Brewers Journal UK - Winter 2023 by Reby Media

THE MAGAZINE FOR THE PROFESSIONAL BREWING INDUSTRY

BREWERS

J O U R N A L

WINTER 2023 | VOLUME 9, ISSUE 4 ISSN 2059-6669

WIPER AND TRUE Beautiful beer in Bristol 20 | BREWERS INTELLIGENCE: LATEST INDUSTRY INSIGHTS

39 | FULL CIRCLE BREW CO: NORTH EAST EXCELLENCE

54 | LATVIA: A LOVE OF BEER BOTH OLD AND NEW

THE THIRD SPACE

s the UK brewing land-

While the idea is nothing new, the prem-

scape continues to trans-

ise of hyper-localisation in the word of

form and evolve, we need

craft beer can only become more promi-

to be both proactive and

nent and relevant in 2024, and beyond.

reactive when it comes to

Seemingly gone are the days where

business. Working with distributors to en-

many breweries were awaiting that

sure your beer reaches markets that are

acquisitive call from a macro to add their

out of bounds from your in-house sales

business to the big beer family.

force is a clear and obvious way to sell

Instead we are seeing more and more

more of your product further afield.

breweries concentrating on producing and selling their beers in a geographical

But in speaking with a wealth of brewer-

area around the brewery.

ies in putting together this edition, and

As many argue, this is one route for

visiting businesses such as Hackney

smaller breweries to compete with the

Brewery for one of our recent video inter-

more established breweries, and larger

views, it is abundantly evident that focus-

brewing businesses that have broader

ing on your local market remains more

distribution networks at their disposal.

LEADER

than important than ever. And a central

brewersjournal.info

facet of that is your taproom or tasting

But while the benefits of hyper-localisa-

room. These places represent what is

tion for breweries are evident, it’s crucial

commonly known as a third space.

for owners to navigate potential challenges such as striking the right balance

A third space is somewhere that is not

between local focus and maintaining a

your place of work, and not your home

broader appeal where desired, and also

but instead an alternative environment

staying adaptable to evolving community

where you can go to enjoy a sense of

preferences.

community.

As recent years have showed hyper-localisation is not just a trend. Instead it’s a

As Bart Watson, the chief economist for

strategic approach that can significantly

the Brewers Association, wrote way back

impact a brewery’s success.

in 2018, taprooms, brewpubs and tasting rooms “arguably fall among the third

Thanks again for all of your support this

space alternatives”, and he added that

year and I hope you all have a

think you can also make a strong case

prosperous and healthy 2024.

that taprooms have certainly played a role in rejuvenating beer’s “on-premise

Tim Sheahan

culture and also draught beer volumes”.

Editor

WINTER 2023

CONTENTS

News Analysis We discuss the year just gone and what needs to change in 2024 to improve the business of brewing

Dear John John Keeling’s love of cask is unwavering but he’s increasingly concerned about its place on the bar

Comments Brewing success with digital commerce Government wavering on sustainability law

Brewers Intelligence The latest insight and expertise from the ingredients and sales sectors.

Wiper and True Celebrating its 10th anniversary, the Bristol brewery’s mission is clear - to brew beautiful beer

Sustainability | CO2 When a Northern Ireland brewery wanted to cut its CO2, it turned to a nitrogen generation system

Sustainability | Spent Grain The techology cutting spent grain transfer time at the Tennent’s Wellpark Brewery

Technology | Analysis Bitterness and aroma control at Oakham Ales Why you should analyse your yeast

Science | Yeast Cropping & Storage In this, his latest of the series, Tim O’Rourke takes a detailed look at yeast cropping and storage

Homebrewing Dark Revolutions’ Greg Hughes recalls his homebrewing journey while professional brewers share their early experiences making beer

34 Green sanitation

As the brewery industry evolves to adopt more sustainable practices, there is an increasing need for green surface sanitation methods.

WINTER 2023

BREWERS JOURNAL

CONTACTS Tim Sheahan Editor tim@reby.media +44 (0)1442 780 592 Melissa Cole Contributing Editor Tim O’Rourke Technical Editor

41 Full Circle Brew Co

How in a few short years. Full Circle Brew Co has become one of the most celebrated breweries in the North East.

46 Branding

Nick Clark, executive creative director at Bloom, on working with authentic beer brands and big breweries.

54 Latvia

There are a wealth of brilliant breweries in the Baltics and in Latvia, lovers of beautiful beer have much to choose from.

brewersjournal.info

John Keeling Contributor Josh Henderson Head of sales josh@reby.media +44 (0)1442 780 594 Jon Young Publisher jon@reby.media Reby Media 6 Grove Road, Hemel Hempstead, Herts, HP1 1NG

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All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any information storage or retrieval system, without the express prior written consent of the publisher. The Brewers Journal ISSN 2059-6650 is published bimonthly by Reby Media, 6 Grove Road, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP1 1NG. Subscription records are maintained at Reby Media, 6 Grove Road, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP1 1NG. The Brewers Journal accepts no responsibility for the accuracy of statements or opinion given within the Journal that is not the expressly designated opinion of the Journal or its publishers. Those opinions expressed in areas other than editorial comment may not be taken as being the opinion of the Journal or its staff, and the aforementioned accept no responsibility or liability for actions that arise therefrom.

WINTER 2023

NEWS ANALYSIS

THE YEAR AHEAD THE YEAR 2023 HAS PROVEN TO BE ANOTHER CHALLENGING YEAR FOR THE BREWING SECTOR. IN THIS ARTICLE, WE HEAR FROM SOME LEADING BREWING NAMES ABOUT HOW THEY’VE NAVIGATED THE LAST 12 MONTHS AND IMPORTANTLY, THEIR PLANS FOR THE YEAR AHEAD.

rates multiplier, and his maintaining a

also been inflationary cost pressures and

business rate relief of 75% for pubs.

a stark fall in pubs with 400 closures.

“These policy decisions will save our sector around £350 million. They will help

“The recent Autumn Statement added

deliver growth across cities, towns and

to these cost pressures with increases

villages all over the UK, helping to level

to the National Living Wage without any

up the nation and spur growth in local

compensating reduction in tax – only a,

economies.

albeit welcome, freeze in beer duty until

“This headroom is critical, particularly

August and a continuation of the

with the National Living Wage increases

Business Rates Relief,” he explains.

- at more than double the rate of inflation

“Its therefore no wonder that we’ve seen

- which will add over £240 million to pub

around 60 small breweries close their

wage bills at this challenging time.”

door for good in 2023.”

But Barry Watts, the head of public affairs

Watts adds: “There’s some optimism for

and policy at the Society of Independent

2024 that we’ve now turned a corner with

Brewers (SIBA) says that as we get close

inflation falling and an early “pre-election”

to the festive season, it’s hard to hear

giveaway from the government expected

much festive cheer from small inde-

in the Spring Budget before we hit the

pendent breweries after another “bitterly

General Election.

challenging time”.

“There’s the opportunity for the govern-

Noting that this businesses have faced

ment to expand the reduction in duty for

the tumultuous changes to the alcohol

draught beer – the draught relief – from

epending on the sector

duty system in the summer alongside a

9.2% to 20% or more to support pubs and

you’re invested in, the

double-digit hit on beer duty, there have

small breweries and freeze beer duty on small pack.

recent Autumn Statement has been given a “warm”

“We’re also looking for help for breweries

reception by some, while

others reacted with a “tepid reception for

to go green. There’s another round of the

a low-level giveaway”.

Industrial Energy Transformation Fund

According to the government, The Au-

(IETF) launching next year which aims to

tumn Statement takes a “responsible approach to public spending to keep debt falling, cuts taxes for working people and businesses, reforms welfare to help people into work and removes barriers to business investment to boost growth”. But how has the beer industry reacted? Reacting to the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement announcement that beer duty will be frozen until August 2024, the small business multiplier frozen, and that Hospitality Business Rate Relief extended, Emma McClarkin, the chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) said the government has “backed British business by supporting Britain’s great pubs and brewers”. She explains: “We welcome the Chancellor’s decisions to freeze beer duty until August 2024, freeze to the small business

brewersjournal.info

There’s some optimism for 2024 that we’ve now turned a corner with inflation falling and an early “pre-election” giveaway from the government expected in the Spring Budget, Barry Watts, SIBA

help high energy businesses reduce their carbon emissions with some changes to the criteria to help smaller businesses and some may wish to apply. “However, we need grants and support aimed at SMEs so breweries can make the transition to new technology.” According to Watts, an issue to watch in Scotland in 2024 is the introduction of the new Pub Code which includes a guest beer agreement allowing pub tenants to buy a beer of their choosing from local breweries which could improve market access. This is something, he believes, that the government should look at rolling out in England and Wales so that other small breweries can also benefit.” “As the Election gets underway, there’s the opportunity for all breweries to

WINTER 2023

NEWS ANALYSIS engage with their local candidates, invite

always want to drink a pint of delicious

them to visit and make a noise about

beer, and we have to remember that.”

brewing and pubs so that they can take that message back to Parliament,” he says. “One of those key messages is that policy needs to take small producers into account. The recent debacle over the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) in Scotland shows the importance of considering how it works for small businesses. “With the DRS planned to be rolled out across the UK in October 2025 this will be an important lesson for any new government and an issue that small breweries will need to give some thought in the next 12 months or so to prepare.” So with the new year nearly among us, here are some brewery owners from across the UK sharing their experiences of the last year, their plans, hopes and

We’ve just held on tight by focusing on what we’re good at, developing our core range at an accessible price point and staying positive, Luci Clayton-Jones, Double-Barrelled

Christian Townsley, the co-founder of North Brewing says 2023 has been “a rollercoaster”, calling it, at times, incredibly challenging, often more so than the height of the pandemic. “Material and energy costs went through the roof in January after what was a sluggish Christmas in hospitality, the sum of which make for some big hurdles to overcome,” he adds: “The cost of the pandemic still resonates throughout the industry, both in brewing and hospitality. Townsley explains: “On a brighter note we’ve opened two venues in the last 12 months, in Birmingham (Nov ’22) and Manchester in January. It was a real buzz and incredibly exciting to take our tap room concept and expand that beyond Yorkshire.

dreams for 2024 and also, if they could

“However, reduced office traffic hits

ask the government for one thing to help their business going forward, what that

form of normality returned. “We also

hospitality on Mondays and especially

would be….

need to establish wholesale partners

Fridays and the ongoing train strikes

across the UK and get back out to the

have absolutely hammered trade in city

“2023 has largely been a year where we

export markets where we were previous-

centres, we’ve felt it especially in Leeds

have evaluated the first full year out of

ly very strong,” he says. “To do all this, we

and Birmingham.

COVID to establish what the make-up of

realised we needed a team of people

“We’ve recently taken on a Leeds bar that

our business looks like. Prior to COVID

with proven track records in each of

had closed, a fantastic bar in the heart of

(and Brexit) we had circa 50% of our vol-

these departments which led to the hir-

a suburban community, a well loved ‘lo-

ume in export but that has come back,”

ing of a new production director, new MD

cal’, saving all of the jobs and the venue

explains Dominic Metcalfe, the managing

with a sales and marketing background

which would otherwise have become a

director at Buxton Brewery.

and a new operations manager for the

takeaway. We’ve embarked upon a new

He says: “In the same period, our super-

bars. 2023 has been a challenging year,

bar venture in Treviso in Italy, a collabora-

market volume has grown which is great

but 2024 looks exciting!”

tion with our Italian importer.”

left by export markets dropping off but it

In Liverpool, Neptune Brewery co-found-

He adds: “The recent recognition at

presents its own set of problems in terms

er Julie O’Grady describes 2023 as “not

Brewers Congress for Best Brewery and

of becoming reliant on a revenue stream

too bad of a year”. We’ve managed to

the Global Ambassadors award that John

that can change overnight with a delist.

locate the brewery to a bigger space

and I picked up were absolutely mind

“Thankfully, after much deliberation the

and open our own Beerhouse in the area

blowing and totally unexpected.

decision was made that our brand is still

where we live. However we have had to

“I think even more so because we’ve

strong in the market, but that we need to

absorb the increases in utilities and small

been so ‘in’ the business that we haven’t

re-focus on our heartland with regard to

pack duty to remain competitive,” she

really had time to take a step back and

new bar acquisitions and a new taproom

says.

reflect on what we’ve achieved this year.

from a volume perspective to fill the gaps

It was a wonderful opportunity to do that.”

at the brewery but also from a distribution angle with a consistent core range

For Luci Clayton-Jones, co-founder of

of outstanding beers complemented by

Double-Barrelled in Reading, 2023 has

For Will Lees-Jones, the managing

some archive beers making a return as

been a challenging year. “We’ve just held

director at Manchester-based brewery

well as continuing our legacy of brewing

on tight by focusing on what we’re good

and pub company JW Lees, 2023 feels a

modern, exciting styles.”

at, developing our core range at an ac-

period where the sector has “kept going

cessible price point and staying positive,”

from one crisis to another”.

According to Metcalfe, all of this will also

she says.

He says this is thanks to the combination

help establish an e-commerce revenue

“We are working on strategies for how we

of “rising costs, energy contracts, no CO2,

stream which fell off a cliff once some

grow for the future. Lots of people will

labour shortages and no chefs - and a

WINTER 2023

BREWERS JOURNAL

NEWS ANALYSIS government that really does not under-

Archer adds that the addition of Rachel

And If the team at Buxton are expecting a

stand that pubs and beer are ultimately

Esker made a very positive impact in

quiet start to the new year, then they are

habitual”.

the middle of the year, completing the

somewhat mistaken, as Dominic Metcalfe

He adds: “Thankfully as a long-estab-

skillset of the company’s head brewer

explains. “The first week back in January

lished business we take a long term

Jeremy Swainson.

will see all staff don the steel toe caps to

perspective and so there will be oppor-

“As well as continuing to brew great beer

start relocating our office to our existing

tunities in 2024 but we need to remain

he embraced the economic realities and

taproom overlooking the brewery.

focused and that means building on our

worked super hard with the team to look

“We will then start gutting the building

established business of beer, beds and

for any efficiency improvement in the bre-

that is currently our office but which looks

pubs.”

whouse that could reduce costs and or

over the beautiful Peak District to create

improve yields. This program also reaped

a brand new taproom that will be open

Some 200 miles north up to Portobello in

rewards and made a positive impact in

seven days per week serving great beer,

Edinburgh are Vault City. Steven Smith-

reducing average production costs to

coffee and food, family and dog friendly

Hay, the brewery’s co-founder, says

offset some of the huge utility base cost

with a garden capable of seating over

2023 has been an exciting year for the

increases we had seen.”

100 people as well as an outside area for children to enjoy.

business and they want to carry as much of that momentum into the new year as

Looking ahead to 2024 Will Lees-Jones

“We will hopefully also open up two new

possible.

of JW Lees, hopes that people will

venues under Axe Edge bars by the end

“One of the most significant changes

rediscover cask beers, “especially those

of Q2 and embark on a comprehensive

we’re implementing is the transition to a

that are really good like ours with defined

visit of all of our European and Asian

seven-day production schedule which

characteristics and bright (not cloudy)

export markets to re-connect and build a

means we’ll continue expanding the

and more-ish”.

strategy for re-establishing Buxton beers. Just for good measure, we will also

team and producing a lot more beer in

launch our rebrand!”

2024. We can then expand on our six

For Christian Townsley at North, he wants

rotational releases per month, with more

to see their team grow as individuals and

collaborations, trade, and export growth,”

as a collective. “I don’t necessarily mean

In Reading, Luci Clayton-Jones hopes

he says.

in numbers but in knowledge, confidence

to see a return to greater consumer

“It’ll allow our production team to con-

and creativity. We’ve so many amazing

disposable income – as she is aware that

tinue working on new R&D projects for

people at North, the success of the next

everyone’s pockets are stretched “and

alcohol free and gluten free releases.

12 months will be a team effort,” he adds.

that impacts all of us”. And in Liverpool,

It also means we can expand our core

Julie O’Grady adds that the main goal is

range, with one of our all-time best-sell-

ultimately, to still be in business.

ing beers joining the line-up in the very

She goes on: “I think that’s the case for

near future.”

all breweries at present with the spiralling costs. We aim to grow our customer

At Crediton, Devon-based Utopian Brewing, founder Richard Archer says the defining point for the business, despite market conditions was that they stuck to their plan. “We had committed to some significant investments on people and Capex and we thought they were the still the right calls, even if potentially risky,” he says. “We welcomed Rachel Esker to the team as our new head of sales, and were committed to big brewhouse improvement projects which we were confident together could grow the top-line and reduce our production costs. “For us it was even more important therefore that we pressed on with those investments knowing the market was tougher. I’m a big believer that its much harder to try to cut your way out of a crisis than to try to grow your way out of it.”

brewersjournal.info

We’ve also worked hard on efficiencies over the last 12 months to make savings in our operating costs without compromising on the quality of our beer, Steven Smith-Hay, Vault City

base, and increase output. We are also looking a brewing styles of beers we are not generally known for, something different. We will also look at doing more collaborations as this year it was limited due to the ongoing work in the brewery and Beerhouse, which has taken up a lot of our time.” At Vault City, Steven Smith-Hay acknowledges it has been a tough time for the industry, and that businesses have felt the pinch of rising materials and energy costs. “We’re lucky and grateful for so many of our customers showing their continued support,” he says. We’ve also worked hard on efficiencies over the last 12 months to make savings in our operating costs without compromising on the quality of our beer. We’ve paid close attention to trends and key calendar dates to help capitalise on sales and make noise online throughout the year.”

