NEWS IMAGES: TOP PHOTOS: OLIVER GRIFFIN; BOTTOM PHOTO: THE GUARDIAN
From bylines to brewing AFTER A drastic career change, a former journalist has something brewing – his own beer. Daniel Tapper (Magazine, 2010) set up The Beak Brewery in the Yorkshire Dales in September. Tapper, who worked at Waitrose Kitchen as features editor, came up with the idea two years ago and bought premises for the brewery last year. He was inspired by the people he was writing about as a journalist: artisan cheese makers, farmers, wine makers, and chefs who made him want to “get his hands dirty” and start doing what he was writing about. Six months after setting the brewery up, he made his first batch. He said: “I’m currently making a light hoppy pale ale and a darker, more full-bodied rye beer. I’m happy with both but you’re only ever as good as your last batch, so I’ll let my customers be the judge of that.”
SO, HOW DOES IT TASTE? “A fruity, amber-coloured IPA with a peppery hit of toasted rye, fermented over cascade hops for a lingering piney finish.” 10
Journos should challenge false info NEWS ORGANISATIONS should challenge interviewees who have “spouted nonsense” about proven scientific facts, according to leading experts who attended a debate hosted by City. Bob Ward, policy director at the Grantham Institute on Climate Change, referenced a BBC Radio 4 Today programme in which Lord Nigel Lawson argued against climate change. At the 25 March event, Ward said Lawson “does not have the right to make up facts”, and faulted reporters who “aren’t briefed well enough to pick up on it”. Steve Jones, a geneticist and broadcaster, said that news organisations must recruit more journalists who have a strong background in science. He said: “The solution is to have more specialist correspondents who are briefed in broadcast.” Mike Hanlon, former science editor of the Daily Mail and Ceri Thomas, head of news programmes at the BBC, recognised that inaccurate reporting is a problem that is not exclusive to science journalism. Thomas said: “I do accept that we need to improve science literacy and recruit science graduates, but if I have a presenter reporting on immigration, they are equally as vulnerable.” Hanlan agreed, and said: “The best hope is that we don’t lie to people or deliberately pull the wool over their eyes.” Lucinda Borrell
A well deserved drink - Daniel Tapper pours himself a cold one The brewery is waiting on a licence before it can sell ales commercially, but a few batches have already been tested. Michael Tait, a foodie and multimedia editor for The Guardian’s Life and Style section, was lucky enough to try a sample. Tait said: “Dan has added rye to his beer. It delivers an appealing toasted cereal complexity to a brew that unusually retains a lovely, refreshing acidity. I was surprised that such an inexperienced brewer had made something so delicious straight out of his first keg.”
Tapper created the recipes, sourced the ingredients, and brewed, bottled, and marketed the beer all by himself. He said: “All the beer is hand bottled and labelled, and all the used grain is recycled –I donate it to a local farm. The pigs go crazy for wet malt.” Tapper has not completely abandoned writing – he has just finished a book to complement the Channel 4 programme Food Unwrapped. The book is due out on 5 June. Jack Dutton
Visa troubles cause enrolment to drop New conditions make it harder for international students to study in the UK by Simon Gwynn TOUGHER VISA conditions are believed to be partly responsible for a sharp drop in the number of International Journalism MA (MAIJ) students coming to City. Only 62 students took the course this year, compared to 98 in 2012-13. The figure is down by half from 2010-11, when there were 124 students. However, the number of applications has increased, from 230 last year to 266. Non-EU students wishing to study in the UK require a Tier Four visa. Before they can apply for one, they must receive a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies from their chosen university.Changes to the terms of the Tier Four visas, introduced in April 2012, make it harder for international students to work in the UK
after graduating – making it less attractive to study in the UK. Professor George Brock, head of journalism, said he believed the changes contributed to the drop in students. “The decline has to be linked to the very bad publicity that the new visa requirements have had.” He added that the department was “pushing hard” to bring up the level of international students. In addition to the 62 students enrolled this year, 15 paid a deposit, but deferred their places. A further 10 paid a deposit but did not show up. Martin Chivers, programme administrator for the MAIJ, said: “I am of the firm opinion that the government’s policy to massage immigration figures by changing Tier Four visas has had a direct impact on the numbers.”
XCITY 2014
p10-11_NEWS_beerandspecialisms.indd 2
31/03/2014 12:23