Is regenerative Barley really the future of sustainable malt, or has its benefit been over-hyped?  In this week's episode, Nick hosts a panel debate to hash it out with experts in the field whether this and other low-impact ingredients are the future of sustainable brewing.

Recorded at SIBA Beer X in March 2024, Nick is joined by Greg Piley from Stroud Brewery and Ben Richardson, CEO and co-founder of Zevero, a carbon accounting and decarbonisation platform working with more than 15 breweries across the UK to help them measure and reduce their emissions.  Mark Machin from the Soil Association and Gipsy Hill Brewing Company's co-founder, Sam McMeekin, also add their experience and expertise to the discussion.

We'd like to offer a big thanks to Neil Walker, Head of Comms and Marketing at SIBA, for granting us exclusive access to this recording.

Very much in keeping with the theme this week, Nick is also joined by Charles Faram & Co group technical director Will Rogers to look at regenerative hop farming and research.

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.

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Liverpool has long been a musical powerhouse. From Echo and the Bunnymen and Frankie Goes to Hollywood to its most famous sons, The Beatles, the City of Pop has shaped global culture. But Liverpool is far more than music and mop-tops.

Home to two iconic football teams, Liverpool F.C. and Everton F.C., the city is also a gem for beer and food tourism. The Grapes pub offers cosy vibes and well-kept cask ales. Dead Crafty on Dale Street showcases rare international beers, while Azvex Brewery & Taproom is a must-visit. For amazing vegetarian Indian street food, Bundobust is unbeatable—don’t miss the Paneer Tikka skewers!

One of my all-time favourite breweries, now sadly closed, was Liverpool’s Mad Hatter Brewery. Known for unique beers like Tzatziki Sour and the outrageous Smokey Bacon and Banana Rauchbier, they embodied creativity in brewing. Though gone, Mad Hatter remains a legend in the modern beer scene.

Today, a lesser-known brewery, Colbier Brew Co, is carrying the torch. Founded in 2024 on a Bootle industrial estate, Colbier is making waves with Proper Sound Beers inspired by music. Founders Mike Corbett, Vik, and Stu have already showcased their brews at top venues like Manchester’s Port Street Beer House and Sheffield’s The Old Shoe.

In this episode, I chat with Mike and Stu about launching a brewery with tight budgets, digging drainage channels with jackhammers, and crafting great beers on a DIY setup. I also speak with Sarah Marshall from Crisp Malting Group about the 2024 British malt harvest and what brewers can expect.

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

Stay tuned for new episodes of the Hop Forward Podcast coming this December!  In the meantime, Nick gives us the lowdown on what's been happening over the past year since the podcast has been in the fridge/on chill/conditioning/lagering {insert your beer metaphor here}.

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This episode marks a turning point for the Hop Forward Podcast as it will be the last episode of the show before we go on hiatus (or a 'hop rest' as we prefer to call it) for a while.  In this episode, Nick shares his reasons why he's taking some time away from the show.

Following this introspection, he dives into a compelling beer conversation with Cameron Brown, the co-founder of Turning Point Brew Co. Together, they explore the brewery's growth journey, navigating the challenges of the pandemic, and the exciting transition into Rooster's former brewery.

THIS WEEK'S EPISODE OF THE HOP FORWARD PODCAST IS SPONSORED BY CHARLES FARAM.
Charles Faram have been sellers of hops since 1865 and hop-growers for even longer.

They stock nitrogen-flushed leaf hops, T90 and T45 pellets, and, to ensure their hops remain in optimum condition, they have state-of-the-art cold stores at their sites in Worcestershire and Yakima in the USA.

At charlesfaram.com brewers can shop by pay-as-you-go or using agreed credit terms for yeast, malt, fruit purees and other brewing products.  In addition to leading varieties from across the world, the Faram’s Family range brings to you Archer®, Emperor®, Godiva™, Harlequin®, Jester®, Most™, Mystic™, Olicana®, and Opus® from their Hop Development Programme right here in the UK.

