Explore every episode of the podcast Beer, Together šŗ ā Finding whatās worth sharing.
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Double Diamondās weird comeback story: grandad beer, CAMRA enemy, now somehow⦠decent | 10 Jul 2026 | 00:34:05 | |
Double Diamond beer is back, and somehow the pint once treated like the enemy of real ale has returned as a surprisingly drinkable summer beer. In this episode of Beer Together, Elton and Matt open a 440ml can of Double Diamond, the revived 3.8% pale ale that claims to be ābrewed as a pale ale, drinks like a lager, tastes bloody wonderful.ā What follows is part beer review, part British pub history lesson, and part rambling tribute to the beers your grandad probably drank while you were left outside the pub with a packet of crisps. We get into the story of Double Diamond, from its Samuel Allsopp roots in Burton-on-Trent to its place in the keg beer revolution, its huge advertising push, and why CAMRA once saw beers like this as everything wrong with British brewing. There is talk of āDouble Diamond works wonders,ā old pub culture, Watneyās Red Barrel, tankards behind the bar, keg beer, lager-style pale ales, and whether bringing back nostalgic beer brands is a good idea or a warning sign. On the tasting side, Double Diamond turns out to be lighter, crisper and more modern than expected, with citrus, a little tropical hop character, low bitterness and an easy-drinking finish. The question is whether it should be judged as a pale ale, a lager alternative, or simply a fridge-cold beer garden pint for hot weather. There are also food pairings, including fish and chips, burgers, bangers and mash, chicken tikka masala, salty pub snacks, scotch eggs, sausage rolls and possibly halloumi that has had its tension released in boiling water. Yes, apparently that works. Finally, Double Diamond enters Choose Your Fighter against the reigning champion, Seven Giraffes by Williams Bros Brewing. Can revived pub nostalgia beat elderflower, caramel malt and actual memorability? Spoiler: not quite. Also featuring: elderflower rocket fuel, Geraldine the goat, Scottish taxi drivers, Madri confusion, the Blue Stoops, Kirkstall Brewery, beer festival danger, and the promise that Elton will one day prepare an intro properly. Beer reviewed: Double Diamond New episodes every Friday. Subscribe, download, and join Elton and Matt for more beer reviews, pub nostalgia, craft beer arguments and occasional useful information. | |||
| Northern Monk Faith: NEIPA, Craft Beer and the Supermarket Problem | 03 Jul 2026 | 00:34:33 | |
Northern Monk Faith is in the glass this week as Beer Together takes on one of the UKās best-known modern craft beers: a 5% hazy pale ale from Leeds with big gateway beer energy, soft tropical fruit, pineapple, citrus, stone fruit and a clean, gently bitter finish. In this episode, Elton and Matt crack open Faith by Northern Monk and ask whether it still deserves its reputation as one of the beers that helped bring hazy pale ale, NEIPA-style flavours and modern craft beer into the mainstream. Is Faith the perfect first step for someone moving from lager into craft beer? Is it still interesting enough for people who chase double dry-hopped, experimental, limited-release cans? And does being available in supermarkets make a beer less ācraftā, or just more successful? We get into the history of Northern Monk, its Leeds roots, its proudly northern identity, and how Faith became a recognisable name in UK craft beer. The tasting notes lead us through tropical fruit, pineapple, light citrus, stone fruit, oats, wheat, a soft body, low bitterness and that clean finish that makes you reach for another sip without feeling like the beer is shouting at you. We also compare it to other familiar supermarket craft beers, including Beavertown Neck Oil, Camden Pale Ale and BrewDog Hazy Jane, and ask where Faith sits in that everyday craft beer line-up. There is also a proper craft beer debate: what does ācraft beerā actually mean in the UK? Should craft beer have a tighter definition? Does independence matter more than scale? Can a beer still be craft if you can buy it next to dishwasher tablets in Sainsburyās? We compare the looser UK pub definition with stricter European ideas of craft and artisanal beer, and end up somewhere between admiration, suspicion and mild confusion. As always, there