Reasons to be Cheerful…

Having just enjoyed our annual sunny weekend here in Scotland, the mood has definitely improved as a result. Being beery optimists, our branded glassware is always half full – but even the dourest of drinkers wouldn’t begrudge us a quick roundup of things to smile about this July. Forget the upcoming duty rise and the fact that the nights are drawing in (porter weather begins in late August here) – and think of a few moments of sun-drenched positivity. Cheers!

1. Big bars are back

JDW may have started it back in the day, but the multi-fonted pub has returned with a vengeance this summer. Small, bespoke watering holes are all well and good – indeed are far more preferable than the ‘old bank with chips’ approach of Wetherspoon’s – but why should small mean a poor selection? Recent new kids such as Bradford’s The Sparrow and London’s Craft Beer Co are brimming with choice – cask and keg options ahoy, and a bottle list you can see from space. No more ‘Beer A’ or ‘Beer B’ choices…

2. New brews

We just can’t keep up with the micros opening at the moment. July’s Scottish Real Ale Festival may have been sauna-esque, but with a dozen new breweries attending from 2010, there has to be grounds for optimism. Admittedly, the test will be how many are still around in four or five years – but don’t rain on this parade, Mr Negative. From the noble ethos of the Scottish Borders Brewing Co, through the hopcraft of Tempest, to the wacky world of TinPot – the new kids on the block are here to stay…

3. Clickety click

As I write this, I have a recent shipment sitting under my desk at BeerCast towers – containing bottles from new English producer Magic Rock, outstanding stalwarts Marble and Mallinsons, and a dozen cans from Maui in Hawaii (if only there was a simple podcast theme that connected all of these…mmmm…). Online ordering is now reaching a new age in terms of increasing selection. The likes of myBrewerytap, The Bottle Shop, Beers of Europe and BEERmerchants have really upped the game, enabling beer fans everywhere (Northern Isles of Scotland excepted) to share the fun…

4. Can me, baby

While we may not agree BrewDog are at the heart of the UK’s keg revolution (they are involved, yes, of course) – they really seem to be on a winner with cans. Not quite at revolutionary stage just yet – the time to take up the pitchforks and march on your local bottling plant can’t be far off. Cans are great. They don’t affect the flavour of the beer – they don’t – they are easy to store and cart around, and thanks to the abundance of foreign fizzy pop now (Rubicon etc), Punk IPA looks like a Polish lemonade – the boss will never know…

5. Making up is fun

As the dust settles following the latest CAMRA/keg/blog brouhaha (insert specific subject of ire here), there seems to be a refreshing period of calm on the internet at the moment (i.e. people are discussing sparklers again). Ok, someone said something and others took offence, but who cares? Let’s crack open a can-conditioned imperial saison from Yorkshire and just all get along. Besides, we all need to support worthy crusades, such as Dave Bailey’s Saturday Kitchen campaign. Wine’s hogged the limelight for too long…