WINTER 2023

NEWS ANALYSIS And looking ahead, Richard Archer at

is missing a trick with that and shooting

energy costs,” he explains. “The soaring

Utopian’s biggest area of concern is

their 2% inflation target in the foot - it will

prices have seen many independent

access to market in the on-trade. “This

put another 50p on a pint and that will

brewers, bars and bottle shops close

isn’t a new thing but is more important

then drive inflation,” says Will Lees-Jones.

their doors this year and a support package could aid the industry in a big way.”

than ever in my opinion. With the challenges in hospitality the big brewers are

Luci Clayton-Jones adds that some VAT

locking up more and more lines in ‘free’

relief to hospitality would be beneficial

Concluding, Richard Archer at Utopian

houses with cellar contracts,” he explains.

down the chain to keep their key routes

says he would personally like the UK

“They’ve got very deep pockets that for

to market trading. “For us directly, longer

to rejoin the Customs Union and Single

a number of them have been filled with

and greater support on energy wouldn’t

market to help to re-energise that once

cash from the 3.5% duty break and drop-

go a miss as our contracted rates are

vibrant beer export industry which he

ping a beer by 0.2%.

dreadful.”

describes as “a terrible loss to small

“With all the other challenges on smaller

Julie O’Grady echoes this: “Just one, that’s

brewers”.

operators you can see why they will

very difficult! Probably to reduce VAT. It’s

take a cash incentive from a brewery for

a massive cost to all businesses and the

He adds: “Maybe a more realistic one

a two-year deal. The knock-on effect

minimum reduction would need to be 5%

is for government to provide some real

though is that just get more fish and

at least. This government just aren’t doing

help and support to enable access to

chips, chicken pie and a pint of bland

enough to help brewing or hospitality.”

genuinely affordable investment capital for small business. That’s not just for

lager pubs. Personally I think the consumer is tired of those and that’s maybe

Christian Townsley says perhaps the

breweries but small business in general.

partly whats driving the decline in people

biggest help would be to reduce VAT in

We’ve seen how making some big

going to the pub?”

hospitality, and not just on food. “Second

investments can dramatically improve

on the list would be to work with the

both the productivity and growth but we

Archer adds that his dream for 2024 is

rail unions to bring the strikes to an end.

are lucky and have a supportive investor

that we can find ways to start changing

The impact isn’t just on the strike days, it

group and some now expensive debt to

that trend and seeing more independent

affects consumer confidence too, people

achieve that.

operators on the high street and in the

are less inclined to travel by train, reduc-

countryside. According to the Utopian

ing footfall into cities. We need hospitality

“If there was better access to capital

founder, every piece of research on con-

to see a lift,” he tells us.

investment funding in the UK many more

sumer behaviour and preferences he has

Buxton’s Dominic Metcalfe is equally

businesses could invest to grow and we

observed in the last year or so talks of

direct. “We want the government to stop

could do more of the things we want to.”

desire to support local, more natural and

pretending that they are the ones paying

an increasing concern over provenance.

the UK workers an increased minimum

Archer adds: “There’s a part that gov-

He adds: “That doesn’t seem to be

wage!

ernment can play in this with either the

flowing through to whats happening in

“It is the businesses that are funding this

overdue companies and markets review

pubs and I hope that can change. It’s a

increase, at a time when inflation and

that’s on SIBA’s lobbying list or at least

massively important thing to us both phil-

interest rates are incredibly high and the

for the ‘free line’ legislation so lets hope

osophically and as a business dynamic

economy is still stagnant.

something can get done on that soon.

so we will be looking very hard this year

“I 100% agree that people should be paid

“We also have a big part to play as

in things we can do this year to try to help

more, in line with the cost of living but, by

breweries too though by ensuring we can

redress that balance. I can’t share too

return, the government should be aiding

make our beer as affordable as possible

much on that yet but watch this space.”

businesses in other areas with business

without compromising on quality so that

rate reductions, VAT cuts and caps on

the genuine free houses aren’t forced to

energy to ensure the businesses are still

take the big brewer incentives.

GOVERNMENT GUIDANCE?

viable and still in existence to pay those And after The Chancellor of the

people.”

“Above all though 2024 will see us continue to try to continue to push British lager

Exchequer presented his Autumn Statement to Parliament at the end of

Addressing the Scottish government,

forward, helping the hop development

November, we asked brewery own-

Steven Smith-Hay says the team at SIBA

program, working to create more inter-

ers and founders if they could ask the

did “an incredible job lobbying Scottish

esting takes on classic styles with British

government for one thing to help their

Government on DRS, duty changes and

ingredients and hopefully picking up a

business, what would that be….

the proposed alcohol advertising ban this

few gongs along the way.”

year”. “We need some breaks from government

“Their input helps protect the industry in

including something in business rates,

many ways, but if we were only allowed

VAT and duty - wage increases at 10%

help with one thing going forward, it

are not sustainable and the government

would be increased focus on reducing

WINTER 2023

BREWERS JOURNAL

NEWS

PORTMAN GROUP REVISES CODE OF PRACTICE

Amendments have been made to the

popularity, prompting the need for in-

Informal Resolution Process and the

creased production capacity.

formal investigation process intended to

The expansion project has involved

The Portman Group has amended a rule

streamline the process without affecting

increasing the brewing capacity and add-

in its Naming and Packaging Code of

the rights of those complaining or of

ing a delivery vehicle to meet growing

Practice to bolster protection for un-

producers.

demand while maintaining its commit-

der-18s following a public consultation.

Commenting on the revised Code, Matt

ment to the ‘grain to glass’ ethos.

The Portman Group ran a narrow three

Lambert, CEO of the Portman Group,

month long public consultation between

said: “The Portman Group’s primary

May and July of this year to clarify the

purpose as a self-regulator is to protect

application of Code Rule 3.2(h) relating to

consumers from harm, particularly those

particular appeal to under-18s. The con-

who may be vulnerable, so a fundamen-

Molson Coors Beverage Company’s Bur-

sultation received written submissions

tal priority is protecting those who are

ton Brewery has taken delivery of a brand

from a range of stakeholders, including

under 18.

new high-speed can filler and seamer to

trade associations, the charity sector

“We know that the industry already has a

further modernise its canning capabilities

and alcohol producers all of which were

strong record of compliance in this area,

and boost production capacity on site.

supportive of the proposed changes to

with 76% of complaints not upheld in

Once installed, the new filler will run

the Code.

2022 but it remains a core area of con-

alongside the brewery’s existing lines to

After consultation, the revised Code of

cern that we deal with in our complaints

increase the number of cans it is able to

Practice, the Sixth Edition (Amended) has

system and free, confidential Advisory

produce across some of Britain’s biggest

now been published.

Service.

beer brands, including Carling, Coors and

The amended rule now explicitly prohib-

“It’s therefore vital that the Code con-

Cobra.

its brand names, logos and trademarks

stantly evolves in in a way that reflects

The 24-tonne filler made its way through

on merchandise which has particular

the creative and dynamic industry it reg-

the streets of Burton under police escort

appeal to under-18s or is intended for use

ulates, in order to maintain its effective-

on Friday 17th November after travelling

primarily by under-18s.

ness. This change further prevents any

from Bad Kreuznach, Germany to the

The new rule reads in full: “A drink, its

link between alcohol and childhood.”

Molson Coors Burton Brewery.

packaging, and any promotional mate-

BURTON BREWERY TO BOOST CAPACITY WITH NEW FILLER

The new filler marks a key element

under 18s.

FREEDOM BREWERY BOOSTS CANNING CAPACITY WITH £1M INVESTMENT

A producer must not allow the placement

Staffordshire-based lager brewer Free-

of brand names, logos or trademarks

dom Brewery has invested more than

on merchandise which has a particular

£1m in a new canning line and packaging

appeal to under-18s or is intended for use

machine to boost its capacity five-fold.

primarily by under-18s.”

The new kit will package its canned

The amendment to the Code ensures

range of beers, which include Freedom

consistency between the Portman

Craft Lager, Freedom Helles, Freedom

Group’s Naming, Packaging, and Pro-

Pils, and Freedom NZ Pale

Ziemann Holvrieka has expanded its ca-

motion of Alcoholic Drinks Code and

The line enables the the brewery to fill

pabilities for providing complete brewery

its Alcohol Sponsorship Code, with the

up to 250 cans a minute and will also

solutions with the acquisition of Künzel

intention of preventing any link between

see a number of changes to the brewery

Maschinenbau in Mainleus,

alcohol and childhood.

facility, which includes a new warehouse

In a statement, the company said that the

Following publication there will now

and production area layout.

acquisition reflects Ziemann Holvrieka’s

rial or activity should not in any direct or indirect way have a particular appeal to

of Molson Coors’ multi-million-pound investment to upgrade the site’s beer and cider packaging facilities, following a £25million investment in the site’s can-

be a three-month grace period during which time producers and marketers are

ning capabilities back in 2022..

ZIEMANN HOLVRIEKA BOOSTS RAW MATERIAL CAPABILITIES WITH KÜNZEL ACQUISITION

strong commitment to excellence in the

BARSHAM EXPANDS

expected to familiarise themselves with

brewery equipment industry. Künzel’s specialization in the upstream

the change to the Code and arrange

Barsham Brewery, a family-owned brew-

phase of brewing process aligns perfect-

training for staff, including from the

ery based on the West Barsham Estate in

ly with our existing product portfolio.

Portman Group, on the newly amended

North Norfolk, is delighted has announce

“It enables us to enhance our range of

Code Rule 3.2(h). The existing Code will

its expansion plans to accommodate the

products and turnkey solutions. Further-

continue to apply during this time.

surging demand for its award-winning

more, we will harness Künzel’s expertise

During the consultation, the Portman

range of beers now fully operational.

within our group of companies, includ-

Group also reviewed whether any pro-

Despite industry-wide challenges, Barsh-

ing Ziemann Holvrieka, to explore new

cess efficiencies could be made to the

am Brewery’s commitment to quality and

opportunities for Künzel in other sectors,”

complaints system.

innovation has propelled the brewery’s

they added.

WINTER 2023

BREWERS JOURNAL

DEAR JOHN

WHERE NOW FOR CASK?

WINTER 2023

THE CASK BEER LANDSCAPE CHANGED A GREAT DEAL DURING JOHN KEELING’S CAREER IN BEER. BUT SINCE RETIRING FROM HIS ROLE AT FULLER’S, HE REMAINS CONCERNED WITH THE CHALLENGES FACING THIS BELOVED BEVERAGE TYPE.

started my brewing career with

spend a week on the cask line.

Wilsons way back in the 70’s

In those days we racked three main

before joining Fuller’s in 1981.

brands: ESB, London Pride and Chiswick

There have been lots of changes

Bitter. ESB and Pride were available in

in the brewing industry since then,

barrels (288 pints), kilderkins (144 pints)

of course, and some for these are for the

and firkins (72 pints), Chiswick was in

better and some for the worse.

kilderkins and firkins only. We also did a mild Hock in cask as well, but this

The change that disappoints me most is

became keg only due to slow sales.

the decline in cask beer sales. According to the British Beer & Pub Association,

Most of our pubs sold all three cask

cask beer in 2021 accounted for just 4.3

beers, some only had two.

percent of overall beer sales, and around

Throughput was high with very few beers

15 percent of draft sales.

falling foul of the three days rule (cask

Sales have nearly halved in the past eight

was only allowed to be on tap for three

years — cask made up 8.3 percent of

days).

overall sales in 2015.

Indeed, it was not unusual to send a

Sadly cask beer is fast becoming, if not

barrel of Pride out on Monday and get

already become, a niche product brewed

the empty back Friday. Considering that

only by specialist brewers and sold in

the beer took 24 hours to drop bright this

specialist pubs.

was good going.

But what did cask beer sales and

We had a dedicated team of trade quality

production look like in 1981. When I first

advisors and cellar service engineers

joined Fuller’s as a junior brewer, I had to

under the control of a brewer Phillip

spend six months training.

Jeffery who later became assistant head

This training was to learn every job in the

brewer as well.

brewery and spending time with our raw

We only had 120 pubs in those days so

material suppliers.

keeping control of them was much easier than when I became head brewer, and

This training was an immense help to me

we had 400 pubs. So, a very firm control

throughout my career and I enjoyed it

was kept on beer quality and training was

greatly. One of the jobs I had to do was to

regular and in-house.

BREWERS JOURNAL

DEAR JOHN

So, beer quality was well managed by

Lack of staff and time are given as the

a combination of regular inspection,

reasons. I would add lack of will, too.

training and beer throughput. I consider

What of the free trade, where do they get

them the keystones to good cask beer.

their training and who pays for it? Good free trade landlords and managers sort

So, what of today’s quality? Well, if you

this, and bad ones don’t.

walk around the cask line at Fuller’s today, you will see London Pride, ESB

Inspection of pubs by trade quality

and seasonal beers all being produced.

advisors continues but if it is not your

No Chiswick though. What you will not

pub then how it is enforced becomes the

see is 36-gallon barrels and only rarely

problem.

will you see kilderkins of London Pride,

In my time this was a problem the best

nowadays it is all firkins with thoughts

pub chains and free trade pubs would

turning to pins as well.

deal with this. However, I now think this has become worse since I retired with

That is because throughput is down

beer quality suffering.

in pubs. Nobody wants to sell large containers of cask beer, they simply do

So, throughput is down, inspections

not have the turnover.

are less rigorously enforced, training is

Inspection of pubs by trade quality advisors continues but if it is not your pub then how it is enforced becomes the problem.

intermittent. How can this be changed. Training continues at Fuller’s, and it

Has anybody got any ideas?

is done in-house. However, pubs are reluctant to send staff on training even when it is free.

brewersjournal.info

WINTER 2023

COMMENT

BREWING SUCCESS WITH DIGITAL COMMERCE

HENRY DEWING, FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR AT DUETRADE, A TECHNOLOGY COMPANY HELPING B2B WHOLESALE BUSINESSES TO EMBRACE DIGITALISATION, EXPLORES THE MANY BENEFITS OF DIGITAL COMMERCE IN THE BREWING INDUSTRY, SHEDDING LIGHT ON HOW TECHNOLOGY IS RESHAPING THE DYNAMICS OF THIS AGE-OLD CRAFT.

WINTER 2023

ince the introduction

Until now, many breweries have been

of transactional apps

unable to access digital commerce due

for consumers in 2010,

to the high cost of building a bespoke

everything has gone digital

sales app. Thankfully, this is about to

– from ordering food and

change.

booking taxis, to dating and supermarket

While building a bespoke platform can

shopping.

cost north of forty thousand pounds,

Screen time has increased significantly,

breweries now have access to an

and the average person spends over four

affordable ‘Off The Shelf’ app platform.

hours a day on their mobile phone.

This white-label option is a fraction of the

This ‘app uprising’ has also shifted

price of a bespoke app, yet still allows

B2B buyer expectations. The brewing

breweries and suppliers the opportunity

industry, steeped in tradition, has found

to put themselves in their customers’

itself at the intersection of innovation

back pockets.

and tradition with the advent of digital commerce.

DIGITAL COMMERCE BENEFITS

Digital commerce has rapidly become

Expand market reach: While traditionally

the preferred way to purchase and on

confined to local markets, breweries can

trade customers now want an ‘Amazon

now showcase their entire product range

style’ sales experience when buying from

on e-commerce websites and apps.

suppliers.

Digital commerce platforms provide a

According to PYMNTS and American

virtual storefront where customers from

Express, 73 percent expect a consumer

all corners of the world can explore and

experience when purchasing.

purchase their offerings.

Additionally, research by Gartner shows

This opens up new revenue streams

that 83 percent of B2B decision-makers

and introduces diverse customer

prefer using self-service tools for

demographics to unique and regional

reordering, rather than talking directly to

brews they might not have otherwise

a sales representative.

discovered. Detailed product descriptions, tasting

BREWERS JOURNAL

COMMENT notes, and brewing methodologies can

breweries can tap into the vast

be presented, offering customers a richer

community of beer enthusiasts,

understanding of the craftsmanship

generating buzz around new releases

behind each brew.

and creating a digital word-of-mouth

The convenience of online shopping, combined with the ability to access a vast array of products, empowers customers to make informed decisions, contributing to a more engaged and satisfied customer base. Enhancing customer experience through mobile apps: The rise of mobile apps has revolutionised the way consumers interact with breweries. Breweries are developing mobile applications that offer a range of features, from easy online ordering to loyalty programs. These apps provide consumers with a convenient and user-friendly platform to explore and purchase products. Mobile apps often include loyalty programs that reward customers for repeat business. Points systems, exclusive discounts, and early access to new releases incentivise customers to choose a specific brewery for their beerrelated needs.

In an era dominated by online interactions and e-commerce, leveraging digital platforms to transform the way they operate and connect with customers will, ultimately, brew success,” Henry Dewing, DueTrade

effect. Data-driven decision-making with analytics: Digital commerce provides valuable data analytics tools that offer insights into buyer behaviour, preferences, and market trends. By tracking online sales, website interactions, and social media engagement, breweries can gather actionable data to inform their business strategies. This data-driven approach is particularly beneficial for product development, marketing campaigns, and inventory management. Analysing consumer preferences allows breweries to tailor their product offerings to effectively meet market demand. For example, if a particular style or flavour profile gains popularity among online customers, breweries can adjust their production accordingly. Additionally, data analytics help

Push notifications through mobile apps

breweries optimise their marketing

also enable breweries to keep customers

efforts, ensuring that promotional

informed about upcoming releases,

group enhances the overall customer

activities resonate with their target

events, and promotions, fostering

experience, turning one-time buyers into

audience.

ongoing engagement.

loyal patrons.

Digital commerce is reshaping the brewery industry, offering a myriad

Nurture brand loyalty: Digital commerce

Harnessing the power of digital marketing

of benefits that extend beyond the

has paved the way for innovative

and social media: Digital commerce goes

traditional confines of brick-and-mortar

business models within the brewery

hand in hand with digital marketing, and

establishments.

industry, with subscription services

breweries are capitalising on the power

and membership programs gaining

of social media platforms to connect with

According to Statistica, the UK beer

popularity. Breweries can now offer

their audience.

market is projected to grow by 7.81

subscription-based plans where

Social media provides breweries with a

percent over the next four years.

customers receive regular shipments

direct channel to engage with customers,

The integration of digital marketing,

directly to their doorstep.

share updates, and build a brand identity.

data analytics, and mobile apps further

This not only establishes a steady

Platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and

amplifies the industry’s potential for

revenue stream for breweries, but also

Facebook allow breweries to showcase

growth and innovation.

fosters a sense of anticipation and loyalty

their creativity through visually appealing

For breweries and suppliers to get a

among subscribers.

content, share behind-the-scenes

share in this growing market, they must

Membership programs often include

glimpses of the brewing process, and

invest in new technology and align their

perks, such as exclusive access to

interact directly with their audience.

strategy with ever changing customer expectations.

limited-edition releases, members-only events, and discounts on purchases.