is food pairing chat. Faith gets matched with barbecue halloumi, buffalo chicken wings, Thai food, Vietnamese food, herbs, spice, citrus and anything fresh enough to work with a soft, fruity pale ale. There is also a warning about katsu curry, a brief halloumi boiling tip, and the usual level of completely unnecessary threat-based storytelling. Then Choose Your Fighter returns as Northern Monk Faith goes up against Seven Giraffes by Williams Bros. Faith brings smooth, tropical, easy-drinking hazy pale ale energy. Seven Giraffes brings elderflower, biscuit, caramel, hops and a more memorable botanical character. Which beer wins on taste, drinkability and character? This is a funny, opinionated UK craft beer podcast episode for fans of Northern Monk, Faith hazy pale ale, NEIPA, pale ale, supermarket craft beer, beer tasting, beer history, beer and food pairing, independent breweries and the ongoing argument about what craft beer actually is. Beer Together is a beer podcast about tasting beer properly, arguing about it badly, and trying to work out why some beers stick in your head while others quietly behave themselves. New episodes drop every Friday. Featured beer: Northern Monk Faith | |||
| Seven Giraffes IPA Review: Williams Brothers Brewing, Scottish Craft Beer and a New Choose Your Fighter Champion | 26 Jun 2026 | 00:33:46 | |
Seven Giraffes IPA from Williams Brothers Brewing is the focus of this Beer Together craft beer review, as we taste a Scottish gluten-free IPA from Alloa and ask whether this unusual beer is really an IPA, an ESB, a golden ale in disguise, or simply one of the most drinkable beers we have tried so far. This weekās episode explores Williams Brothers Brewing, the Scottish family brewery behind Seven Giraffes, including its origins as a Glasgow home brew shop, the story of a traditional heather ale recipe, early brewing in a railway station, and the move to Alloa, a town with strong beer and malting connections. We also look at the wider Williams Brothers range mentioned in the episode, including heather ale, Scots pine ale, gooseberry wheat ale, seaweed ale and elderberry black ale. The beer itself gives us plenty to talk about. Seven Giraffes IPA is a 5.1% gluten-free IPA made with seven different malts, including lager malt, wheat, Maris Otter, Vienna, pale rye, pale crystal and Munich. We discuss how those malts shape the flavour, bringing caramel, sweetness and body without becoming too heavy or biscuity. We also talk through the hop profile, including First Gold, Cascade and Styrian Goldings, alongside elderflower and lemon, and how those floral and citrus notes lift the beer into something lighter, brighter and more memorable. As a beer tasting podcast, we dig into the full drinking experience: colour, aroma, flavour, balance, drinkability, bitterness, carbonation, malt character, elderflower aftertaste, IPA style, and whether Seven Giraffes would work for both experienced IPA drinkers and people who normally avoid IPAs. Matt does not usually like elderflower, which makes his reaction to this beer even more interesting. There is also plenty of pub chat along the way, from questionable Hawaiian shirts and not Googling āleiā on a work laptop, to foraging in the Lake District, elderflower wine bubbling away at home, old pub beer batter traditions, dial-up internet memories, Fatherās Day beer choices, and whether your dad would trust the beer but question the label. For food pairing, we move away from the obvious burger or fish and chips match and explore why Seven Giraffes IPA feels more like a posh picnic beer. Think pork pie, sausage roll, roast chicken with lemon, garlic and thyme, goatās cheese tart, herbal salads, lighter fish dishes and food with floral, citrus or savoury notes that work with the elderflower, lemon and caramel malt. We also test Seven Giraffes against our craft beer definition discussion, including the Italian-style craft beer test around independence, production size, pasteurisation and filtration, before landing on what we call UK pub logic: this is a proper independent craft beer, even if we cannot legally certify it by the Italian definition from the can alone. Finally, Seven Giraffes enters Choose Your Fighter against the current Scottish champion, Vault Cityās You Choose We Brew. We compare flavour, drinkability, character and memorability, and decide whether this balanced, floral, caramel-led Scottish IPA has enough to beat the big mango sour from last week. The result gives us a brand-new Choose Your Fighter champion. If you enjoy craft beer podcasts, Scottish beer, IPA reviews, beer tasting, independent breweries, gluten-free beer, Williams Brothers Brewing, food pairing, funny pub stories, or discovering beers worth sharing, this episode is for you. | |||
