Think you know beer?

This weekend, sitting in the sun on a pallet in a yard behind a brewery, surrounded by happy men and women, I had a sudden realisation – beer is really popular. Sure, it’s always been popular, but not in the same way. Drinking and appreciating beer is no longer the refuge of stereotypically bearded men with bellies and sandals – or, as I call them, ‘my people’ – it’s exploded to encompass the whole of the drinking public, and this week is a busy time for those of us who like a swift half or two.

Here in London we...