Hop, Clip, & Pump

Chatsworth Gold is more than just a golden ale; it is a pint that tastes like its landscape. Brewed by Peak Ales, this award-winning beer draws directly on the heritage of the Chatsworth Estate in the Derbyshire Peak District, combining local honey with traditional English hops to create something both familiar and distinctly regional. It is a beer that sits comfortably in the growing tradition of sense of place brewing, where geography, history, and flavour are tightly interwoven. Peak Ales is an independent brewery based in the heart of the Peak District National Park , a landscape defined by limestone valleys, rolling hills, and a long history of farming and rural industry. The brewery was originally established on the Chatsworth Estate at Cunnery Barn before relocating to Ashford-in-the-Water near Bakewell; that original connection to the estate still shapes its identity. There is a strong sense that these beers are not only produced in the Peak District but belong to it. Over ...

There’s a particular rhythm to micropubs, quieter than the traditional boozer, but somehow more intense. Less noise, more conversation. Fewer distractions, more focus. And at Original Gravity, in Brampton, Chesterfield, that rhythm becomes something else entirely, a kind of apprenticeship in beer. Working behind that bar wasn’t just about pulling pints. It was about learning a language I hadn’t fully spoken before. From Cask Comfort to Craft Curiosity I came into the job with a solid grounding in real ale. Cask was familiar, reliable, nuanced, and rooted in tradition. You learn to read it instinctively, condition, clarity, how it’s pouring, how it’s sitting in the glass. But then there was the fridge . Rows of cans, each one louder than the last. Bright designs, bold claims, unfamiliar styles. Names that sounded more like band titles than beers. And behind the bar, the keg lines, clean, cold, pressurised, and carrying beers that behaved very differently from cask. This was craf...

It has been a long time since the pub trade felt this exciting. After nearly thirty years behind and around the bar, years shaped by 'old school' landlords, the kind who wore their experience like spilt beer on their shirts, the rhythm of the industry can start to feel predictable. Familiar faces, familiar pints, familiar decline. And then, suddenly, something shifts. That shift came in February, when The Derby Tup welcomed a new landlord, and with him, a completely different kind of energy. A New Landlord, A New Vision Ade Cole is not your typical pub tenant. Younger than most, a local lad rather than an imported lifer, and, crucially, a brewer. Where many brewers remain behind the scenes, content to produce and distribute, Ade made the far riskier move: taking on a pub that had begun to slip into decline and reshaping it from the inside out. The vision was simple, but ambitious. Not just to run a pub, but to transform it into a brewery tap—a living, breathing space...

A 4.4% pale ale from Ashover Brewery , in Derbyshire,  Serlo’s Fork is far more than just a refreshing pint. It is a beer steeped in layered historical reference, linguistic curiosity, and the kind of rural English mythmaking that blurs the line between documented history and local legend. From Old Norse etymology to medieval landholding, from gallows lore to award-winning brewing craft, this ale carries with it a story as rich as its flavour. The Name: Serlo and the Weight of History At the heart of the beer’s identity lies the name Serlo , derived from Old Norse and Teutonic linguistic roots. The term is associated with meanings such as 'armour,' 'arms,' 'skill,' or 'device,' evoking images of protection, warfare, and craftsmanship. It is a word that feels almost inherently medieval, hard-edged, functional, and resonant with a world shaped by feudal obligation and territorial power. This is not accidental branding; it is a deliberate invocation of...

Last night, I found myself amidst a swirl of black and gold. The theme of the evening was as striking as it was fitting. Dark porters and stouts jostled for attention with the warm glow of amber lights, and somewhere in the mix, the gleam of a golden IPA caught my eye. That IPA was none other than Raw Brewery’s Grey Ghost,  a beer that turned a simple pint into an experience. The Raw Brewery is a relatively new kid on the block, yet they bring a passion for real ale that belies its years. Holding a pint of Grey Ghost in one hand, I had the rare pleasure of talking to the brewer with the other. There’s something quietly exhilarating about discussing hops, malt, and fermenting schedules with the very person who made the liquid in your glass. Let’s be honest: you don’t get that with a pint of John Smith’s. The Brew Itself Pouring a glass of Grey Ghost is immediately satisfying. The ale gleams a sunny yellow, crowned with a pale, off-white head that lingers just long enough to pr...

Recognition in the beer world comes in many forms, awards, loyal followings, word of mouth, but there is something particularly satisfying about seeing a brewery acknowledged beyond its usual circles. So, congratulations are due to Thornbridge Brewery for achieving just that. To be featured in The Guardian’s Saturday supplement is no small thing. To be written about by Matthew Fort,  whose Around Britain With A Fork series combines insight, wit, and a genuine appreciation for British food and drink, is something else entirely. A Voice That Carries Weight Matthew Fort is not a writer given to empty praise. His work is measured, informed, and rooted in experience, making his endorsements all the more meaningful. When a beer appears in his column, it is not by accident. It reflects something worth noticing, something that stands out not just within brewing circles, but within the broader landscape of British food and drink. That Jaipur has found its way into that conversatio...