| Vault City Hot Honey Apple Mango: Is Matt Having a Heart Attack? | 19 Jun 2026 | 00:33:00 | |
We started with puckered faces and an emphatic āabsolutely notā. We finished the can, admitted weād buy it again and somehow crowned it our new Choose Your Fighter champion. This week, weāre drinking Vault Cityās Hot Honey Apple Mango ā a 6.2% smoothie sour combining fresh apple, tropical mango, chilli flakes and Scottish blossom honey. It looks like a defrosted ice lolly, pours like mango juice and eventually leaves Matt wondering whether the heat in his chest is chilli or the beginning of a medical emergency. Created through Vault Cityās You Choose, We Brew competition from more than 2,000 suggestions, this is a beer designed to challenge expectations. But is it genuinely well-crafted, or has modern beer finally disappeared into complete madness? We explore Vault Cityās rise from small-batch Edinburgh brewery to one of Britainās best-known sour beer producers, why heavily fruited sours divide drinkers and whether this might work better as a shared dessert drink than a traditional pint. There are food pairings including vanilla cheesecake, coconut panna cotta, fish tacos, Korean fried chicken and strong cheese. Elton also attempts to turn it into a spicy mango margarita or a dangerously drinkable Bellini. Then Hot Honey Apple Mango faces reigning champion Dead Reckoning West Coast IPA in Choose Your Fighter, judged on flavour, drinkability and character. The result irritates both of us. Finally, we check Vault City against the Italian legal definition of craft beer: independence, annual production below 200,000 hectolitres and beer that is unpasteurised and unfiltered. Would you drink a hot honey, apple and mango smoothie sour? Tell us what you think and follow Beer, Together for a new episode every Friday. Beer, Together ā finding whatās worth sharing. | |||
| France Made a Good Beer⦠Then Called It a Pils | 12 Jun 2026 | 00:26:23 | |
France finally gives us a beer we actually enjoy ā and then immediately confuses us by calling it a pils. This week weāre in Carcassonne, inside a 700-year-old fortress, drinkingĀ Ciutat PilsĀ fromĀ Les Brasseurs de la CitĆ©, a small artisanal brewery based in Carcassonne. Ciutat is the Occitan word for āthe cityā, and the brewery describes itself as a family-run artisan beer producer reconnecting with Carcassonneās brewing history.Ā The beer itself is 4.5%, bottom fermented, and described as a pils with pleasant bitterness and Central European-style aromas.Ā But the moment we pour it, things go sideways: itās hazy, murky, maltier than expected, more floral, more bitter, and not quite what either of us would confidently call a pilsner.Ā Thereās also chat about French beer culture, why wine dominates the South of France, why supermarket beer shelves feel weirdly sad, why Desperados is everywhere, and why Matt briefly relocates Carcassonne to Wales. A surprisingly good beer. A questionable pils. A fortress. Some frogs. And two men slowly losing confidence in their French pronunciation. Beer, Together ā finding whatās worth sharing. | |||
| Leffe Blonde: The Beer Matt Waited 20 Years to Hate Again | 05 Jun 2026 | 00:26:18 | |
Matt tried Leffe Blonde for the first time in 20 years. It did not go well. This week onĀ Beer, Together, weāre on the Canal du Midi for the second of our France specials, drinking Leffe Blonde from a 750ml bottle and asking whether one of Europeās most recognisable Belgian beers still deserves its reputation. Thereās abbey history, AB InBev, monks, marketing, banana notes, clove, honey, Belgian beer trauma, questionable pronunciation, and the return of Mattās long-standing problem with beers that smell even slightly of banana. We talk about the story of the Abbey of Leffe, how the beerās historic identity sits alongside modern global ownership, and whether Leffe Blonde can really be considered craft under our working Italian craft beer definition: independent, under 200,000 hectolitres, unpasteurised and unfiltered. We also get into the important stuff: what food Leffe actually belongs with, whether it works better with pork, chicken, bacon, chips and mayonnaise, or even a roast dinner, and whether a famous beer can still be worth sharing when one of us absolutely detests it. Expect Belgian beer, boat noise, French canal chaos, monks, marketing, a suspicious amount of banana, and two mates trying to work out whether Leffe is a classic, a gateway beer, or just a very well-made pint that Matt never wants to drink again. His name is Matt. Finding whatās worth sharing. Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Goodpods. #LeffeBlonde | |||
| We Went to France Looking for Good Beer. Did 3 Monts Save the Trip? | 29 May 2026 | 00:23:09 | |
This week Beer, Together goes international. Recording from a canal boat on the famous Canal du Midi in southern France, Elton and Matt crack open a bottle ofĀ 3 Monts SaisonĀ from Brasserie Saint-Sylvestre and explore one of Europe's most traditional beer styles. What exactly is a Saison? Why were they brewed for farm workers? And how has a humble farmhouse beer evolved into the 6.5% French classic we're drinking today? Along the way we discuss: šŗ The history of Saison beer Expect canal boats, questionable French pronunciation, excellent food recommendations and a beer that surprised us both. Find us on Instagram & TikTok: #BeerTogether #CraftBeer #FrenchBeer #Saison #ThreeMonts #CanalDuMidi #BeerPodcast #DrinkDifferentDrinkTogether | |||
| Outland West Coast IPA: Have We Forgotten What IPA Should Taste Like? | 22 May 2026 | 00:33:32 | |
This week onĀ Beer, Together, we crack open a West Coast IPA that might just reset everything we thought we knew about modern craft beer. Weāre drinkingĀ Outland Breweryās West Coast IPAĀ ā now renamedĀ Dead ReckoningĀ ā a 5% classic that leans hard into caramel malt, citrus hops, and that unmistakable dry bitterness. But this episode quickly becomes something bigger⦠Have we overcomplicated beer? Somewhere between hazy IPAs, NEIPAs, and fruit-loaded brews, have we forgotten what an IPA is actually meant to taste like? We dive into:
We also get into some proper pub nostalgia ā Bass, London Pride, 6X ā and how those beers shaped what we expect from a pint today. šĀ Food pairing?
This is a beer that doesnāt cuddle your food⦠it argues with it ā and wins. āļøĀ Choose Your Fighter
And for the first time in weeks⦠We crown a new winner. This isnāt just about one beer ā itās about where beer culture is heading. š Are we chasing trends⦠or rediscovering what made beer great in the first place? šŗ Join the community: #beertogether #craftbeeruk #westcoastipa #ipa #beerpodcast #beertalk #drinkbetterbeer #indiebeer #beerlover #beerstagram #ukcraftbeer #podcastclips #newpodcast #beercommunity #hopheads | |||
| Camden Pale: A Birthday Beer, Bad Decisions and One Safe Pint - BONUS EPISODE | 18 May 2026 | 00:14:59 | |
This one wasnāt planned⦠but the best ones never are. Itās Eltonās birthday š so weāve ditched the format, grabbed a couple ofĀ Camden Pales, and spent 15 minutes doing what Beer, Together is really about ā sharing stories. From how we met nearly 25 years ago, to a genuinely surreal near-miss story involving a pub, a bomb scare, and a missing phone⦠this episode is less about the beer, and more about why we started this in the first place. Because sometimes the best pint isnāt the most complex, rare, or hyped ā šŗ In this episode:
No āChoose Your Fighterā this week. Just a quick birthday beer⦠with you lot. #BeerTogether #CraftBeerUK #PubTalk #BeerChat #CamdenPale #BeerCommunity #UKPubs #BeerReel #DrinkDifferent #DrinkTogether | |||
| Fresh Pulp: This Tastes Like Fruit Salad⦠and Weāre Not Sure Thatās Good | 15 May 2026 | 00:36:21 | |
This week onĀ Beer, Together, we take on something completely different āĀ Fresh Pulp from Buxton Brewery, a 6% double dry-hopped New England IPA⦠and letās just say, it divides opinion. From the first pour, this one is loud. Hazy, juicy, and packed with tropical fruit flavours ā pineapple, mango, citrus ā itās a full-on fruit assault. But does more flavour actually mean a better beer? We break down:
Thereās also a proper reality check on drinkability. At 6%, this isnāt your easy-going pint ā itās aĀ first drink of the nightbeer⦠if that. We also dive into:
š½ļøĀ Food Pairings?
