Having a grown-ups-only holiday in the UK? Make your way around the country's best craft breweries, micropubs and traditional inns.
The UK is home to one of the world's most vibrant beer cultures, with close to 2000 breweries and thousands of great pubs, bars and brewery taps. The renaissance of the past 20 years means it's more diverse than it once was, too, although traditionalists need not fear: there's still plenty of nut-brown bitter.
Bermondsey
London's brewing explosion (there are now about 110 breweries in the capital) was inspired in large part by The Kernel, founded in Bermondsey in 2009. Now Bermondsey boasts 10 breweries and many other beer bars; on Saturdays, when most are open to drinkers (The Kernel offers off-sales only), it becomes the capital's most popular bar crawl.
Don't miss: Brew By Numbers, Enid St
The Black Country
If Bermondsey represents modern British beer, the Black Country is a taste of time-honoured tradition. Its appeal rests on the understated excellence of the local beer, particularly Bathams Bitter, which has beguiled locals and visitors alike for generations.
Don't miss: The Vine, Brierley Hill, West Midlands
East Kent
Micropubs are gradually creeping across the country (there are more than 300 now) but East Kent, where the first one opened in 2005, is the movement's home. These drinking spots are essentially repurposed shop units, but the focus on chat and well-kept beer makes them a godsend in the midst of these dark days when many independent pubs are closing down.
Don't miss: The Butcher's Arms, Herne, Kent