Digital marketing strategies, including

In an era dominated by online

These incentives not only encourage

targeted advertising and influencer

interactions and e-commerce, leveraging

customer retention but also create a

collaborations, enable breweries to reach

digital platforms to transform the

community of dedicated enthusiasts

specific demographics and expand their

way they operate and connect with

around the brand.

brand awareness.

customers will, ultimately, brew success.

The sense of belonging to an exclusive

By creating a strong online presence,

brewersjournal.info

WINTER 2023

COMMENT

GOVERNMENT WAVERING ON SUSTAINABILITY LAW

WHETHER IT’S NET ZERO, ULEZ OR NEW OIL AND GAS LICENSING, GOVERNMENT DECISION-MAKING ON ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY NEVER SEEMS FAR FROM THE HEADLINES. THIS ARTICLE FROM ROB BIDDLECOMBE AT BRABNERS CONSIDERS RECENT ANNOUNCEMENTS POSTPONING LEGAL MEASURES AIMED AT PROMOTING SUSTAINABILITY WHICH WOULD HAVE IMPLICATIONS FOR BREWERIES AND THE DRINKS INDUSTRY.

ENVIRONMENTAL PERMITTING

nder a deposit return

Businesses will be obligated if they carry

scheme (“DRS”), every

out a packaging activity (for example,

time an in-scope drinks

place their own branded packaged

There have been proposals for reforming

container changes

goods on the UK market or import

the environmental permitting regime that

hands in the supply

packaged goods) and have a turnover

could affect breweries and the drinks

chain (for example, from manufacturer to

of between £1m and £2m per annum

industry. For example, in June 2022, the

wholesaler, from wholesaler to retailer, or

and handle more than 25 tonnes of

Government consulted on requiring

from retailer to consumer), the purchaser

packaging per annum; or have a turnover

large businesses in the sector that

pays the vendor a monetary deposit, and

of more than £1m per annum and handle

produce food (including drinks) waste

the deposit is refunded when the empty

between 25 and 50 tonnes of packaging

to either obtain an environmental permit

container is returned.

per annum.

or register an exemption, a condition

This is designed to incentivise the

All obligated businesses are required to

of which would be that the business

recycling of drinks containers.

record and report the quantity and type

regularly reports on the amount of food

Scotland was due to introduce its DRS

of packaging that they handle.

waste generated.

on 16 August 2023, which would apply to

In addition, if a business carries out a

However, in July 2023, the Government

drinks containers made out of single use

packaging activity, has a turnover of more

announced that it had decided not

PET plastic, metal and glass ranging from

than £2m per annum and handles more

to proceed with this proposal, citing

50 ml to 30 litres.

than 50 tonnes of packaging per annum,

concerns that any additional costs would

However, the Scottish DRS has been

it will qualify as a “large organisation”.

be passed onto customers.

postponed until October 2025, which

It had been proposed that, from 2024,

Furthermore, the longstanding

is when each of England, Wales and

large organisations would be charged

proposals to bring water abstraction and

Northern Ireland are due to introduce

for the household packaging that they

impounding within the environmental

their own DRS.

supply or import based on their reports.

permitting regime still show no signs of

In addition, whilst the Scottish and

“Household packaging” is defined as

materialising. Whilst some will welcome

Welsh governments both intend that

primary packaging (for example, the

less environmental regulation at a time

glass containers should be included,

can or bottle containing the drink) and

of high inflation, high interest rates and

the English and Northern Irish schemes

shipment packaging (i.e.packaging added

low growth, others will be concerned that

would exclude glass.

in addition to primary packaging, on

these announcements will impede the

Indeed, Westminster has signalled that it

items which are sold online or by a mail

drive towards sustainability in the sector.

will use its powers under the UK Internal

order which are either delivered direct

However, unless government in the

Market Act 2020 to block the Scottish

to the purchaser or collected by the

UK provides more certainty that these

DRS from including glass.

purchaser from a shop or other collection

highly anticipated initiatives will be

point after they have been purchased).

implemented on time (or at all), it is

However, in July 2023, the Government

difficult for businesses to plan, prepare

announced that, although the recording

and budget for future years.

and reporting obligation would continue,

For that reason, it is important that

Packaging extended producer

charges would not be levied until at least

manufacturers take proper legal

responsibility is being introduced to help

October 2025.

advice around their obligations to avoid

PACKAGING EXTENDED PRODUCER RESPONSIBILITY

finance council collections from street

unwitting breaches of the legislation and

bins and of household waste.

the financial penalties that can ensue.

WINTER 2023

BREWERS JOURNAL

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07/01/2022 10:30:35

BREWERS INTELLIGENCE

BREWERS INTELLIGENCE THE YEAST REPORT YOU’VE HEARD OF THIOLS, BUT ARE UNSURE WHAT THE FUSS IS ABOUT. HERE IS ALIX BLEASE FROM LALLEMAND TO EXPLAIN ALL...

n chemical terms, a thiol is a

If you create too many free thiols then

codes for an enzyme called beta-lyase.

molecule which contains a

you can get vegetal, sweaty, rubbery and

Beta-lyase releases the thiols which are

terminal -SH group. As a brewer

over-ripe fruit characteristics in your beer.

bound to cysteine (Cys). Unfortunately,

you are probably already familiar

So how do you go about maximising

>90% of the bound thiol precursors in

with at least one thiol, 3-methyl-

thiols in your juicy NEIPA recipe? Free

hops and malted barley are bound to

2-butene-1-thiol (3MBT), which is

thiols and their precursors and are

glutathione (Glu) and not Cys. Therefore,

responsible for the ‘skunky’ off flavour in

found in hops, malt and grapes, as well

it’s not as easy as just “ferment your beer

light-struck beers.

as in lower quantities in rice, sorghum

with yeast”…

Many thiols have very strong odours

and wheat. In hops the free thiols and

which range from garlic, sweat and

precursors are referred to as the “sulphur

So, what can you do to maximise these

onions to tropical fruit, wine and citrus.

fraction” and make up less than 1% of all

thiols?

Because of their aromas they are often

of the hop essential oils.

u It has been observed that peptidase

used as odorants. As Ross from Friends

Free thiols are present in a lot of hop

enzymes present in malt have the

once taught us all, “that smell is added to

varieties. 4MMP (the blackcurrant thiol)

ability to convert some Glu-thiols into

natural gas so that you know if there is a

exists more commonly in its free form

Cys-thiols. Therefore, consider a protein

leak” – well that added smell is the thiol

than it’s bound precursor in hops such as

rest stage during the mash to allow the

ethanethiol.

Citra, Mosaic, Simcoe and Sorachi Ace.

Glu-thiols in the pale malts to convert

The bound precursor molecule of 3MH

into Cys-thiols. You could also add hops

You don’t want your beers to smell like

(the citrus and grapefruit thiol) is present

high in Glu-thiols (Cascade and Simcoe)

onions, garlic and gas, but what about

in extremely high quantities in Cascade.

at this stage.

the nice smelling thiols, how do you get

A study of Cascade found that the

u Bound precursors can be converted

those into your tropical IPA?

concentration of precursor thiols are

into free thiols during the boil, however

Thiols can be present in two forms,

higher in hops harvested earlier in the

they are incredibly likely to be lost as

free (aromatic) or bound precursor

season.

they are extremely volatile. Focus on

molecules (odourless). It’s those bound

maximising the precursors available on

precursors which need to be released

Over the course of the harvest this

hot-side.

and converted into the desirable and

concentration decreases and the

u Whirlpool hop additions also risk

trendy free aromatic thiols to give your

concentration of free thiols increases

driving off volatile free thiols, but adding

beer more of a fruity punch.

proportionally. Malt only contains

hops at this point high in Cys-thiols

Some of the common thiols which are

bound precursor molecules. The 3MH

increases precursors for the entire

considered as being positive in beers

thiol precursor is found at the highest

duration of the fermentation.

are 4-mercapto-4-methyl-pentan-2-one

concentrations in malts with the lowest

u Dry hopping earlier in fermentation

(4MMP or 4S4MP), 3-mercaptohexanol

amount of kilning, or lowest EBC value.

with hops high in Cys-thiols (Citra,

(3MH or 3SH) and 3-mercaptohexyl

Interestingly, freshly harvested barley is

Simcoe and Mosaic) increases the

acetate (3MHA or 3SHA).

actually relatively low in thiol precursors

opportunity for the conversion to free

They contribute aromas of blackcurrant,

and in most cases the process of malting

thiols by the beta-lyase in yeast.

tropical fruits, citrus, grapefruit and

actually increases the concentration of

u Dry hopping at the end of

passionfruit.

precursor molecules.

fermentation, with hops high in free thiols

So the more free aromatic thiols the

So you’ve designed a recipe with pale

thiol levels immediately and ensures

better, right? Wrong, thiols have an

malts and hops high in bound thiols,

they won’t be driven off by CO₂ during

incredibly low flavour threshold in the

how do you go about releasing these

fermentation.

nanograms per litre region (which is why

aromatics? Well, unsurprisingly for

u Beta-lyase enzyme activity varies

ethanethiol is added to gas because we

an article written by someone from

between yeast strains. Select a yeast

can smell it at levels one hundred million

Lallemand, the answer is in yeast! The

strain with high enzyme activity to

times lower than levels of ethanol).

ICR7 gene in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

maximise the release of bound thiols.

(Citra, Sabro and Mosaic) will increase

WINTER 2023

BREWERS JOURNAL

BREWERS INTELLIGENCE

BREWERS INTELLIGENCE THE GRAIN REPORT AS WE ENTER THE NEW CONTRACT YEAR, ROBIN APPEL OF WARMINSTER MALTINGS SUGGESTS ALL BREWERS TREAT MALT WITH THE SAME LEVEL OF ENQUIRY, RESPECT & VALUE, THEY EXTEND TO SOURCING THEIR HOPS.

he year 2023 has been

So much for the ‘not so good’ news, the

are becoming two very different and

a standout year for both

better news is that, overall, barley prices

diverging market places.

barley and malt. We are

have fallen away from those values that

Maltsters are being made aware of this

talking about exceptional

prevailed last year. To the extent this

shift every day, as distilling capacity

quality (barley), and

follows through to the price of malts will

in Scotland continues to grow at a

exceptional prices (malt)! I have not been

almost certainly vary from Maltster to

burgeoning rate.

alone in the barley and malting industry

Maltster, because the price of barley is

Even south of the border, English Whisky

in predicting that 2024 was always going

only one item in a whole column of other

is now gathering serious momentum, and

to be quite a different story, again on both

major costs. If we begin with energy, this

now commands the establishment of

counts. And it is!

again might be a little cheaper for some.

The English Whisky Guild.

But then there are also wages, repairs We will begin with the barley. At the

and renewals, and professional services,

The “more enlightened view” that

back end of 2022, winter barleys were

which are all significantly, and in some

distillers are adopting, is a lot about

established well, and came through the

cases hugely, more expensive!

the barley, and adding value. We are

mild and wet winter with particularly flush

My own overall expenditure budget for

talking about individual varieties, and

canopies. Spring barleys followed with

2024 has shrunk a little, but nothing like

their flavour profile; the influence of

an early sowing campaign in February for

as much as I had hoped.

provenance on flavour (terroir); and the sustainability of the agronomy down on

about 60% of the crop, interrupted by rain which dragged out the remainder of the

Against all this, the demand for malt is

the farm. That is all before we get to the

plantings. Then it went very dry, which is

looking extremely robust. It is reported

differences of process, and addressing

not what the crop wants. By early/middle

that, currently, the only surplus malt

‘food miles’. Conversely, I continue

June the weather remained dry, and

capacity in the world is in China, which is

to experience small brewers who

turned exceptionally hot, ahead of the

probably where it will stay.

mistakenly regard malt as a commodity,

barleys reaching grain maturity, which

At home, the demand for distilling malt

and, what is more, a commodity in

will always impact grain size. And it did!

continues to escalate, and is now greater

surplus. I cannot emphasise enough,

than 65% of total domestic production.

malt is neither, and it may not be very

The winter barleys were harvested in

If you then take out long standing export

long before this becomes brutally clear.

good weather, and in good condition,

orders, and food demand, you might

but then the harvest turned into weeks of

very well conclude that the U.K. brewing

I suggest it is now time for brewers

intermittent rainfall, with the result that a

sector was being ‘squeezed’! Certainly,

to heed the distillers! As we enter the

lot of Spring barley crops were harvested

my advice to Brewers who are so

new contract year, may I suggest that

days after their ‘best before date’.

inclined, this is no longer a market place

all brewers treat malt with the same

Barley samples lost their ‘bloom’, and for

with which “to play ducks and drakes”.

level of enquiry, respect and value, they extend to sourcing their hops. Above all,

some crops the germination capacity began to waver, as 100% dropped to 98%.

You see, there are now individuals within

desist from opening a conversation with

However, one of the Maltster’s favourites,

the distilling market who take a more

a Maltster by just asking the price. We

the Spring barley Laureate, enjoys the

enlightened view over the sourcing

Maltsters love our beer, and we really do

attribute of being a more dormant variety,

of malt, quite different from what the

want to go on contributing to the iconic

and so has stood up to this challenge

industry as a whole used to do.

British pint. But, please, do not take us

better than others. But, for all Maltsters

Clearly, when a lone, nearly one

for granted, because both the availability

the next 10 months is going to be a long

hundred year old, bottle of ‘single malt’

and price of malt is under pressure.

vigil of continuously monitoring the

can command a price of £2.1 million

As things currently stand, do not doubt

germination status of barleys in store.

pounds at auction (1926 MacAllan,

that the demand for U.K. malt is set to

Sotheby’s, 18/11/2023), beer and whisky

outstrip the supply!

brewersjournal.info

WINTER 2023

BREWERS INTELLIGENCE

BREWERS INTELLIGENCE THE HOP REPORT FIRST RELEASED IN 1996 AND REBRANDED 11 YEARS LATER, MOTUEKA HAS GARNERED A REPUTATION FOR ITS MAGICAL ABILITY TO ENHANCE THE AROMA AND FLAVOUR OF ANY OTHER HOPS IT’S USED WITH, EXPLAINS MICHAEL DONALDSON FOR NZ HOPS LTD.

op breeder Kerry

James Heffron, founder of Cornwall’s

Templeton, who leads

popular brewery, Verdant, is a massive

the hop breeding

fan of Motueka.

programme at New

“It’s got that amazing lime quality but

Zealand’s Plant & Food

that’s just one part of it,” Heffron says.

Research, describes Motueka simply:

“On the surface it has the lemon-lime,

“If you don’t like Motueka, you don’t like

sherbert, creamy quality. That’s the initial

hops.”

hit, which excites me, and then there’s

The breeding team so highly regards

some extra depth. It doesn’t suffer from

Motueka they use it as a the base hop in

that garlicky or oniony flavour that some

all the weekly brew trials they do on their

hops deliver when picked late, but

small pilot kit — they then add new trial

you can get a layer of sweatiness and

hops to see how they perform.

dankness and strong herbal vibes like

The reason they use Motueka is simple:

lemon thyme or sage.

it delivers clean, pleasant and well-

“It’s got interesting oils and it’s not all just

balanced bittering, providing the perfect

up-front flavour, it’s got this sustainable

backdrop for other hops to shine.

power.

And in the experience of brewers around

“On the bittering side it’s so smooth, not

the globe, it also has a magical ability to

aggressive. You can load it up on the hot

enhance the aroma and flavour of any

side — in the kettle or whirlpool — and

other hops it’s used with.

dry-hop heavily as well and what you get is a saturated expression of the hop

Motueka carries some of the same noble

without it being too bitter or bitey.

character as its Saaz ancestry with a

“So for a New England style or hazy,

bright and lively lemon and lime, but

that’s really important — to use a lot of

there’s also some tropicals, florals, spicy-

it and for it to come across smooth and

herbal notes and even stonefruit. And

gentle is amazing.”

many brewers report a delightful creamy note.

Across the Atlantic, Jude La Rose from

It’s a genuine multi-purpose hop as it

Chicago’s Hop Butcher for the World

possesses decent alpha acid weight and

uses Motueka a lot after falling in love

beautiful aromatics, so it can adeptly fit

with it a few years ago when he tried in a

into any stage in the brew process from

wheat ale from fellow Chicago brewery

timed additions to whirlpool and dry-hop.

Half Acre.

The combination of oils (08-1.4%) and

He is now an unabashed fan of Motueka,

alpha acids (5.5-10%) are well suited to

saying it works in every style of beer and

higher gravity styles, and its mix of noble

makes every beer better.

and new world genetics naturally work

“It was the first time I had read the word

well in traditional pilsners and lighter-

‘Motueka’ and it was such a great aroma

style pale ales.

and such a great beer, I still remember it 10 years later.

First released in 1996 it was originally

“Nothing can deliver a true lemon and

known as B Saaz, short for Belgian Saaz.

line character like Motueka can.”

That name came from the fact it had

This article is produced in partnership with NZ Hops

WINTER 2023

been “adopted” by a Belgian brewery,

From wheat ales, to pilsners, IPAs and

Alken-Maes.

hazies, he says Motueka works in any

The hop was rebranded Motueka in 2007,

style of beer.

named for the small town at the top of

“Motueka can work well in a lager with

the South Island that’s central to hop

cracker-like pilsner malt; it can it play well

growing in the region.

with big juicy hops in a hazy IPA and it

BREWERS JOURNAL

BREWERS INTELLIGENCE can work in a pale ale. It can work when

Motueka to do that. It adds this top note

it’s dialled up and it can work when you

— like the treble in music — of lemon and

want it dialled down.

lime that sings a little bit higher.”

“And you can use it in all phases of the

Like James Heffron, he also loves the

brew: timed additions, whirlpool, dry hop.”

creamy tang that Motueka can add, making it a great hop in wheat beers.

He sees one of Motueka’s greatest assets

“I think that there is a common thread

as being its ability to step up and star or

all New Zealand hops are tethered to –

play a superb supporting role.

that a wild sense of New Zealand terroir,

“If you were to make a beer and feature

of grassiness, of earth-driven flavour

just one hop that can entirely carry the

and aromatics. Motueka has that plus a

character of the beer … Motueka can do

vanilla, creamy character to it, almost a

that. But if you’re looking to add some

Greek yoghurt type of flavour.”

complexity or edge, or another kind of ‘colour’ to the aroma-flavour palette,

Motueka, naturally, is used widely in

Motueka can do that – it has no problem

New Zealand, across a range of styles.

taking a back seat and brightening up or

Mike Sutherland of Sawmill Brewing,

augmenting whatever is around it.”

based in Matakana, north of Auckland, describes Motueka as a “workhorse” —

La Rose talks about hop flavours in

the equivalent to a kitchen staple which

colours, describing Citra, for example as

every brewery should have on hand.