āļøĀ Choose Your Fighter We score on:
ā¦and letās just say, Fresh Pulp has a fight on its hands. šŗ This is what Beer, Together is all about ā trying beers you might not pick yourself, figuring out where they fit (if they fit at all), and having a proper conversation about it. š Tried Fresh Pulp? Agree or completely disagree with us? Join the conversation: #BeerTogether | |||
| The Pint You Order When You Donāt Trust the Pub šŗ | 08 May 2026 | 00:36:06 | |
Bank Holiday Sunday. No work tomorrow. A 500ml bottle ofĀ Adnams Ghost Ship⦠this could go anywhere. This week onĀ Beer, Together, weāre drinking one of the UKās most recognisable ales ā and asking a simple question:Ā is Ghost Ship actually good, or is it just the safest pint in the pub? Brewed inĀ SouthwoldĀ byĀ Adnams, Ghost Ship has quietly become a staple across pubs, supermarkets and bottle shops. Itās the beer you order when you walk into a place and think,Ā āIāll start here while I work out if this pub knows what itās doing.ā We get into:
Itās not flashy. Itās not trendy. But it might be one of the mostĀ important beers in the UK right now. We also go slightly off course (as always), covering:
Then itās back toĀ Choose Your Fighter, where Ghost Ship takes onĀ Neck OilĀ across:
Can the dependable pub classic finally knock the modern favourite off its perch? Ghost Ship is a 4.5% pale ale that sits firmly in the āsessionableā category. Itās widely available, consistent, and easy to trust ā which is exactly why itās become such a go-to pint across the UK. Flavour profile:
Food pairings:
We also explore why Ghost Ship works as aĀ gateway beer:
Adnams has been brewing in Southwold since the 19th century, with roots on the site going back much further. The brewery remains independent and produces a wide range of cask ales, bottled beers and low-alcohol options, while also investing heavily in sustainability and energy-efficient brewing. This is a beer built onĀ consistency, not hypeĀ ā and in hospitality, that matters more than people think. If youāre new to beer, Ghost Ship is often recommended as aĀ starting point into ale. It has more flavour than lager, but without the heavy bitterness or intensity of stronger IPAs. That balance is a big reason why itās become so widely stocked across the UK. We also touch on how beers like this are handled in pubs. Unlike lager, cask-style ales rely more on proper storage, temperature and care ā which is why ordering a familiar pint can tell you a lot about how well a pub is run. Thereās also a broader question:Ā what actually counts as craft beer? Whether youāre into traditional British ales, modern craft beer, or just looking for a reliable pint, Ghost Ship sits right in the middle ā and that might be exactly why it works. š Join the community: Follow, download and send us your beer suggestions ā we want to feature what youāre drinking. Beer:Ā Ghost Ship #BeerPodcast #UKBeer #Adnams #GhostShip #PaleAle #PubCulture #CraftBeer #BeerReview #BritishBeer #BeerLovers #SpotifyPodcast #BeerTogether | |||
| Milk Stout: Forgotten Classic or Dessert in Disguise? | 01 May 2026 | 00:34:40 | |
Milk stout shouldnāt work in todayās craft beer scene⦠but somehow it still does. Sweet, creamy, and completely different to anything else behind the bar ā this one splits opinion fast. Is it a hidden classic⦠or a beer that never moved on? This week onĀ Beer, Together, we dive into Black Sheep Milk Stout and uncover what makes it so different from the Guinness, craft beers, and IPAs weāre used to. From the role of lactose in brewing to why it completely changes the drinking experience, this episode goes deep into a style thatās quietly been forgotten ā but never disappeared. We get into: Thereās also a proper rabbit hole into pub culture ā from historic Dublin pubs like the Gravediggers to the reality of how Guinness is brewed and consumed around the world (including a surprising twist involving Nigeria). And as always, we break down the real-world experience: If youāre into craft beer, UK pubs, beer reviews, or just honest conversations about drinking culture, this oneās a proper deep dive into a style most people overlook ā but probably shouldnāt. Whether youāre exploring the best beers in the UK, comparing craft beer vs mainstream beer, or just looking for a relaxed beer tasting podcast with real hospitality stories, this episode gives you a fresh perspective on where milk stout fits today. Give it a listen, follow the podcast, and share it with someone who thinks they ādonāt like stoutā ā this might change their mind. Keywords: #BeerPodcast #CraftBeerUK #Guinness #PubCultureUK #BeerReviews | |||
