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

This week, we're extremely excited to have Professor Charlie Bamforth - a.k.a The Pope of Foam - grace us with his presence on the Hop Forward Podcast.

Charlie is a former president of Institute of Brewing and Distilling and was also Anheuser-Busch Endowed Professor of Malting and Brewing Sciences at University of California, Davis between 1999 and 2018. 

Following his retirement from the University as Distinguished Professor Emeritus, he became Senior Quality Adviser to the Sierra Nevada Brewing Company.

If you’re unfamiliar with the work of Charlie Bamforth, then you should check out some of his books such as Standards of Brewing, Brewing Materials and Processes and - of course - the aptly named: Foam.

We discuss head retention on beer, carbonation, ingredients and their effects on head retention, the use of nitrogen in beer and much more.

THIS WEEK'S EPISODE OF THE PODCAST IS SPONSORED BY SSV LIMITED.
From tanks to full brewhouses SSV Limited have got you covered.

SSV Limited have established themselves as the go to partner to help you grow your brewery.  High quality tanks, parts, brewing kit coupled with the knowledge and experience to ensure your project runs smoothly from beginning to completion whether it's equipment supply, fully turnkey or anything between.

Their parts shop stocks well over 1000 essential brewing parts to keep your brewery up and running many available on next day delivery.

Visit their website on www.ssvlimited.co.uk and don’t forget to visit their stand at SIBA Beer X in Liverpool this March.  You can find them on stand number 1, so make sure you swing by, say hello and admire their shiny brewhouses.

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This week on the Hop Forward Podcast, we're joined by Sapwood Cellar's co-founder and author of The New IPA to discuss what it takes to make fantastic, modern IPAs and the science behind hopping.  We explore the process from field to fermentation, right through to packaging IPAs and creating shelf-stability for these highly volatile beers.

Please note that the audio quality of this week's discussion isn't up to our usual high standards due to a Zoom bandwidth issue, however, it is audible.

THIS WEEK'S EPISODE OF THE PODCAST IS SPONSORED BY SSV LIMITED.
From tanks to full brewhouses SSV Limited have got you covered.

SSV Limited have established themselves as the go to partner to help you grow your brewery.  High quality tanks, parts, brewing kit coupled with the knowledge and experience to ensure your project runs smoothly from beginning to completion whether it's equipment supply, fully turnkey or anything between.

Their parts shop stocks well over 1000 essential brewing parts to keep your brewery up and running many available on next day delivery.

Visit their website on www.ssvlimited.co.uk and don’t forget to visit their stand at SIBA Beer X in Liverpool this March.  You can find them on stand number 1, so make sure you swing by, say hello and admire their shiny brewhouses.

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This week's fermenting thoughts are about Meta Platforms Inc. taking down breweries Instagram posts and shadow-banning because they're simply trying to inform consumers about their products through the platform without paying for advertising.

I look at what this means for you and your business, what shadow banning is, why this is worrying on a wider level and explore some ways to get around it.

Make sure you head over to our Facebook group to carry on the discussion. Let us know what you think, whether you've experienced this yourself, your approach to grassroots marketing through socials and more.

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At the start of 2020, Gavin Martin - co-owner and head brewer of Sheffield's Neepsend Brew Co - had the challenge of moving his 10BBL to a new site in a matter of weeks, while keeping the business going and beer flowing.

Unfortunately, on the day they were mashing in for the first time on their new site, the radio was also announcing that all pubs were to shut at that evening as the United Kingdom entered lockdown, leaving the brewery high and dry without a canning line.

In this week's episode, Gavin recalls the move, the lockdown and we explore localism in beer and how consumers may be missing out on some truly fantastic beers due to the 'premier league' nature of craft beer in Britain.

THIS WEEK'S EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY LALLEMAND BREWING
Lallemand Brewing, a division of Lallemand Inc., a global producer of yeast and bacteria, is helping breweries achieve their growth and quality goals by offering products, services, and education.

Lallemand Brewing’s premium brewing yeasts and bacteria deliver unmatched consistency, reliability, and purity, allowing brewers to take full control of the brewing process.

At the forefront of innovation, Lallemand Brewing recently launched several dry yeast products: LalBrew Voss, LalBrew Verdant IPA, and WilBrew Philly Sour.

