Des De Moor obit

Much-loved Guild member and writer Des De Moor passes away

 He was not on the list.

The Guild board is desperately sad to hear that long-time Guild member and wonderful writer Des De Moor has passed away.

The outpouring of stories since the news tells its own story, but Des was one of the industry’s best-loved characters and writers. He started writing about beer around 2000, contributing to various CAMRA publications and beer magazines. He also wrote several books, including Cask: The Real Story of Britain's Unique Beer Culture, which won Silver in the book category at the Guild Awards in 2023. He also did frequent beer and history tours of London, and travelled the world as a well-respected beer judge.

Beer was not his only passion, and he wrote for Rambler magazine Walk, as well as having a career in music. He specialised in European-influenced musical cabaret and chanson, running a club night in London for more than 12 years from 1994. In the early-mid 2000s he released Darkness and Disgrace, a musical cabaret from the songs of David Bowie developed with pianist Russell Churney.

He’ll be hugely missed by the industry as a whole, as well as those who knew and worked with him. The Guild would like to express their condolences to his friends and family, and to say that we will continue to champion the great work he did in the beer world.

One of de Moor's best known works was Darkness and Disgrace: Des de Moor and Russell Churney Perform the Songs of David Bowie, an adaptation of David Bowie songs in cabaret/chanson style created in collaboration with pianist Russell Churney, originally performed in 2001 and recorded in 2003.

He also produced English translations of songs by Jacques Brel.

He was a long-time member of the British Guild of Beer Writers, writing regularly for Campaign for Real Ale publications and others. In 2010 he contributed to the book 1001 Beers You Must Try Before You Die (edited by Adrian Tierney-Jones, Quintessence) and in 2011 published his own first book, The CAMRA Guide to London's Best Beer, Pubs and Bars (CAMRA Books). A second edition of this appeared in 2015 and a third in 2022