“orange and yellow”.

“Like using lime with food, the citrus

“Citra is undeniably a great hop and is

character in this hop makes your entire

unmistakable. It produces these big

hop load pop out of the glass. Its

orange and yellow flavour colours – if you

versatility means we can use it across the

wanted to add more yellow and green to

spectrum of styles, from light lagers to

that mix, to us there’s no other hop but

robust IPAs.”

brewersjournal.info

If you were to make a beer and feature just one hop that can entirely carry the character of the beer, Motueka can do that,” Jude La Rose, Hop Butcher of The World

WINTER 2023

BREWERS INTELLIGENCE

BREWERS INTELLIGENCE THE SALES REPORT DURING A CHALLENGING YEAR FOR THE BREWING INDUSTRY, WE CONSULT SOME OF THE LEADING DATA AND STATISTIC PLATFORMS TO SEE WHERE THEY EXPECT THE APPETITE FOR UK BEER TO HEAD IN THE COMING MONTHS AND YEARS.

t will come as little surprise that

this was a rebound from the 2022 low

heavy promotional activity to match

the number of UK breweries in

of 3.5 billion litres it was nevertheless 21

volume numbers year on year,” says

operation dipped slightly as 2023

percent lower than the peak volume in

Lewis Bowen, CEO, Babco.

drew to a close. In figures released

2018.

“World/discovery beers have benefitted

at the start of December, the net

hugely in the latest 52 weeks, with

number of brewing businesses dropped

When it comes to trade, the company

consumers trading up and new launches

by nine.

revealed that UK beer imports totalled

coming from key brands adding

According to the Society of Independent

£469 million GBP in 2022, this represents

£114 million to plug the losses from

Brewers (SIBA), there are now 1817 UK

a drop on previous years owing to the

mainstream. Q4 will be a telling time to

breweries trading. The latest numbers

impact of the pandemic and Brexit.

understand if consumers will stay loyal to

cover the period from beginning of July

With the Irish Republic the single biggest

new habits.”

2023 to the end of September 2023.

trade partner in terms of beer imports,

Earlier this year, the association recorded

Statista says that “UK beer exports

a drop of four breweries in the first

appear to be finally returning to normal”,

quarter before a net increase of two in

reaching £487 million in 2022, which is

quarter two.

more than 21 percent up since a 2020 low. Asia, it explains, is now the largest

“Brewery numbers have been more

trading partner for beer exports.

stable than many would have predicted, with no large percentage decreases but

And in its recently-released report -

it is still concerning to see numbers slip

Craft Beer Production in the UK - Market

back slightly, and whilst it was positive

Size, Industry Analysis, Trends and

to see beer duty frozen in the Autumn

Forecasts (2023-2028) - IBIS World

Statement, the Chancellor could have

says that industry revenue is growing

gone further and boosted the Draught

at a compound annual rate of 1.5%

Relief to 20% or more which guarantees

over the five years through 2023-24 to

that beer sold in pubs has a lower rate

approximately £1.7 billion, which includes

of duty.” said Andy Slee, SIBA Chief

growth of 10.2% in 2023-24.

Executive.

Earlier his year, drinks company Babco,

“When breweries are facing rampant

utilising data from NIQ, reported that

costs from the increased National Living

the total value of the UK off-trade beer

Wage, energy costs and inflationary

market for the year to July 2023 was just a

pressures, there was nothing extra in the

little over £5 billion.

Autumn Statement to cover this.”

According to the figures, established mainstream beers account for £2.9 billion

While these latest figures provide a

of this figure but beers positioned in the

valuable insight into brewery numbers,

‘world/discovery’ category experiences

where do some of the leading market

a sales increase of 7.5% to approximately

research, reports, and statistics firms see

£1.65 billion.

the UK sector heading?

Finally, and perhaps unsurprisingly, the

According to Statista, the sales volume

largest increase came in the low-and-no

of beer in the United Kingdom increased

space with sales up 19.7% to £128 million

slightly in 2023 to 3.8 billion litres. While

“Mainstream has really suffered with

WINTER 2023

Q4 will be a telling time to understand if consumers will stay loyal to new habits, Lewis Bowen, Babco BREWERS JOURNAL

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learn more at lallemandbrewing.com/lona

WIPER AND TRUE

IN SEARCH OF BEAUTIFUL BEER

WELCOME TO WIPER AND TRUE. THE BRISTOL-BASED BREWERY, WHICH IS KNOWN FOR BEERS SUCH AS KALEIDOSCOPE PALE ALE, MILKSHAKE MILK STOUT, AND A WEALTH OF OTHER FANTASTIC CREATIONS BESIDES, RECENTLY CELEBRATED ITS 10TH ANNIVERSARY. AND THEIR GOAL IS AS CLEAR AS EVER, AND THAT’S TO MAKE BEAUTIFUL BEER. 26

WINTER 2023

his is our 10th birthday

As they explain, the brewery was born

present to ourselves,”

from a love of brewing on the stove at

beams Michael Wiper.

home, surrounded by pots, pans and raw

Reaching such an important

ingredients. Then nomadically brewing

milestone in business is

around the country, they learned from

something to be rightfully proud of. But

“fantastically generous, knowledgeable

does it feel like a decade has passed

artisans” honing their craft along the way.

since starting out? “Oh yes, yes it does,”

“Although we’ve come along way since

he laughs.

our early days, all of our recipes today

Hardly a surprise when he and the

stem from the same original desire

team have recently commissioned and

to create something beautiful and

built a new 28,000sqft brewery and

delicious,” says Wiper.

taproom in Bristol. In March of this year, they celebrated Wiper and True’s tenth

In that time, they’ve outgrown their roots

anniversary. From their homebrewing

as nomadic brewers, and now operate

roots in founders Michael, Francesca

out of two production sites, moving from

Garton and Al True’s kitchens, a spell of

a group of three friends to almost fifty.

nomadic brewing across the country

The first brewery that they built in

followed. They would then settle on

St Werburghs, Bristol, is where they

their first official brewery home in St

now focus on barrel-aged and mixed

Werburghs. The last decade has been an

fermentation beers. New challenges

absolutely wild ride to say the least.

continually arise and are met by their

But one thing has remained constant in

talented team of resourceful brewers

that time and that’s the quest to produce

and packers, as they continue producing

beautiful beer.

quality beers. The St Werburghs is also home to their original taproom.

BREWERS JOURNAL

WIPER AND TRUE

And in July 2022 they opened a second,

involved in this process with him,” recalls

much larger headquarters in Old Market,

Wiper. “Having someone like Marvin,

two minutes walk from Bristol’s Trinity

with all of his expertise, work with some

Centre.

fantastic brewing intelligence from

“Our large-scale brewing operations now take place on a custom-designed, German-engineered brewkit, allowing us to more than double our beer production capacity whilst maintaining a laser-sharp focus on quality and refinement,” he adds. “We feel like we’ve been working towards this. And it’s way better than I could have ever dreamt of, to be honest,” says Wiper. “And I don’t mean when we were starting out at the beginning of the business, but

We feel like we’ve been working towards this. And it’s way better than I could have ever dreamt of,” Michael Wiper

Germany to specify everything we wanted from this new equipment was so important.” Although opening a new brewery was a lengthy, ambitious project, Wiper considered it the opportunity to “do things properly and reset”. “Being able to install, and work with, high-end Germany brewing equipment, and to have this fantastic taproom is a privilege. But as important to us

even a year ago. When we were making

was the chance to apply a number of

3D models and talking about plans,

sustainability measures such as solar

seeing photos of the equipment, I knew it

panel and carbon capture technology.

was gonna be good. But I didn’t expect to be standing in here and it living up to all

Speaking to us on the latter earlier

my expectations and much more.”

this year, the brewery’s sustainability

Integral to this process was Marvin

manager Joe Watts explained: “In the

Lindner, head brewer and head of

process of building our new brewery,

production at Wiper and True. “Starting

we thought long and hard about the

from scratch, it was a privilege to be

best investments we could make into

brewersjournal.info

WINTER 2023

WIPER AND TRUE

Approachable and accessible beers are a calling card for Bristol-based Wiper and True

becoming a more sustainable business.

“This has two very clear, very appealing

signed the lease three months later, I

“Something that jumped out straight

benefits, both of which help build a

knew it wasn’t big enough,” he says.

away was the possibility of carbon

more sustainable business, in the holistic

“And that wasn’t because we grew

capture: that is to say, recapturing the

sense of the word: independence and

so rapidly, it was actually just

carbon dioxide produced as a byproduct

resilience.”

miscalculations of size. But we had to get started and get setup. However we

of fermentation, rather than letting it drift away into the atmosphere as a wasted

While the Old Market brewery and

outgrew that space very quickly and

byproduct.

taproom is now a vibrant, spacious hive

a few years in, we already had to start

“Once ‘caught’, the gas can be stored in

of activity, it represents the latest stage

thinking about a new place.”

a large tank, before being used for other

of confident and driven evolution for the

parts of the brewing and packaging

team. Walking into the brewery’s original

Wiper adds: “The driver for going for

process.

site, Wiper recalls something of “a

something on the scale we have now

“Carbon capture got us really excited,

common story for a lot of craft breweries”.

was really the team that pushes us each

chiming with our passion for the circular

“I remember walking into the first site.

and every day. So instead of going for

economy approach, looping an effective

It was empty and I was thinking ‘this is

a small, incremental step, we knew we

waste stream back into our business for

great, but it’s too big and we’re going

needed to go for something that will

reuse.

to have to sublet it’. But by the time we

hopefully be good enough for 20 years or more.”

Michael Wiper, Bristol, 2023

To mark the brewery’s 10th anniversary earlier this year, the team invited six fantastic breweries from the UK beer scene to help them put the brew kit through its paces. “We loved testing its limits through working on a variety of styles, techniques and ingredients,” explains Alice Howells, head of marketing at Wiper and True. “As Michael said, we viewed the new brewery as our birthday present to ourselves, so we wanted to celebrate it

WINTER 2023

BREWERS JOURNAL

WIPER AND TRUE properly! By working with breweries that

brewery, it doesn’t always get thought

really excel in their fields, I feel these

about. And yeah, I think we we think it’s

collaborations were of real value.”

really important. But there’s loads more

She adds: “Our team learned a lot on the technical side things. Knowledge sharing is a real asset in the world of beer and there was a lot of that. It was an intense time but very fun, too.” While these beers didn’t hang around for very long, lucky patrons were able to enjoy them in the brewery’s impressive new taproom. And as the high-end new production equipment was of utmost

From the start of the project we knew we wanted to do the taproom properly,” Alice Howells

to do in the space, too. In that pursuit of beautiful beer, the brewery’s Kaleidoscope Pale accounts for a significant chunk of production capacity. This is complemented by recent releases such as Gluten Free Pale Ale Lemondrop Hill, Sundance IPA and Coffee Stout - Espresso Martini Shake. While Today, its 4.8% Munich Helles Lager, continues to be a hit so does its 0.5% variant - Tomorrow.

importance, so was having an accessible, and a range of seating and table types

Using dealkalization, they gently remove

across the space.

the alcohol over a period of 60 hours.

“From the start of the project we knew

So we’ve got a dropped bar area for

“This process carefully preserves a

we wanted to do the taproom properly,”

wheelchair users so that they have

complex flavour profile of bread crust

says Howells. “Often, somewhat naturally,

easy access to the bar. We’ve got a lot

and gentle herbal notes from traditional

taprooms come about as an add-on to

of movable furniture. So anybody can

German hops, balanced by a crisp, clean

a brewery. And the clichés mean that

sit anywhere, all of these kinds of small

finish,” the explain.

they’re cold, they’re uncomfortable and

things that I think, yeah, when you build

they’re not accessible. All that kind of

a tap room last minute, on top of your

welcoming space to entertain visitors.

Looking ahead, other alcohol-free releases are likely to follow, matched also by the brewery’s desire to set and meet its range of sustainability goals. What’s certain though is year 11 in the story of Wiper and True will show no signs of a company slowing down. “We’re excited about the momentum, and we want to keep up with it,” says Wiper. “We’ve learned a lot of lessons along the way, and we’ve had to start behaving like a traditional business. As I said, this new brewery has been an amazing opportunity to reset. “With the brewery and the brilliant people that are part of it, we have all the tools to grow in a really healthy and a really productive way.”

stuff. We wanted to go in the complete opposite direction to that.” With that in mind, accessibility was placed at the heart of the taproom. “We’re on an industrial estate with a big car park and other 90’s buildings and warehouses around it. We wanted to make something that felt very different from those spaces, so we dug up the car park and put in a huge garden. We thought very carefully about the customer journey and their experience.” That means there is a dropped area that gives wheelchair users access to the bar

brewersjournal.info

WINTER 2023

SUSTAINABILITY

CUTTING CO2 IN NORTHERN IRELAND

WHEN A BREWERY IN NORTHERN IRELAND LOOKED TO CUT ITS CO2 USE AND BOOST PRODUCTIVITY, THEY TURNED TO AN ON-SITE NITROGEN GENERATION SYSTEM.

WINTER 2023

hitewater Brewery

unwanted CO2 and oxygen, and purging

is a thriving craft

residual wort or mash from completed

beer operation

batch vessels to prevent the risk of

that was first

contamination spoiling the next brew

established in

batch.

1996 on a fifth-generation family farm in

In addition to these applications,

Castlewellan, Co. Down and for over two

pressurised nitrogen gas can serve as

decades the brewery has developed and

the ideal medium to aid the flow of beer

produced a wide range of award-winning

from one tank chamber to another and

standard and bespoke cask real ales, keg

to facilitate pressurised keg filling, as well

beers, stout, and lagers, renowned for

as all other filling, bottling and canning

their unique flavours.

operations.

By combining traditional production methods with advanced technology,

As Bernard Sloan has experienced, on-

the company has seen expansion from

site nitrogen generation offers a more

an initial 800-litre brew size to the

sustainable and cost-efficient solution

handcrafting of 6,500-litre brews and the

than reliance on nitrogen or carbon

bottling of 10 different beers on-site.

dioxide gas delivered in cylinders or

This substantial increase in productivity

as bulk liquid supply, which all require

from its processes was aided initially

transport, handling and dependence

by the brewery’s energy-efficient Atlas

upon supplier delivery schedules.

Copco compressed air system and now,

That was primarily why Whitewater

even more so, by its recent addition of

Brewery’s switch to on-site generation

an on-site nitrogen generation system,

was made. Operating with an Atlas Copco

designed to ensure continuity of supply

GA 7 VSD+ FF rotary screw compressor

and to achieve significant operational

to supply 10bar clean, dry air, an NGP15+

cost savings compared to using bought-

nitrogen generator, incorporating the

in nitrogen or carbon dioxide.

latest pressure swing adsorption (PSA)

Founder and managing director, Bernard

technology, was installed to produce an

Sloan explains: “We built a microbrewery

independent, reliable, and flexible supply

because we are passionate about

of premium grade nitrogen at the exact

beer. We did our first brew in my

purity level required of 99.5%

great-grandfather’s shed with the aim of brewing exciting, great-tasting

Atlas Copco’s NGP+ range of on-site,

beers. Now, we occupy a 15,000 sq. ft

service-friendly nitrogen generators

production area which we purpose-built

combines high flow capacity, with output

in 2018.”

from as little as 4 Nm3/h right up to 3000 Nm3/h, with low operating and

THE ROLE OF NITROGEN

maintenance costs. A specific benefit derived from the on-

In keeping with similar operations

site generation facility is its contribution

within the brewing industry, Whitewater

to nitrogenated beer production, such as

Brewery has seen a growing reliance

Irish stout, which contains more dissolved

on nitrogen gas for a number of stages

nitrogen gas and less CO2 than traditional

and process applications throughout the

beer. The foam generated by nitrogen

beer-making process.

bubbles is thicker and longer lasting.

Typically, these range from flushing

With less CO2 the beer has the smooth

pipework and tanks to eliminating

character for which it is famed.

BREWERS JOURNAL

SUSTAINABILITY These improvements are not the only substantial benefits that the new nitrogen generation system has brought to the Whitewater Brewery’s business – it has also reduced the operation’s reliance on CO2 within its processes and its material costs. “We were using a tonne of CO2 every week from delivered bulk supply that was costing in excess of £1000 during supply shortages for each delivery. “The on-site nitrogen has replaced many of the CO2 duties throughout our production, and as a result, we have been able to limit the supply programme to just one every five weeks. This is saving us around £35,000 per year on CO2 costs and is reducing carbon emissions,” confirmed Sloan. The reliability, continuity of supply, versatility of nitrogen applications, and the significantly lower cost burden of industrial gases have all boosted Whitewater Brewery’s productivity to a new level, helping it be prepared for its future expansion plans.

brewersjournal.info

WINTER 2023

SUSTAINABILITY

IMPROVING EFFICIENCY IN SPENT GRAIN

Tennent’s Brewery achieved 56% air savings with SAI technology

TO CUT SPENT GRAIN TRANSFER TIME AT THE TENNENT’S WELLPARK BREWERY, THE BUSINESS UTILISED TECHNOLOGY THAT WOULD ALSO INVOLVE A REDUCTION IN AIR AND ELECTRICITY USAGE, TOO.

ennent’s Wellpark Brewery

Tennent’s Lager, part of drinks

is Scotland’s oldest

manufacturer and distributor C&C Group,

brewery, tracing its roots

is committed to a robust sustainability

back to the 1500s. Since its

strategy, exemplified by ambitious

establishment in 1885, it has

carbon reduction targets.

consistently produced award-winning

These targets aim to achieve a 35%

brews.

reduction in scope 1 & 2 emissions by

The brewery’s fascinating story revolves

2030 and have been validated by the

around Hugh Tennent, who defied

Science Based Target initiative.

skeptics in 1885 to create Tennent’s

In recent years Tennent’s has made

Lager, initially dubbed a ‘madman’s

significant investments in various carbon

dream’ by newspapers.

reduction projects, including carbon

Today, Tennent’s Lager dominates the

capture and anaerobic digestion plants.

