Thomas Hewitt

Burton on Trent is globally renowned for brewing. It is now dominated by big brewers but there are some small ones. This strong ale from Tower Brewery smells like toffee and tastes like plum and raisin. On the sweet side which suits me, some bitterness to finish. #beer #burton

This is a fruity little number from @brainsbrewery . Bags of plum supported by a malt backbone. An elevated version of Rev James with an ABV to support the full body. #cwrw #beer #brains

It's become a tradition to have a perry from Ross on Wye Cider and Perry Company with the Christmas pudding, and this year was no exception. The best part is sharing it with guests who have no idea what I'm serving them and hearing how much they enjoy it. #perry #christmaspudding

Mikeller Oktoberpretzel Märzen. Burnt orange in colour. Biscuit aroma like you might expect from a lager. Full bodied bitterness from start to finish but building and prolonged. Made with pretzels, though this is not obvious through saltiness or pretzel doughy-ness. #beer

Belgium here we come! Travelling to Ostend for a family holiday full of sand, sea, food and drink. Cider Twitter/X - does anyone know of any cider producers I can visit in Belgium, especially West Flanders? #cider #cidre #Belgium

Judging at the #InternationalCiderChallenge today. A high standard of entries and some stunning ciders tasted. #cider #perry

I love you Lidl, but this is a fundamental misunderstanding of your own business model. #Valentinesday2025

Distressing scene on the walk to school this morning.

Earlier this year I was gifted a bottle of one of my favourite ciders of the last decade, Franko from @ChapelSider. A delicious melange of dabinett apples and red wine barrels. I saved it for Christmas lunch and have no regrets, a great match. Thanks @TheCiderCritic. #cider

Oh my. This promises to be a Christmas Eve treat. #cheese #cider

Christmas eve is my favourite day of the year, and I like to cook a special dinner. This year: beef carbonnade (a Flemish stew made with beer), triple cooked chips, and savoy cabbage fried in butter and seasoned with nutmeg. Paired with a St. Bernardus Pater 6. #Belgium #beer

Found this hidden in a cupboard. Achel is no longer a Trappist brewery because it isn't supervised by monks, they have renamed this Achel dubbel. Spices, dark fruits, chocolate in the finish. If the recipe's unchanged enjoy as an indulgent winter warmer. #bier #Belgium #beer

Victory Ale from @batemansbrewery It's bitter, it's sweet, aroma of plums, rich full-bodied mouthfeel, full of stone fruit flavours. An autumn warmer. #beer #ale

My Granny used to do this. Her family were from Kent but many had moved to London. Crime increased during harvest, particularly theft. Many locals blamed it on minority community migrants (nothing changes). The culprits were locals taking advantage of the chance to blame others.

Gueuze is a blend of old and young lambic beer. Lambics are spontaneously fermented by wild yeast in the Brussels area. They are sour beers, often both lactic and tangy. This one from Timmermans is refreshingly tangy upfront but yields to a softer sourness. #beer #lambic #gueuze

The @RossCider festival cider bar had something for everyone. I didn't manage to try them all, but I gave it a good go. Sad that it's over for another year, but delighted that it happened. And I came back with some significant additions to my 'cellar'. #cider #perry

Cider supper club @RossCider festival last night. Enjoyed a variety of 8 delicious and occasionally startling (in a good way) ciders and perry. The blue cheese with Flakey Bark 2022 oak cask was a highlight. (That cheese wasn't all for me!). #perry #cider #ciderfestival

French Keeve Sweet Keeved Cider from #LlanblethianOrchards. A soft sparkle and a gentle sweetness give way to comforting tannins and rich fruit flavours. Perfect start to the evening after a hot day out with the family. #Seidr #Cider #Wales #Llancider

Wonderful to be judging the International Cider Challenge without being in front of a laptop in my kitchen this year. Tasted some great ciders today, and chatted to lots of great people dedicated to the world of cider. #InternationalCiderChallenge