the magazine for the professional brewing industry
Brewers T H E
J O U R N A L
September~October 2015
Cans or bottles: making the choice
ISSN 2059-6669
tesco: why good local beer is key
launch issue
for this first issue of tbj we visit logan plant of beavertown at his north london brewery
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Mov ing things forward
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early 50 breweries across the UK and Ireland will have opened during the time it has taken to produce this new publication. If you’re reading this, you probably don’t need to be told how buoyant the brewing sector is in 2015, but equally, it’s clearly something that hasn’t developed overnight. The UK and Ireland has a privileged mix of breweries that are respected across the globe. Beers produced by companies, whether they’ve been trading for five years, or more than 150, are being welcomed and consumed by audiences in the US, Asia, and everywhere in-between. We’re traditionally known as islands famed for the production of bitters, brown ales, stouts, porters and pale ales, that much is true. But newer breweries, especially those in their formative months and years, have often been pigeon-holed as imitators in their attempts to brew beers that the wealth of respected US breweries have been putting out, to great success, for decades now. But the latter assumption couldn’t be further from the truth concerning these breweries in 2015. John Keeling, head brewer at Fuller, Smith & Turner, who is interviewed later in this issue, is among the most learned and personable figures you could hope to meet in the UK brewing industry. Having spent nearly 35 years at Fuller’s alone, Keeling has seen more change and development than most brewers will see in their professional brewing lives. “You could say that up until the so-called craft beer revolution, brewers were forcing the beer to do what they, actually maybe not they, but what the marketing or accounting team wanted it to do. And brewers were seen as subservient, a tool to deliver what they wanted back then. It's changed, you now accept the beer for what it is,” he explains. And it’s that loosening of the shackles that has opened the doors to the raft of innovation in the beer styles and flavours we are now fortunate enough to experience, thanks to the work being done by breweries across the UK and Ireland. So, while a brewery in Berkshire may be rollingout a new 4.8% golden ale, another brewery several miles down the road may be releasing a triple IPA that weighs in at 11%, or a beer with brettanomyces. There are no boundaries, there are no walls and more importantly, there is a respect that exists between those
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Editor's choice Brand is king. Getting your beer noticed can be as much about the creative packaging and graphics as it is about taste. The surge in UK brewers has brought with it a revolution in brand design. Chris Walker and Josh Smith give a masterclass in designing effective and impactful beer packaging - Page 56
steeped in tradition, and those forging their own path. The Brewers Journal is entering this industry at a point of rapid change, huge numbers of new breweries launching. New beers and more power to the brewers. And our objective at TBJ is to acquaint brewers with each other; to stimulate their zeal; facilitate the communication of new facts and also, to ascertain what is known in their science and what remains to be discovered. Tim Sheahan Editor
September~October 2015 | The Brewers Journal 3
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Cover story
34 - Beavertown's Logan Plant tells us how good beer and a good team will ensure the North-London brewery remains successful news 7 - Industry news 15 - Beer news BIG PICTURE 18 - Beers from Magic Rock, Buxton, and Thornbridge are poured at Druggists craft beer bar in Singapore Comments 22 - DC Solicitors discuss social media policies 26 - Weird Beard's Gregg Irwin talks hop contracts 28 - Crisp Malting celebrates Marris Otter retail 30 - Tesco's beer buyer Chiara Nesbitt talks beer 32 - Lidl discuss expanding their range meet the brewer 44 - Fuller's John Keeling explains that respecting tradition, and innovation, is key to longevity
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Brewery tour 52 - Natasha Wolf, sales and marketing coordinator at Weird Beard talks beer, brewing and events Packaging: design 56 - Chris Walker and Josh Smith give a masterclass in designing effective and impactful beer packaging Packaging: cANNING & BOTTLING 62 - We look at beer canning, and how bottling and glass manufacturers are fighting their corner
73 sCIENCE 73 - BDAS from the US puts flavour production in focus 76 - Campden BRI looks at product development SHOW PREVIEW 79 - All you need to know about November's BrauBeviale 2015 show in Germany
September~October 2015 | The Brewers Journal 5
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Half Full Beer Co plans expansion following Ilkley Brewery acquisition
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alf Full Beer Co is planning to double production at Ilkley Brewery within two years after acquiring the Yorkshire business for an undisclosed sum. The buyout forms the first phase of Half Full Beer Co’s plans that also involve the launch of a brand new brewery. The company, formed by former Ilkley Brewery manager Luke Raven, is backed by a number of investors that have pinpointed “immediate” investment and expansion at Ilkley. He explained: “With the quality of their beers recognised, and demand high, the opportunity to continue to be a part of the Ilkley Brewery story was not one to be passed up. “I formed Half Full Beer Co with an open remit to engage in the beer industry as a whole, and with a vision to develop a portfolio of brands. We are energized and focused on providing fresh impetus to continue building the Ilkley brand as an integral part of this portfolio. “Our optimistic, open and community-based approached perfectly suits Ilkley Brewery, and as a local resident myself, this is a very proud day. I am delighted that Richard Shelton is remaining as a shareholder and Director, and can be
confident that under his sustained stewardship, the business can continue to flourish.” Half Full is planning investment in company infrastructure, which includes the immediate creation of more jobs, with orders have already placed for brewing kit to increase production. Managing Director Richard Shelton added: “This marks the start of yet another exciting chapter in the brewery’s history. Having already grown at an exceptional rate, I believe that this new partnership and
the investment that comes with it will enable us to raise our ambitions and maximize our potential. “I am supported by a strong and dynamic team, who have been fundamental in building Ilkley Brewery’s reputation, and will continue to play an important role in our future growth. We have flourished in the last year, growing the brewery to be in the top 15% of Independent British breweries by production. We can now move forward together with a target to be in the top 5% within the next two years.”
