Hop Forward: Getting You Ahead in the Brewing and Beer Business

On this week's episode of the Hop Forward Podcast we talk to Master Brewer, Paddy Johnson, from WeBrew - home to the Windsor & Eton and Uprising brands - all about brewing and some of the challenges the industry faces in 2020.

Having been in the brewing industry for over 40 years, my guest today has worked at 9 breweries in the UK, Australia and Canada.

He was Area Production Director at the large Royal Brewery, Moss Side for 5 years producing over 3 million Hls of beer per annum at that site as well as also operating Newcastle brewery and Theakstons in Masham at the same time within what was then Scottish Courage.

Prior to this he also held jobs such as General Manager at the Courage brewery in Bristol and Head Brewer at the Berkshire Brewery for Courage - Europe’s largest brewery at that time; and also spent time as a brewer with Bass at several breweries.

But Master Brewer - Paddy Johnson’s impressive resume doesn’t stop there!

The first view he ever saw being made whilst at Courage Brewery was the infamous ‘Imperial Russian Stout’; he helped to set up Innserve - an independent Trade dispense technical services, which services around 100,000 pub/bar accounts in the UK.

Amongst other things, including being a seasoned beer judge and father to Kieran Johnson of Blackjack Brewing in Manchester, he is one of the Director of WEBREW which, as well as operating an 8,500Hl/annum brewery that was designed and built by the Board team, has two brand - the more traditionally positioned Windsor & Eton brand, producing an array of cask and bottled beers; and Uprising - a more craft, focused brand creating Imperial Stouts, Double IPAs and the kinds of beer styles we all know and love to see on keg lines.

To say Paddy is knowledgeable is an understatement - he’s a well seasoned veteran of the brewing industry and has been around the block.

So, where do you start when interviewing such a well seasoned brewer?

When we met at Manchester’s Marble Brewery, who were kind enough to allow us use of the facilities for hosting and recording this week’s show, I wanted to ask about brewing beer from a master brewer’s perspective.

And, although you might expect some deep cuts from a conversation like this - such as the complex chemistry that occurs when infusing hops with boiling worts at certain temperatures, or the effects of yeast fermentation under different pressures - it’s having knowledge-based firmly rooted in fundamentals and nailing it time and again which sets a Master Brewer apart… plus demonstrating their skills building and commissioning a brewery and being able to explain why you did it that way…!

TODAY'S SHOW IS SPONSORED BY SSV LIMITED. From tanks to full brewhouses SSV Limited has got you covered.

In just 5 short years SSV Limited have established themselves as your go to partner to help you grow or launch your brewery.

High quality tanks, parts, brewing kit and knowledge and experience to ensure your project runs smoothly from beginning to completion.

Their newly launched parts shop stocks well over 1000 essential brewing parts to ensure your brewery is kept up and running.

Visit their website on www.ssvlimited.co.uk or visit them on stand 11 to 13 at BeerX on the 11th and 12th of March at the ACC Exhibition Centre, Liverpool.

Follow us on social media @hopforwardbeers

Subscribe to the podcast and leave us a review

Visit hopforward.beer to find out how we can get you ahead in the brewing and beer business through branding, marketing, and business development.

The heart and soul behind every brewery are its people. Whether that’s the Head Brewer, shift brewers, the sales force, marketing departments, accountants, cellarmen, the dray runners, tap room staff, administrators, and all the other weird and wonderful characters that make up a brewery operation - they all contribute to that tingling taste that tantalize the taste buds at the end of the working day.

It was these people that owner of Marble Beers, Jan Rogers, wanted to celebrate when inviting Hop Forward to the recently rehoused Manchester brewery on a cold January morning.

Brewing up a storm since 1997, Marble Brewery was originally housed in the rear of the flagship pub, The Marble Arch Inn. Moving to a railway arch in Williamson Street - or should that be literally squeezed in - the brewery has spawned many of the UK’s brewing alumni, such as James Campell - formerly of Cloudwater; Dominic Driscoll of Thornbridge Brewery; and Colin Stronge at Salt Beer Factory amongst others.