If you would like more information or expert advice visit the brewer’s resources and FAQ pages of the website or contact their technical advisors for different uses, applications and recipes. They’re always really happy to help.

Visit www.charlesfarm.co.uk to find out more.

Follow Hop Forward:
hopforward.beer | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram

On the podcast this week, Nick is joined by Chris Terry from 86 Carbon to talk about the impacts of climate change on the brewing and hospitality industry and explore ways to make your business more sustainable and eco-friendly.

86 Carbon specialise in Accredited Carbon Literacy training, which leads to an understanding of how climate change will affect individuals and the industry around them.  They help those in the brewing sector acquire the skills and knowledge to lower their carbon footprint by as much as 15%, and certification from the Carbon Literacy Project is recognised internationally.

Chris and the company support businesses in the brewing and hospitality sector find a pathway to net zero so they can save money, gain customers and protect the planet.

In addition, we're joined by Will and Peter from Charles Faram to discuss sustainability on the hop farm and how climate change is and could potentially impact the industry as a whole, including asking the question, 'Will climate change be the end of Citra hops...?!'.

THIS WEEK'S EPISODE OF THE HOP FORWARD PODCAST IS SPONSORED BY CHARLES FARAM.
Charles Faram have been sellers of hops since 1865 and hop-growers for even longer.

They stock nitrogen-flushed leaf hops, T90 and T45 pellets, and, to ensure their hops remain in optimum condition, they have state-of-the-art cold stores at their sites in Worcestershire and Yakima in the USA.

At charlesfaram.com brewers can shop by pay-as-you-go or using agreed credit terms for yeast, malt, fruit purees and other brewing products.  In addition to leading varieties from across the world, the Faram’s Family range brings to you Archer®, Emperor®, Godiva™, Harlequin®, Jester®, Most™, Mystic™, Olicana®, and Opus® from their Hop Development Programme right here in the UK.

If you would like more information or expert advice visit the brewer’s resources and FAQ pages of the website or contact their technical advisors for different uses, applications and recipes. They’re always really happy to help.

Visit www.charlesfarm.co.uk to find out more.

Follow Hop Forward:
hopforward.beer | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram

Without marketing you may have a flagship beer that no one will ever taste.  Marketing is one the most important aspects of your business that often gets overlooked or is grossly misunderstood as merely posting a few images to social media and watching the sales come flooding in.

But in a crowded beer market, how should we be marketing our breweries, bars, bottle shops and brands?  What can we do to stand out on the bar, pop-out of the fridges and get repeated sales?

In this week's episode, we return to Moonwake Beer Co (see episode 108) and catch up with Marketing and Events Manager, Sarah Sinclair.  Drawing from a wealth of experience working in beer and hospitality, Sarah took up the position with Moonwake in January 2021, helping the brewery to establish the brand nationally.

THIS WEEK'S EPISODE OF THE HOP FORWARD PODCAST IS SPONSORED BY CHARLES FARAM.
Charles Faram have been sellers of hops since 1865 and hop-growers for even longer.

They stock nitrogen-flushed leaf hops, T90 and T45 pellets, and, to ensure their hops remain in optimum condition, they have state-of-the-art cold stores at their sites in Worcestershire and Yakima in the USA.

At charlesfaram.com brewers can shop by pay-as-you-go or using agreed credit terms for yeast, malt, fruit purees and other brewing products.  In addition to leading varieties from across the world, the Faram’s Family range brings to you Archer®, Emperor®, Godiva™, Harlequin®, Jester®, Most™, Mystic™, Olicana®, and Opus® from their Hop Development Programme right here in the UK.

If you would like more information or expert advice visit the brewer’s resources and FAQ pages of the website or contact their technical advisors for different uses, applications and recipes. They’re always really happy to help.

Visit www.charlesfarm.co.uk to find out more.