Brewology offers “18 month ROI” on cask filler
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rewing equipment manufacturer Brewology has launched a new series of cask fillers and washers The company has detailed its Evolution Cask Filler, which is designed to fill casks in a controlled method that is claimed to reduce beer fobbing complete with inline finings injection as standard. According to the manufacturer, the system controls waste and by metering the beer, the filler can
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have a return on investment of “around 18 months”. There are three models in the Evolution range, the EC62, EC82 and EC120, which can fill, 62, 82, and 120 firkins per hour respectively. Features of the system include automatic finings injection, meter filling and production statistics and logging. Brewology has also launched its Tornado Cask Washer, which is de-
signed to clean casks using between five and seven litres of water. The machine features a highpressure pulse cleaning system with rotating cutting action producing five to six bar, as well as remote diagnostics and software upgrades via the internet. According to Brewology, its new Tornado system is also capable of washing kegs thanks to the manufacturer’s Keg Washer add on module.
September~October 2015 | The Brewer'sJournal 7
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Camerons invests £1.5m in bottling line
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artlepool-based Camerons Brewery can now bottle at a rate up to 10,000 units an hour after making the biggest capital investment since its expansion in 2008. The North East business that is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year, has invested £1.5m on a brand new purpose built bottling line supplied by Enterprise Tondelli. The company provided the turnkey solution, which comprises a sterile filtration unit, a BRB Blobus self-adhesive labeller, a Matrix Tri block rinser, filler, capper and Baumer tray and carton erector. Camerons’ investment has been supported with a £150,000 grant provided through the Tees Valley Business Compass scheme, and creates 12 new full-time jobs. According to the company, beer, imported by tanker or brewed on site, can be packaged initially into glass bottles ranging from 275ml to 660ml. However, the plant has also been designed with the flexibility to fill into PET bottles with space to install a wet glue labeller if required. The investment in the bottling plant complements the 1 million hectolitre a year brewery and adds to the current keg and cask pack capability of the site. Camerons produce for a four of the world’s top ten brewers and believe the investment now provides
them with a complete vertically integrated solution of brewing and packaging that is aligned to the “growing market demand for a reliable, high quality and cost effective” contract brewing and packaging solution for a number of key markets. “The long term shift from On-trade to Off-trade has driven significant growth in the premium packaged ale market and Camerons has recognised the importance of investing to support this growing sector both in respect of its own brands and contract products,” they explained. The company said it also recognised the opportunities for a cost effective UK brewing and / or packaging supply chain solution for products that is sold into the UK market, but currently brewed outside the UK. They have already penned a contract for 10,000 HL a year of brewing and packaging for a brand that is currently imported from the continent and is actively targeting other like opportunities. Camerons managing director, Chris Soley explained: “Customers keep telling us that we make some of the most consistent quality beer in the world brewed to the most exacting standards. “Therefore to be now be able, to provide them with this quality in a PET or glass format is great news.”
