FOOD & DRINK getting into the beer revolution right now and so it’s been less risky to give this a go.
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What drinks are popular with Bath residents? They’re obsessed with sour beers, which is amazing.
Did you always know you wanted to work with beer? Yes, from my late teenage years I fell in love with the craft beer culture – from the bar side to the brewing industry.
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George White owns and runs Brewed Boy, a craft beer shop and taphouse on Walcot Street. Here he talks building the business, shifting drinking trends, and what beer Bath folk go nuts for...
What was your journey into this business? It started with trips to Scandinavia and the United States, which opened my eyes to how good craft beer could be. I came back and knew I wanted to create a project here in the UK. As well as the Bath shop, you have other sites too… Yes, we have our original outlet in Frome, and last year we opened a brewpub outlet in Sherborne, which houses our brewery, Imaginary Friends Brewing, as well as our third Brewed Boy outlet. What are the difficulties of managing a brewery? The challenges have been varied, from configuration of the space to finding a brewing rhythm. This is so important because it allows you to push yourself to the limit and produce incredible beers for customers to enjoy. Starting up a new business when the high street is suffering could be seen as a dicey move... I have a risky attitude I suppose, and everyone needs a pint, right? I believe it’s because the craft beer and brewing industry are so well supported; people are really
Tell us about the current alcohol trends in the UK... Drinking culture has changed hugely in the last five years. People now want a couple of amazing carefully produced beers rather than loads of rubbish ones. In my opinion, it’s the way drinking should be done – especially with beer. Craft beers have been very popular in recent years – do you think this is a fad? I don’t think craft beer is going anywhere soon. It hasn’t hit its peak yet at all in the UK, which is amazing for everyone in the industry – from breweries to bar owners to the customer as well.
“People are really getting into the beer revolution right now” Do you have any personal favourites? Yes, absolutely. I started this because of a brewery in Miami called J Wakefield. I fell in love with their fruit sours ales and imperial pastry stouts, and I wanted to create something like that myself here in the South West. Anything exciting in the pipeline? Yes, we are planning an expansion in the brewery this year and hope to have more outlets opening in 2020. In the bars this year, we are planning to release more insane beers from Imaginary Friends Brewing plus a few tap takeovers with some European-based breweries – keep an eye out. www.instagram.com/brewed_boy
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