Follow Hop Forward:
hopforward.beer | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram

On this episode of the Hop Forward Podcast, we delve into the often-overlooked art of selling craft beer.  While we've covered a wide range of brewing topics in the past, it's time to explore the other crucial half of the beer industry: sales.

We examine the challenges of selling beer and the importance of building trust and relationships with customers.  Featuring the insights of Darren Filsell and Ben Stephenson, seasoned bar owners who are about to launch a Belgian Beer Cafe, Devil’s Depot, in Chesterfield, this episode provides valuable perspectives on what bar owners look for when purchasing beer from breweries.

Tune in for an insightful discussion that sheds light on the craft beer sales landscape and offers tips for success in a saturated market with wavering consumer confidence.

Nick is also joined by Will and Ben from Charles Faram to discuss dry hopping techniques and how everybody's brewhouse is unique when it comes to adding hops on the cold side.

THIS WEEK'S EPISODE OF THE HOP FORWARD PODCAST IS SPONSORED BY CHARLES FARAM.
Charles Faram have been sellers of hops since 1865 and hop-growers for even longer.

They stock nitrogen-flushed leaf hops, T90 and T45 pellets, and, to ensure their hops remain in optimum condition, they have state-of-the-art cold stores at their sites in Worcestershire and Yakima in the USA.

At charlesfaram.com brewers can shop by pay-as-you-go or using agreed credit terms for yeast, malt, fruit purees and other brewing products.  In addition to leading varieties from across the world, the Faram’s Family range brings to you Archer®, Emperor®, Godiva™, Harlequin®, Jester®, Most™, Mystic™, Olicana®, and Opus® from their Hop Development Programme right here in the UK.

If you would like more information or expert advice visit the brewer’s resources and FAQ pages of the website or contact their technical advisors for different uses, applications and recipes. They’re always really happy to help.

Visit www.charlesfarm.co.uk to find out more.

Follow Hop Forward:
hopforward.beer | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram

On the Hop Forward Podcast this week, we take a trip to Gritchie Brewing Company: a 'beer farm' located on the Ashcombe Estate near Shaftesbury, owned by acclaimed screenwriter, producer and director Guy Ritchie.

Drawing from the land that surrounds the farm, their 20BBL brewhouse sits within rustic stone-built barns, overlooking expansive fields where their own Maris Otter barley is grown for malting and beer production.

From the intimate setting of the Brewery Lodge, a secluded private tasting space reserved exclusively for invited guests, we sit down with members from the brewery, the vibrant Compton Abbas Airfield taproom and eatery, and Ritchie's London pub, Lore of the Land, before being joined by Guy Ritchie.

Our discussion covers everything from the brewery's beers and the cultivation of Maris Otter barley grown on the estate, to the complexities and challenges inherent in running a brewery set in such a rural area surrounded by country pubs.  We also explore the unique dynamic of having a high-profile figure at the helm and how it influences the brewery's identity and operations.

Guy Ritchie himself explains how growing up in pubs fostered his interest in storytelling and explains why believes that there's no such thing as a bad pub, only different ones, and cherishes the unique character of each one.

Find out more about the brewery by visiting gritchiebrew.com

THIS WEEK'S EPISODE OF THE HOP FORWARD PODCAST IS SPONSORED BY CHARLES FARAM.
Charles Faram have been sellers of hops since 1865 and hop-growers for even longer.

They stock nitrogen-flushed leaf hops, T90 and T45 pellets, and, to ensure their hops remain in optimum condition, they have state-of-the-art cold stores at their sites in Worcestershire and Yakima in the USA.

At charlesfaram.com brewers can shop by pay-as-you-go or using agreed credit terms for yeast, malt, fruit purees and other brewing products.  In addition to leading varieties from across the world, the Faram’s Family range brings to you Archer®, Emperor®, Godiva™, Harlequin®, Jester®, Most™, Mystic™, Olicana®, and Opus® from their Hop Development Programme right here in the UK.