The London Beer Factory boosts capabilities
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he London Beer Factory is eyeing ongoing expansion after taking delivery of three new 5,000 litre brewing vessels, following an increase in demand for its beer. The South-East London brewery, which was founded by brothers Sim and Ed Cotton, had the new vessels installed last week. Installation of the new kit increases capacity at the company, which already brews ‘Chelsea
Blonde’, ‘London Session’ and Paxton Pale Ale’, but the business is already planning the next stage of its growth. It already sell its our beer in bottles, kegs, and casks and is hoping to have its brand new ‘Summer Pale Ale’ available in cans within the month. In addition, The London Beer Factory has recently starting opening its bottle shop to the public. “Currently we have over thirty
8 | The Brewers Journal | September~October 2015
beers for sale from all round the world and are hoping to expand this selection over the coming months,” they explained. The company said it was also hoping to set up a growler filling service in the near future too. “We’re keen to keep expanding steadily and to make sure as many people as possible try our great beer. We’re proud of our brewing and want as many people to enjoy it as much as we do!,” the said.
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Thornbridge Brewery to open bar in Finland
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hornbridge Brewery is looking to bring its beers fresh to drinkers in Finland with the opening of a new bar in Helsinki. The Derbyshire brewery is working alongside its Finnish importer Brew Seeker Oy, as well its parent company Captol Invest Oy, to locate a site ahead of a proposed opening later this year. Thornbridge managing director Jim Harrison, said the brewery has been “delighted at the great reception our beers have had in Finland”. He added: “We have really enjoyed working alongside our partners there to provide a wide range of our beers in top quality condition. “The prospect of a bar in Helsinki and working with Mikki and the team to make this a great Thornbridge experience is something that we are really looking forward to.”\ Entrepreneur Mikki Nyman has been appointed as the project's operational restaurateur and run the bar with Captol Invest’s support in line with their new MYBAR concept. Nyman explained: “The new pub
will have a great selection of beers, including special brews from Thornbridge on a regular basis. “Our intention is to have a modern approach to the classical British pub in our interior design and offering. Thornbridge’s well known slogan; “Innovation, passion, knowledge” will describe perfectly our aim with the pub.”other like opportunities.
Camerons managing director, Chris Soley explained: “Customers keep telling us that we make some of the most consistent quality beer in the world brewed to the most exacting standards. “Therefore to be now be able, to provide them with this quality in a PET or glass format is great news for them and will take cost out of their supply chains”
United Craft Brewers to “promote and protect” British craft brewers
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new association that aims to both promote and protect the interests of British craft brewers is set to officially launch later this year. United Craft Brewers went live with a website earlier in the summer following lengthy discussions between the association’s founding members and also the broader and wider craft brewing community. Beavertown Brewery’s Logan Plant, Magic Rock’s Richard Burhouse, Camden Town’s Jasper Cuppaidge, drinks distributor James Clay as well as BrewDog’s James Watt have all put their names to
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the cause, claiming it will focus on “core values of education and quality, along with promotion and protection”. However, they are also quick to point out that the association isn’t an exclusive membership community that other breweries will want to be part of. “This isn’t our party that other brewers are just showing up to: we want this to be a collaboration for all of us to contribute to, that’s why we’re planning a meeting for early September where we can discuss where we see the state of craft beer in the UK, and where we see the
future for it,” they added. James Watt, co-founder at BrewDog added: “The UK is home to one of the fastest growing, most innovative, creative and eclectic beer scenes in the world. We’re insanely proud to be a part of it and we’re laser focused on the future of amazing craft beer. “And that future is nothing without the collaborative effort and support of our thriving community of breweries and beer lovers. "The United Craft Brewers will provide a hub to help propel craft beer to reach its potential. It’s an exciting time to be in beer.”
