Writer ‘blown away’ as Year in Beer wins Fortnum & Mason Drink Book of the Year
AYEAR in Beer: The Beer Lover’s Guide to the Seasons by Jonny Garrett is the Fortnum & Mason Drink Book of the Year 2022, writes Neville Grundy.
The CAMRA-published guide to seasonal drinking is a bold new look at beer which explores the UK’s modern brewing scene and dives into the histories and unlikely origins of our favourite styles.
Garrett leads readers through the hop and malt harvests of late summer, joyful fireside drinks and slow cooking of autumn, the glut of Christmas beers and cheese boards of winter, and the wild and fresh burst of new life and brewing in spring.
A Year in Beer was shortlisted alongside Trouble Brewing in the Loire: The Braslou Biere Chronicles by Tommy Barnes, and The Oxford Companion to Spirits & Cocktails
edited by David Wondrich with Noah Rothbaum.
The judging panel, chaired by chef Angela Hartnett OBE, included other pioneers in the food and drink sector including Wild Card brewery’s Jaega Wise, and drinks journalist Alice Lascelles.
Garrett said: “I’m absolutely blown away to win this award, especially for a book with such an unusual take on beer.
“Writing and researching A Year in Beer genuinely changed my perspective on brewing and beer culture, and I hope it inspires many more people to think and drink seasonally too.”
Garrett is a London-based beer writer, author, and filmmaker. As well as writing regularly for Good Beer Hunting, he is the founder of YouTube’s award-winning Craft Beer Channel.
He has won several writing and broadcasting awards, including UK Beer Writer of the Year in 2019 from the British Guild of Beer Writers. He also regularly publishes content about beer and brewing for CAMRA’s Learn & Discover platform.
A Year in Beer is available from shop1. camra.org.uk. On that webpage, you will also find a wide range of books covering a variety of subjects relating to beer, cider, perry, travel, beer breaks, classic pub interiors and cooking with beer, just to give some examples - not forgetting CAMRA’s popular Good Beer Guide, the most comprehensive guide to beer and pubs in the UK.
The national CAMRA website is at: camra.org.uk. The Southport & West Lancs Branch website is at southport. camra.org.uk.
Pre-heat oven to 160c. Fill two six-hole muffin trays with paper muffin cases.
Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl and stir in the sugar and the poppy seeds.
Crack the eggs into a large measuring jug and whisk, add the milk, vegetable oil, lemon juice and grated rind and mix.
Crush together the biscuits and stir in the melted butter.
Gradually fold the wet ingredients into the dry