Scottish market, accounting for every

Additionally, Tennent’s has partnered with

second pint of lager consumed in the

Seepex to improve energy efficiency in its

country.

spent grain transfer process, which is the most air intensive process on site.

As part of their process, spent grain is transferred from two mash filters that

IMPROVED EFFICIENCY

drain the spent grain to 24%DS.

WINTER 2023

Originally, the spent grain fell from the

Together with Seepex, Tennent’s

mash filters into an expeller unit from

explored the benefits of the company’s

where it was conveyed over 64m with

Smart Air Injection (SAI) technology.

a 20m elevation to the silo. With the

This solution combines an open hopper

expeller, the grain transfer took ~90

progressive cavity pump and pneumatic

minutes after each brew and used

dense-phase conveying to efficiently

1,125Nm³ of air.

transfer 15-40%DS spent grains, draff,

BREWERS JOURNAL

SUSTAINABILITY and hops in plugs. Controlled air pulses enable seamless conveying over long

The smart air injection technology has improved spent grain transfer efficiency at Tennent’s

distances. Seepex established the optimum operation point with minimum air consumption to reduce the original air consumption and carbon footprint, and also assessed the energy efficiency in comparison with the initial system. The company was able to calculate all the consumptions eliminating the need to carry out a trial. The demonstrated energy efficiency from its Smart Air Injection (SAI) enabled Tennent’s to access the Scottish Industrial Energy Transformation Fund (SIETF), designed to support the development and deployment of technologies that enable businesses with high energy

grain transfer time associated with the

This comprehensive service ensures

use to transition to a low carbon future.

SAI system.

proactive, on-time planned pump

Through this, the government funded

The reduction in air use contributes to

maintenance, guaranteeing uninterrupted

30% of the project.

Tennent’s carbon reduction plan by

operation.

Air consumption has decreased by

reducing electricity use within the site.

This includes diagnostics to identify

an impressive 56%, dropping from

As Tennent’s embraces the

potential issues, enabling planned

~1,125Nm³ to 500-700Nm³ per brew.

future of brewing, it benefits from

proactive maintenance for increased

Furthermore, there is a decrease in spent

Seepex’s plannedcare package.

uptime and lower total cost of ownership.

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brewersjournal.info

13/11/2019 11:10

WINTER 2023

SUSTAINABILITY

ADVANCING GREEN SANITATION AS THE BREWERY INDUSTRY EVOLVES TO ADOPT MORE SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES, THERE IS AN INCREASING NEED FOR GREEN SURFACE SANITATION METHODS. AMONG THE VARIOUS ALTERNATIVES THAT HAVE EMERGED, ONE IS PARTICULARLY PROMISING: THE USE OF HYDROGEN PEROXIDE (H2O2), ESPECIALLY WHEN IT IS PRODUCED ON-SITE FROM ELECTRICITY AND WATER, EXPLAINS THE THE TEAM AT HPNOW.

onventionally, breweries

It has a proven efficacy against a broad

have used chemical

spectrum of organisms, including E. coli,

sanitizers such as chlorine-

Listeria and many others, according to an

based solutions, caustic

American Chemical Society study.

soda, or acid-based

As an additional benefit, hydrogen

sanitizers for equipment and surface

peroxide decomposes into water and

sanitation.

oxygen after use, leaving no harmful

While these methods are generally

residues or by-products. This attribute

effective, they are fraught with

not only ensures product safety but also

environmental concerns and safety

significantly reduces the environmental

issues. They generate harmful by-

footprint of brewery sanitation practices.

products, pose risks to worker health,

Furthermore, hydrogen peroxide does

and can potentially taint beer if not

not require extensive rinsing, thereby

completely rinsed off surfaces.

reducing water consumption compared

In addition to environmental concerns,

to traditional sanitizing agents. Users

these methods also have inherent

have observed that its effectiveness at

inefficiencies. Large volumes of water

lower concentrations and temperatures

are needed for their application and

also contributes to energy savings.

subsequent rinsing, leading to high water consumption.

While hydrogen peroxide has been

Moreover, the lack of on-site production

used as a sanitizer in various industries

of these sanitizing agents means that

for some time, its adoption in the beer

breweries rely heavily on external supply

industry is relatively recent.

chains, which can pose challenges in

This delay can be attributed primarily to

terms of logistics and cost.

concerns about the handling and storage

Therefore, the brewery industry is

of concentrated hydrogen peroxide

actively exploring more sustainable,

solutions, which are highly reactive and

efficient, and safer alternatives for surface

potentially hazardous.

sanitation. This is where hydrogen peroxide comes into play. Hydrogen peroxide is a potent oxidizing

ON-SITE HYDROGEN PEROXIDE PRODUCTION

agent, which, according to scientific

WINTER 2023

research, makes it effective in killing a

To circumvent the issues related to the

wide range of microorganisms, including

storage and handling of concentrated

bacteria, yeasts, molds, and viruses.

hydrogen peroxide, innovative solutions

BREWERS JOURNAL

SUSTAINABILITY have been developed for its on-site

Hydrogen peroxide’s efficacy as a

technology, the widespread adoption

production from electricity and water.

sanitizer is due to its strong oxidizing

of this method faces challenges.

One such solution is offered by HPNow,

properties, research has shown. When it

Breweries must invest in the necessary

a company that leverages advanced

comes into contact with microorganisms,

infrastructure and train staff in the

electrolysis technology to generate

it disrupts essential cellular components,

operation and maintenance of the new

hydrogen peroxide on demand.

such as proteins, lipids, and DNA, leading

systems.

The system utilizes an electrochemical

to cell death.

The initial cost might be a deterrent for

process known as the ‘Direct Synthesis

Following use, hydrogen peroxide will

small-scale breweries. However, the

Method.’ In this process, oxygen from

break down into water and oxygen,

long-term savings in terms of reduced

the air and water are recombined in the

without leaving any byproducts behind.

water and energy use, decreased

presence of a catalyst, forming hydrogen

A study by the Australian Wine

dependence on external suppliers, and

peroxide.

Research Institute has demonstrated

enhanced product safety and quality

The on-site production of hydrogen

the effectiveness of hydrogen peroxide

are compelling arguments for this

peroxide has several benefits. First, it

against common spoilage organisms.

investment.

eliminates the need for storage and

The researchers found that even at

In conclusion, on-site production of

handling of hazardous concentrated

low concentrations, hydrogen peroxide

hydrogen peroxide is a promising

solutions, significantly reducing safety

effectively eliminated these organisms

pathway towards greener surface

risks. Secondly, it also allows for the

without affecting the quality of the wine.

sanitation in breweries. While initial investment and training

generation of hydrogen peroxide at the required concentrations, preventing the waste associated with overproduction or

THE FUTURE OF GREEN SANITATION IN BREWERIES

requirements might pose challenges, the environmental, safety, and efficiency benefits it offers make it a compelling

degradation over time. Moreover, the process can be powered

The adoption of on-site hydrogen

alternative to traditional methods. As

by renewable electricity sources. It

peroxide production in breweries holds

the beer industry continues to evolve

reduces dependence on external supply

immense potential, allowing breweries to

towards more sustainable practices,

chains, offering increased resilience

significantly reduce their environmental

solutions such as those offered by

and cost savings in the face of market

footprint, in their quest to enhance

HPNow could become central to the

fluctuations and logistical challenges.

product quality and safety.

beer making process.

Photo : Christian CREUTZ

However, as with any emerging

Mechanical closures producer

8 Rue Gutenberg • 67120 Duttlenheim Tél. : (33) 03 88 66 36 36 Email : order@edard.com brewersjournal.info

WINTER 2023

ANALYSIS

BITTERNESS AND AROMA CONTROL OAKHAM ALES WANTED A GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF THE AFFECT VARIOUS HOP ADDITIONS HAVE ON BITTERNESS AND AROMA. THIS IS HOW THEY DID IT.

WINTER 2023

akham Ales is a multi-

brewer, Stewart Poulter, wanted to

award winning brewery

measure bitterness more accurately and

with a worldwide

chose the CDR BeerLab supplied by

reputation for its

QCL, due to its accuracy, ease of use,

innovative approach

speed of test, and the non-hazardous

and for the quality and consistency of its

reagents used compared to the

brews.

reference method.

Famous as the first UK brewery to brew

After initial training from QCL and

a beer with 100% US sourced Citra hops,

validation with the ILCS proficiency

hop forward beers are a core part of the

scheme, Poulter started by testing

brewery’s range.

packaged beer to give a benchmark

Unique bitterness and aroma profiles

IBU for the finished beer, then tested

are created by layering hop additions

various stages of the brewing process to

throughout the brewing process with

determine bitterness development and

three additions in the copper, one in

establish hop utilisation.

hopback, a hop ‘tea’ infusion and another

“For our size of brewery, the CDR

in conditioning, making six additions in

BeerLab is an ideal tool for QA and

total.

process control. It is very easy to use,

At Oakham Ales, bitterness has

without needing a lab background and

traditionally been monitored by aroma

the reagents are non-toxic so it’s easy to

and flavour, not by analysis. Head brewer,

implement” said Poulter

Mark Tetlow and quality assurance

The analysis showed that bitterness

BREWERS JOURNAL

ANALYSYS “Understanding the bitterness process and hopping regime has allowed us to streamline the brewing process to extract maximum aroma from the hops whilst maintaining the correct bitterness levels. By changing how and when we added the hops we kept more aroma in the beer and less going up the chimney!“ added Tetlow Graph 1, left: CDR BeerLab Bitterness compared with reference method at Campden Graph 2, below: IBU Development of a brew

developed in the 3rd hop addition did not contribute to the final bitterness of the beer as it was likely removed by the yeast during fermentation. The later hop additions allowed Oakham to achieve the final in package bitterness required. There was also an added benefit of the later cold additions contributing more aroma to the beer. The CDR BeerLab has become an integral part of the QA program at Oakham, contributing to optimisation of the brewing process and helping to maintain the brewery’s reputation for consistent, high-quality beers.

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brewersjournal.info

WINTER 2023

ANALYSIS

WHY YOU SHOULD ANALYSE YOUR YEAST THERE ARE A MYRIAD OF REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD ANALYSE YOUR YEAST. AND WHEN IT COMES TO YEAST MONITORING, AUTOMATION HELPS IMPROVE CONSISTENCY AND PREVENT SERIOUS ISSUES SUCH AS STUCK FERMENTATIONS, EXPLAINS MICHAEL JOHANNES FROM OCULYZE.

here are a multitude of

also be able to propagate it yourself.

reasons why you should

This, of course, again translates into cost

analyse your yeast. When

savings, but it also shields you from any

it comes to repitching,

disruptions in the supply chain.

depending on the strain,

yeast can typically last for up to five to

This is where automation comes in. The

eight generations.

benefits of analysing your yeast are well

This can save you tens or even hundreds

known, but the perks of automating

of thousands of pounds (depending on

this are less prevalent. The older

the size of your brewery and how much

method, using a microscope and a

beer you’re producing) over the course

hemocytometer – still works providing

of a year.

you have a lot of time to spare and if you do not care that much about accuracy.

When you can monitor your yeast it

You may have an experienced lab

becomes fairly easy to just collect and

colleague who’s doing an amazing job

reuse your yeast.

with that but not all breweries can say

Yeast will actually perform better after

that.

repitching than first-generation yeast,

Normally, manual counting is tedious and

especially in the case of high ABV beers.

prone to human error. Not to mention

Furthermore, you can use these cost-

that there are so many counting methods

savings to invest in more expensive

out there.

yeast strains, thus boosting creativity and

These however are subjective and prone

innovation.

to error, so it is almost impossible to get the same results from two people doing

By constantly monitoring your yeast you

a manual count on the same sample.

can prevent serious issues such as stuck fermentation or longer fermentation

An automated cell counter is significantly

times, increased turbidity, and the

faster and more accurate as it eliminates

formation of diacetyl and other off-

human error and it can be used by

flavours caused by yeast fermentation

anyone with little-to-no training needed.

performing poorly.

They also can features additions such

So instead of, in the worst-case scenario,

as a pitch rate calculator, access to your

having to ditch a whole batch, you can

history of analyses, and fermentation

prevent the issues from even arising in

tracking, which allows you to monitor an

the first place by taking measures to

entire fermentation from start till end.

correct them before it’s too late. Not only does automated yeast counting

WINTER 2023

Monitoring the fermentation is the most

makes sense for smaller to middle-sized

effective way to obtain consistency,

breweries, but it may offer them a unique

meaning foam stability and sensory

chance to actually be able to compete

uniformity. Just controlling the

with the “brewing establishment”.

ingredients and temperatures is not

The reasoning is simple: you have to be

enough. Instead, only being able to

able to achieve consistency and you

reproduce the same yeast performance

have to be able to innovate.

guarantees the same range of flavours in

And if you do not have a conventional lab

your next batches.

setup in place, your best bet to achieve

Last but not least, once you’ve mastered

either one of these two is to invest in the

collecting and reusing your yeast, you’ll

technology that can replace it.

BREWERS JOURNAL

ANALYSYS

A T RU E G I F T F RO M N AT U R E

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brewersjournal.info

WINTER 2023

WARMINSTER MALTINGS LTD Traditional Maltsters

Go West

...For Better Barley, For Better Malt robin.appel@warminster-malt.co.uk Tel: 01985 212014

Full Circle Brew Co head brewer Alex Redpath and brewery founder Ben Cleary

FULLY FOCUSED IN A FEW SHORT YEARS, FULL CIRCLE BREW CO HAS BECOME ONE OF THE MOST CELEBRATED BREWERIES IN THE NORTH EAST. FOUNDED BY BEN CLEARY AND UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF HEAD BREWER ALEX REDPATH, THE BUSINESS IS FOCUSED ON MAKING FULL-BODIED, FULLFLAVOURED BEERS THAT EVERYONE CAN ENJOY. brewersjournal.info

ecognise that view?

embarrassment of riches on offer.

There’s a strong chance

Walk some five minutes up Walker

many reading this will.

Road and voilà, you have Full Circle

The UK is blessed by

Brew Co. And for founder Ben Cleary,

some truly brilliant pubs.

the consumer having such a wealth of

Places that might be on our doorstep, or

options shouldn’t come as a surprise.

those we’d venture hours to visit. Why? Because the experience those public

“Newcastle is known for great craft beer

houses provide is worth the time spent

- just probably not necessarily outside

travelling.

of London, though,” he smiles. “I mean, a

One such example is The Free Trade

lot of people don’t even know Newcastle

Inn, based on St Lawrence Road, Byker.

has craft beer. I recall the first festival we

Under the guidance of landlord Mick

did in done in the capital a few years ago,

Potts, The Free Trade Inn is one of

people couldn’t believe we hailed from

Newcastle’s oldest and best loved real

here.

and craft beer pubs. It is a local favourite, championing

“Unfortunately I think we do get

brilliant local produce, it also serves

overlooked to a degree. I feel the biggest

great beer from the North East as well as

thing is that there’s so many great

further afield.

breweries locally, but many of them don’t

Not only that, it has one of the best

want to grow outside of the local area. As

views such an establishment can provide

a result, they don’t get as much visibility

in the UK. But in Byker, if you’re in the

as their peers,” says Cleary. “Of course

market for superb beer, you have an

Leeds and Manchester are popular

WINTER 2023

FULL CIRCLE BREW CO havens for fantastic beer and fantastic

ultimately, that commercial element, will

breweries. But the North, not so much. I

always come through.”

don’t consider those places the North for

To meet their collective ambitions to

some reason!”

grow as a brewery, they would need a

Cleary is proud and bullish about brewing in the North East and he’s equally proud of the brewery he founded in 2020 - Full Circle Brew Co. But while that outfit is producing excellent and regarded beers, his own story stems from the wine world. “I was working in the wine trade some

I remember the kit coming in and we thought, what have we done!” Ben Cleary

bigger premises and a bigger kit to brew on. And that involved the, in no way nerve-wracking task of moving from a 1 barrel 140L kit straight onto an 18.5 barrel 3000L kit. “I remember seeing some of the equipment coming in on that sunny September day and thinking ‘what have we done?!” laughs Cleary.

10 years prior to this. I loved it, I did all

He adds: “We figured that we should

my exams, and was working for a major

invest in the long-term from the start

wine retailer in Majestic Wines,” he

and to be honest, it has been a great

says. “But after some time, I decided to

experience. We opted for a brewhouse from SSV Ltd as they were making waves

return to our independent family wine business and set up a bottleshop and

Although he had training from

in the market. They were wonderful, not

e-commerce firm selling fine wines,

Sunderland-based training provider

just with the kit but with the aftercare.

spirits and beers. And in those first two

Brewlab, Redpath had yet to have any

Making that jump was predictably scary,

years, craft beer was really booming.”

experience working in a commercial

and I recall asking Alex ‘are you sure you

brewery.

can do this?’. But the company, especially their commissioning brewers like James

Running this business would allow Cleary

Campbell at the time, made things easy.”

to try fantastic beer from a wealth of

At Full Circle, he’d start his professional

breweries and in his own words he “fell in

journey working from a modest

love with it”.

warehouse in Stanley, Durham, with a

That shiny new equipment would be

“I don’t want to say I fell out of love

140L 1 barrel brewing kit. It’s here he

calling the district of Byker its home.

with the wine trade, but I do not drink

would start working on the brewery’s

Following a stint searching for the

much wine anymore. I realised beer was

core range and with him brewing, Cleary

perfect spot for their brewery, the team

something that I always wanted to be

would sell them through The Pip Stop.

happened upon an old train workshop

involved in. From the family business we

What was understandably valuable here

in the heart of Byker and that was that.

had expertise on the sales side, we also

was the ongoing feedback the customers

Complementing the kit from SSV Ltd was

had expertise on the beer side so we

could provide. Armed with that intel, they

a CP-10 canning line from Microcan.

thought ‘let’s go for it’.

further developed the range and settled

“And as you can see we’ve kind of gone

on beer such as Repeater Session IPA,

The CP10 is a twin lane 10-head

way too big. Well, at the time, we thought

Hoop American Pale Ale, Rotator DDH

innovative counter pressure filling and

we had gone way too big!”

