First State Brewers Blog

There was a small article in the News Journal today with the headlines, “England’s pubs getting longer hours.” I thougt that was interesting, since we will be spending a few days in York, England at the end of March. A quick search located the following article in the BBC News: Britons ‘fear longer pub opening’. Now, I don’t believe that for a second. I think that article is an invention of the British press trying to push an anti-drinking agenda, if you ask me.

They have these crazy laws over there that close all the pubs at 11:00 p.m. Supporters of the law change say that the early closing causes people to get trashed early and all pour into the streets at the same time. This, it’s said, is causing rioting in the streets. Changing the law to allow pubs to be open 24 hours will eliminate the need to binge and eliminate the mass exodus at any particular time.

However, according to this article, Britons are scared that longer drinking hours will create MORE drunks. I kind of doubt that. Like I said, I doubt this article is accurate. I think most Britons welcome the longer drinking hours.

Unfortunately for us, this law won’t go into affect until next November. I guess that means when we go, we will have to drink heavily before the pubs close!

John Biggins discovered this article in Spiegel Online.

With Brewery Closures, Germany Faces Brauereisterben
Germany and beer have long been synonymous. But that is changing. With Monday’s closing of two large breweries, the crisis facing the industry appears to be deepening. An aging population is partly to blame. But beer, as it turns out, just isn’t cool anymore.

Beer no longer “cool” in Germany? Well, they sometimes serve it warm, but I don’t think that’s what this article is talking about. I find this very hard to believe. Myself and a few other members of the First State Brewers went to Germany 2 years ago and we’re going back again at the end of March. Beer seemed just fine with the folks we visited with 2 years ago. I’ll let you know if beer is still cool after we go back!