On the podcast this week, Nick takes us on a roving audio tour of SIBA Beer X—the UK’s largest brewing trade show—capturing raw, on-the-ground insights straight from the tradeshow floor.

Armed with a microphone and plenty of curiosity, Nick chats with a cross-section of UK brewery owners, brewers, and industry folks to ask two simple but telling questions: Where are the biggest opportunities in beer right now? And what’s the greatest challenge facing the industry?

From Twice Brewed in Northumberland to The Driftwood Spars on the Cornish coast, the conversation quickly reveals patterns—especially around the rise of alcohol-free beers. Brewers from Wiper & True and Utopian Brewing reflect on the practical and commercial benefits of brewing 0.5% ABV, while others highlight the increasing need to stand out with unique brand stories and community-led initiatives.

Nick also speaks with Laura from Abbeydale Brewery and Catherine from Attic Brew Co. about how breweries can differentiate themselves through values, storytelling, and local engagement.

The episode also explores cross-category innovation, including a conversation with a craft distiller offering contract services to breweries looking to diversify into spirits. And there’s a catch-up with Broadtown Brewery—whose founder left a career in railway engineering to follow his passion for beer and pubs - and Combie from Round Corner Brewing on their decision to embrace cask beer.

While some of the best conversations were, frustratingly, never recorded (🫣 sorry Black Iris), this episode paints a vivid picture of an industry in flux: one that’s maturing, professionalising, and finding resilience amid rising costs, closures, and shifting consumer tastes.

Nick closes with a personal reflection on the current state of beer in the UK—acknowledging the fatigue many are feeling while pointing to the passion, grit, and love of beer and community that still fuels the sector.

THIS WEEK'S EPISODE IS PROUDLY BROUGHT TO YOU BY:
Charles Faram & Co (charlesfaram.com)
Supplying hops for over 150 years, Charles Faram offers a vast range of nitrogen-flushed hop varieties from the UK, Europe, New Zealand, and the USA.

Crisp Malt (crispmalt.com)
Since 1870, Crisp has blended tradition with innovation, producing malts like Chevallier Heritage and Clear Choice Malt.

FOLLOW HOP FORWARD
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On the podcast this week, Nick is joined by Craig Thomas, National Account Manager at Abstrax, to take a deep dive into the science, story, and serious hop chemistry behind their innovative hop products—used by some of the most respected brewers in the industry.

Craig shares insights into how Abstrax uses cutting-edge technology to isolate and recreate the essential oils and aroma compounds that give beer its characteristic punch and complexity—providing brewers with another layer of precision and creativity.

Following this, Nick sits down with Julian Shrago, co-owner and brewmaster of the legendary Beachwood Brewing in Long Beach, California. Together, they talk about how Abstrax fits into the flavour profile of West Coast IPAs and the delicate balance between tradition and technical innovation.

The conversation broadens as they explore the current state of the US beer scene—its trends, tensions, and opportunities—and why, sometimes, moving house and judging beer might just be the same thing after all...

👉 Learn more about Abstrax: www.abstraxhops.com
👉 Discover Beachwood Brewing: www.beachwoodbrewing.com

Please note: Abstrax have in no way sponsored or endorsed this episode—this is purely a conversation around innovation, aroma, and application.

THIS WEEK'S EPISODE IS PROUDLY BROUGHT TO YOU BY:
Charles Faram & Co (charlesfaram.com)
Supplying hops for over 150 years, Charles Faram offers a vast range of nitrogen-flushed hop varieties from the UK, Europe, New Zealand, and the USA.

Crisp Malt (crispmalt.com)
Since 1870, Crisp has blended tradition with innovation, producing malts like Chevallier Heritage and Clear Choice Malt.

FOLLOW HOP FORWARD
hopforward.beer | LinkedIn | BlueSky | Instagram

On the podcast this week, Nick is joined by Tim Bloomer, co-founder and Sustainability Director for Fell Brewery.  Based in Cumbria, one of the UK's most scenic areas, having a brewery that is friendly to the environment is a top priority for this growing brewery.  So much so, in 2024, Fell performed a full, all scope carbon footprint analysis of our beer with their friends at Small World Consulting.

Now that the brewery really knows where our emissions really come from, they have been able to make a plan to start meaningfully reducing them.

