Episodes

Which brewery, which style, or which beer, got you into the wonderful world of brewing? We will all have our own response and that’s what makes this liquid so great. And for today’s guest, it was a Bitter that lit that fire. But instead of a beer from a classic British brewery, it was one being produced, and enjoyed, by locals and tourists alike, in the heart of Paris. Because in the brewing industry, some of us are set on our trajectory from early on. Knowing full-well that a career in beer i...

In starting Amity Brew Co back in 2020, the team wanted a business that stood for community, friendship and good beer. And more than four years on, they can proudly say they’ve achieved just that. But that doesn’t mean they’re planning on slowing down, though. Far from it. Because in 2025, the West Yorkshire business is set to take its next exciting step. Amity Brew Co is the brainchild of Russ Clarke, Verity Clarke and Richard Degnan. Opening their doors in 2020, the business is based in Sunn...

There are certain joys, certain constants when it comes to the world of beer. And one of those has to be the pleasure when scanning the bar for a pint and you happen across the pump clip for Jaipur on cask. It’s a seminal beer that has stood the test of time and this year the brewery responsible, Thornbridge, based in the Derbyshire Dales, celebrates the 20th anniversary of both that beer and the business, too. The Thornbridge story began back in 2005 when founders Jim Harrison and Simon Webst...

The London brewing scene has changed a great deal in the last decade. Styles have come into, then gone out of, fashion. People have learnt their trade across it and, in many cases, moved on to different companies, different counties, different countries. We’ve also seen breweries open, breweries consolidate, breweries close. But thankfully, one mainstay in England’s capital since 2009 has been The Kernel. Under the stewardship of founder Evin O’Riordain, it is safe to say the brewery has inspi...

In the world of beer, there are a number of real positives when it comes to working for, or running, a brewery. Creating something that people enjoy, savour and value is a goal in any artistic venture. And in ownership, so is the ability to provide employment, development and satisfaction to your team. Another purpose for many businesses is the ability to affect a change. Breweries are often the beating heart of local communities. They can offer a place to frequent, to socialise and where poss...

When you’ve worked with award-winning brands in the world of beer and whisky delivering digital communication and paid media strategies, you’re likely to know a thing or two about the world of marketing. And today’s guest, has done just that. Looking back at the last 12 months, Scottish brewery Vault City can toast another incredible year. They released 90 beers in total—up from 84 in 2023. This included 76 sours, 11 imperial stouts, two barley wines, and a Radler. And after four years of bre...

Some things are just meant to be. And today’s guests are an example of just that. When Young’s ceased its London brewing operations in 2006, it looked to signal the end of a historic site where beer has been brewed since at least 1533. The brewery would officially close on 25th September 2006 but, thanks to John Hatch, a nano-brewery was kept on-site throughout construction and development. This ensured that Ram Quarter would remain Britain’s oldest continuous working brewery. And two years l...

Did you know that in addition to our Brewers Journal Podcast, we also run The Distillers Journal Podcast, too? And there’s where today’s guest episode comes from. If we’re lucky our careers, coupled with an appetite for new experiences, can allow us to visit, work and live in different countries around the world. And in the case of today’s guest, she’s done just that. And as a result the Scottish distilling industry is all the better for it. Because the Scottish Whisky industry is blessed wit...

Reaching an important milestone in any business is a real achievement. It’s the culmination of hard work, commitment and the result of providing a quality product or service. Probably both…. And in 2025, today’s guests will toast their 40th year in the world of beer. And as we all know, that simply doesn’t happen by accident. Since starting out in 1985, Herefordshire-based Wye Valley Brewery has been producing a wealth of excellent cask, keg and small pack beers. They’ve earned a reputation fo...

When it comes to the world of beer, Lager is big business. Recent research from Heineken in its 2024 Beer Report shows that Lager’s share of the on-trade market by value stands at 70%. In short, two out of every three pints poured in the UK is a Lager. And when we talk about Lager, there is really something for everyone. In the UK we’ve had a wealth of fantastic lager-focused breweries open in the last decade from Lost and Grounded to Utopian, Orbit, Braybrooke and beyond. And if you head to ...

Launching a new business is always an exciting time. It’s also a challenging one, too. In our sector, you need a quality liquid, great branding and a team that knows the industry. Thankfully, with today’s guests you have all of those and more. Earlier in the summer, the cider category welcomed one such new addition. Developed by a team with decades of experience in building successful beer and cider brands, Red Fin Cider is all about offering licensees a medium dry cider that can be stocked as ...

Since starting out in 2021, Moonwake in Leith has become one of the UK’s most regarded breweries. Founded by a team with extensive craft beer and brewing careers. They believe there is a beer out there for everyone. Moonwake means: “the moon’s reflection on a body of water” and speaks to the brewery’s Leith Shore location, the importance of water as an ingredient, and our beers’ reflection of our combined experience. The head brewer at Moonwake is Vinny Rosario. Upon graduating as a chemical ...

