I like to stay connected to our social accounts, not only so I can see what our community is saying, but also to jump on the more challenging interactions rather than leave them to the team.

This one caught me. Not only did they really struggle to understand why anyone would drink no/low at home but doubled down with this classic….

‘Beer has a sole purpose; to intoxicate you!’

Now, dry January brings out some interesting bias. We’ve seen groups railing against it as the ‘death of the British pub’ on one platform which would only seem to imply the social cornerstone of our part of the planet lacks the ability to evolve. Yes, there are plenty out there that list their non-alc options as coke, lemonade and a dodgy cup of tea, but we sold out our entire draft supply for January in less than a week. Smart publicans know, much as anyone servicing public demand, your range needs to move with the times.

If we as a culture are incapable of successful social interaction in the absence of inebriation it begs the question of how the UK functions before 5pm? So, political jokes aside, if we accept the premise that we’re mostly capable of talking to one another before we go to the pub, and that pubs will survive just as they have for hundreds of years (even in the time before Smirnoff Ice)….

…Why aren’t all beers Special Brew? (10 points if you’ve made the link to the photo)

Simple, because beer was never about the alcohol in the first place.

Cheers, Aaron.