By 2028, the brewery aspires to have some of the lowest carbon beer available in the world.   Make sure you check out their first annual report on progress along with the original footprint analysis performed by Small World.

Nick is also joined by Maltings Manager for Crisp Malt, Dan Clarke, at SIBA Beer X where they discuss why brewers should care about the malting process other than merely tipping the bags into the grist-loader.

THIS WEEK'S EPISODE IS PROUDLY BROUGHT TO YOU BY:
Charles Faram & Co (charlesfaram.com)
Supplying hops for over 150 years, Charles Faram offers a vast range of nitrogen-flushed hop varieties from the UK, Europe, New Zealand, and the USA.

Crisp Malt (crispmalt.com)
Since 1870, Crisp has blended tradition with innovation, producing malts like Chevallier Heritage and Clear Choice Malt.

FOLLOW HOP FORWARD
hopforward.beer | LinkedIn | BlueSky | Instagram

I've stayed in craft beer for over a decade not just for the love of the liquid, but for the friendships. The relationships I've built are what keep me here, the camaraderie amongst brewers and beer professionals.  You don’t stick with a job that leaves you soaked in yeast and wrestling with broken equipment unless you’re surrounded by others who have been in the trenches with you.  There's nothing quite like trading stories and the mini-dramas over a good, solid pint with your newfound friends at a beer festival or down the local.  And when you both wax lyrical about the beer you're sharing, it's pure magic.

Sometimes, on the Hop Forward Podcast, the focus and emphasis is on a particular subject.  Over the seven years of airing this show, we've covered a vast array of topics - sustainability, financing, business development, wild yeasts, blending to name a few - and yet some of my favourite episodes are the ones that simply just happened.  Discussions that ran away with themselves; recordings that sound like you're eavesdropping on a fascinating conversation in the pub.

Mostly, the focus of the show is on a particular topic—sustainability, finance, wild yeasts, business strategy, blending, and so on.  But honestly, some of my favourite episodes are the ones that just happen.  Conversations that meander like a pub chat, full of insight and warmth, where you're almost eavesdropping on two people geeking out over beer, life and their mutual appreciation of Tommy Barnes' A Beer in the Loire.

This week’s episode is one of those.

I’m joined by the brilliant Kate Hyde, Head Brewer and Product Director at Hand Brew Co., a 25HL brewery based in Worthing.  After working in publishing and fashion, Kate moved to France, discovered brewing, and eventually brought her skills back to the UK, joining Hand Brew Co.

We cover everything from her role at the brewery and its original tower system, to cask beer, the beautiful artwork and artists that Hand Brew Co showcases, and the everyday joys and challenges of brewing professionally.

I hope you enjoy listening as much as I enjoyed recording it.

THIS WEEK'S EPISODE IS PROUDLY BROUGHT TO YOU BY:
Charles Faram & Co (charlesfaram.com)
Supplying hops for over 150 years, Charles Faram offers a vast range of nitrogen-flushed hop varieties from the UK, Europe, New Zealand, and the USA.

Crisp Malt (crispmalt.com)
Since 1870, Crisp has blended tradition with innovation, producing malts like Chevallier Heritage and Clear Choice Malt.

FOLLOW HOP FORWARD
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This week on the Hop Forward Podcast, we're joined by journalist and Beer Writer of the Year 2023, David Jesudason.  We discuss diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) within hospitality and the brewing sector, exploring themes of code-switching, how we should strive to make meaningful changes to our businesses rather than just raise awareness about DEI, and talk about David's journalism and writing, including topic that he's reported on extensively: BrewDog.

And, of course, we chat about our mutual love of The Simpsons.

Nick is also joined by Alix Blease, Technical Sales Representative for Lallemand, where we explore their latest innovation, ISY Enhance™ - a 'magic brown power' and great addition to a brewery's ingredients and processing aids to create better beers with a fuller mouthfeel.

THIS WEEK'S EPISODE IS PROUDLY BROUGHT TO YOU BY:
Lallemand Brewing (https://www.lallemandbrewing.com/en/united-kingdom)
AB Vickers ISY Enhance™ is an inactivated specific yeast autolysate designed to increase body, mouthfeel, and drinkability in beer. The resulting product is smooth and clean with enhanced flavor perception. Applications include, but are not limited to reducing harsh hop flavours and balancing flavours in hoppy styles, increasing body and complexity in low alcohol, non-alcoholic beer styles, and other light beer styles and increasing mouthfeel and drinkability in any beer style

Charles Faram & Co (charlesfaram.com)
Supplying hops for over 150 years, Charles Faram offers a vast range of nitrogen-flushed hop varieties from the UK, Europe, New Zealand, and the USA.