For more information about Lallemand products in the UK please contact our local representative Andrew Paterson, global contacts details for the UK and other territories can be found via our website www.lallemandbrewing.com

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FROM CRISP MALT
Since 1870, Crisp Malt has been producing the finest malt at Great Ryburgh in Norfolk. With 5 maltings located in the best barley growing areas in the UK, they produce a wide range of malts and non-malted cereals in 25kg sacks for craft brewers and distillers all over the world.  Visit crispmalt.com to find out more

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This week, we're joined by Reading's Double Barrelled Brewery co-founder Luci Clayton-Jones to share her reflections on scaling a brewery from a 120L nano-setup in her and her husband's garage to a 24HL brewhouse with a taproom.

We discuss the reality of running a brewery business and some of the naivety that comes with inexperience when you're fresh to the industry, as many of us were when we started.  And while neither Luci or I wanted our discussion to come across as negative (that definitely wasn't our intent), the reality of running a brewing business with a taproom is far different from what people imagine.

In this penultimate episode, we hope we encourage you on your brewing journey, wherever you're at, to look at what you actually want from your business.

THIS WEEK'S EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY LALLEMAND BREWING
Lallemand Brewing, a division of Lallemand Inc., a global producer of yeast and bacteria, is helping breweries achieve their growth and quality goals by offering products, services, and education.

Lallemand Brewing’s premium brewing yeasts and bacteria deliver unmatched consistency, reliability, and purity, allowing brewers to take full control of the brewing process.

At the forefront of innovation, Lallemand Brewing recently launched several dry yeast products: LalBrew Voss, LalBrew Verdant IPA, and WilBrew Philly Sour.

For more information about Lallemand products in the UK please contact our local representative Andrew Paterson, global contacts details for the UK and other territories can be found via our website www.lallemandbrewing.com

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FROM CRISP MALT
Since 1870, Crisp Malt has been producing the finest malt at Great Ryburgh in Norfolk. With 5 maltings located in the best barley growing areas in the UK, they produce a wide range of malts and non-malted cereals in 25kg sacks for craft brewers and distillers all over the world.  Visit crispmalt.com to find out more

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FROM SSV LIMITED
From tanks to full brewhouses SSV Limited have got you covered. SSV Limited have established themselves as the go to partner to help you grow your brewery.  High quality tanks, parts, brewing kit coupled with the knowledge and experience to ensure your project runs smoothly from beginning to completion whether its equipment supply, fully turnkey or anything between.  Their parts shop stocks well over 1000 essential brewing parts to keep your brewery up and running many available on next day delivery.  Visit their website on www.ssvlimited.co.uk

Follow Hop Forward on Social Media
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn

Today's episode starts with a statement written by co-founder of London's Gipsy Hill Brewing Co, Sam McMeekin.  The statement, in full, can be read on their Instagram page.

This episode was a hard one - not only to discuss sensitively but to put together as a whole.  The topic of workplace culture can be divisive.  Some people have a wonderful experience working for an employer, while another can tell an altogether different tale.

Sometimes, it's evident to see the dysfunction or toxicity in a workplace.  But what happens when it's not that clear cut?  Where do we draw the lines between our own interpretation of events and the events themselves?

And as an employer who is responsible for the well-being of the staff and one(s) who create and foster and set the tone for their workplace culture, what do we do when things go awry or employees feel that you're not quite hitting the mark?

In today's episode, me and Sam have an open and honest discussion surrounding the challenges of workplace culture, the journey he has been on personally, and share some practical steps we can take to ensuring our workplaces are happy, healthy and professional.

Nick also shares his thoughts on this, having had negative workplace experience before, while staying mindful that nobody is perfect and the only people we can truly change is ourselves - a good place to start.

We've tried to put this together a sensitively as possible and are aware this may be a topic that some listeners, myself included, may find it difficult to listen to.

THIS WEEK'S EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY LALLEMAND BREWING
Lallemand Brewing, a division of Lallemand Inc., a global producer of yeast and bacteria, is helping breweries achieve their growth and quality goals by offering products, services, and education.

Lallemand Brewing’s premium brewing yeasts and bacteria deliver unmatched consistency, reliability, and purity, allowing brewers to take full control of the brewing process.

At the forefront of innovation, Lallemand Brewing recently launched several dry yeast products: LalBrew Voss, LalBrew Verdant IPA, and WilBrew Philly Sour.

