July 24, 2020

145: Stephen Kirby of Hogshead Has Some Strong Opinions on Cask Ale

57 minutes

“When we opened, everyone said ‘You can’t open a brewery with three beers,’” says Hogshead founder Stephen Kirby. “And I think the answer to that is ‘You can if they’re good ones.’ I think the truth’s out—I only make three beers. You’ve got guys who want to make everything. I make bitter, I make porter, I make mild.”

That approach of doing only a few things but with an obsessive focus is highly unusual in today's beer market, where everyone seems to want everything, all the time. But Kirby is straightforward about his motivations—he’s in it to brew the beer that he loves and wants to drink. True to his British roots, that beer is what he grew up with—traditional cask ales. Kirby doesn’t hold back, sharing his views on a wide range of subjects, including:

Why brewers should have the “bollocks” to name beers what they are

Selecting hop varieties for balance in flavor and aroma

Underpitching English strains at slightly lower temperatures for proper yeast flavors

Innovation versus tradition

British versus American takes on IPA

How carbonic acid impacts hops bitterness

Building small beers with big body while avoiding the impression of sweetness

How water chemistry affects English beer styles

Mash regimens to benefit head retention

Using controlled oxidation through the life of a beer to tell a story

“I brew the beer that I love, and I invite you come come over and have a pint,” Kirby says. “As a business model, it sucks, but it’s good for the soul. If you’re not making the beer you love, why the fuck are you doing it?”

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