DrinkBritain

A restful finish to an exhilerating journey

Thousands of miles, hundreds of samples and dozens of fine people to chat to – oh yes, plus the odd windmill, shire horse, malting house and a working 110-year-old steam engine – all came to an end with a pint of Jennings’ Cumberland Ale overlooking Morecambe Bay in Cumbria.

Many months earlier, CAMRA’s Beer editor, Tom Stainer, had entrusted to me the task of tracking down the best breweries to visit around the country. Perhaps the biggest journalistic project I had undertaken, but certainly one of the most fulfilling.

And the results? You can see my baker’s dozen in the current issue of Beer, or take a look here, where you’ll also see a few extras that I just couldn’t leave out. There’s a few you’d expect – Fullers and Adnams – plus a number perhaps less well known outside their locality. The other result of my quest is that I became even more determined to launch www.drinkbritain.com

These places are too good to leave them to those in the know. As in my feature, drinkbritain.com will be showcasing those places where the quality of the welcome matches the quality of the product.

And if you know of somewhere that should be featured, tell them about drinkbritain.com or let me know and I’ll get in touch.

In the meantime – Cheers!

Gusbourne Estate: in the beginning was the bud

… do great initiatives emerge.

As we wandered around the sun-drenched budding vines at Gusbourne Estate and Ridgeview, I was reminded what makes our wine industry so different and why I am launching the travel side to www.DrinkBritain.com in September. Despite the show of sun, our precarious climate makes winemaking inevitably of a boutique nature for all but a few. To make such a business work, the value of you, the potential visitor is well nigh vital for long term success.

Take our two wineries. continue reading…

Here for the beer

Are you a brewery or distillery in Britain open to the public? Or do you know a UK cider producer or winery that gives visitors a warm welcome? Or perhaps you’d like to show the world why you produce the finest cordial or juice on the planet. If so, I’d like to hear from you.

The info collection phase for www.drinkbritain.com is well under way, but there’s still time to let me know about places where visitors really matter to feature on this site. If you qualify – or know someone who does –  leave a comment or register with the site, email me at info@drinkbritain.com or DM me on twitter and and I’ll be in touch. continue reading…

This way for refreshment

Want to find out what goes into making great British drinks? DrinkBritain.com is the answer. With the latest news on breweries and wineries – and cider houses, distilleries and soft drinks producers too – this is Phase 1. Phase 2 in May will bring you detailed visitor information, with top tours and unmissable events in time for planning those summer holidays. We’ll also highlight child-friendly destinations, those places where the green agenda is being taken seriously, and pick out venues where the range of British drinks on offer is seriously good. In the meantime, join me on Twitter and let me know if there’s somewhere – or someone – you know of who should be featured. It’s an exciting scene out there – I look forward to sharing the journey.

Susanna Forbes