September~October 2015 | The Brewers Journal 9
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Weird Beard to appoint new lead brewer
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eird Beard has been searching for a new lead brewer following the departure of its current head, Jonathan Bright. He left the brewery following four months at the West-London company, in which Weird Beard has gone from strength-to-strength. “My Dad was diagnosed with cancer last year and after multiple surgeries and treatment it’s still on the move. At this point I’m faced with the very difficult but also very simple decision to leave London to be with my family,” he said on the company’s site. Bright said that Weird Beard has made a number of changes during his brief tenure at the Hanwell brewery. He explained: “Starting in the brewhouse we’ve made adjustments to yeast and fermentation to get the beers tasting cleaner. Upgrade works have taken place on the mash tun
and we’ve installed a new CLT and HLT to help make double brew days run quicker and smoother. “Production has increased as we’ve found more ways to improve efficiency. Regular QC during the conditioning stage has helped us to get the beer into your hands tasting the best it possibly can. ”Packaging was pretty military but we’ve managed to push it a bit more, we’re on the cusp of automation which is very exciting. This has all led to Gregg and Natasha having to sell a lot more beer (although you guys seem to have obliged!)” The company has also just been completed work on its cold room for packaged beer. He added: “I’m proud of the work we’ve done over the last couple of months, I’m genuinely working on some of the best beers I’ve ever brewed at the moment. The next batch of Little Things That Kill is my baby (we offer hop choices
around the staff for each batch). “I chose Simcoe, Cascade and Willamette. It’s in the conditioning room under lock and key as Bryan can’t seem to stop drinking it, that’s a fair compliment. Our 200th brew is also close to being unleashed, a triple IPA loaded with Sorachi, Summit and Apollo hops! ”What I’m trying to get at is there’s a really great job just about to open up and I’m urging somebody to take it. The four months I’ve been here have been a transitional period for Bryan and Gregg as they see their home-brewing days slip further into the distance. “The team they’ve got around them are helping them to cement their place on the map as one of London’s most exciting breweries, producing more beer every week it seems. I’ll sign off by saying a big thank you to Bryan, Gregg and everyone at Weird Beard for supporting me and I’ll miss you guys a lot!”
Indian Brewery Company a family affair
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he Indian Brewery Company is a new family-run brewery in Birmingham. The Brewers Journal sat down with Jaspal Purewal, the personable and fervent founder of the new business. “I could feel my mother’s disappointment when she knew I made the choice to not go to university. I would always say to her not to worry as university is not the only route to succeed, and I believe that anybody can achieve what they want in life,” says a contemplative Purewal. The journey has been a long one but, like any good story, it isn’t without its twists and turns. Purewal’s idea to start a new brewery slowly became a reality in late 2014, with help and inspiration from his Grandad who was also steeped in the beer industry. Following on from this, he has managed to
bring his family around to his ideas. “The Indian Brewery consists of a family of three young boys, myself being the eldest at 20, mother and father and also a team we have created to brew and try and give the UK amazing craft beers and real ales,” he explains. Central to the company’s first cask offerings are its ‘Indian Summer’, ‘Peacock’, ‘Bombay Honey’ and classic ‘IPA’ beers. Distribution is unsurprisingly starting local but the brewery has already committed to the BBC Good Food Show later this year where it will debut its bottled range of beers. He adds: “One thing we love to do is deliver our products ourself. We do this because we take great pride in the beers we make and as a team we really want to make sure the consumer gets that quality you’ve strived for. “Craft beer is all about brewing
10 | The Brewers Journal | September~October 2015
in small batches, it’s about putting your heart in to the products you brew and aiming for, the best tasting beer anybody has ever sipped. When it comes to craft beer, there is no such thought of cheap ingredients. What you put in is what you get out.” That drive to create good beer was catalysed by Purewal’s fascination with London breweries, among others, online. “The first video and brewery that I ever watched and loved was The Kernel Brewery in London. From there on I couldn’t stop the obsession of watching videos of all the fantastic breweries around London such as Camden, Five Points, Crate, Brixton, Beavertown and a whole load more. The London craft beer scene is amazing and I thought, what if I could do something for my own home town of Birmingham? So there on in, my idea became reality.”
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Timothy Taylor improves efficiencies with Boiler
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Meantime Brewing Company launches 'The Knowledge' Meantime Brewing Company has launched ‘The Knowledge’ – a series of public masterclasses aimed at offering those wanting to learn more about beer, brewing and to get gain an insight into the world of modern craft beer. The classes, held at its Greenwich brewery, will be hosted, and have been devised by, Meantime’s Master Brewer Alastair Hook, and Beer Sommelier of the Year Rod Jones. Classes range from beginner through to advanced, with additional evening classes covering topics including ‘How to Taste Beer’; ‘London’s Beer History’; ‘How Beer is Made’ and ‘Beer and Cheese’ matching.
