
Why do we buy rounds, which PM held the record for drinking a yard of ale and who’s responsible for the wedge of lime found in a bottle of Mexican beer? Nigel Huddleston gets to the bottom of a few of our mysterious beer- and cider-drinking rituals, both ancient and modern.
You might not want to go there on holiday, but Belgium’s majestic premium beer styles are the perfect way to add character to your list. Melissa Cole checks out the lambics, abbeys and Trappists
British beer has both strong traditions and big regional differences. Melissa Cole tours the country to meet the brewers who are putting a modern spin on their local classics
From pale and delicate to dark and brooding, from intense and bitter to light and floral, Britain’s ales offer great food-matching opportunities. Nigel Huddleston discovers that there is a style for every course