If you would like more information or expert advice visit the brewer’s resources and FAQ pages of the website or contact their technical advisors for different uses, applications and recipes. They’re always really happy to help.

Visit www.charlesfarm.co.uk to find out more.

On the podcast this week, we're joined by Andy from Ampersand Brew Co, based in Diss, Norfolk (UK). 

Started by a family team of Amy, Andy & Adrian Hipwell in a converted barn on the family farm, the team have now expanded and moved to our current site in Diss.  Their bespoke brewhouse, designed and fabricated to their own unique set up and specification was specifically designed to optimise what they like to brew and to put people at the heart of the brewhouse, to ensure people get home on time.

The brewery was set up to produce high-quality small-batch beer, following their simple philosophy of producing the beer we want to drink to the best standard possible.  On their website, Ampersand states, ‘By doing this we hope the beer speaks for itself and that you will enjoy it as much as we do.’

Having been kind enough by Andy to send me some of their beers, I can personally attest to the quality of their beers.  Everything from the most straightforward Golden Promise Bitter through to their complex Mixed Ferm Amber Larger truly hit the spot, with no flavour, aroma or mouthfeel out of place.

In addition to brewing a variety of clean beer styles, Ampersand has its own barrel farm, purely dedicated to mixed fermentation and wood-aged beers.

In this episode, we share a few beers and discuss everything from cask ale, commissioning a new brewhouse and barrel-aged beers, through to how Covid was the catalyst for committing their beers into cans more frequently, which - in turn - allowed the brewery to reach a national audience.

THE HOP FORWARD PODCAST IS SPONSORED BY CHARLES FARAM
Charles Faram have been sellers of hops since 1865 and hop growers for even longer.

They stock nitrogen-flushed leaf hops, T90 and T45 pellets, and, to ensure their hops remain in optimum condition, they have state-of-the-art cold stores at their sites in Worcestershire and Yakima in the USA.

At charlesfaram.com brewers can shop by pay-as-you-go or using agreed credit terms for yeast, malt, fruit purees and other brewing products.  In addition to leading varities from across the world, the Faram’s Family range brings to you Archer®, Emperor®, Godiva™, Harlequin®, Jester®, Most™, Mystic™, Olicana®, and Opus® from their Hop Development Programme right here in the UK.

If you would like more information or expert advice visit the brewer’s resources and FAQ pages of the website or contact their technical advisors for different uses, application and recipes. They’re always really happy to help.

Visit www.charlesfarm.co.uk to find out more.

Follow Hop Foward on social media:
hopforward.beer | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

On the Hop Forward Podcast this week, Nick & Sean share their Fermenting Thoughts on all things packaging and sustainability.  We discuss everything from the logistics of kegs, supporting venues, the value of cask beer and how simple design elements, such as texture on a label or point-of-sale material - when done properly - can make the difference.

THE HOP FORWARD PODCAST IS SPONSORED BY CHARLES FARAM
Charles Faram have been sellers of hops since 1865 and hop growers for even longer.

They stock nitrogen-flushed leaf hops, T90 and T45 pellets, and, to ensure their hops remain in optimum condition, they have state-of-the-art cold stores at their sites in Worcestershire and Yakima in the USA.

At charlesfaram.com brewers can shop by pay-as-you-go or using agreed credit terms for yeast, malt, fruit purees and other brewing products.  In addition to leading varities from across the world, the Faram’s Family range brings to you Archer®, Emperor®, Godiva™, Harlequin®, Jester®, Most™, Mystic™, Olicana®, and Opus® from their Hop Development Programme right here in the UK.

If you would like more information or expert advice visit the brewer’s resources and FAQ pages of the website or contact their technical advisors for different uses, application and recipes. They’re always really happy to help.

Visit www.charlesfarm.co.uk to find out more.

Follow Nick:
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