The Year in Beer - a beery look back at 2025

It’s that time of the year again, when bloggers take a look-back at the past 12 months, with particular reference to all things beery, and in my case with a little travel and personal stuff thrown in for good measure. In previous years, I’ve written reviews, either under the banner of “The Year in Beer,” or that of “Golden Pints”. For several years I’ve considered the latter as rather naff and even sparked off a brief discussion on Ed Wray’s site, about the origin of the term. (For the record, does anyone know who Andy Mogg is?)  

The Year in Beer it is then, and we kick off with:

Best beer on home turf

A difficult one, as it would be far too easy to say Harvey’s Best Bitter – an excellent beer by any stretch of the imagination, and one that is a must stock brand in the vast majority of local pubs. So, primarily because it’s so widely available, I’m opting for something different, and nowhere near as easy to come by.

Instead, I’m going to say Sarah Hughes Dark Ruby Mild, which was a guest beer at the Nelson Arms in Tonbridge, and one which brought back fond memories of a visit I’d made the previous year, to the beer’s home - Sedgley’s Beacon Hotel. 

The latter establishment is where Dark Ruby Mild is brewed, and back in 2023, I made a flying visit to the pub with Stafford Paul and Retired Martin. I’m not sure how the beer managed to make an appearance at the Nelson, but regardless of the means, it was well received by the me and the pub’s regulars. 

  Best beers abroad  

An easy one here. A perfectly poured pint of Murphy’s Irish Stout, enjoyed in the packed, and characterful surroundings of the Mauretania Bar. This traditional Irish bar is located close to the waterfront at Cobh, the port for nearby Cork, and this deep-water anchorage was where our cruise ship berthed on what was the final port on last year’s Round Britain Cruise. 

 

Even Mrs PBT’s enjoyed this lively bar, despite having to scale the steep and narrow staircase, leading to the Ladies. As for the beer,  Murphy's knocked the heavily-hyped and over-promoted Guinness into the proverbial cocked hat.

 

Speersort Hofbräu – despite being housed in a rather anonymous looking building, in central Hamburg, this typical Bavarian beer hall would not have looked out of place in central Munich. Matthew and I enjoyed half litres each of both Hofbräu Original plus the strong, seasonal Maibock. It was certainly a most welcome find on a cold and rain-swept Sunday in Hamburg, a day when the majority of shops and bars in central Hamburg were closed for religious reasons.

 

Best Locations to Enjoy a Beer (UK) 

There are several contenders here, but the Starbank Inn, at Newhaven, overlooking the Firth of Forth, a few miles to the west of Edinburgh, tops the list. The pub had that immediate “wow” factor, that screamed out this place is going to be a good, a feeling that was enhanced by the friendly greeting I received from the landlady. A pint of Lost in Mosaic, from Loch Lomond Brewery, plus a chicken and bacon ciabatta, from the “lite bites” selection, made the perfect lunchtime stop on the aforementioned Round Britain cruise.

The Bridge Tavern, a classic waterside pub, situated at Portsmouth’s Camber Dock, on the opposite quayside to the Isle of Wight car ferry terminal. The nautical theme of this characterful Fuller's house extended into the pub’s interior, with an impressive bar counter, set towards rear of the building and a number of alcoves leading off either side. With Stafford Paul and Dave Southworth for company, the three of us sat, putting the world to rights, close to the window, from where we had an excellent view of the nautical scene outside.

Best Locations to Enjoy a Beer Abroad

Funchal, Madeira. With lunchtime visits on two consecutive days, and two quite different restaurants/bars in which to enjoy a local beer, with a meal, the Madeiran capital ticked al the right boxes. But then, how could this bustling and charming town, with its vistas out towards the Atlantic, fail to charm visitors like us. Local brew Coral provided the beers on both occasions – Coral White (lager) and Coral Stout being the perfect accompaniment for two completely different but well satisfying al fresco lunches.

Best pub finds

There are two, contrasting entries here. First, the strangely named Sonder, a modern shop conversion in Broadstairs. The name apparently comes from a word meaning "the acknowledging of others and having feelings of empathy for them". I’m not a massive fan of modern pubs, especially those repurposed from something else, but everything clicked with this spacious and welcoming corner pub.

 Fitted out in the style of the arts and crafts movement, with a wood panelled ceiling and friendly staff, Sonder had a bright, and airy seaside feel about it. In my view, it was the best pub of a day spent with a couple CAMRA pals, whilst on a pub crawl around the lovely old seaside town of Broadstairs.

