Mark Johnson @marknjohnson.bsky.social · 09/09/2026Due to traffic issues, I'm stuck in the pub (which isn't that frequent for me atm) and have ended up writing down some angry beer thoughts. I keep threatening it, but I may finally be out of retirement soon. If I can remember my blogger or substack password. Cracking pint of Millstone Citra 080
Mark Johnson @marknjohnson.bsky.social · 26/08/2026Sunrise on the morn of my first 7 day break of 2026 070
Mark Johnson @marknjohnson.bsky.social · 19/08/2026I'm in my "tired of getting a card machine shoved at me without any interaction" phase. This shouldn't be how pubs are 210
Reposted by Mark Johnson David Desi Pubs Dason @davidjesudason.bsky.social · 19/08/2026Very happy to tell this story. Enjoy! 1157
Mark Johnson @marknjohnson.bsky.social · 18/08/2026Mark is a Poindexter Bought for the branding. Stayed - very briefly- for a gorgeous beer hammered in around 7 minutes. 0130
Mark Johnson @marknjohnson.bsky.social · 12/08/2026We were in Cornwall for that eclipse, and so my Dad never let me forget this, as he drank Daylight Robbery and loved Tribute. He'd tell me every time I ordered a pint of it. It used to be one of those facts that I'd sneer at beer people for not knowing, but in the year 2026, why would they? 030
Mark Johnson @marknjohnson.bsky.social · 12/08/2026 Here's a story of my first visit to the reopened Spinner’s Rest in Ancoats - that is mostly to do with a completely different pub www.instagram.com/p/Db7wDEMjQR... 020
Mark Johnson @marknjohnson.bsky.social · 05/08/2026Wanted to check out a local restaurant, so tried to find their menu. No website (strike one) so found their Insta page instead, hoping that had menu images. The first eight pictures are of the business owner's recent holiday. Bizarre. And I still haven't found a menu. 120
Mark Johnson @marknjohnson.bsky.social · 31/07/2026Bluesky signs me out about once a month, and then expects me to remember my password. So I disappear for a bit until I give up and reset it. Twitter never did this... Here's how I'm starting Friday to celebrate going through that pain 3170
Reposted by Mark Johnson Katy @theblueulysses.bsky.social · 15/07/2026I'm sure that "moorland still on fire" isn't the most engaging headline but I'm seeing so little in the national press about this! 053
Mark Johnson @marknjohnson.bsky.social · 15/07/2026The smoke is blocking out the sun. All the comments of "oooh it's a bit smelly near me" are not grasping what we have been living with for 5 days, and will be for some time 350
Mark Johnson @marknjohnson.bsky.social · 14/07/2026There seems to be a lot of preaching about UK contract brewing in the last couple of months, as if this is new shocking evidence. Has something happened that I've missed? The TikTokers love a Madri revelation, but surely the rest of us.... no? Is it just for likes or are people genuinely shocked? 210
Mark Johnson @marknjohnson.bsky.social · 12/07/2026I've defended Matterface for a few years, as the criticism of him has felt like a forced narrative and typical social media bullying. But I have realised this tournament that he really is a dreadful football commentator 020
Mark Johnson @marknjohnson.bsky.social · 06/07/2026I can confirm that the roads are as busy as ever, and the only person slightly late at work today... was me. I'm disappointed in everybody. 030
Mark Johnson @marknjohnson.bsky.social · 01/07/2026Trying that flavoured lager trend, that I have been avoiding, for the first time. I'm not a hater. During sports it is good company 230
Mark Johnson @marknjohnson.bsky.social · 30/06/2026Whilst we can only speculate on what today's news means for pubs, I'm sure we can all settle on the fact that it means more closures. Sad times. 020
Reposted by Mark Johnson Roger Protz @rogerprotz.bsky.social · 30/06/2026Many will have heard this news already. Thanks for sharing. Following days of speculation of retirement, it's officially confirmed that Humphrey Smith, controversial owner of Sam Smith's, has passed away. I'm called upon to write many obituaries of "titans of beer". This would be a hard one. 124714
Mark Johnson @marknjohnson.bsky.social · 09/06/2026And of course I just got Qatar in the pub sweepstake 110
Mark Johnson @marknjohnson.bsky.social · 09/06/2026There's so many damn teams at this World Cup that I keep finding out about a different one each day. Like, since when did Qatar qualify? Yesterday? Are you sure Ivory Coast are going? How flipping big is the sticker album? It'll cost 3 grand to finish 230
Mark Johnson @marknjohnson.bsky.social · 07/06/2026A pint of Cask Sonoma and a third of keg Bigfoot (2025) 2015 is back in fashion 🍆 080
Mark Johnson @marknjohnson.bsky.social · 07/06/2026It has been a long time. Floor slope visible in pint head 1110
Reposted by Mark Johnson Adrian Tierney-Jones @atjbeer.bsky.social · 31/05/2026Yesterday in a pub the stars aligned atjpubs.substack.com/p/when-the-s...atjpubs.substack.comWhen The Stars AlignIn a regular haunt 084