To celebrate his excellent keynote address at our Brewers Congress event in London last month, we return to one of our most listened-to episodes. David Gluckman was born in Port Elizabeth, South Africa on 1st November 1938, the day Sea Biscuit and War Admiral fought out the race of the century at Pimlico Park, Baltimore. Educated in Johannesburg, he joined a local advertising agency after university and soon fell in love with the business. He made the pilgrimage to London in 1961 and worked as...

What is diversity and inclusivity and why is it important to the beer industry? Earlier this year we invited Amelie Tassin, the founder and director of Tipple Marketing, a marketing and strategy agency based in Edinburgh, Scotland, to find out more. With over 15 years’ experience, Amelie has worked across several European sectors from retail banking and property development to cosmetics and food and drink. Her agency’s work is truly ‘the Swiss Army knife of marketing’ and offers tailored serv...

Holy Goat is a Dundee based brewery specialising in the production of mixed- fermentation and wood aged beers. At Holy Goat, they’ve taken an unconventional approach to yeast and fermentation, opting for a proprietary method that utilises Brettanomyces yeast for long maturation times – typically 3-4 months – to produce unique, complex, full-flavoured sour beer. The brewery, co-founded by Johnny Horn, is driven by experimentation and they’re obsessed with the awesome flavours that can be achiev...

Welcome to Closet Brewing, an Edinburgh-based nano-brewery focused on producing unique seasonal beers. The founders Lucy and Lizzie Stevens, began as homebrewers (brewing quite literally out of their closet), before officially launching the brewery in 2022. Since then, they’ve gone from strength to strength; brewing a diverse array of beers including a traditional doppelbock, a smoked pineapple gose, and a raspberry-chocolate torte stout, while also working with fantastic breweries across the ...

A great beer from a revered and respected brewery is always a pleasure.

But when you bring together three such outfits, creative forces that are admired across the UK, Europe and beyond then you know you’re in for a treat.

 And last week – a collaboration that took place in Lewes, in sunny East Sussex – is proving to be just that. Before Covid came crashing into people’s lives, Mark Tranter of Burning Sky Brewery and Yvan De Baets of Brasserie de la Senne were in Lewes and a visit to Harvey’...

Sheffield is one of the UK’s great beer cities. It’s a haven for great breweries, great beer and great people. Not to mention a wealth of brilliant places to enjoy these in. One such spot is Heist Brew Co. Founded by Dan Hunt and Adam France, Heist started brewing in a little village called Clowne in 2018 when the duo added a brewery to their craft beer bar and bottleshop. Learning the skill of brewing from collaborations and close friends within the industry the team decided to give it a go t...

One of the finest qualities the industry boasts is the way we find inspiration from businesses, brewers, beers and breweries from across the globe. Beer is a global language and brewers from around the world frequently find a new home in towns and cities to share their experiences and expertise in. And one such brewer is Virginia Casadio. Virginia hails from Ravenna, Italy and spent her early years studying art and design. After experimenting with home brewing, she said “Forget art, let’s bre...

You’ve probably had and enjoyed a beer produced by Colin Stronge. Failing that, you no doubt know some that has… And in Spring of 2024 the renowned brewer, alongside his wife and esteemed brand manager Vik Kastenbauer Stronge, launched Lost Cause Brewing Co onto the UK beer scene. We were thrilled that Colin used our Brewers Lectures at the excellent Wiper and True in Bristol to showcase these debut beers for the first time. During his talk, our Brewer of the Year from The 2022 Brewers Choice...

How much do you know about your local and the people that run it. Why they do what they do. What they enjoy about this profession. What they enjoy….less so. Be it core classics or specials and seasonals, the independent on-trade is essential in offering a platform to countless brewery’s beers. And for patrons and producers in West London, they’re fortunate to have a brilliant pub that does just that. Run by husband and wife duo Tim and Tosh, alongside canine companion Dexter, The Brook is part...

From Arise, Aurora and Cuvée, to Plateau, Saison Anniversaire and Luppoleto Pils, many of us are abundantly familiar with the fantastic beers produced by Burning Sky. But how much of do you know of the story behind these beers and the brilliant brewery that makes them? Because the Burning Sky team, led by founder Mark Tranter, prefer to let the beers do the talking. Founded in 2013, Burning Sky have made an indelible mark on UK beer since day one. The Sussex outfit, led by Mark, are a benchma...

Much has changed in England’s capital during the last decade. Breweries have come and gone as have countless beer styles, too. But in 2024, Hammerton Brewery – based moments from Caledonian Road & Barnsbury railway station in the London Borough of Islington – proudly celebrates its 10th anniversary. The business, founded by Lee Hammerton and his girlfriend – now wife – Karina has produced a wealth of beers during those 10 years, picking up a raft of awards along the way. And brewing is someth...

What’s the largest event you’ve organised alcohol licensing for? Well, today’s guest has licensed major festivals such as Glastonbury, pubs, bars – oh and the King’s Coronation, too. Piers Warne is a licensing lawyer at TLT and has 20- plus years’ experience licensing premises for the sale of alcohol and other licensable activities. This includes licensing breweries for direct sales to customers, online sales and for taprooms. He has acted on the licensing around sale and purchase of major br...