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

In this week’s episode, Nick ventures over the Pennines to one of the leading breweries in contemporary beer: Cloudwater Brew Co.

However, if you’re expecting an episode about Cloudwater rise to success or how they obtain bold, punchy flavours in their beers, then think again!

We caught up with founder and director, Paul Jones, in Cloudwater’s Unit 9 Tap Room to chat about mental health and the impact of negative social media - a.k.a Beer Twitter - on brewers in today’s industry.

Paul shares his first-hand experience the triumphs and the criticisms Cloudwater have faced over their relatively short history, and how he and the team have managed to keep their head in the game.

Today’s show is proudly sponsored by Brew Broker - the marketplace for the brewing industry. With over 500 traders already on board, BrewBroker will find you buyers for your spare capacity, or the perfect brewery to create, contract or white label a beer. Create a supplier profile to fill capacity or sign up as a buyer to start your tender with their easy to use platform.

JOIN TODAY FOR FREE at BrewBroker.com

There are so many issues surrounding cask beer, everything from low margins and dodgy pump clips, to bad cellaring and badly brewed beers.

The list is seemingly endless.

However, for all it's negative points, there is nothing quite like a pint of cask ale when stored and served correctly.

This week on the Hop Forward Podcast, we talk to veteran brewer Shane Swindells from the Cheshire Brewhouse to discuss what ails cask ale.

For more information on the Cheshire Brewhouse visit www.cheshirebrewhouse.co.uk/

Award-winning writer Melissa is widely acknowledged as one of the UK’s leading beer & food experts. In this episode of the Hop Forward Podcast, Nick invites Melissa to share her experiences as a beer writer and what it takes in today’s digital age to make a living from beer journalism, alongside other creative endeavours.

Melissa also shares how her face ends up on a pint of Guinness!

And Nick shares an interesting story about how a Budweiser reject has become the new jingle for the podcast.

Music by Mark Stoney, under license to Hop Forward Ltd.

For more info on Melissa Cole follow her on social media @MelissaCole

Visit www.hopforward.beer for more podcasts like this one and a range of services aimed at getting you ahead in your beer business.

Designating himself as driver, he taxied a group of friends around a variety of brewery tap rooms - everything from craft upstairs Wild Weather and Siren Craft, to the well-established West Berkshire Brewery and Wytchwood, famous for their beer Hobgoblin - allowing them to experience the full pallet of offerings from a range of breweries, all heralding different styles.

In this episode, we ask Carl what he took from the experience and talk all about how taprooms now are a must for breweries to succeed.

If you’re in Coventry, make a point of visiting Twisted Barrel Brewery to sample their wide range of exciting beers and soak up the atmosphere. Visit https://www.twistedbarrelale.co.uk/ for more info.

Follow us on social media at @hopforwardbeers and hit the SUBSCRIBE button for fresh content each and every week.

The Queer Brewing Project is a new non-profit collaborative brewing initiative led by artist and beer writer Lily Waite.

Inspired by the likes of Denmark’s Hops Not Hate and People Like Us, and London’s Craft Beer Cares festival, the project hopes to use collaborative brewing as a vehicle for fundraising and conversation, raising awareness of LGBTQ+ issues.

In this week's episode of the Hop Forward Podcast, Nick chats to Lily around some of the issues that our LGBTQ+ friends face in daily life, down the pub, and in the beer industry.

For more info on The Queer Brewing Project and to support the good work Lily is doing, visit https://www.thequeerbrewingproject.com/

This week, on the Hop Forward Podcast, we talk to a businessman who is going after the macro-brands with his eco-friendly, vegan lager, Bumble Beer.

Jason Winter is the entrepreneur behind Bumble Beer: a premium, pilsner-style craft lager that is fully vegan on a mission to save our nation’s bees, provided sustainability within the entire supply chain for both his brand and other brewers to build upon, and promote eco-conscious causes.

At the heart of Bumble Beer are a set of founding principle that all brewers and people in the business of beer could learn from.

Jason shares his experiences as a marketer and brand builder on contract brewing, generating press, bringing his product to market and the securing sales, without being able to brew himself.

For more information visit http://www.bumblebeer.net/

Fermenting Thoughts are bonus mini-episodes aimed at getting you ahead in the brewing and beer business where Hop Forward founder, Nick Law, shares his knowledge, thoughts and expertise on various aspects of running a beer business.

In this episode, Nick explore why branding is so important for you and your beer business and share about the best beer you'll never try.

We explore what a brand isn't (hint: it's not just a snazzy logo!) and explore various aspects of what a brand is and what makes a good brand.

If you want to find out more about brands and how Hop Forward can help develop your brand for your beer business, visit www.hopforward.beer/brands

Our senses and being able bodied is something many of us take for granted. But how would you respond if you were to lose your eyesight, hearing or a limb?

Life for you would change dramatically as the everyday things we take for granted, such as ordering a pint over the bar or navigating through your favourite brewery tap room, would suddenly become extremely challenging.

Unfortunately, this is how many people live their everyday lives. And there are a group of brewers who are passionate about beer and disabilities in Glasgow looking to do something about it...

Ride Brew Co, Late Night Hype and Bute Brew Co took up the challenge with the help of Social Enterprise Scotland to create Glasgow's first 100% accessible tap room.

And while their crowdfunding campaign was unsuccessful (for reasons which will become apparent when listening to the podcast), the respective breweries are still looking to fund the venture out of their own pockets to realise their vision.

We talk to Div and Simon from Ride Brew Co at this year’s SIBA Beer X about the ambitious project.

For more information on the project, visit http://www.glasgowbrewerycollective.co.uk/

Make sure you subscribe to our social media feeds @hopforwardbeers and visit our website www.hopforward.beer for more articles and podcasts like this one, as well as a range of brewery consultancy and branding services aimed at getting you ahead in the brewing and beer business.

There's never been a better time to keg beer. One way packaging means brewers don't have to round up empty steel kegs from bars and pubs, whilst landlords can dispose easily of the container once it's been used... right?!

But where do our one-way kegs end up? Many can't be recycled easily.

That's where Ecokeg are fighting the battle of sustainability with their line of fully recycled and recyclable kegs.

This week, we catch up with Lewis Jones from Ecokeg looking at the various disciplines brewers and bars can do to ensure they stay green, and talk about entering into kegs for those who haven't yet taken the plunge.

Also, Nick shares his secret idea that's going to make him a millionaire overnight...!

Fore more info on Ecokeg, visit www.ecokeg.com

SIBA, the Society of Independent Brewers, was established in 1980 to represent the interests of the growing number of breweries in Britain, and currently represents around 830 independent craft breweries in the UK.

Regardless of your own thoughts on SIBA, there’s no denying their active role in lobbying government helped bring about Small Breweries’ Relief, which has played a pivotal role in the new wave of independent breweries launch since the turn of the Millennium.

Plus, they hold the 2nd largest industry trade show in Europe with a national beer competition - a well attended event and highlight in many brewer’s calendar.

In this week's episode, we catch up with Head of Public Affairs and Communications, James Calder, to throw some challenging questions in his direction about the role of SIBA for independent brewers, and talk about Peanut Butter Snickers Stouts!

For more information on SIBA, visit www.siba.co.uk