Pale and Looper IPA.

seaming machine with the ability to change can size at the turn of a wheel

That expertise on the brewing side came

That sense of alignment extended to

and the flexibility to fill products of

from Alex Redpath. With Cleary running

the duo’s views on a core range, too.

various carbonation levels the CP10

The Pip Stop, the would-be head brewer

“I think we both had similar views on

offers more versatility for the operator.

used to drop in to provide samples of his

this,” says Cleary. “We wanted to create

“They were excellent and again, the

latest creations. Redpath was enjoying

four beers that were always going to be

aftercare is amazing. So those are the

success in the world of homebrewing,

Pales. We’ve created one that’s more of

companies we are aligning ourselves

regularly being acknowledged and

a gateway beer - Hoop - a gluten-free

with going forward, for sure,” explains

rewarded in competitions held by

American Pale Ale, which is a really

Cleary.

BrewDog Newcastle, often placing 1st.

good gateway beer to get into it. And it’s actually what we nearly sell the most of

While Cleary, Redpath and the team

“When it came to the beers Alex brought

right now.

had their site secured, and had their

me, I genuinely felt they were better than

“Many breweries just go seasonal. But

kit installed, they were unable to affect

most of the beers I was pouring in the

we wanted to sit at that middle point

the global pandemic that was about to

shop. They were wonderful and from day

between commercial and craft, if you

take hold. Like many of their peers that

one, I knew that he was the person to

will. That was where we wanted to go.

opened in-and-around COVID-19, those

lead this brewery. And with that, it aligned

We went very heavily into “craft” initially,

early, formative years took a different

us perfectly to really start this project,”

but as of 2023, we’re trying to build a

journey than they expected…

recalls Cleary.

bigger audience where your brand, and

WINTER 2023

BREWERS JOURNAL

FULL CIRCLE BREW CO

“We learned to be agile because we had

because I prefer to work together.”

past three years, but we’ve really been

a small team. And because we were new

With those potentially-challenging first

pushing for this year. And it’s to hit Net

to the industry we could just do what we

years navigated, Cleary is happy to

Zero by 2030, which is pretty hairy goal.

wanted. And it seems to have worked in

be fully-focused on the quality of the

But ultimately, it forces you to do it and

the most part,” he recalls.

brewery’s beers, and growing the name

it’s super important to me.”

of Full Circle Brew Co on a more national They managed to establish a route direct

level.

Cleary argues that while it’s important to him, it should also be important to

to selling in Europe and with that, the brewery was able to trade successfully

“The business has only existed in COVID

everyone in the field, too. “It’s something

in a challenging time. Strong Untapped

times and with so much of our beer

that everyone needs to do,” he says.

ratings and acknowledgement on

going overseas, we are still considered

“We want to do it because it’s the right

sites such as RateBeer gave European

somewhat new by many,” he believes.

thing to do. The brewing industry is not

customers an appetite for their beers.

Earlier this year distributor Cave Direct

the best from a sustainability angle. So

About 70% of the brewery’s stock would

named Full Circle one of its Future Four,

if we can learn more and do more, then

be sent to Europe in that first year but

UK breweries that they believe have the

hopefully others can follow on and learn

then in year two, Brexit would present a

potential to be the best in the game.

from that as well. We want to bring the

new set of challenges.

“That sort of recognition helps put us on

beer industry into a much better place

the map in bigger cities and with bigger

from a sustainability point of view.”

“That ruined our lives a little bit again, so

accounts. We want Full Circle to be a

we couldn’t sell into Europe for probably

household name and we are prepared to

He adds: “And for those who aren’t

six months. But that’s flattened out and

work to get there.”

interested in sustainability, there are parts of that journey that can save you

things are going really well on the export market still,” he says.

And another area Cleary and the team

money. We have a nitrogen generator

“But while we enjoy that side, we realised

are working heavily in is reducing the

that has reduced our CO2 usage by 90%.

we really needed to focus on the UK

company’s impact on the environment,

It’s saved us a fortune. But whilst it’s also

market, too. We’ve approached these

too. “I feel as if there are two two names

saving us a fortune, it’s much better for

early years slightly different than most,

for Full Circle. One is a family link, my

the environment.”

but thankfully it has worked out. And if

parents were in the wine industry, and

anyone wants advice on selling overseas,

their parents were in the pub industry so

The brewery has also established a

they just need to ask.

we’ve kind of technically gone full circle,”

partnership with Zevero, utilizing their

“For me, the dialogue is craft beer against

he explains.

expertise to assess the brewery’s

big beer. I don’t see our neighbours

“But the main reason was a promise, and

emissions.

who are two miles away as competition

it was something we couldn’t do over the

“We take immense pride in being an

brewersjournal.info

WINTER 2023

FULL CIRCLE BREW CO

active participant in their online auditing

says. “We even looked at opening our

platform, which empowers us to

brewery there but Newcastle made more

continually gauge our monthly emissions.

sense. But who knows, to have a bar or similar in Durham would be fantastic.

“This valuable tool brings us closer to comprehending the intricacies of our carbon footprint, identifying hotspots, and pinpointing areas where we can effectively curtail our environmental impact,” says Cleary.

70% of our beer went to Europe in that first year” Ben Cleary

“Increasing our presence is always something I’ve wanted to do. But when it comes to the journey so far, it’s been a wonderful experience. It’s creative, it’s exciting, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“The investment in decarbonisation software brings multiple benefits to our brewery. It ensures compliance with strict

When in town, a visit to The Free Trade Inn is essential

climate change regulations and carbon reduction targets set by governments worldwide, helping us effectively track and manage emissions.” With those ambitious sustainability targets to hit and further growth of the brewery, Cleary remains focused on the task at hand, and more besides. “I’m a Durham boy through and through,” he

WINTER 2023

BREWERS JOURNAL

RANDING

WHERE YOU STAND ON YOUR LOGO AND BRAND

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY (IP) RIGHTS ARE AN ESSENTIAL FACTOR IN RUNNING A SUCCESSFUL BREWERY BUSINESS. HERE, IP EXPERT SARA LUDLAM DELVES FURTHER INTO HOW BREWERIES CAN MAXIMISE THE VALUE OF THEIR IP (TO ENHANCE THEIR COMPANY VALUE) AND MINIMISE UNNECESSARY LEGAL SPEND. SHE ALSO ASKS IF YOU REALLY OWN YOUR LOGO, PROVIDING A NEED-TO-KNOW GUIDE TO COPYRIGHT FOR BREWERIES.

brewersjournal.info

et’s start at the top - why

BE ORIGINAL

protect your brand? We live in a time when any brand

To secure trade mark protection, a brand

can blow-up overnight into

name must be distinctive. Think ‘apple’

a national (or even global)

for computers — this is highly distinctive.

success.

Yet if you were to start selling apples

Making sure that your brand names

under the brand name ‘apple’, this would

are protected is a key step in securing

be highly generic (and you would be

the financial future of your business

unlikely to secure registered rights).

and protecting yourself from being

There is a list of terms that are incapable

copied by competitors or others trying

of being registered at the UK Trade Mark

to ‘piggyback’ on your hard-earned

Registry. If you cannot register your

reputation. Below are some top tips

mark, it will be much harder and more

to ensure that you have adequate

expensive to protect.

protection in place.

The main names that can cause problems are where the mark consists

CHECK BEFORE USING ANY NEW BRAND NAMES

exclusively of words (or images) which designate the kind, quality, quantity, intended purpose, value, geographical

Before using any new brand name (or

origin, time of production or other

‘trade mark’), you’ll need to perform

characteristics of the goods (or services)

three basic checks to avoid falling foul

that you sell. For example, calling your

of another brewery’s IP rights — which

beer ‘The Best Beer Ever’ or ‘Leeds

could lead to costly legal troubles down

Ale’ could well be an issue if you want

the line if you don’t.

registered protection.

Conduct an internet search on your proposed brand name. You’ll need to know if anyone else is using it for similar,

identical or complementary goods. If so, don’t use it yourself — even if there

It’s much cheaper and easier to protect

is no registered trade mark. A competitor

a registered mark than an unregistered

could have acquired unregistered rights

one. Make sure to use a reputable

if they have records of historic use which

professional — the trade mark system

pre-date your use. Search the UK IP

can be tricky to navigate yourself and

DIY registrations could lead to all kinds

your preferred brand name in any

of issues in the future. Check that your

relevant classes of goods or services.

adviser is either a specialist IP solicitor

For beers and ales, this is class 32 —

or accredited by CITMA (the Chartered

though you may want to protect your

Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys).

brand in other classes as well for use with

By registering your brands and trading

different goods (like merchandise) and

name, you’re also increasing their value.

services (like bar or restaurant services).

If you haven’t registered your trading

Search the UK company register. Check

name and/or key brand names,

whether there is another company

keeping dated records of your received

registered in the UK with the same (or a

orders, invoices (with the address of

similar name) to your preferred brand. If

the customer and dates of the order

there is, then check what they sell. If they

visible), dated website pages (showing

sell similar goods or services to you, it’s

the brand(s) for each year the brand

back to the drawing board.

has been in use) and more is essential.

WINTER 2023

BRANDING Whether you will one day look to bring a

transferring the copyright in the logo to

recover damages for their use.

passing off claim or be forced to defend

you. Instead, all you have is a licence to

However, the innocent infringer’ defence

against one, keeping such records will

use it. This means that if you’re using a

means that you cannot claim damages

give you the best chance of success.

logo designed by someone who isn’t an

for any period of time during which the

employee of your business, you must

infringer was unaware that the work

ensure that you have a written record of

they copied was protected by copyright.

the designer transferring ownership of

This is why it’s key to correctly use the

Aside from intellectual property (IP)

the copyright (and any other IP rights) to

considerations around brand names,

the business (or to you). This is usually

of your work.

packaging, recipes and more, brewery

done through an ‘assignment’.

Double check your dates: When

businesses must ensure that they do not

If your employee created the logo

advertising that your work is protected by

fall foul of copyright restrictions. This is

(and such work falls within their job

especially true when it comes to logos

description), then the company will

refer to the correct date, which tells your

and websites to avoid unexpected legal

automatically own any copyright in the

competitors when the work was created.

costs and maximise the value of their

work. If there is any doubt about whether

If they can show that their use pre-dates

IP assets. Here are some key copyright

the designer is an employee, it’s best to

yours, then not only can you not stop

concerns for breweries and how to stay

get an assignment just to be on the safe

them from using a similar or identical

protected.

side.

work, but they may also end up accusing

you of infringement.

Records: The second potential problem

Websites are likely to feature a range

is created by a qualifying person in a

is that the lack of any registration

of dates as the content will have been

relevant country. Most countries in the

means that you have no evidence of

created over multiple years. That’s

world are signatories to an international

the date on which the copyright work

convention that recognises and protects

was created, who created it and that

Brabners’.

it’s an original work. Therefore, when an

Avoid using other people’s images

Brewery businesses are likely to use 2D

employee creates a copyright work, you

(unless you have a licence): If your

artworks, such as logos, photographs

should keep a copy of the employee’s

employee or contractor has created a

and graphics, on beer bottles, taps,

employment contract, which should

logo or other copyright work for you,

websites and other marketing and

show their dates of employment.

it’s key that they haven’t copied all/

packaging materials.

Keep a copy of any preparatory works to

part of their design from someone else.

Any original text (and its formatting) on a

show that the work is original (‘original’,

(Substantial part does not necessarily

website could also fall under copyright

in the context of copyright works, means

mean a large part! It could mean a small

protection.

‘not copied’). Preferably, these should be

part which is an important element.)

The fact that copyright arises

dated.

When it comes to copying another

automatically when an original work is

Post a copy of the work to yourself by

person’s original work, there is no such

created means that you usually don’t

recorded delivery, with a clear notice

thing as ‘in the public domain’.

need to register it.

on the envelope that it’s not to be

Certain copyright works, photographs,

However, certain markets (like the US

opened except by a judge in a copyright

logos and more are on the internet and

and China) have specific copyright

infringement claim.

may be marked as ‘open source’ or ‘free

registers that you may want to use.

While this one sounds a bit ‘Heath

to use for non-commercial purposes’ —

While there is no copyright register in

Robinson’, a court will accept it as proof

but this doesn’t usually mean that your

the UK, you should make it clear that a

of the date of creation. If the copyright

use of those works is without limits. It is

work was created by a third party (i.e.,

very rare for a ‘free’ image to be freely

not an employee of the business), then

available for commercial use. Copyright

the date on which the work was created

you must ensure that you have an

in literary works and images can last for

and who owns it. For example, as a

assignment.

up to 70 years from the end of the year

Brabners employee, the copyright notice

An assignment should be a written

of the death of the author/designer/

document, be signed by the designer,

photographer.

2023”.Ahead then, are five key areas that

identify the work, identify the

So, if you have unlicensed images

can typically cause copyright issues for

consideration paid for the work and

on your website take them down

businesses.

include a statement that the designer

immediately. Copying and pasting is

Do you really own your logo? As a

didn’t copy it and believes it to be

never acceptable unless you have

brewery, you probably use at least one

original.

checked out any licence arrangements

logo for your business and beverages.

Alert competitors to your rights: If a

(whether open source or otherwise) and

Yet even if you paid for the logo to be

competitor uses your copyright work

kept a copy of the licence that evidences

designed, you don’t own it if there is no

without permission, you would normally

your right to use the work in your

written record of the designer (or artist)

expect to be able to stop them and

business.

WINTER 2023

BREWERS JOURNAL

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M U N TO N S . C O M

BRANDING

CREATING AUTHENTICITY WHILE SOME OF THE MYSTIQUE MAY FADE FOR CONSUMERS WHEN THEY DISCOVER THAT THEIR ‘DISCOVERY’ BEER BELONGS TO ONE OF THE INDUSTRY GIANTS, THE STATISTICS REVEAL THAT IF CONSUMERS APPRECIATE THE PRODUCT AND BELIEVE IN THE AUTHENTICITY OF THE BRAND STORY, THEY’LL KEEP COMING BACK FOR MORE, EXPLAINS NICK CLARK, EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR AT BLOOM.

ARTISAN PRODUCTS WITH GLOBAL REACH

beer.” It can be a bit of a buzzkill, right?

Consumers’ preference for foreign

magine this scenario: you’re

quality. They usually allow international

lounging on the Costa de la Luz in

beers to maintain their unique, protected

Spain, savouring the sunset after a

space.

day exploring Cádiz, holding ‘una caña de Cruzcampo’ in hand.

Then, your travel companion leans in and casually mentions, “That’s a Heineken

beer brands is fuelled by a multitude As consumers’ affinity for artisanal and

of factors, including their diverse

global beer brands continues to flourish,

flavours, cultural heritage and distinctive

it’s only natural the major breweries want

ingredients.

a piece of the action.

As consumers become more

In the past year, over a billion litres of

adventurous and seek novel experiences,

foreign beer made its way into the UK.

the appeal of world beers continues

The USA stands as the largest beer

to grow. The drinking experience is

importer globally. According to the Beer

increasingly about craftsmanship,

Institute, imported beers constitute

premium quality and origin stories.

nearly 18% of their beer market. What surprises many consumers is that

These factors place a unique

many of the ‘esoteric’ brands they’ve

responsibility on brand designers to

come to cherish are actually under the

create packaging identities that can

ownership of industry giants.

thrive in new markets while retaining their authenticity.

Amstel, Beavertown and Birra Moretti

It’s not as straightforward as translating

belong to the Heineken family; San

words from Spanish to English on a label.

Miguel, Hobgoblin, and Estrella Damm

Designing for overseas markets

are part of Carlsberg Marston’s. AB

necessitates consideration of myriad

InBev made its foray into the craft beer

factors, from regulatory compliance to

world by acquiring Goose Island in

varying consumer expectations across

2011, subsequently adding 11 more craft

separate geographies. Subtle category

breweries to its roster, ranging from

cues often influence consumers

Blue Point in New York to Camden Town

unconsciously, leading to variations in

Brewery in London.

brand and category recognition at the

However, the acquisition of these brands

point of purchase.

doesn’t make them any less authentic.

WINTER 2023

Brewing traditions and brand identities

Nonetheless, the story of a beer’s

are typically preserved.

country of origin remains paramount,

There may be slight recipe adjustments

and both brand owners, whether large or

to cater to diverse tastes, and

small, and their strategic design partners

manufacturing facilities might be

must keep this essential consumer driver

established in new regions for logistical

in focus.

reasons.

Amid the surge of global beer brands,

But beyond that, major breweries

we’ve observed a certain homogeneity in

recognise the importance of brand

brand and packaging design.

identity, a connection to their place of

Consider Spanish beers like Ambar,

origin and unwavering commitment to

Estrella and Mahou – from a distance,

BREWERS JOURNAL

BRANDING

they might all blend together on a shelf.

would resonate with British consumers,

It not only distinguishes Cruzcampo from

The same phenomenon can be observed

kindle their excitement for a southern

other Spanish beers in the market but

with Belgian blondes such as La Trappe,

Spain experience and set it apart from

also embraces key category indicators,

Affligem and Leffe.

other Spanish and global offerings on the

including the signature red.

While these are all excellent beers, their

market.

brand expressions tend to lean towards a

Research indicated that the lager had

With 120 years of brewing heritage,

somewhat indistinct profile.

the potential to thrive in the UK, but the

it was crucial to capture the cultural

Part of the issue lies in their referencing

backstory was missing.

enchantment of Cruzcampo so that UK audiences would fall in love with

of their country of origin with broad strokes, instead of delving into the

The new visual identity beautifully

the brand, allowing Heineken to foster

distinctive nuances of a specific locale.

encapsulates the authentic essence of

growth in a country over a thousand

life in Seville: Moorish tiles, weathered

miles north.

street signs, the radiant sun and a more

While some of the mystique may fade for

leisurely pace of life.

consumers when they discover that their

DESIGNING FOR CULTURAL RESONANCE

This approach creates a culturally rich yet

‘discovery’ beer belongs to one of the

Heineken recognised this when it

cohesive brand identity across various

industry giants, the statistics reveal that

embarked on introducing its immensely

touchpoints, whether in bars or on retail

if consumers appreciate the product and

popular Spanish beer, Cruzcampo, to the

shelves.

believe in the authenticity of the brand

UK. Cruzcampo is Spain’s most beloved

The intricate Azulejo tiles of Plaza

story, they’ll keep coming back for more.

draft beer, deeply rooted in the history

de España have been harmoniously

Achieving this demands careful

and heritage of Seville, Andalusia.

combined with the geometric Zellige

stewardship from major brewers and

To make it a success in the UK, Heineken

ceramics of Alcázares de Sevilla,

an understanding that country-of-origin

needed to translate the established

resulting in a unique, ownable brand

stories must evolve to resonate with their

Spanish brand identity in a way that

pattern.

target audiences.