It’s easy to focus on the names in the world of brewing - and we should celebrate these individuals that have spearheaded contemporary British beer in the 21st century. But there are many more people who contribute towards the creation, distribution and dispense of the beers we know and love today from our favourite breweries.

Sharing their stories and experiences from working within a close-knit team, Joe, Carl, Paul and Plougers share the highs and lows of working in a small production brewery with a big reputation.

This episode may be about Marble Beers but it's dedicated to all the unsung heroes working tirelessly in the beer industry to brew and deliver fantastic beers.

TODAY'S SHOW IS SPONSORED BY SSV LIMITED. From tanks to full brewhouses SSV Limited has got you covered.

In just 5 short years SSV Limited have established themselves as your go to partner to help you grow or launch your brewery.

High quality tanks, parts, brewing kit and knowledge and experience to ensure your project runs smoothly from beginning to completion.

Their newly launched parts shop stocks well over 1000 essential brewing parts to ensure your brewery is kept up and running.

Visit their website on www.ssvlimited.co.uk or visit them on stand 11 to 13 at BeerX on the 11th and 12th of March at the ACC Exhibition Centre, Liverpool.

Follow us on social media Subscribe to the podcast and leave us a review

Visit hopforward.beer to find out how we can get you ahead in the brewing and beer business through branding, marketing, and business development.

Cast your mind back to the first ever pint of Landlord from West Yorkshire brewery Timothy Taylor’s.

What was it like?

I'm sure there's not a beer drinker out there who hasn't experienced the delightful tingle of a cask conditioned pint tingling on the tongue with zety notes, a thick creamy head; the unique taste pulled together from the Knowle Spring well; Simpson's Golden Promise malt; zesty and grassy notes from Fuggles and Goldings hops; and the a yeast strain that compliments all these flavours with a bready, nutty taste of its own.

First introduced in 1952, the beer has gone on to be Champion Beer of Britain and Brewing Industry International Award winners over 25 times, and that’s just between the 1980’s to date.

What makes Landlord so prestigious is their attention to detail and quality assurance; not just in the brewhouse but running throughout the entire business and brand.

To find out more about one of Britain's most loved and respected family brewers, we sat down with Chief Executive Tim Dewey and Head Brewer Andy Leman to chat about the history of the brewery and Landlord, what makes their brewery process and beers unique, where they see British pubs and cask beer heading over the coming years, and some of the challenges that a brewer such as Timothy Taylor’s face in today’s market.

Today’s episode of the Hop Forward podcast has been brought to you by Simpsons Malt, the UK’s independent Home of Good Malt.

Founded in 1862, Simpsons Malt is a fifth-generation family-owned business which has a passion for making malts with taste, flavour and consistently high quality with the world’s best brewers and distillers in mind, helping them to craft the finest beers and whiskies.

From grain to glass, the company’s malts are certified and fully traceable, produced only from certified seed of the finest UK two-row barley that have been procured by the company’s agricultural trading division, McCreath Simpson & Prentice, which has farming partners across England and Scotland.

After more than 155 years in business, Simpsons Malt continues to invest in state-of-the-art equipment at its two maltings in Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland and Tivetshall St Margaret, Norfolk. This constant innovation and drive to improve processes ensures the consistent production of malts with character.

For more information on Simpsons Malt, visit simpsonsmalt.co.uk. To enquire about the company’s malts, call 01289 333300 or email [email protected]

Follow us on social media Subscribe to the podcast and leave us a review

Visit hopforward.beer to find out how we can get you ahead in the brewing and beer business through branding, marketing, and business development.

Recorded live at the January SIBA North & East Region meeting at Rooster's Tap Room in Harrogate, Hop Forward's Creative Director and podcast host - Nick Law - gave a presentation on why he thinks great beer needs both a great brand and a great business to back it up.