Crisp Malt (crispmalt.com)
Since 1870, Crisp has blended tradition with innovation, producing malts like Chevallier Heritage and Clear Choice Malt.

FOLLOW HOP FORWARD
hopforward.beer | LinkedIn | BlueSky | Instagram

Hopefully, by the end of this episode, we'll have answered the question why Dave Hayward, co-founder of A Hoppy Place and Indie Rabble Brewing Co, is selling a shit load of hazies... but even if we don't, we're sure you'll be thoroughly entertained by our musings on the way!

Recorded on location at Sheffield's Indie Beer Feast, Nick is joined by Dave Hayward from Windsor's Indie Rabble to discuss all things setting-up a 20HL brewhouse in a railway arch, business rates, energy costs, the economy, tariffs, beer subscription boxes, New England IPAs and more...!

Nick also took his mic around various brewers at the festival for a lowdown on where they're at, what challenges they're facing and what opportunities they're seeing in the market.  But don't be too disappointed by the results...!

THIS WEEK'S EPISODE IS PROUDLY BROUGHT TO YOU BY:
Charles Faram & Co (charlesfaram.com)
Supplying hops for over 150 years, Charles Faram offers a vast range of nitrogen-flushed hop varieties from the UK, Europe, New Zealand, and the USA.

Crisp Malt (crispmalt.com)
Since 1870, Crisp has blended tradition with innovation, producing malts like Chevallier Heritage and Clear Choice Malt.

FOLLOW HOP FORWARD
hopforward.beer | LinkedIn | BlueSky | Instagram

I'm sure you'll forgive the clickbaity title but it's a question I've been asking for the last 10 years.  Most brewery businesses start by obtaining a premises, purchasing equipment, commissioning a brewhouse and getting to work making beer.  However, what happens to those of us out there who don't have access to the kinds of capital required to open their own brewhouse and taproom but still have the passion and zeal, business and brewing skills required to make a go of it...?

In this episode, Nick chats to Colin Stronge - a well-known and highly respected figure in modern British beer about he and his wife, marketing executive Vik Stronge, moved out of employed work to start Lost Cause Brewing Co. without owning a brewhouse of their own.  Nick shares his own journey and how, by asking whether contract brewing is a long-term viable option, whether - ultimately - a owning your own plant and equipment is the only real way forward.

We dig into details surrounding industry and customer perceptions about contract brewing, what to look for in a brewery partner, and how to navigate the many unknowns of building a brewery brand without a brewery of your own.

Since recording this episode in January, Lost Cause Brewing Co. announced a Crowdfunder project to raise £60,000 in order to build their own brewhouse in Castleford, near Leeds, where their taproom and storehouse is currently located.

Please take a moment to help Colin and Vik by pledging some money towards their project, if you are able:

Crowdfunder: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-the-cause
Website: Lost Cause Brewing Co. 

THIS WEEK'S EPISODE IS PROUDLY BROUGHT TO YOU BY:
Charles Faram & Co (charlesfaram.com)
Supplying hops for over 150 years, Charles Faram offers a vast range of nitrogen-flushed hop varieties from the UK, Europe, New Zealand, and the USA.

Crisp Malt (crispmalt.com)
Since 1870, Crisp has blended tradition with innovation, producing malts like Chevallier Heritage and Clear Choice Malt.

FOLLOW HOP FORWARD
hopforward.beer | LinkedIn | BlueSky | Instagram

This week on the Hop Forward Podcast, we're diving into one of the most fascinating corners of brewing: blending and wild beers with Dan Wye who oversees Origins, the wild and spontaneous fermentation arm of Fyne Ales.
 
From wild yeast and spontaneous fermentation to barrels, foraging, and time-honoured techniques, this episode is all about the magic that happens when nature takes the lead in beer making. 

While Fyne Ales is widely known for its flagship pale ale, Jarl, the brewery has been pushing boundaries since launching its wild beer programme in 2017, drawing inspiration from the rugged Scottish Highlands that surround their farm brewery.