Bridge Inn, Topsham. A legendary pub that I had been wanting to visit, ever since reading about it in,  “A Pub For All Seasons”, by veteran beer writer Adrian Tierney-Jones. Topsham, which occupies a coastal location near Exeter, was a long way to travel for a pint, but I picked the perfect day weather-wise. Despite having to abandon my homeward bound train at Taunton (due to engine failure), I still made it back to Tonbridge before midnight. 

This historic and cosy 16^th century inn overlooks the nearby River Clyst and has been run by five generations of the same family since 1897. There are several different rooms in which to sit and enjoy the gravity dispensed beers, plus the more solid fayre of homemade pasties, soup and crusty bread. Topsham itself also has a good selection of pubs, even if the town is all “pashminas and posh pooches” in places.

Best Beer City  

This would be Portsmouth & Southsea, although it’s difficult to know where the boundary between the two towns lies. Back in February, I spent a day with Stafford Paul and Dave Southworth, wandering around a selection of the local pubs. I’ve already mentioned the Fuller’s owned, Bridge Tavern, and whilst we missed out on the famous Sally Port Inn, due to its late opening, the nearby Pembroke came up trumps with some excellent Draught Bass and cheese cobs, for those still hungry!

Beer festivals

I’d been planning to attend the Great British Beer Festival at Birmingham’s NEC but left planning my trip until the last minute. Consequently, I missed out on any cut-price rail tickets. As things turned out, I’m glad that I didn’t, as the event wasn’t a success and ended up losing CAMRA a staggering amount of money. Sadly, there almost certainly won’t be another UK event of this magnitude, for a very long time, if ever!

Instead, I attended the laid-back beer festival held in the expansive pub garden, of the Halfway House at Brenchley. Now in its 22^nd year, and offering an impressive lineup of 60, gravity served beers, racked up in the outside barn, plus an additional 10 in the pub. Cask drinkers are certainly spoiled for choice at this event, which for many, including myself, provides an ideal conclusion to summer.

Best days out

A “curated pub crawl” of the Hampshire towns of Alton & Farnham, involving a dozen or so participants, including Citra Mick, Nick C, plus Retired Martin. The majority of the group were local CAMRA members, most of whom were described to me as members of "CAMRA Discourse".  They seemed a decent enough crowd, and our full-on itinerary allowed us to visit a good selection of pubs, within the two towns.

A saunter around Chichester, with Stafford Paul + Dave & Joan Southworth. An enjoyable day spent exploring a selection of Chichester’s finest pubs, including a number that I’d visited the previous year, with son Matthew.

Best beer book 

A pub book, rather than a beer book, but none the worse for that. A Pub for All Seasons, is a yearlong journey in search of the perfect British local. Researched and written by Adrian Tierney Jones, this highly personal reflection on a selection of some of his favourite pubs, is the sort of book you can dip in and out of, without losing the thread.

Adrian states that during a lifetime of dedicated pub going, he’s come to believe there is a pub for every season, and it is this seasonal effect that is the main theme of the book.   There’s a reasonable percentage of pubs in this book that I have visited, just as there are quite a few others that I would like to set foot in, given half the chance. One of these pubs is the Bridge Inn at Topsham, mentioned above, and I have Adrian to thank for first inspiring me to visit it.

Much missed Pub Man & Blogger

Dedicated pub-man, and fellow blogger, Peter Edwardson, sadly and quite unexpectedly, passed away in early December. Writing under the name of Pub Curmudgeon, both on his own well-informed blog, and also as a long-standing contributor to various CAMRA magazines and newsletters, Peter could be particularly scathing of the big brewers and Pubco’s. He was also equally critical of those “left of centre” politicians who he regarded as responsible for the “nanny state,” the smoking ban and any other legislation brought in to control the population and stop them from having “fun.”

I had the pleasure of meeting Peter a few times, including the fleeting visit he made to Tunbridge Wells, 10 or so years ago, but more recently on the various pub crawls I joined him on. These events included visits to Burton, Shifnal, Stockport and Macclesfield. He came across as a rather private individual, who was often. very matter of fact, but under the right circumstances -invariably in a decent pub, with equally decent beer, he would be good company. The last time I saw him was just prior to Christmas 2023, on a pub crawl of Macclesfield which, I believe, he had a hand in organising. Like on the other occasions, he was excellent company, which makes it all the more sadder that we won’t be seeing him again.

Photo of Peter Edwardson - courtesy of Retired Martin