WINTER 2023

BREWERS JOURNAL

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LATVIA

WINTER 2023

BREWERS JOURNAL

LATVIA

LATVIA AND A LOVE OF BEER THERE ARE A WEALTH OF BRILLIANT BREWERIES IN THE BALTICS AND IN LATVIA, LOVERS OF BEAUTIFUL BEER HAVE MUCH TO CHOOSE FROM. TRADITION MARRIED WITH INNOVATION MEANS YOU ARE AS LIKELY TO DISCOVER AND ENJOY A RUSTIC LAGER OR DOUBLE IPA AS YOU ARE A BEER FEATURING LOCALLY COLLECTED MEDICINAL PLANTS AND HONEY. AND THANKFULLY, THE PEOPLE AND BUSINESSES BEHIND THESE BEERS ARE JUST AS FASCINATING, TOO. PHOTOS: NOELIA AMADO

brewersjournal.info

WINTER 2023

LATVIA

suppose you could argue that

beer lies. Be it a beer rooted in tradition or

Ales, Single Hop APAs as well as

Latvian beer is defined by the

a trailblazing brew from a new business,

diversifying into Mead, too.

creativity of the brewers who

there are options for all. While there are fridges showcasing beers

make it. Because you can see Rihards Okmanis (right) joined Duna

from other European breweries, there are

Rihards Okmanis, the head brewer at

Brewery as a brewer in June 2021

nine taps pouring their own produce.

Duna Brewery.

before swiftly being promoted to the

The batch size means if a new beer is

And while you can now try locally-

role of head brewer the following April.

released during a busy period, it could

produced Sours, IPAs, Lagers and Herbal

The brewery is known for its regarded

have sold out two days later. And while

Ales, to name but a few, beer has been

Lagers and Pale Ales, as well as other

the business creates a number of beers,

synonymous with Latvia for centuries.

styles such as Rauchbier, Sours and the

one common theme is approachable

And as a result, to define the country’s

excellent, perfectly-balanced Heather

ABV, the strongest being 6.6%.

beer identity under any umbrella term is

and Peppermint Herbal IPA.

“Our idea is if you come to a pub to drink

every type of style here!” explains

beer, you probably want more than

a foolish task. Duna is based in Kuldīga which is a

one glass, right? And if you have a 12%

Over time there have been countless

town in the Courland region of Latvia,

stout straightaway, then your evening

dainas and folk songs written about beer.

in the western part of the country, and

is probably likely to get cut short quite

Brewing has long been celebrated in

around two hours from Riga. The town,

quickly,” they explain.

song, which is no surprise with small-

often known as the Nordic Venice, is the

scale brewing an intrinsic part of the

centre of the Kuldīga Municipality with a

Alus Rūme Trofeja celebrated its third

Latvian nation since the middle ages.

population of approximately 13,500.

birthday in the summer of 2023. Like

In his experience working in the Latvian

many businesses of this age, opening

Latvian farmers using their own

brewing industry, Okmanis has seen the

before COVID restrictions took hold, and

ingredients marks the real beginning of

sector migrate away from making light

adjusting to the landscape that followed,

“craft brewing” in the country, while the

and dark beers to one that produces

has been a challenge, but one they’ve

industrial revolution brought large-scale

beers from IPAs and DIPAs, to Sour

embraced. “Every month is getting better

breweries to Latvia.

Smoothie-style beers and also Barrel-

and better,” they tell us.

However this was not to last as the

Aged numbers.

The team at Alus Rūme Trofeja are proud to call Riga home. “Historically, Riga has

First World War, followed by the onset of the Soviet Regime decades later,

“You also still have Herbal ales, which

been a beer city. Before the First World

would greatly impact the state of play in

remain popular because of breweries

War there were three massive breweries,

brewing. This however would result in a

such as Labietis doing a really good

they were huge.

return to small-scale production, which

job at creating such special beers,” he

“But the war saw much of our

effectively means Latvia has arguably

explains.

infrastructure destroyed and the

been ahead of most of the world in the

“However in my experience, the most

brewing equipment melted down for

more recent growth of craft breweries.

popular style in Latvia now is probably

tanks and guns. The big outfits never

IPA, which is hardly much of a surprise.

really recovered, which presented an

And in the here-and-now, across the

But coming from a perspective here in

opportunity for others.”

spectrum of beer and brewing, this

Kuldīga, seeing people try - and enjoy -

beverage is well-and-truly booming in

Sours is really rewarding.

They add: “We have a love for creating

the country of Latvia. According to figures

“When we started at Duna, most people

drinks that stems from our history. That

realised by Eurostat earlier this year,

couldn’t fathom what a Sour beer was, or

desire has never been lost. So even

Latvian breweries produced 85 million

how it could taste. But that has changed,

during the time of the Soviet regime,

litres of beer in 2022, a marked increase

and it has changed for the better.”

when everything was nationalised, you ended up with lots of smaller breweries.

on the 75 million litres produced in both 2021 and also the year prior.

That desire for innovation and

“Every village would have one or two

And according to figures from Statista,

experimentation can be observed and

small brewing outfits. Occasionally they

revenue in the beer market amounts

enjoyed at Alus Rūme Trofeja. Located in

would come together to make a slightly

to US$237.1m in 2023, with the market

the Latgale Suburb of Riga, they like to

bigger one but even then they were

expected to grow annually by 1.39%.

describe themselves as a homebrewing

relatively small.

One of the key trends in the Latvian beer

setup that got out of hand.

market, Statista notes, is the increasing

Brewing into 10 200l tanks, they are one

“And I’d argue that at the start of the craft

demand for craft beer. Craft breweries

of the smallest breweries in the country.

beer movement some 10-15 years ago,

have been gaining popularity in recent

The brewery’s small size, however,

many businesses starting out would rely

years, offering consumers a unique and

does not in any way affect the range of

on the knowledge and recipes of those

diverse range of flavours and styles.

outstanding beers it produces.

older brewers. And I’d say approximately

But this is where the beauty of Latvian

These include Farmhouse Ales, Herbal

nine of every 10 craft breweries out there

WINTER 2023

BREWERS JOURNAL

While Riga ( below) offers superb breweries, bars and bottleshops to enjoy the new wave of Latvian brewing, venturing an hour or two out of the captial to towns such as Kuldīga (bottom five images) gives you a broader perspective on the country’s rich brewing scene.

were also all members of great home

surprising combinations and reveal the

Inspired by the cultural history of the

brewing communities. These brought

true diversity of beer to everyone - from

Baltic region - from chronicles and

people together and helped create great

classically refreshing pilsners to juicy

archeological discoveries to Latvian

breweries.”

fruity Pale Ales and IPA, from refreshing

folk songs and Scandinavian myths -

Sours to creamy chocolatey Porters and

they make unusual, but balanced and

“Not only do we have great breweries

Stouts.

interesting beers, meads and braggots

but we also really value that community,

Their Pinefruit IPA, which is brewed with

for the modern language.

too,” he says. “There is a very strong bond

pine buds gathered in Latvian forests,

In addition to using imported hops in their

between these businesses, because

is refreshingly bitter with hints from

fermentations, they also use more than

they started out in similar ways. They still

grapefruit peel, while Mosaic and Simcoe

20 different locally collected medicinal

exchange recipes and help each other

hops is a real hit.

plants and honey, more than 10 types of berries and fruits collected in Latvia,

out. “There is no competition, just massive

Elsewhere in Riga is Labietis. It’s

as well as barley, wheat and rye malts

amounts of respect. I don’t think there are

impossible to discuss modern Latvian

mostly grown in Latvia.

many industries where if you come to me

beer without mentioning one of the

and enjoy your time, I encourage you to

pioneers of the country’s craft beer

They explain: “We don’t know what beer

visit our so-called competitors when you

movement. From the beginning in 2013,

tasted like 200 years ago, let alone

leave.”

the flavours that can be found in their

earlier. However, one thing is certain

“Pagan brews” have been characterized

that beer as well as other fermented

Minutes from Alus Rūme Trofeja is Nurme

by the extensive use of Latvian natural

beverages have always been mostly

(right), a small, modern brewery in the

products in the brewery’s fermentations.

made from local ingredients.

heart of Riga, which has been one of the most exciting breweries in the Baltics since opening in 2016. Like many of its peers across the globe, Nurme is located in a historically industrial quarter of the capital. In this instance at Vagonu Street 21. This location, which was once a bit worn out by the ravages of time, is now reborn as a new cultural and recreational stop. The power of beer as a positive force. They explain: “Our beers are hand-crafted using the highest quality ingredients and, where possible, preferring local northern natural goodness. “Although we have thoroughly familiarised ourselves with the history and traditions of beer, we also draw inspiration from modern eclecticism. We use our skills and passion for experiments to create ever new,

LATVIA “Like brewers since time immemorial,

is a unique brewery run by a passionate

we also use local ingredients as much

owner making excellent beers.

as possible in our beers, braggots and

Travelling some 50 miles North East

meads, because their taste is closer to

of IndieJānis to Rauna will take you to

our souls and therefore a better medium

Malduguns. Malduguns is one of the first

for you to taste a piece of our cultural

craft breweries in Latvia.

history. Accordingly - if an ingredient is

Their philosophy of craft beer is based

commercially available in Latvia, then we

on small-scale, high-quality beer that

will use it.”

uses high-quality ingredients that large producers rarely use due to costs.

“Looking at the history of about 10,000 ancient fermented beverages, including

Andris Liepiņš (left) is the co-founder

beer, the belief that beer needs only

of Malduguns. Starting out in 2013 the

three ingredients - barley, hops and

brewery, which he started with Krišjānis

water - is a novelty. And what is beer

Zeļģis and Valdis Jansons is a product of

anyway? We believe that any fermented

Latvia’s vibrant homebrewing community. “As homebrewers we would all meet

grain and herb drink can be called a beer. “Hop is just one of the herbs that can

away on draught. The name of this

once in a while to exchange beers and

enrich the taste of beer. Similarly, barley

special beer stems from the nearest town

ideas. We realised we all wanted to open

is only one of the sources of sugar - with

Suntaži, with Suntažieks being the name

a brewery and decided to combine our

us, beer can also be made from wheat,

of people that hail from that very spot.

efforts to help make that happen,” says

rye, oats, buckwheat, as well as enriched

While there are a wealth of breweries

Liepiņš.

with honey or a variety of berries and

producing modern, hazy beers in Latvia,

fruits from the forest and garden. Beer is

Rudzītis’ passion lies in bitterness. “I don’t

Initially located in the village of Roze,

no place for prejudice!”

make New England-style IPAs. I consider

in the former premises of the Rauna

myself more in the old school, with beers

bakery, and producing 4000 litres a

If you head about an hour east out of

in the West Coast style that was very

month the brewery would relocate to

Riga to Upespils in the Suntaži Parish

popular 10-15 years ago,” he says. “But

larger premises in Rauna. A facility that

you will find IndieJānis. A homebrewer

thankfully the people that come here like

continues to grow and expand.

since 2008 before going commercial in

those beers, too.”

“When we started we were one of the first smaller breweries. With beers like

2017, Jānis Rudzītis’ love of modern beer started when he tried Snake Dog IPA

Be it for a beer, a pizza or a live concert

Lagers still incredibly popular, we knew

from Maryland, USA-based Flying Dog.

in the spacious beer garden, IndieJānis

we had to make our beers approachable

“At the time this was very surprising to me. It was very bitter, grassy and resinous. I wasn’t aware beer could be like this and it inspired me to try and make my own,” he recalls. Before beer, Rudzītis (right) worked in the construction industry in Norway. “I was there a long time and after a while I was bored. I was ready for a change and ready to return to Latvia.” His construction background enabled Rudzītis to put together his own canning machine, which enables IndieJānis beers to reach customers outside of the brewery. Although the popularity of his delicious pizzas, and certain beers that can only be enjoyed on-site, means the IndieJānis is a hit with visitors. The excellent Suntažieks is a rustic, country-style lager that can only be drunk at the brewery, or bought to take

brewersjournal.info

WINTER 2023

LATVIA and accessible. Key to this was balance and drinkability,” he recalls. “If you shocked your potential customer base with crazy flavours we would probably not have sold any beer!” Beers like Sānslīde are a malty and full-bodied IPA with a rich hop aroma - tropical fruits, melons, cherries made with Summit, Simco, Cascade, Centennial, Amarillo hops. Mainstay beer Cilpa is a light and pale ale with an emphasis on American hops, which gently dominates floral and tropical fruit aromas. Elsewhere there is Švīka, described as the lightest beer Malduguns in history. A lager to which dry hopping gives additional freshness and on the other end of the spectrum is Tumšā Puse.

On the beer front, Valmiermuiža Amber

flavour has matured to his satisfaction,

Saturated, with a dense body of roasted

Lager is different from ale due to a touch

the malt liqueur is carefully poured into

malts, which hides a complex taste

of light caramel malt, which in tandem

bottles.

adventure in every sip. In the taste you

with classic Pilsner and Munich forms

will find dried fruits, tobacco, leather

a rich amber coloured beer with white

Commenting on their impressive brewery

notes. Maldugun’s strongest beer, whose

foam head and sweet bread aroma.

establishment, they explain: “We in

power is dressed in malt. “A slow-paced

The crisp sweetness of the first sip is

Valmiermuiž keep in mind that we draw

adventure,” says Liepiņš.

offset by the vibrant bitterness of hops

strength from the land called Latvia.

“We try to make different styles that we

with notes of blooming meadows at the

From the Latvian language, customs and

feel comfortable with producing and also

height of summer and a tinge of honey.

culture. That is why we also consider it a

feel that maybe are lacking in the Latvian

While Valmiermuiža Dark Lager is

matter of honour to support large-scale

beer scene. From sours to dark beers

brewed with dark caramel, Munich

Latvian cultural events that keep our

and Brett mixed fermentation releases,

and Pilsner malts, which give the beer

traditions and language alive, as well

we love experimentation and to keep the

its sweet richness, while Hallertauer

as promote Latvia’s name in the world

consumer interested,” he adds.

Mittelfrüh and Nugget, which also

through culture - theater, music, cinema,

comes from Hallertauer, hops generate

poetry, fashion, photography, fine arts

30 minutes north of Malduguns is a

the aroma bouquet and bitter notes of

and architecture.

completely different type of brewery

flavour.

“Just as honing the flavors of Valmiermuiža beer is long and thorough,

in Valmiermuiža Brewery. Established in 1764, Valmiermuiža is one of

In addition to a number of other drinks

we believe that the most successful

Latvia’s oldest breweries. The name

types are its Distilled Baltic Amber Lager.

cooperation is based on long-term,

of Valmiermuiža has been etched into

In three hours, from 150 litres of beer,

trusting relationships, which are united by

the annals of history since the turn of

they obtain just seven litres of distilled

common goals and confidence.”

the 14th century, due to the existence

lager with a strength of ABV 80%.

of an impressive tavern that belonged

Later on, they mix this with water from

So if you’re looking for breweries that are

to Valmiera Castle, where patrons

Valmiermuiža’s artesian well so that

the definition of small-batch production,

could buy beer brewed by the Lord of

the strength “drops” to 42 %. Before it

trailblazing new brews, or traditional

the Manor. Originally, Valmiera Manor

is poured into a bottle, distilled lager is

businesses producing classic styles,

was located near Valmiera Castle, but

frozen to a temperature of —4 °C.

Latvia has fans of excellent beer well and

around the year 1624 it was moved to the

Alternatively there is Malt Liqueur. The

truly covered.

location where Valmiermuiža Brewery is

basis for the liqueur is Valmiermuiža

currently based.

Distilled Amber Lager to which they add a “judiciously proportioned measure of

An incredibly popular spot with

Valmiermuiža malt sauce” (150ml malt

visitors and tourists from across the

sauce is added to 100ml distilled lager).

globe descend to enjoy its beer and

This sweet delicacy is then poured into

food produced on-site as well as a

a barrel and left to mature for 10 days.

comprehensive visitor experience.

When the taste master deems that the

WINTER 2023

BREWERS JOURNAL

SCIENCE

YEAST CROPPING AND STORAGE IN THIS, HIS LATEST OF THE SERIES, TIM O’ROURKE TAKES A DETAILED LOOK AT YEAST CROPPING AND STORAGE.

ermentation is complete when the available

clumps will either float to the surface or sink to the bottom of

sugars have been used up and the yeast stops

the fermenter, depending on strain.

growing (budding).

Some strains, particularly lager yeast, the lectins only open

The yeast enters the stationary phase followed by

when most fermentable sugars have been used up and

the sedimentation phase, clumping together, and

require divalent ions (Ca2+) to activate the lectins.

settling out. The yeast can then be harvested to be re-pitch in

Ales form a yeast head early in the fermentation which can be

a subsequent brew with any surplus yeast sent to waste.

top cropped but will fall through to the bottom of the vessel,

Flocculation is when yeast cells at the end of fermentation

particularly if the vessel is cooled and can be bottom cropped.

Figure 1: A System of cropping, storing & pitching of yeast.

aggregate to form clumps. The way yeast can be separated

The most widely accepted flocculation theory is that protein

from the fermented beer depends on yeast strain:

filaments call lectins on the surface of a yeast cell attach to

Ale (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) is a top cropping yeast

mannose residues on an adjacent cell.

creating a head on the top of the fermentation vessel and is

These clumps will either float to the surface or sink to the

cropped by skimming.

bottom of the fermenter, depending on strain.

Lager (Saccharomyces pastorianus) is a bottom cropping

Some strains, particularly lager yeast, the lectins only open

yeast which settles in the base of the fermentation vessel and

when most fermentable sugars have been used up and

is cropped by sedimentation.

require divalent ions (Ca2+) to activate the lectins.

Overleaf is the most widely accepted flocculation theory.