Mark Johnson @marknjohnson.bsky.social · 30/05/2026Four years since he came home to stay forever, Wilbur spent the day at his favourite brewery, being fussed and eating incredible okonomiyaki 190
Mark Johnson @marknjohnson.bsky.social · 28/05/2026A good read. Halfway through I was ready to scream SPOT ON ABOUT EVERYTHING. By the end, the nuance kicked in, and made me want to scream about that one food pub people rave about. Lots to digest, which is what I want from a good read. 151
Mark Johnson @marknjohnson.bsky.social · 18/05/2026Another day of thunderstorm level downpours that are just passed off as normal. People that aren't concerned by climate change are genuinely scary at this point 020
Mark Johnson @marknjohnson.bsky.social · 18/05/2026So my Twitter prediction that Smoothflow would be next is coming true. Wish I'd archived everything I ever said in that app 430
Mark Johnson @marknjohnson.bsky.social · 29/04/2026People that "watch" podcasts... ... ... I want to ask a question, but I'm speechless. Are you okay? 010
Mark Johnson @marknjohnson.bsky.social · 26/04/2026I knew the Million Pound question on Who Wants to Be... I can retire now. 110
Mark Johnson @marknjohnson.bsky.social · 25/04/2026I've gone through possibly my longest period (sans Holidays or Dry Jans) without going to the local. And I come in tonight to a killer line-up including flipping Oregon Trail. I'm not saying it's just for me, but... 190
Mark Johnson @marknjohnson.bsky.social · 25/04/2026Dreadful end to the season (home games.) Don't normally get a beer for the journey home but an Hour & 10 minute replacement bus journey had me looking in the fridges. There I came across this ice cold perfect summer beverage. Yes please. #replacementbusservicebeer 240
Mark Johnson @marknjohnson.bsky.social · 22/04/2026I was really looking forward to some post-work garden chill beers, but the wind is still very bitter here. Plan B 090
Reposted by Mark Johnson Petersgate Tap @petersgatetap.bsky.social · 01/04/2026Serious Brewing have closed. We’ve had them on the bar for years and their Moonlight stout was a classic. Yet every month we get emails from new breweries. With pubs closing there seems to be more breweries chasing fewer pubs. This is not sustainable IMO. @rogerprotz.bsky.social 2206
Mark Johnson @marknjohnson.bsky.social · 22/03/2026Found these forgotten Beavertown & To Øl relics in my shed today. Think I'll crack them open. I haven't had anything aged for too long since the days that we had a segment for it on the Pod. I think, judging by the discolouration in the labels, these may have spent some time in direct sunlight so.. 4161
Mark Johnson @marknjohnson.bsky.social · 15/03/2026They are getting all the heat at the moment for feeling like the new town centre Vape Shop, but we have just spent a very enjoyable couple of hours in one of those Manchester Irish bars. Football, Irish dancing, live music, and Murphy's... I'm struggling to describe anything else required. 061
Mark Johnson @marknjohnson.bsky.social · 10/03/2026New staff on in the pub. Apparently I need to have a gentle word with them about my preferred glass shape but, more importantly, my feelings about a particular beer brand. 020
Mark Johnson @marknjohnson.bsky.social · 09/03/2026I started writing about how much I dislike content creators in pubs. One of many posts that I've started in recent months, and then decided that I can't be bothered censoring for a 2026 human race. 2014 humanity would have loved it though. 020
Mark Johnson @marknjohnson.bsky.social · 02/03/2026Though I've not been in one for a number of years, I've so many fond memories from a number of Brewdog bars. I wonder if I can write some of them down without being lambasted for positively eulogising about the company. 460
Mark Johnson @marknjohnson.bsky.social · 16/02/2026Not used here much because it has been wonky about me uploading pictures. And, if I were to give the other place credit, that wasn't an issue there. I'll trial one from the weekend to see if it is worth it... 3100
Mark Johnson @marknjohnson.bsky.social · 16/02/2026Even though I knew that the pub had been somewhere that I had always utilised as a place to grieve, I never *knew* that until these words. 131
Mark Johnson @marknjohnson.bsky.social · 03/02/2026£5 for a pint of Millstone in the Tameside area. FIVE whole pounds. I think this was the moment that, even I, said "... that actually is a lot of money for a pint." 260
Mark Johnson @marknjohnson.bsky.social · 03/02/2026Pagan Arms, Newquay www.instagram.com/p/DUTaY6CjYz... 080
Mark Johnson @marknjohnson.bsky.social · 27/01/2026Thoughts on the Barley Mow on the social app www.instagram.com/p/DUBVKq9DVw... 160
Mark Johnson @marknjohnson.bsky.social · 21/01/2026Hanley Town wasn't enough to get me blogging again, but was enough to get me writing something down. Gentle reminder that it's alright on Insta. Something different, rather than the forced attempt to recapture what we lost (which is what here feels like.) www.instagram.com/p/DTx-RfFjWZ... 180