For more information about Lallemand products in the UK please contact our local representative Andrew Paterson, global contacts details for the UK and other territories can be found via our website www.lallemandbrewing.com

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FROM CRISP MALT
Since 1870, Crisp Malt has been producing the finest malt at Great Ryburgh in Norfolk. With 5 maltings located in the best barley growing areas in the UK, they produce a wide range of malts and non-malted cereals in 25kg sacks for craft brewers and distillers all over the world.  Visit crispmalt.com to find out more

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FROM SSV LIMITED
From tanks to full brewhouses SSV Limited have got you covered. SSV Limited have established themselves as the go to partner to help you grow your brewery.  High quality tanks, parts, brewing kit coupled with the knowledge and experience to ensure your project runs smoothly from beginning to completion whether its equipment supply, fully turnkey or anything between.  Their parts shop stocks well over 1000 essential brewing parts to keep your brewery up and running many available on next day delivery.  Visit their website on www.ssvlimited.co.uk

Follow Hop Forward on Social Media
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn

Anyone who has ever attempted to describe the flavours and aromas of a beer will know that putting language to what's in the glass is both challenging, subjective and needs the right terminology.

But what if we don't possess the language for ourselves or a customer doesn't quite know what they're after, but they certainly know what they don't want...!

As brewers, bar staff and bottle shop owners, it's our job to be able to help consumers navigate the turbid waters of Hazy IPAs and describe the 'soft, pillowy grapefruit' that awaits them upon first pour.

In his latest reiteration of the Flavour Wheel, beer writer and educator Mark Dredge joins Nick this week to talk about how we talk about flavour and aroma and put language to beer.  Pick up a copy of the Flavour Wheel or the pack of 6 from beerdredge.com

THIS WEEK'S EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY LALLEMAND BREWING
Lallemand Brewing, a division of Lallemand Inc., a global producer of yeast and bacteria, is helping breweries achieve their growth and quality goals by offering products, services, and education.

Lallemand Brewing’s premium brewing yeasts and bacteria deliver unmatched consistency, reliability, and purity, allowing brewers to take full control of the brewing process.

At the forefront of innovation, Lallemand Brewing recently launched several dry yeast products: LalBrew Voss, LalBrew Verdant IPA, and WilBrew Philly Sour.

For more information about Lallemand products in the UK please contact our local representative Andrew Paterson, global contacts details for the UK and other territories can be found via our website www.lallemandbrewing.com

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FROM CRISP MALT
Since 1870, Crisp Malt has been producing the finest malt at Great Ryburgh in Norfolk. With 5 maltings located in the best barley growing areas in the UK, they produce a wide range of malts and non-malted cereals in 25kg sacks for craft brewers and distillers all over the world.  Visit crispmalt.com to find out more

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Edinburgh's Vault City Brewing have earned a reputation in a short time as one of Britain's most well-respected, sought after breweries.  Bucking the hazy producing trend, Vault City focus solely on Modern Sour Beers.

With flavours such as Guava Banana Banoffee Toffee Smoothie, Apple Cherry Cinnamon Swirl and Strawberry & Lime Session Sour, Vault City have captured the heart and imagination of craft beer drinkers with their off-the-wall flavour combinations.

Sour beers have increased ever more in popularity since the 2010’s, to the point now where they are mainstream enough to be stocked by national grocery stores.  Brands such as North Brewing Co, BrewDog and Vocation here in the UK all have a variety of sour beers on the shelves.

It was the placement of Edinburgh’s Vault City, though - a brewery that solely focuses on modern sour beers - that caused a bit of a stir recently when they were listed in one Britain’s biggest supermarket chains.

For some, this was a huge step forward for modern sour beers, while for others, another example of supermarkets attacking craft beer.  This is one of the many topics I discuss in this week’s episode with Steven Smith-Hay, co-founder of Vault City.

It’s not hard to see why craft beer veterans love them so much and why people who may not necessarily be into traditional beer styles - dominated by bitterness - may enjoy a glass or two of Vault City’s sour beers.

Me and Steve chat at length about the brewery, the challenges they’ve faced - especially in their cuckoo brewing days using lactobacillus in another host brewery - and what the future holds for this contemporary brewery pushing the boundaries of modern beer.

THIS WEEK'S EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY LALLEMAND BREWING
Lallemand Brewing, a division of Lallemand Inc., a global producer of yeast and bacteria, is helping breweries achieve their growth and quality goals by offering products, services, and education.

Lallemand Brewing’s premium brewing yeasts and bacteria deliver unmatched consistency, reliability, and purity, allowing brewers to take full control of the brewing process.

At the forefront of innovation, Lallemand Brewing recently launched several dry yeast products: LalBrew Voss, LalBrew Verdant IPA, and WilBrew Philly Sour.