To accompany this episode, download the brand audit sheet.

Follow us on social media @hopforwardbeers

Subscribe to the podcast and leave us a review

Visit hopforward.beer to find out how we can get you ahead in the brewing and beer business through branding, marketing, and business development.

Imagine having a mystery shopper come into your brewery tap room or shop and assess how you and the team are doing from a customer experience perspective.

Well, that's what Andrew Coplan who runs The Secret Hopper does for brewers across the United States of America.

With over 8000 breweries now in operation - and that figure still steadily rising - it is no longer enough just to 'brew great beer', though that certainly is a key factor. The modern drinker now wants the experience to go with it.

In this episode, Nick and Andrew discuss the merits of providing your customers with a great experience and how it can enhance your brewery, brand and business through adopting a few simple changes to how you operate.

Follow us on social media @hopforwardbeers

Subscribe to the podcast and leave us a review

Visit hopforward.beer to find out how we can get you ahead in the brewing and beer business through our branding and marketing services.

Coming from a traditional sales background where he learned the ropes, David Laird - also known as the Bearded Beer Baron - moved into the beer industry working for Beer52, helping to retain customers and develop and grow Ferment magazine.

Having done a stint at Cara Technology - working with yeast - David is now a consultant working with brands such as Flavourly and breweries like Loch Lomond up in Scotland to develop their offering and increase their sales.

In this episode we look at everything from beer subscription models and mail order, the challenges that many brewers face when it comes to sales, and take a general look over the industry as it stands today at the start of a brand new decade.

Today’s show is sponsored by Premier Systems, creators of BrewMan, the UK’s No.1 brewery management software, used by over 200 breweries and distilleries of all sizes.

The end-to-end system covers all back office functions such as CRM, stock control, distribution, cask tracking, reporting, raw material purchase ordering and traceability. BrewMan helps brewers focus on making great beer, not doing paperwork.

BrewMan is a cloud-based subscription service with no long term contracts or any upfront set up fees and starts from just £20 a month. If you would like more information about BrewMan, or book a demo of the software, please get in touch at +44(0)2380 811 100, email at [email protected] or visit premiersystems.com

Follow us on social media Subscribe to the podcast and leave us a review

Visit hopforward.beer to find out how we can get you ahead in the brewing and beer business through brand development, digital marketing, and brewery and business consultancy.

As an industry, we’ve come a long way over the past 10 years. But at the start of a new decade, there's no denying that British beer has a tough job ahead of it.

Whereas many of the slogans and marketing phrases that small, independent brewers used to pride themselves are now, sadly, meaningless; and as consumer demand for newer, bolder, wilder and more extreme beers only increases, solely relying on brewing a ‘great product’ and ‘letting the beer talk for itself’ simply won’t cut the mustard anymore.

This week, we're joined by beer writer and host of the Craft Beer Channel, Jonny Garrett, to discuss what lies in store for the future of British beer as we head in the roaring 20's.

Nick and Jonny talk about everything from GMO yeasts, the implications of Brexit, which brewers will be vulnerable to the market changes, and why marketing will be more important than ever for brewers looking to distinguish themselves in an ever crowded landscape.

Today's show is sponsored by Premier Systems, creators of BrewMan, the UK’s No.1 brewery management software, used by over 200 breweries and distilleries of all sizes.

The end-to-end system covers all back office functions such as CRM, stock control, distribution, cask tracking, reporting, raw material purchase ordering and traceability. BrewMan helps brewers focus on making great beer, not doing paperwork.

BrewMan is a cloud-based subscription service with no long term contracts or any upfront set up fees and starts from just £20 a month. If you would like more information about BrewMan, or book a demo of the software, please get in touch at +44(0)2380 811 100, email at [email protected] or visit premiersystems.com

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GET AHEAD IN YOUR BEER BUSINESS at www.hopforward.beer