IPA all the way

In the past few years I've got into specialist beers brewed by small breweries. Nowadays they call it "craft beer" and it's a marketplace run by twenty-something hipsters.

In the UK there's been a resurgence of craft brewers and in London most are based in trendy East London areas like Hoxton and Shoreditch. Ten years ago there was only one London brewery left (Fullers in Chiswick) but now there's nearly 40.

But for many an interest in beer equates to "real ale", CAMRA and old geezers. This includes many whom I share my passion with, including several of my team.

My favourite beer is IPA, invented by the English for export to India. I love the backstory, the heritage and of course the taste (hoppy & packed full of explosive flavours). Sadly for us though, the US has forged ahead in beer production (despite the likes of Miller, Coors & Bud) and now excel in beers such as IPA. In fact in cities like Seattle (200 breweries and counting) IPA is the beer of choice drunk by both men and women.

So I was delighted to visit Georgia's Sweetwater Brewery and sample their mighty fine IPA. I was also shown around by a heavily- tattooed twentysomething brewer who knew his stuff.

None of which impressed my work colleagues who still stuck to their CAMRA taunts. The fools! :)