For more information about Lallemand products in the UK please contact our local representative Andrew Paterson, global contacts details for the UK and other territories can be found via our website www.lallemandbrewing.com

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FROM CRISP MALT
Since 1870, Crisp Malt has been producing the finest malt at Great Ryburgh in Norfolk. With 5 maltings located in the best barley growing areas in the UK, they produce a wide range of malts and non-malted cereals in 25kg sacks for craft brewers and distillers all over the world.  Visit crispmalt.com to find out more

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On this week's episode of the Hop Forward Podcast, Nick travels to Brewery Market on the historic Church Street in Twickenham, the Drinks Retailing Awards 'Independent Beer Retailer of the Year 2021'.

Linda, Denis, Steph and a few of our locals appear on an impromptu episode called A Late Night Chat in an Indie Bottle Shop.  We discuss everything from beers, lambics, starting and running a small business, right through to the impacts of social media on businesses and how one person even travelled from Leeds just to visit the shop due to its reputation.

The conversation is casual - the sort of thing you'd expect over a few beers late into the night.

Please note: there is a bit of excessive background noise to start with, which dies down after around 10 minutes or so - the rest of the audio from thereon is much more palatable.

THIS WEEK'S EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY CRISP MALT
Since 1870, Crisp Malt has been producing the finest malt at Great Ryburgh in Norfolk. With 5 maltings located in the best barley growing areas in the UK, they produce a wide range of malts and non-malted cereals in 25kg sacks for craft brewers and distillers all over the world.

They still work one of the last remaining floor maltings in England and use it to make their pioneering heritage malts. They also craft roasted and crystal malts of unprecedented consistency on their vertical, all electric tower roasting plant, the only one of its kind in the UK. Check out their website for more information about their range of malts and also their educational blogs and webinars too.

Visit crispmalt.com to find out more

Follow Hop Forward on Social Media
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn

The first time I ever went into a bottle shop with one of my beers, I was absolutely packing it (for our international listeners; the literal translation is I was shitting myself).  What would they think about my beer, my brand… would they buy it, stock it, promote it and sell many…?

Thankfully, the bottle shop in question - slightly bemused by the kitsch logo of Jesus welcoming people at the bar like he was Sam Malone from Cheers - took to it and became a big advocate of them.

Bottle shops and off-licensed venues have played a big part of beer across the globe.  It’s one thing to carve out some time with a friend down the local pub or bar - an experience in and of itself… but it’s another to stand in front of the shelves or fridges and decipher which beers you’ll take home with you.

There are some great label designs and brands out there, especially these days.

I remember back in the early 00’s when beers had names like Nobby’s Nuts and featured a picture of a Santa-like character with a boozy red nose drinking a pint of something brown; it’s a far cry from the artwork that could easily adorn a can of beer as much as it could the walls of the Tate Modern.

Bottle shops are the gatekeepers of modern British beer; the owners and stewards akin to the vinyl junkies who work in record stores who know which bands to listen out for and peddle records you’d never dream of buying but take home and relish the experience over and over.

But - as discussed a few episodes back with Dave Hayward - are bottle shops becoming an endangered species due to the Covid-19 pandemic?  Now breweries are selling products online, do they even need bottle shops to thrive?  And, for the ones that do, how should they approach potential new business customers?  What are some of the basics when it comes to on-boarding a new shop with the fruits of your labour?

These are some of the topics, along with discussions about trends in beer, spirits, wines and cider, that I discuss with today’s guests on the Hop Forward Podcast, Richard and Jenna from Real Drinks in London.

If you cast your mind back to September 2019 (not easy, I know!), I visited … and spoke on location to Nick Dolan and Tim Peyton from, then, Real Ale Ltd in Notting Hill, which you can go back and listen to.

But - in light of the pandemic and their subsequent rebrand, which - I feel at least - had an emphasis and focus on the online market, I was keen to catch up with the team and ask some questions that I felt were relevant to 2021.

THIS WEEK'S EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY CRISP MALT
Since 1870, Crisp Malt has been producing the finest malt at Great Ryburgh in Norfolk. With 5 maltings located in the best barley growing areas in the UK, they produce a wide range of malts and non-malted cereals in 25kg sacks for craft brewers and distillers all over the world.

They still work one of the last remaining floor maltings in England and use it to make their pioneering heritage malts. They also craft roasted and crystal malts of unprecedented consistency on their vertical, all electric tower roasting plant, the only one of its kind in the UK. Check out their website for more information about their range of malts and also their educational blogs and webinars too.

Visit crispmalt.com to find out more

Follow Hop Forward on Social Media
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn