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

The Kings Head in Bristol dates back to the mid-1800s and resides in a building going back to the 17th century.  Over the years, it has seen many landlords and pub companies come and go.  In the 1970's, the pub was saved from demolition as the council sought to regenerate the area, only being saved by a group of dedicated locals who fought to retain the historic pub.

After many years of being operated by a major pub chain, The Kings Head was restored to being a freehouse as Kelly & Bob from Good Chemistry Brewery took on the venue, alongside their pre-existing taproom, The Good Measure.

In this episode, we join Kelly & Bob at SIBA Beer X to discuss the pressures involved in running a historic pub, as well as the future of cask beer and how their brewery is fairing during economic conditions that are tough on brewers and operators alike.

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Nick Law and Sean Robinson share their latest Fermenting Thoughts as they delve into the world of pre-pack administrations and their impact on the brewery and hospitality supply chain.

In this thought-provoking discussion, we explore how pre-pack administrations function, why it's harmful to suppliers, why we feel it is immoral and, ultimately, how it damages the brand concerned looking to save their business by off-loading debt in this manner.  We also look at bad credit and possible ways the industry could handle this better as a whole.

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When you hear the word Jaipur, chances are a beer comes to mind before the Indian city. This renowned beer, inspired by the vibrant flavours of the Rajasthan region, recently celebrated its 18th anniversary. Jaipur boasts a spicy hoppiness, firm bitterness, and floral fruitiness, complemented by a robust ABV that adds layers of complexity.

Despite Jaipur comprising a significant portion of Thornbridge's production, the UK brewery, located in Bakewell, Derbyshire, is far from a one-trick pony. Thornbridge has maintained its position as a global leader in innovation, quality, and drinkability over the years.

We recently had the opportunity to meet with co-founder Simon Webster and discover what drives this brewery's success. In this episode, we delve into Thornbridge's early days and its remarkable evolution. We explore the collaborative efforts that saved Kelham Island Brewery from becoming a relic of the past, and discuss the challenges that breweries like Thornbridge face in today's brewing and hospitality industry.

Additionally, we catch up with James Lewis and Paul Evans from Ninkasi Rentals & Finance to discuss the advantages of renting a tank for your brewhouse, highlighting how it may be a preferable alternative.

THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY NINKASI RENTALS & FINANCE
Ninkasi Rentals & Finance is an ideal partner for fast-growing and innovative businesses ensuring maximum flexibility of production to take advantage of the very latest techniques, styles and market opportunities.

Ninkasi provides high-quality equipment to the drinks industry and has a range of products in stock available for immediate delivery.  As drinks industry experts they not only deliver and install equipment but also happily provide further support to you and your business.

Visit ninkasirentals.co.uk today to find out more.


Looking for a BRANDING, help with your MARKETING or COMMERICAL expertise?
Visit hopforward.beer to find out how we can help you get ahead the brewing and beer business.

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Looking for a BRANDING, help with your MARKETING or COMMERICAL expertise?
Visit hopforward.beer to find out how we can help you get ahead the brewing and beer business.

Follow Hop Forward on social media at:
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Like the Hop Forward Podcast...?
Leave us a review and give us some stars on Apple Music.

Situated in rural mid-Wales, Wilderness Brewery are a small team dedicated to creating and ageing interesting farmhouse-style beers.  Wilderness Brewery was founded by head brewer James in 2017.  Having worked for Howling Hops in the heart of London for several years, James and the family moved to the countryside for a slower pace of life.

This attitude is reflected in their beers.  Wilderness Brewery predominantly focuses on making wild beers, co-ferments, barrel-ageing and mixed-fermentation beers.  'We don’t rush into things, we like to let nature do the talking' says James, the brewery's founder.

Joining James to bring their marketing expertise is Helen Smith.  Helen is also the founder of the Burum Collective, an organisation that is volunteer-led, created by hospitality workers, with a focus on education, improving industry-wide workplace practices, and developing and fostering a safer, more inclusive environment on both sides of the bar.

Helen works part-time with James and brings their expertise to help spread the word about some of the finest wild and mixed-fermentation beers you'll ever try.

In this episode, we discuss everything from James' moving to the countryside to set up the brewery, how they operate as a team, brew, blend and package their beers, through to the four pillars that guide their business ethos: transparency, supporting charitable causes, being eco-friendly and creating equality in the workplace.

Find out more about the brewery and buy their beers from www.wildernessbrew.co.uk

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Co-owners Naomi and Dave Hayward of Windsor and Maidenhead’s multi-award-winning craft beer business A Hoppy Place announce the launch of a new brewery in the heart of Windsor, Berkshire:  Indie Rabble Brewing Co.

Recorded at this year's SIBA Beer X, the UK's biggest brewing and beer tradeshow, Nick sits down with Naomi and Dave to chat beer politics and about their latest venture, which seems the pair teaming up with Alex Rowlands as Head Brewer (formerly Windsor & Eton, Thornbridge Brewery and Phantom Brewing Co) and Alison Steele on operations and scheduling.

We discuss everything from Lo2No alcoholic beers and stocking a wide range of beverages, to some of the notions that didn't quite make it over the line at the SIBA AGM this year.  Naturally, the conversation turns to the new brewery and why the bold decision to open one in such a turbulent market.

Note: This was recorded on location in a noisy environment.  We've done everything we can to eliminate as much background noise as possible.

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Looking for a BRANDING, help with your MARKETING or COMMERICAL expertise?
Visit hopforward.beer to find out how we can help you get ahead the brewing and beer business.

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In this week's episode, we take a drive to the picturesque Yorkshire town of Shipley, where Salt Beer Factory is nestled amidst rolling hills in an old tram shed. The brewery and bar are magnificent, boasting crispy stone-baked pizzas, sleek decor, and fantastic beers, making for a stylish and enjoyable venue.

However, our main purpose for visiting Salt was to catch up with Pip Young, one of our oldest friends in the beer industry, who not only serves as the Brewery Manager of Salt Beer Factory but is also the founder of The Coven - an organization dedicated to promoting diversity and inclusivity in craft beer.

The Coven also trains welfare officers for beer festivals to ensure that individuals from all walks of life, particularly people from ‘the otherhood’, that is those who are often underrepresented culturally, feel safe and included.

The Coven has evolved over time and grown into a movement gaining momentum within the prominent UK beer scene. As an old friend, this episode is a bit more informal than usual - so much so that Pip interviews Nick about his hearing condition and experience in noisy taproom environments for the first 10 minutes or so.

Nonetheless, we cover a wide variety of themes that include everything from neurodiversity, milkshake IPAs, alpacas, Pip's involvement with Salt, the work of the Coven, and Nick's continual likening himself to U2's Bono.

We're also joined by Andrew Patterson from Lallemand Brewing to talk about an exciting new development in the world of yeast.

THIS WEEK'S EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY LALLEMAND BREWING
Revolutionise your low-alcohol beer production with Lallemand Brewing LoNa™.  What if you could effortlessly brew great-tasting low alcohol beer across many styles? Low- and no-alcohol beers have seen a recent boom in popularity as consumers cut back on alcohol and opt for healthier alternatives. It’s predicted that the NA Beer segment will be worth $46.6b by 2025.

Historically speaking, low-alcohol beer has been low body, bland, worty.   The negative taste perceptions of low-alcohol beer have prevented large numbers of consumers from trying it. In one study, as many as 52% of beer drinkers in the UK say that low/no-alcohol beer doesn’t taste as good as regular beer.

Traditionally, removing alcohol in beer has been costly and complicated.

Low-alcohol beer has traditionally been produced using one of two techniques: vacuum distillation (heating up and evaporating the alcohol) or membrane filtration (removing unwanted ethanol molecules). Both methods are complicated and expensive, in both capital and energy use. And with these techniques, the beer’s flavours and aromas can easily turn undesirable.

LalBrew® LoNa™ is an innovative maltose-negative hybrid yeast strain that has been selected to have ideal characteristics to produce low and non-alcoholic beers.  As a Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain of yeast, LalBrew® LoNa™ performs like an ale producing a clean and neutral aroma profile, no phenolic flavours, and significantly reducing aldehydes that cause worty flavours.

Visit https://www.lallemandbrewing.com/lona to find out more.

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Looking for a BRANDING, help with your MARKETING or COMMERICAL expertise?
Visit hopforward.beer to find out how we can help you get ahead the brewing and beer business.

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Like the Hop Forward Podcast...?
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Hyperlocalisation in craft beer refers to the trend of breweries focusing on creating and distributing their beers within a very limited geographic area, typically within a few miles of the brewery. The idea behind this approach is to create a strong sense of community around the brewery, while also allowing the brewer to experiment with locally-sourced ingredients and flavours that are unique to that particular area.

Hyperlocalisation can also be seen as a way for small breweries to compete with larger, more established breweries that have wider distribution networks. By focusing on a small geographic area, hyperlocal breweries can offer a more personal and intimate experience, and build a reputation for quality and innovation that is difficult to replicate on a larger scale.

This week, we have the pleasure of speaking with Amity Brew Co, a brewery located in Sunny Bank Mills, in the northwest of Leeds, England. Amity Brew Co prides itself on its focus on community, friendship, and, of course, fantastic beer. Join Nick as he sits down with Rich and Russ from the brewery to explore the unique qualities that set brewpubs and the communities they serve apart, as well as some of the challenges they face.

Nick also chats to Mike Benson from Crisp Malting Group to discuss mash efficiency and what you can do to improve yours.

THIS WEEK'S EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY: Crisp Malting Group
At Crisp Malt we have lived and breathed malting since 1870. With our passion and expertise, we produce and supply the finest UK malt to the brewing and distilling industry across the globe.  Visit https://crispmalt.com/our-malts/heritage to discover more!

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Looking for a BRANDING, help with your MARKETING or COMMERICAL expertise?
Visit hopforward.beer to find out how we can help you get ahead the brewing and beer business.

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In the latest episode of the Hop Forward Podcast, we are thrilled to have Toby from RedWillow Brewery as our special guest. RedWillow Brewery is a small independent brewery based in Macclesfield, Cheshire, UK, that has been making exceptional beers since 2010.

During our conversation, founder Toby McKenzie shares with us the story behind their renowned Heritage Porter and how they incorporate heritage malts to create unique and complex flavours.  We also dive into their approach to brewing different beer styles and how they stay true to their ethos of producing modern cask beer.

We explore the importance of creativity in the brewhouse and how something has been lost in translation from the early days of the craft beer boom when people were making a wide variety of beer styles, in comparison to today where Hazy IPAs rule the roost.

We also speak to Mike Benson from Crisp Malting Group at SIBA Beer X, discussing the application of their range of heritage malts.

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THIS WEEK'S EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY: Crisp Malting Group
At Crisp Malt we have lived and breathed malting since 1870. With our passion and expertise, we produce and supply the finest UK malt to the brewing and distilling industry across the globe.

We combine traditional and modern malting techniques at our sites in England and Scotland to create an impressive range of malted and non-malted products, including several unique and exclusive barley malts; such as Chevallier Heritage Malt.

The process of discovery is often a happy accident. In the case of Chevallier barley, a combination of an itchy toe, some good soil and a keen eye, turned a single ear of barley into a worldwide phenomenon and established the flavour of English beer for a century.

It’s with similar serendipity that our heritage malt range came about. Our friends at the John Innes Centre were searching for an old variety that could combat the disease, fusarium head blight and happened on Chevallier. Not only did it successfully resist this disease but the malt it produced made for a beer laced with a richness of flavour we hadn’t encountered before in modern varieties. From just a handful of seeds, we have spent the past decade re-discovering the flavours of Chevallier and have been spurred on to uncover the stories and flavours of two more barleys that made brewing history, alongside our beloved Maris Otter.

Visit https://crispmalt.com/our-malts/heritage to discover more!

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Looking for a BRANDING, help with your MARKETING or COMMERICAL expertise?
Visit hopforward.beer to find out how we can help you get ahead the brewing and beer business.

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Like the Hop Forward Podcast...?
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In Sheffield, a city that boasts several renowned breweries and is arguably the cask-beer capital of the United Kingdom, is there enough space to accommodate another small, independent brewery specialising in cask-produced beer...?  Well, if Grizzly Grains Brewing is anything to go by, then we would certainly argue there is always room for one more!

Sam Bennett, like many brewers, began his brewing journey from home on a nano-system that was generously donated by a fellow brewer in the city. Thus, Grizzly Grains Brewing was born! In this episode, you'll discover how Sam overcame the hurdles presented by the pandemic, secured a unit, and purchased a 5BBL brewhouse to expand his one-man operation.

Not only is Sam passionate about cask beer (and putting Dark Mild into keg!), but he also keeps bees, makes Mead and brews a variety of Saisons using fruit grown and harvested - where possible - within a few miles of the brewery in Sheffield.

We also talk about sausage rolls.

Stay tuned to the SIBA Business Award-winning Hop Forward Podcast to also find out more from Steve and Mike at Crisp Malting Group, who discuss all things Maris Otter and what the acclaimed malt can do for your beers.

THIS EPISODE IS PROUDLY SPONSORED BY CRISP MALTING GROUP
At Crisp Malt we have lived and breathed malting since 1870. With our passion and expertise, we produce and supply the finest UK malt to the brewing and distilling industry across the globe.

We are brewing malt suppliers to a diverse range of partners; from the independent small craft brewery and whisky distillers to large global beverage companies. We ensure a tailored approach every time for all our customers, only supplying the best malt for their award-winning beers and whiskies.

Our Finest Maris Otter® Ale Malt is prized all over the world for the incredibly rich and moreish ales it helps to create. Our brewers tell us it is always flavourful, easy to brew with and returns that characteristic malt body that has made it famous over more than 50 years of barley cultivation.

Find out more and speak to your local representative by visiting crispmalt.com

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This week, Nick and Sean discuss neurodivergence in hospitality spaces and chat about some of the things operators and brewery taprooms alike could do to consider those on the autistic spectrum or with any other special needs.  Just a heads up: this is a complex issue that we don't and can't be resolved in 18 minutes, but is a subject close to our hearts.

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