Innis & Gunn hits target
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eighley based brewer Timothy Taylor has said they have seen " significant energy savings following its £12 million investment programme with the installation of a second boiler from another Keighley firm, Byworth Boilers. The Yorkshireman 2 boiler has allowed Timothy Taylor to run their process using either natural gas or light oil. It also includes Byworth’s efficiency enhancing X-ID tubes and a flue gas economiser. Commenting at the time, second Brewer, Andrew Leman explained: “Our existing boiler is now 16 years old and in today’s terms is no longer cost efficient to run. It is also only just keeping up with peak demand and with call for our beers continuing to grow at a pace, the need for a larger more efficient boiler became pressing.” He added: “Not only will we be able to make considerable savings
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Now, in 2015, the company has said it has seen significant energy savings since the new boiler and they think they use about 13% less gas to brew the same amount of beer. "As a business you can invest in capital expenditure and get tax breaks, but your running costs are something that you do need to keep control of all the time so to have them reduced by 13% - that’s a big saving," says Leman. The Yorkshireman 2 boiler allows Timothy Taylor’s to run their process using either natural gas or light oil. It also includes Byworth’s efficiency enhancing X-ID tubes and a flue gas economiser. He added: “We have 50 or more uses of steam around the brewery because there’s lots of little tanks and equipment that need heating up for cleaning ETC and to put a little system in for each of those would be extraordinarily expensive."
Innis & Gunn has raised its target of £3 million, via its recentlylaunched mini-bond investment offer, to fund the creation of a state-of-the-art brewery in South East Scotland. Investors were offered a fouryear, initial fixed-term mini-bond with an interest rate of 7.25% gross interest per annum for investments from £500. Alternatively, or in addition to this, investors could opt for the BeerBucks BeerBond. This which offered an equivalent of 9% gross interest rate per annum, with the return taken in the form of ‘BeerBucks’, redeemed against beer at the Innis & Gunn online shop. Dougal Gunn Sharp, founder and CEO of Innis & Gunn, said the company was "blown away" by the level of support the bond has received and is over the moon to have hit the target they had set out. "We’ve always known that our fans and the beer community were enthusiastic about the offer and keen to get involved, but we have been truly bowled over. It’s now a matter of breaking ground on our site, which we are now in final negotiations to secure.”
September~October 2015 | The Brewers Journal 11
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Breweries warned on new regulations ahead of starting construction projects
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reweries embarking on construction projects are faced with a wealth of new regulations and responsibilities to uphold. The recently introduced Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM 2015) means that companies in this space, among others, must adhere to the existing regulations that were revoked earlier this year. Brewery planning, consultancy and installation firm FMA Process Engineering has highlighted the key areas breweries need to consider
CDM duty holders Under the 2015 Construction Design and Management regulations the duty holder are: Client Principal Designer Principal Contractor Designers Contractors Workers
before them commit to the next stage of expansion or change at their business. FMA’s engineering director Geoff Fisher explained: “It is essential that organisations are fully aware of their new duties and adhere to them. There is a transitional period for the new requirements that runs until 6 October 2015, but only applies to projects started before 6 April 2015.” Central to this is that under CDM 2015 Regulations, the role of CDM Co-ordinator (under CDM 2007) has been removed and a new Principal Designer role has been created,
which can be held by an individual or an organisation. According to FMA, the responsibility for planning, managing, monitoring and co-ordinating the pre-construction phase of a project now lies with that new entity – the Principal Designer. FMA explained: However, the client must take steps to ensure those appointed are competent and that they carry out their duties accordingly. “This includes making suitable arrangements for managing the project in question, providing all necessary pre-construction information, including the preparation of a project or client’s brief, and ensuring that proper welfare facilities are provided. “In essence, the 2015 CDM Regulations recognise the influence and status of the client as the head of the supply chain and, in doing so, give that individual or organisation ultimate responsibility for setting, controlling and maintaining standards throughout the project. “Put simply, the client (the individual or organisation) is now directly accountable for the impact of its decisions on – and approach to – project health, safety and welfare.” Fisher added: “Principal Designers are required to co-ordinate all the designers on a project, to lead design review meetings, to liaise with the Principal Contractor, to obtain and collate the pre-construction information and to develop and prepare the health and safety file. “In other words, the Principal Designer function is intended to integrate health and safety considerations into the design process, balancing and co-ordinating health and safety and design from the initial design stage.” According to the FMA, unlike CDM 2007, where projects that weren’t notifiable were exempt, written construction phase plans are now required for all construction
12 | The Brewers Journal | September~October 2015
projects. The Principal Contractor has the responsibility of producing the construction phase plan, relevant sections of which must be issued to all contractors before or at the point of tender. The level of detail should be proportionate to the risks involved in the project. CDM 2015 has also brought a change to the notification threshold for projects. The responsibility for notification under the regulations now lies with the client, with a project only becoming notifiable if the work is expected to last longer than 30 days – and have more than 20 individuals working simultaneously on the project at any point or exceed 500 person days in duration. Clients should notify the HSE as soon as they can. See: www.hse.gov. uk/forms/notification/f10.htm FMA Process Engineering highlights the fact that competence is also put under greater scrutiny in CDM 2015. It is now split into the following component parts: skills, knowledge, training and experience and – when relating to an organisation – organisational capability. This change has been made to provide clarity and help ensure that project teams have the right capabilities to deliver safe and healthy projects. “I urge any client company that is about to embark on a new project to appoint a Principal Designer as soon as possible and, when doing so, take the necessary steps to ensure the Project Designer’s competence in all relevant disciplines,” explains Geoff Fisher. He adds: “In our sector, competence could include process design, civils, electrical and mechanical engineering. "With a carefully chosen Principal Designer in place at the pre-design stage, you will be in a much better position to release documents for tender that contain all the necessary pre-construction information.”
