook’s Brewery sits close enough to Clapham Junction, the UK’s busiest railway station, to justify the association. And it is here, in this industrious corner of South London, that Junction Ale quietly makes its case. A Brewery Built on a Good Idea Sambrook’s was founded by Duncan Sambrook , a former City accountant who decided spreadsheets could only take him so far. With the rumble of trains and the constant churn of commuters nearby, he reasoned that people might need another reason to go 'Up the Junction.' So he built a brewery. From the outset, Sambrook’s kept things deliberately tight: Wandle: a bright, modern session ale Powerhouse Porter: darker, richer, more brooding Junction Ale: the anniversary brew, and perhaps the most quietly traditional of t...

Wychwood Dirty Tackle: Witney Brewing with a Playful Edge

Some breweries build their reputation on tradition, others on innovation. Wychwood Brewery has managed to do both, rooting itself in centuries of local brewing while embracing imagination, storytelling, and a distinctly modern sense of identity. Tucked away behind the main street of Witney , in the heart of the Cotswolds , Wychwood is a brewery that understands the importance of place and how to bring it to life. Witney: Bread, Blankets, and Beer Witney has long been associated with its 'three Bs,' bread, blankets, and beer . For centuries, the town thrived as a centre of blanket-making, powered by the River Windrush, while brewing developed alongside it as an essential part of daily life. Beer here was not simply a luxury, it was woven into the fabric of the town. Inns, taverns, and small breweries served both locals and travellers passing through the Cotswolds, establishing a tradition that continues to this day. Wychwood Brewery stands firmly within that lineage, car...

A Revival in a Glass: Sarah Hughes Dark Ruby Mild

Sarah Hughes Dark Ruby Mild is a rare and fascinating example of a strong mild ale , weighing in at a robust 6.0% ABV and brewed to a pre–World War I recipe . Before the Great War, strong milds were not unusual; they were the norm. In fact, mild ales were traditionally brewed in four strengths , ranging from around 5.5% to 7% ABV , often обозначated by 'X' markings, with ' XXXX' representing the strongest. However, wartime grain shortages forced brewers to adapt, and weaker milds gradually replaced their stronger counterparts. What we drink today as 'mild' is often a shadow of that earlier, more powerful tradition, making Dark Ruby something of a historical survivor. Black Country Heritage: Sarah Hughes Brewery and Its Sedgley Home Sarah Hughes Brewery is a historic, family-run brewery based in the village of Sedgley , in the heart of the Black Country . Brewing takes place behind the renowned The Beacon Hotel , a traditional pub that has become somethin...

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