I have lived in Bishop’s Stortford for over 30 years, having previously lived in Sawbridgeworth, bringing up my family and enjoying all the area has to offer. I first picked up a paint brush in 1983 when I joined a class at Moot House in Harlow, (run by an excellent local watercolour artist, Leslie Stew). Very quickly, with the encouragement …
The Anatomy of a Perfect Cheeseboard [Infographic]
Recently, cheeseboards have been gaining popularity. These simple snack foods have become more elaborate, and some would even say that creating the perfect cheeseboard is an art form. To compose a perfect cheeseboard, you should start out with four basic categories of cheese: har, aged, soft, and blue. Yet, cheese isn’t the only food that shines on the platter. Other …
How to Store Beer
The various warning labels on beer don’t just suggest storing it upright in a cool atmosphere for no reason. Sitting beer bottles, especially glass varieties, in the direct sunlight for too long can cause the beer to skunk. When it comes to refrigeration, many beer drinkers are surprised to find out that not all beers require refrigeration to maintain optimal …
English Beer Culture is Underrated: Here’s Why
To discuss the English beer culture, you need to discuss patriotism, which can be a minefield. English patriotism can be boiled down to pride in England’s unique culture, which includes a lot of good beer. For some reason, English beer has a reputation in America for being flat and tasting bad, but that is not the truth. England has a …
Unusual London Bars
London is known for its unusual pop up bars seen throughout the city, and The Nudge has compiled a list of all the best ones to frequent. A subterranean bar called BYOC Camden can be seen on the list due to its classic atmosphere that resembles the days of prohibition. Disrepute is another establishment that made The Nudge’s list for …
Style School: Brown Ale, the Belgian Way(s)
While brown ales of today may be considered less-adventurous and rather boring, more than a century ago they were stylish and considered of the highest quality. Belgium is often considered an epicenter of beer-production, and so, it is expected they are a source of authority on what makes a good beer. In the 1900s there were several types of beers …
The Rise of Real Ale
Beer has been around for decades and even though beer is a popular drink of choice, there isn’t much real ale left out there. As the market increased a lot of businesses took the easier road to mass production and cutting costs rather than keeping their small businesses unique and their ale unique among different styles. Real ale has made …
Restaurants in Ghent
Biercentral With 30 beers on tap and over 300 bottled beers, Biercentral’s expert staff is more than qualified to recommend the perfect beer pairings to suit your meal. Biercentral serves typical Flemish fare through to pizza and burgers, snacks and salads, all at competitive prices. If you don’t want a full meal be a local and order a plate of …
Attractions in Ghent
Gentse Feesten In the summer of ’69, Ghent hosted the first of its Gentse Feesten that started the ball rolling into what this artistic ten day Oktoberfest equivalent has now become. This theatrical, music-packed ten days of entertainment is a highlight of the Belgian summer calendar. A full line-up of professional and amateur entertainers takes over the city centre, and …
Breweries in or near Ghent Dok Brewing Company
While the large breweries of Belgium stand out from international competitors, local microbreweries deserve a place in this list. Today’s innovative microbreweries are reflective of the race towards better, quicker, more exclusive and pop-up. The Dok Brewing Company is happy to remain a microbrewery and thrives on experimentation. Offering regular shorter runs of exclusive top-fermented beers as it tweaks each …