Real Ale, Real Music

A stylish new bar has just opened up in Halifax, with something of a story behind the unusual name.... Halifax's latest bar, intriguingly named Meandering Bear, has just opened up on Union Street, situated between the Piece Hall and bustling Westgate Arcade. It is brought to you by Michael and Jess Ainsworth, of the town's Grayston Unity in partnership with an old friend, local businessman Andrew Murphy. The idea came about over a few beers in a bar in Malaga and after several months of hard work, the bar finally opened its doors last week to much interest in the town. It has already seen masses of people coming along to have a look. And whilst inevitably some will have come simply out of curiosity, all the signs are that a good proportion of them will keep coming back. And what will they find? Well, if you are thinking Grayston Mark 2, think again! It couldn't be more different. A classy bar created out of an old shop unit that had been last used as an amusement arcad...

The first away trip of the football season, and a visit to Nottingham brought the opportunity to try some of the city's pubs and bars.... Nottingham is a city I have visited many times through work, but one where I have rarely been able to stop and have a drink. So when the National League fixture list threw up Notts County v Halifax Town, it was a great opportunity to pay a visit to some of the city's pubs. My mate Gary did a sterling job, booking train tickets, hotel room, and match tickets, so all the rest of us had to do was make sure we were at Huddersfield Railway Station in time to catch the 10.12 to Sheffield. So after a pleasant trundle down the Penistone Line, and a quick change of trains, we rocked up in Nottingham just after 12.30. And we didn't have far to go to the first pub, in fact there is even an official railway station sign to it! Follow the signs for 'Micropub' and you will arrive at BeerHeadz, situated in an out-building attached to the ...

The 2020 CAMRA Good Beer Guide has just been published and I have been leafing through it, to see what's in, what's not, and assessing what it means to the beer drinker in general. Here are my first impressions... I received my copy of one of the most eagerly-awaited book releases of the year today, and as ever it brings with it smiles and celebrations for some, but disappointment for others, whilst representing the best guide - albeit a snapshot - to some of the best pubs, clubs, and bars in the country. Like so many beer drinkers, the Good Beer Guide has had a massive impact on me over the years. It has provided an education and enlightenment about not just beer and pubs, but other things, like the history of the area where they are situated. It has influenced my choice of pubs to visit and beers to try both locally and across the country. I have been to countless towns and villages that I would have been highly unlikely to visit had there not been a pub there listed in ...

Work and a pint at the end of the day have been inextricably linked for centuries, and still are to this day. Here are a few thoughts.... This is not the first time I have written about the connections between work and drink. Last time, back in the early days of blogging - it was actually the 4th one to make the cut - I mentioned how much I loved a pint after work. And the piece I wrote,   A Pint at Teatime , was a brief homage to, in my opinion, the best time of the day to enjoy a pint. And 5 years on, my opinion hasn't changed. After a busy day and your head is mashed, you need to seek out a place where you can unwind. A place where anything goes apart from too much talk about the dreaded W-word, a place where you can talk rubbish with impunity, catch up on the latest gossip, discuss the events of the day, even maybe learn something. The other night at the Stalybridge Buffet Bar we were trying to come up with the names of different champagne bottle sizes. And then li...

A lot has been going on in the local area recently, including a new bar opening with another to follow.... It was the annual Indyfax Festival in Halifax last weekend, and once again it was a great way to spend a bank holiday weekend. The festival is run over a number of bars across the town - the Victorian, Grayston Unity, Alexandra, the Lantern, with the former Pump Room previously being involved - and this was its 3rd year. If you enjoy great beer in some excellent bars, you couldn't go wrong. And whilst I didn't come across a beer this year that stood out as much as the stunning pint of Arbor Zero Zero that I had at the Victorian last year, there were still some mighty fine ones to sample! And what helped this time was the opening of a brand new bar. We said - well, we would if we spoke Danish -  velkommen til København -  brought to you by Simon and the team from the serial award-winning Victorian Craft Beer Cafe located just a few streets away. And as a complete cont...