| One Pint Turns Into Three šŗ | Neck Oil, Craft vs Corporate & Gateway Beers | 24 Apr 2026 | 00:34:55 | |
Is Neck Oil actually a great beer⦠or just the safe option? šŗ In this episode of Beer, Together, we take on one of the most recognisable beers in the UK ā Neck Oil ā and ask the question most people donāt: is it genuinely good, or just everywhere? From pub fridges to craft beer taps, we break down what makes a āgo-toā beer, and whether popularity actually means quality. We get into: * Why some beers dominate UK pubs * The difference between āsafeā and āgreatā beer * How beers like Neck Oil became so widely available * Real pub decision-making (what you actually order vs what you say you like) Thereās also the usual mix of stories, opinions, and the kind of conversation you only really get a couple of drinks in. No snobbery. No scripts. Just honest talk about beer and pub culture. āø» If you enjoy craft beer, UK breweries, pub culture, and relaxed, funny conversations about food and drink, Beer, Together is for you. This episode touches on: craft beer, Neck Oil, Beavertown, UK beer scene, pub culture, beer choices, and everyday drinking habits. Follow Beer, Together for new weekly episodes. | |||
| Still the Benchmark⦠Or Has Jaipur Been Left Behind? šŗ | 17 Apr 2026 | 00:29:34 | |
Is Thornbridge Jaipur still one of the best IPAs in the UK ā or has the beer world moved on? In Episode 3 of Beer, Together, we dive into one of Britainās most iconic pale ales and ask whether it still deserves its reputation in todayās craft beer scene. We get into how beer styles have changed, why hazy and juicy IPAs have taken over, and whether classic, bitter IPAs like Jaipur still hit the mark. Expect honest opinions, no snobbery, proper pub chat, food pairings, and real insight from years working in pubs and hospitality. This isnāt a review show ā itās a conversation about whatās actually worth drinking. New episodes weekly. āø» In this episode: Thornbridge Jaipur review, classic IPA vs modern IPA, hazy vs clear beer, bitter vs juicy IPA, UK craft beer scene, Sheffield breweries, British brewing heritage, hop character and balance, beer flavour profiles, sessionability vs strength, beer trends UK, pub culture and ordering habits, what sells in pubs, how customers choose beer, branding vs taste in craft beer, iconic UK beers, independent breweries UK, beer and food pairing, curry and IPA, street food and beer, pub snacks and drinks, hospitality industry insight, real pub stories, casual beer conversation, no beer snobbery, honest beer opinions, drinking with friends, social drinking culture, discovering new beer, what beer to drink, best IPA UK, beer recommendations, craft beer podcast UK, beer discussion podcast, relaxed podcast, storytelling podcast, hospitality podcast UK, bar and restaurant experience, behind the bar insight, UK pub life, beer lovers podcast, beginner beer guide, beer without hype, beer vs marketing, classic beers revisited, modern craft beer debate | |||
| Has Craft Beer Lost the Plot? šŗ | BrewDog & Chicken in a Box | 10 Apr 2026 | 00:23:54 | |
Episode 2 ofĀ Beer, Together. Has craft beer lost the plot? šŗ In this episode of Beer, Together, we get into the reality of craft beer in the UK ā from the rise of BrewDog to what it actually feels like in pubs today. Is craft beer still exciting, or has it just become the safe option? We cover: * The rise (and shift) of craft beer culture * BrewDogās impact on the UK beer scene * Whether mainstream success has dulled the edge * Real pub stories, bad decisions⦠and a chicken in a box No scripts. No snobbery. Just honest conversation about beer, pubs, and everything around them. āø» If you enjoy craft beer, UK breweries, pub culture, and relaxed, funny conversations about food and drink, Beer, Together is for you. This episode touches on: craft beer, BrewDog, UK beer scene, pub culture, beer trends, independent breweries, and real-life pub experiences. New episodes weekly ā follow Beer, Together for more. | |||
| Episode 1: Starting Somewhere šŗ | 03 Apr 2026 | 00:26:31 | |
Every good story starts with a first pint. In our first episode ofĀ Beer, Together, we sit down, crack open a beer and talk about why weāre doing this ā from years in pubs and hospitality to the moments, people and drinks that stuck with us. We get into what makes a beer worth sharing, how our tastes have changed over time, and what you can expect from the podcast going forward. No scripts, no snobbery ā just honest chat, good beer and the start of something. J72suI0UKO5d7esX3wO5 | |||