Ales form a yeast head early in the fermentation which can be

Here protein filaments call lectins on the surface of a yeast

top cropped but will fall through to the bottom of the vessel,

cell attach to mannose residues on an adjacent cell. These

particularly if the vessel is cooled and can be bottom cropped.

brewersjournal.info

WINTER 2023 |

SCIENCE

Figure 2: The most widely accepted flocculation theory

YEAST CROPPING

the top of the page opposite: As well as reducing yeast concentration prior to racking a

Top Cropping Yeast: At the height of fermentation beer will

certain amount of fermentable sugar must be present to fuel

contain between 60 and 80 million yeast cells per millilitre,

the secondary fermentation.

by racking this must be reduced to between 1 and 2 million

Skimming allows the removal of yeast and therefore slowing

yeast cells per millilitre to allow the secondary fermentation to

of attenuation to allow completion of warm maturation.

occur in cask. In conventional ale brewing the surplus yeast is

The fresh yeast harvested from the top of the fermentation

removed by skimming using a variety of processes shown at

can be re-pitched, usually within 24 hours, maintaining the

The Flocculation Characteristics of Top and Bottom Cropping Yeast Characteristic

Top Cropping Strains

Bottom Cropping Strains

Flocculation Genotype

FLO1

Hydrophobicity Expression

Permanent

Only at onset of flocculation

Sugar Inhibition

Some strains may be mannose and sucrose insensitive

All mannose sensitive with most sucrose sensitive

Surface Charge Wall Determinants

Divalent Cation Ethanol

Carboxylates

Calcium may be required Ethanol Dependent

New FLO

Phosphates

Calcium Dependent Ethanol Independent

Difference in yeast flocculation between Ale and Lager yeasts. Ale yeast will top crops in shallow fermenters but settle to the bottom in deep conical fermenters, this is because the excess pressure due to the hydrostatic height causes the CO2 bubbles to dissolve and the yeast loses its buoyancy settling to the bottom.

WINTER 2023

Top cropping Ale yeast have lectin type FLO1 which is relatively long and very hydrophobic which as well as attaching to adjacent yeast cells binds to CO2 bubbles which floats the yeast floc to the top of the FV.

Lager yeast predominantly have lectin type NEW FLO which are moderately hydrophobic. The lectin favours attachment to other yeast cells which settles and is cropped at the bottom of the fermenting vessel.

BREWERS JOURNAL

SCIENCE

brewersjournal.info

WINTER 2023 |

SCIENCE vigour of the yeast thus ensuring successful subsequent

YEAST STORAGE

fermentations. In conical vessels where the yeast is cropped from the

To maintain viability yeast should be stored correctly to avoid

bottom, attenuation has to be stopped by cooling, causing the

yeast stress due to external and prolonged storage conditions:

yeast to crash out which will not allow the complete removal

u Storage time should be kept to a minimum, ideally under 3

of immature flavour, such as aldehydes and diacetyl flavours,

days but certainly no more than 7 days.

and these are often noted in fresh beers and they can be

u Yeast should be stored at between 3 and 50C. Higher

reduced during secondary fermentation.

temperature cause more rapid autolysis and lower

Bottom Cropping Yeast: Lager yeast stays in suspension until

temperatures can provide shock.

most of the fermentable sugars have been used up when they

u Yeast should be stored at around pH 4 normal for beer.

clump together and settle to the bottom of the fermentation

Yeast which has been acid washed should be rapidly

vessel.

neutralised to prevent excess loss of viability.

With the universal use of cylindro conical vessel for lager

u Yeast recovered from high gravity fermentations will lose

fermentation there has been a change in yeast cropping

viability due to exposure to high osmotic pressure and high

practices.

ethanol concentrations.

Traditionally yeast was left in the fermentation vessel until the

u Yeast in storage should be kept homogenous but shear and

beer is required to be transferred, this results in prolonged

excessive agitation must be avoided.

yeast storage under less-than-ideal conditions with a loss in

u Oxidation cause yeast to metabolise and use up their

yeast quality.

energy reserves.

Current practices encourage the recovery of pitching yeast

u During the stationary phase yeast build up nutrients

when it first flocculates once attenuation is achieved. The

including intra-cellular glycogen and trehalose necessary

fresh yeast is in better condition with higher viability, giving

to stimulate growth when re-pitched but these levels

more consistent fermentation and better-quality beer.

become depleted during yeast storage leading to poorer fermentations.

WINTER 2023

BREWERS JOURNAL

SCIENCE Yeast storage can be avoided by using cone to cone transfer where yeast ready for cropping can be transferred directly into the cone of a clean fermenter, ready for the next brew, but this can be problematical and requires meticulous planning to avoid yeast being held in the finished vessel waiting for a new brew with deterioration of yeast quality. It is more usual to store the cropped yeast in a storage vessel which is usually sized to accommodate the yeast recovered from a single brew which will be sufficient to pitch between 2 or 3 subsequent brews.

YEAST MANAGEMENT We were enjoying the effects of fermentation long before we

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recognised that yeast was responsible. It is only in the last 200 years that we have come to appreciate the importance of yeast in the production of alcohol. Since then, we have improved plant hygiene, been able to isolate pure yeast strains and developed methods to measure and control fermentation performance. Nevertheless, as long as we make sure the inputs are correct in terms of temperature, nutrients (sugars, nitrogen, and oxygen) and the concentration of the yeast is sufficient it will go about its business in its normal way producing the consistent refreshing beers we require.

brewersjournal.info

WINTER 2023 |

HOMEBREW

HOMEBREW HERO GREG HUGHES GREG HUGHES HAS MADE THE JOURNEY FROM BEING A BEER FAN, AND AVID HOMEBREWER, TO BEING A PUBLISHED AUTHOR, SHOP OWNER AND BREWERY FOUNDER. HERE’S HOW HE DID IT AND WHAT HE LEARNED ALONG THE WAY.

was transferred to a barrel and stored in the garage. This batch turned out okay. It was rather sweet but was drinkable but not something I’d be proud to serve to friends. I knew I could do better. I needed to know more so I promptly ordered the “Complete Joy of Home brewing” by Charlie Papazian which arrived shortly after. This was the start of a journey of knowledge which thankfully has no end. One of the main reasons my passion for fermentation has never faded. I no longer brewed using ready made kits but rather making my own recipes using dried malt extract and boiling up with

hops. This was around 2003 before modern craft beers as we know

y passion for making things from scratch

them now were readily available. I absorbed every ounce of

started shortly after I left home and began

information I could get my hands on and moved on to all grain

my journey into cooking.

brewing.

I’ve always had a passion for learning new

Most of the information was found in book form, back then

skills – multiple musical instruments, horse

the internet was still fairly sparse. Forums like Jim’s Beer Kits,

riding and even Kung Fu but always found it hard to find the

provided much needed space for fellow brewers to share tips

time to dedicate to these hobbies.

and ideas, these are still valuable resources now.

But making a meal from scratch and then sharing that food with friends and family was my ultimate hobby.

We had a massive apple tree in our garden which every year

I’ve turned my hand to bread, jams and cakes but it was when

provided more apples than the whole street could consume.

I discovered the art of fermentation that things really started

Although I wasn’t a massive fan of cider, the brewer in me

to gel.

wanted to give it a try. Whilst looking for information on how

My first batch of beer was brewed around 2003. I’d always

to make cider I found it impossible to find a website that not

enjoyed beer up to that point but had never really thought

only told you how to make cider but then would allow you to

about how it was made.

purchase the ingredients.

I didn’t even know what hops were, thinking, naively, that beer

My local home brew shop was basic to say the least. Having

was a manufactured product like commercial soft drinks.

previously visited to purchase hops they literally had three

When I discovered that you could make it at home with some

dusty packets of hops on the shelf.

basic equipment and ingredients it was a light bulb moment.

Their customer base (like the owner) was only interested in making beer and wine from kits. I was working in sales for a

I set off down to my local home brew shop in Salisbury and

printing firm at the time and enduring a 1.5hr commute each

took their recommendation on my first beer kit – a summer

way to Aldershot.

ale. Within a few hours I had all the equipment washed and sterile,

I needed a change and working for myself locally was always

mix made up and it was tucked away near a radiator in my

the goal. Then it struck me. All the home brew websites were

house (under the advice of the shop keeper).

dated and aimed at the older home brewers from the 70’s.

Next morning my first fermentation was underway and I was

They contained no information on the hobby and from there

mesmerised by the bubbling airlock. After a couple of weeks it

I started my own home brew website. Not only did it appeal

WINTER 2023

BREWERS JOURNAL

HOMEBREW

This was the start of a journey of knowledge which thankfully has no end. One of the main reasons my passion for fermentation has never faded.

visually but would have the most comprehensive list of

BOOKS AND PODCASTS I RECOMMEND

ingredients and all the information you would need to make beer, cider and wine from kit or from scratch.

John Palmer – How to Brew Charlie Papazan – The complete joy of home brew

Things took off and we quickly became the biggest online

Michael Tonsmeire – American Sour Beers

home brew retailer in the UK. I was like a kid in a sweetshop

Craft beer and Brewing magazine

every time we had a new product in, especially when we

Master brewers of the America’s Podcast

started importing shiny vessels from the likes of Blichmann and SS Brewtech. In 2011 I was asked by publishers DK whether I knew anyone who would want to write a book on home brewing so I immediately said yes, Me. After several telephone conversations and sample writing sessions, contracts were signed and I, like a mad scientist, was honing recipes and researching text. The premise for the book, Home Brew Beer, was very similar to that of the website. To create a one stop shop that would appeal to novices and more experienced brewers alike. Keeping things simple but providing a comprehensive range of recipes and useful tables so the book would be used long after the text had been read.

olution DarK Rev , s e h g u H Greg

All the time I was brewing like crazy, exploring every style of beer and like any home brewer always had a burning desire to start my own brewery. I had dealings with lots of up and coming brewers at that time too, supplying many with equipment and ingredients to fuel their passion.

brewersjournal.info

WINTER 2023

HOMEBREW

Contract brewing was great as it not only allowed us to test the water with some decent sized batches of beer but as I went down and brewed the beer with the team at the brewery, I learnt valuable skills on how to produce volume with quality and consistency. Like many other smaller craft breweries, They were very open about their processes. This is another unique quality to our industry which I love. Despite technically being competitors we all share tips on things like, new suppliers to sourcing something or equipment feedback. We often even lend one another things like hops. Having our commercial size brewhouse (15 BBL/24 HL) was a dream come true. Contract brewing was great but it had it’s drawbacks with production management and control of overall product. Another key turning point was having the

03 eer in 20 b t s r fi is wed h Greg bre

space for a tap room where we could not only sell our beers direct but could witness the customer experience as they consumed the product. I was luckily enough to visit San Diego in 2016 and seeing the brewery setups (Stone, Alesmith, Ballast Point, Societe, Greenflash amongst many others) was a real eye opener.

Brad and Gaz from Tiny Rebel purchased their very first home

Mostly in industrial locations, they would provide an ideal

brew setup which they used to brew test batches in their

venue for diverse groups of beer drinkers to meet, enjoy

garage!

super fresh beer and socialise. It was the way forward. No

Through our home brew competitions I also got to work with

better way to drink beer than at source with the brewery in the

more established brewers like the late, great Roger Ryman

background.

from St Austell, Stuart Howe (then head brewer at Sharp’s) and the master of knowledge that is Rob Lovatt from Thornbridge.

Although I’ve been brewing for over 20 years and commercially for nearly 10, my journey and thirst for

I finally took the plunge in 2015 and set up Dark Revolution

knowledge is as strong today as it was when I started.

Brewery. Initially on a small 200L brewery from Elite Stainless

I guess that’s really the thing that keep my passion for brewing

which was setup in a corner of the warehouse which we

alive. Every time I speak to a fellow brewer, a supplier or listen

operated the webshop from.

to a new podcast I learn something new to try.

Brewing beer for home was one thing but creating a product

My wife Sarah and I have got a great team here.

which would be offered for sale to the public and would share the shelf space with the likes of Brewdog, Beavertown and

We are all passionate about improvement and excited to try

Thornbridge was a very different matter.

new ingredients, equipment or processes to see if we can

I bottled the beer initially by hand but after a batch over

improve what we produce.

carbonated beer due to contamination, I released how little

We are lucky enough to have a great setup with all the tools

I really knew and how I needed to get up this steep learning

we need to ensure we can maintain quality but it’s a moving

curve quickly. Luckily most of that batch had already been

target and we always aim to keep our foot on the gas and

consumed or was still in our store so the damage was

continue to make improvements. We can also share a beer or

minimal, but the lesson was learned.

three afterwork on a weekend amongst our loyal customers.

If I was going to produce beer commercially it had to be the best beer I could possibly make.

More recently we have really got into fermented foods. Not only for the health benefits but they are also very easy to

After a year or so with lots of small batch brewing, I decided

make at home and are delicious.

that we needed to make more beer and really test the market

Jars of Sauerkraut, Kimchi and Kombucha are always doing

before the large investment of a bigger brewery.

their thing on the kitchen side and are consumed daily. Just on

I was lucky enough to work with Cheddar Ales, who at the

a home scale for now but who knows where it could lead.

time were also producing beer for Wiper and True and Left

It’s never been easy running a brewery and it’s probably more

Handed Giant.

difficult today than it’s ever been but making something you

These breweries were following the same path as I was,

enjoy and seeing other people enjoy it too is the best feeling

scaling up on someone else’s equipment while they gained

in the world.

confidence and funding for their own systems.

WINTER 2023

BREWERS JOURNAL

HOMEBREW

BREW MY BEER WHERE’S MY DOG, ESB Colder temperatures call for a great ESB (although an ESB is great all year-round!

AS FOUNDER OF DARK REVOLUTION, GREG HUGHES HAS A PASSION FOR GREAT BEER. HE’S OBSESSED WITH CREATING THIS AMAZING PRODUCT, CHASING FLAVOUR, WHILE EXPLORING BOTH TRADITIONAL STYLES AND MODERN CONTORTIONS. BUT BEFORE STARTING THE BREWERY, HE WAS AN AVID HOMEBREWER IN EVERY SENSE OF THE WORD. HERE, HE SHARES ONE OF HIS RECIPES WHERE’S MY DOG.

t his brewery Dark Revolution, Greg Hughes

20g Cascade 17 IBU All of boil

is never satisfied with being okay. Instead, his

30g Cascade 10 IBU 15 Mins from end

aspirations are simple and that’s to make world-

50g Cascade 9 IBU at turn off

class beer. Beer that he can be fiercely proud

50g Amarillo 15 IBU at turn off

of and hopefully be enjoyed by other beer

enthusiasts.

Mash

Below, he shares one of his recipes, Where’s My Dog, which is

65c - 60mins

a modern extra special bitter (ESB) brewed with a blend of six different malts to create a delicious, inviting base.

Yeast

They are then layered with Cascade and Amarillo hops to give

1318 London Ale III or similar

it a modern twist and to perfectly balance the sweet malt with Orange and Citrus notes.

Pitch at 18c then allow to free rise to 21.5c

RECIPE

Water

5.2%

We aimed for a chloride heavier water to emphasis the malt

SG 1.051

character so aim for around 2:1 Cl/SO4.

FG 1.011 Amounts are specified, it’s based on a 25L batch size

Equipment As O2 isn’t such a issue with a beer of this style it’s ideal for

Malt Bill

even basic equipment setup and bottle conditioning. As there

Maris Otter 87%

are no dry hops the beer should clear well without the need to

Torrified Wheat 4%

finings.

Simpsons DRC Double Roast 3% Simpsons T50 Crystal 3% Simpsons Aromatic Malt 3%

WINTER 2023

BREWERS JOURNAL

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HOMEBREW

THE KNOW-HOW WE ASKED BREWERS WITH HOMEBREWING IN THEIR BLOOD FOR ADVICE THEY WOULD GIVE THEIR FORMER SELVES.

Be aware of tradition but also don’t be afraid of ignoring it. Colin Stronge, SALT Beer Factory Keep your recipes simple. Don’t over complicate the recipe trying to use the “new to you” grains and/or hops and/or yeast all at once. The most beautiful, drinkable, beers often have the simplest grain bills / hop schedules. David Chang-Sang

Always double check taps are shut. Which leads on to my omebrewing…the alchemical art of transforming

second bit of advice: wear sturdy shoes when homebrewing.

water, malt, hops, yeast (and often more) into -

Ed Wray

hopefully- beautiful beer. And for the last 60 years, it has been something

Brew a beer at least three times without changing anything to

of a privilege for beer fans to freely indulge

establish consistency. Only then make the crucial decision to

in such creative practices. Because prior to 1963, thanks to

‘tweak’ it if you’re still not satisfied with the end product.

Victorian legislation, those creating such elixirs would either

Nigel Sadler, IBD and Cask Marque

have to brew in secret or pay the government to do do. For those starting out, homebrewing is about mastering the

You can always add more but you can’t take it out.

basics—this means sanitization, fermentation, and recipe

Andy Parker, Elusive Brewing

formulation. Many of us started with extract brewing, before making

“I’m paraphrasing Edison here, but every single time you break

the leap to all-grain. The latter understandably gives you

the rules and try something new, if it fails, you’ve not failed,

greater control over your recipes and allows you to tailor your

you’ve just found another way it won’t work, but you only need

ingredient bill.

to find one way to make it work, on a long enough timescale,

But as we all know, homebrewing is a journey of continuous

success is inevitable”

learning. The more you know, the more you can push the

Jordan Childs, Mash Gang

boundaries of your brewing expertise. And in brewing, what you do is often as important as what you don’t. So as we enter

Make it easy on yourself and start kegging as soon as possible.

a new year in 2024, we’re sharing some advice from brewers

I know it requires a small investment, however it will change your

that have been there, and done that.

life. You do not have to clean bottles and beers will be ready sooner! Also, brew as much as you can with other brewers. It is

I was consistently impatient as a home brewer, sampling far too

great learning from other and sharing the experience over some

often and subsequently sabotaging the well-being of my efforts.

beers.

Leave it be, it’ll be ready when it is ready!

Roman Jové, Cervecera Península

Cameron Brown, Turning Point Brew Co Give it another clean, just in case. Be bold, experiment, and you’ll learn as you go along. Don’t

Alan Robinson, Brew York

aspire to get to the stage where you know everything there is to know. This place doesn’t exist! We’re all still learning. Knowledge

Measure everything and write it down. Then measure it again.

comes with time, but it’s more important to enjoy the journey.

Four Priests Brewery

Keep practising and learning, but most of all, enjoy brewing because it’s what you love to do!

Throw out more beer, and don’t have on to the ‘almost ok’ stuff

Hayley Pearce, Siren Craft Brew

Joe Murphy

WINTER 2023

BREWERS JOURNAL

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