From tart, funky, and fruity flavours to complex, farmyard-esque depth, Origins beers are a true reflection of place, season, and time. In this episode, we discuss:

🍻 The brewing and fermenting process behind wild ales
🛢️ Selecting and preparing barrels for aging
🌿 Foraging for unique local ingredients
📦 Packaging and conditioning wild beers
🔥 And so much more!

Plus, I was lucky enough to receive a hand-delivered case of Origins beers ahead of this episode – so, naturally, I cracked one open for a little review.

🚀 Grab some of the Origins beers for yourself at fyneales.com

THIS WEEK'S EPISODE IS PROUDLY BROUGHT TO YOU BY:
Charles Faram & Co (charlesfaram.com)
Supplying hops for over 150 years, Charles Faram offers a vast range of nitrogen-flushed hop varieties from the UK, Europe, New Zealand, and the USA.

Crisp Malt (crispmalt.com)
Since 1870, Crisp has blended tradition with innovation, producing malts like Chevallier Heritage and Clear Choice Malt.

FOLLOW HOP FORWARD
hopforward.beer | LinkedIn | BlueSky | Instagram

Nick Smith from Steam Machine Brewing Company joins us on the Hop Forward Podcast this week to discuss their unique subscription service, The Fellowship of the Beer.  The Fellowship of Beer is an extension of Steam Machine Brewing Company’s mission to showcase just how vastly different every pint of beer can be.

Founded in 2015 by husband and wife Nick & Gulen Smith, this North East brewery has always been focused on direct relationships with consumers rather than following race-to-the-bottom mass supply and supermarket deals.  Their idea of craft concentrates on the ultra-artisan side of the market, with draught-led quaffing pints fresh from tanks, and distinctive strong beers, often featuring foraged ingredients, lovingly aged away in extra special barrels for months and years, each one a limited edition release. Involving their already adoring fans – and the local response has made up 50% of the original subscribers – as well as opening up to a national audience has been a natural evolution of their consumer-led style.

Join us as we discuss everything from barrel-aging and packaging, market competitions analysis and big beer, through to the over-saturation of NEIPAs in the market place as well as working with the fellowship to determine what to brew as part of The Fellowship of the Beer.

If you're interested in joining the Fellowship, visit www.fellowshipofbeer.org

THIS WEEK'S EPISODE IS PROUDLY BROUGHT TO YOU BY:
Charles Faram & Co (charlesfaram.com)
Supplying hops for over 150 years, Charles Faram offers a vast range of nitrogen-flushed hop varieties from the UK, Europe, New Zealand, and the USA.

Crisp Malting Group (crispmalt.com)
Since 1870, Crisp has blended tradition with innovation, producing malts like Chevallier Heritage and Clear Choice Malt.

FOLLOW HOP FORWARD
hopforward.beer | LinkedIn | BlueSky | Instagram

When Buxton Brewery announced it had gone into administration, shockwaves could be felt across the craft beer community. As a pillar of the UK craft beer scene since 2009, setting benchmarks for quality and innovation with beers like Axe Edge, it was unthinkable that a brewery with such a solid reputation could be amongst the casualties of the current economic climate. However, no business is immune, and Buxton Brewery, it appeared, was no exception.

After facing the challenges of the pandemic and navigating a pre-pack administration in 2023, the brewery is now under new ownership and back on stable ground.

In this episode, Nick travels to the heart of the Derbyshire Peak District to chat with Dominic Metcalfe, Managing Director of Buxton Brewery, in their stunning taproom opposite the brewhouse. Together, they explore the tough realities of running a brewery in today’s climate, the impact of supermarket sales on craft beer, and how Buxton Brewery is forging a path forward in an ever-changing market.

Recorded in September 2024, this candid conversation reveals the complexities of pre-pack administrations, the pressures of the brewing industry, and the enduring passion for quality beer that defines Buxton Brewery.

THIS WEEK'S EPISODE IS PROUDLY BROUGHT TO YOU BY:
Charles Faram & Co (charlesfaram.com)
Supplying hops for over 150 years, Charles Faram offers a vast range of nitrogen-flushed hop varieties from the UK, Europe, New Zealand, and the USA.

Crisp Malting Group (crispmalt.com)
Since 1870, Crisp has blended tradition with innovation, producing malts like Chevallier Heritage and Clear Choice Malt.

FOLLOW HOP FORWARD
hopforward.beer | LinkedIn | BlueSky | Instagram