They say…

Des de Moor
Best beer and travel writing award 2015, 2011 -- British Guild of Beer Writers Awards
Accredited Beer Sommelier
Writer of "Probably the best book about beer in London" - Londonist
"A necessity if you're a beer geek travelling to London town" - Beer Advocate
"A joy to read" - Roger Protz
"Very authoritative" - Tim Webb.
"One of the top beer writers in the UK" - Mark Dredge.
"A beer guru" - Popbitch.
Des de Moor

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From the cellar: Whim Dr Johnson’s Definitive

Whim Ales, Derbyshire

ABV: 5% Origin: Hartington, Derbyshire, England Website: www.whimales.co.uk Date: 6 November 2000

Another review from the archive written for the pioneering Oxford Bottled Beer Database (OBBD). I’ve left it uncorrected — so please read it in that historical spirit. Whim is still very much in business, though now just producing […]

Batemans Combined Harvest

Batemans Combined Harvest Multigrain Beer

Top Tastings 2012

ABV: 4.4% Origin: Wainfleet, Lincolnshire, England Website: www.bateman.co.uk

Under its picturesque disused windmill, Batemans has proved one of England’s more enduring and adaptable independent breweries since half the Bateman family took the leap of faith necessary to buy out the other half and keep the […]

Thornbridge Halcyon Green Hopped IPA 2009

ABV: 7.7% Origin: Ashford-in-the-Water, Derbyshire, England Website: www.thornbridgebrewery.co.uk

Thornbridge Halcyon Green Hopped IPA. Pic: Mark Dredge, www.pencilandspoon.com

Peak District-based Thornbridge continues to demonstrate its world class credentials with its latest batch of special bottles. This limited edition of Halcyon, already an impressive India Pale Ale, was brewed during last year’s hop harvest and […]

Thornbridge Bracia

Featured as a strong ale for winter in BEER November 2009. For more strong beers see previous post.

ABV: 9% Origin: Ashton-in-the-Water, Derbyshire, England Website: www.thornbridgebrewery.co.uk

Thornbridge Bracia. Pic by Andy of beerreviews.co.uk, used by permission.

Rising star of British craft breweries Thornbridge have an impressive range of unusual beers but perhaps this […]

Spire 80 Shilling Ale

Featured in BEER August 2009 as a selection from the latest Good Bottled Beer Guide. For more selections see previous post.

ABV: 4.3% Origin: Chesterfield, Derbyshire, England Website: www.spirebrewery.co.uk

Spire 80 Shilling Ale

Founded in 2006 by former Scots Guards musician David McLaren, and named for Chesterfield’s landmark twisted spire, this brewery has […]

Hopshackle Double Momentum

This beer featured in BEER August 2009 as a selection from the new Good Bottled Beer Guide.

ABV: 7% Origin: Market Deeping, Lincolnshire Website: www.hopshacklebrewery.co.uk

Hopshackle

This is one of several beers I encountered during 2009 from Nigel Wright’s excellent Hopshackle Brewery: see my review of Historic Porter for more background. Double Momentum, […]

Alcazar Bombay Castle IPA

First published in BEER June 2007 as part of a piece about Threshers off licence chain’s Local Ale scheme. For more Threshers Local Ales see previous post.

ABV: 6.5 per cent Origin: Basford, Nottinghamshire, England Website www.alcazarbrewery.co.uk

Alcazar Bombay Castle IPA

Brewing at the Fox and Crown pub since 1999, Alcazar takes its […]

Hoggleys Solstice Stout

A shorter version of this review was first published in BEER February 2010 as part of a piece about beers to taste with chocolate. For more beers tasted with chocolate, see previous post.

ABV: 5% Origin: Litchborough, Northamptonshire, England Website: www.hoggleys.co.uk

Hoggleys Solstice Stout

More intense still [compared to the Elmtree mild reviewed […]

Thornbridge Jaipur and Saint Petersburg

First published in BEER October 2006 as part of a page marking the publication of the latest Good Bottled Beer Guide. For more beers featured on this page, see previous post.

Jaipur was also featured in BEER August 2008 as part of a piece about beers for summer outdoor drinking and in the Beer Sellers […]

Thornbridge St Petersburg Whisky Reserve 2006

Pré-ZBF Festival 2010 Top Tastings 2010 (Highland)

ABV: 8.8% Origin: Ashford-in-the-Water, Derbyshire, England Website: www.thornbridgebrewery.co.uk

Thornbridge Hall

Thornbridge are emerging as a world class new brewery, offering a solid range of excellent everyday beers but also knowing how to push at the boundaries of style while still retaining good taste and balance. Witness […]