Let me push that stool in for you: the off-topic thread

Any Belfast city centre pub recommendations… Perhaps for craft beer, but not necessarily (interesting interiors / architecture also considered)?

Great reply, thanks! There are a few pubs I hadn't heard of there, I only know the older, landmark ones.

Having a Three Crowns peated and a pint of Our Brewery hazy pale ale in The Sunflower. Great pub, never would have found it without the recommendation.

I don't know how, maybe it's brand related, as you say, but their gin certainly seems to have punched through and become recognised as a premium independent Irish gin in a way that others haven't.

Their whiskey has never impressed me the same way… So far, anyway!

I can only assume that independent distillers have a really tough decision when it comes to pausing distilling. They might save money in the short term by pausing, but if they aren't laying down their own distillate consistently, to age, then I'd have thought they are consigning themselves to a slow death. In an ideal world, they can make a profit on their own distillate asap - 5 years seems an industry average - but worst case… Would they not be better building up a stock and holding it for when conditions change… If they pause and things don't improve, what then- They'd be gone anyway?

I can understand how the really big boys might consider product costs, reserves, profit at the point of sale and also be forecasting things like consumer tastes… But I wouldn't have thought independent distillers just have to hope for the best.