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Pig and Porter collaborates with Weird Beard on UK first
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ig and Porter has collaborated with West London’s Weird Beard on a steam-style beer that uses EXP341 hops from Simply Hops, its first commercial use in the UK. The beer, Weird Pig, has been fermented with a lager yeast but at ale temperatures while the grist is Pale Malt, Vienna, Caramalt and some Crystal. Kettle hops used in the brew are Magnum for bittering, Simcoe, Centennial and Columbus in late on. What makes it more special is that for the dry hop, they have managed to secure EXP431. Sean Ayling, director and brewer at Pig and Porter tells us: “The Weird Beard collaboration came about because Gregg and I know each other from homebrew days and
we share a birthday. “It seemed obvious then, to brew a collaboration to celebrate our respective birthdays. As we have a lot in common.”
US HOPS for Exmoor Ales XPA
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xmoor Ales has launched a golden hoppy 4.8% beer to mark the brewery’s 35th year of brewing, and the opening of its new brewery. Exmoor said its new beer is “easy-drinking” and uses two American hops (Willamette and Cascade), alongside the English varieties Fuggles and Goldings, which marry together to deliver “refreshing citrusy and orange-jelly notes” on the nose, while the palate is a “bittersweet bonding of more juicy citrus and hints of berry” before a dry, grainy, bitter finish. Exmoor Ales’ Managing Director and owner Jonathan Price explained: “Our head brewer Adrian Newman has produced a slightly more modern IPA style incorporating some American hops for bitterness, but tempered with a sweetness in the mash to produce another easily drinkable Exmoor beer."
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He added: “We brewed it because we wanted to celebrate 35 years of brewing, and also to celebrate the commissioning of the new brewery, which we have invested £1.5 million in. “There’s plenty of room for expansion and we’ve gone up in size, from 20 barrels to 50, some more drinkers out there will be able to enjoy our beers."
Weird Beard's Gregg Irwin (L) with Pig & Porter's Sean Ayling at the beer's launch
Camden Town Brewery launches Red IPA Camden Town Brewery has launched its first Red IPA, a 4.7% beer brewed with El Dorado and Cascade hops. The new beer, which takes inspiration from Ireland, Germany and the USA is the last to be brewed by its brewer Ian. The Red IPA has an IBU of 47, which the brewery said is the result of hop bursting, by adding the hops at the end of the whirlpool cycle. He said: “The first beer I brewed at Camden was a 20 litre batch of singlehopped Pale Ale using El Dorado hops. Now I’m making a 2000 litre batch using El Dorado again. It’s nice to bring it back to where I started from here. “The Vermont yeast I’m using will give it a distinct aroma of East Coast IPAs, and because it’s a hop-tolerant yeast strain, the eucalyptus and minty aromas from the El Dorado and Cascade hops really come through.”
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West Berkshire revisits classic
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est Berkshire Brewery has marked its 20th anniversary with the launch of ‘Double Decadence’, a 4.5% golden ale. The beer is double-hopped and has herbal and caramel aromas complementing citrus tasting notes. Available in cask and bottle throughout July and August, the brew is a particularly important one for the Yattendon-based brewery. To mark its anniversary, they delved into their archives to bring back a selection of the old favour-
Marks and Spencer broadens beer range Marks and Spencer has continued its British beer push with four new 330ml additions to its bottled range. Oakham, Freedom, Harviestoun and Adnams head up the latest wave of beers, which are brewed exclusively for the high street giant. Adnams weighs in with ‘Sorachi Saison’, a 6% golden beer that has been mainly brewed with galaxy hops producing a citrusy aroma with flavours of lemon and tangerine. ‘Lowland Glen Amber’ is, unsurprisingly, an amber ale from Harviestoun. The 4.5% beer uses Simcoe and features malt undertones complementing a fruity finish. Freedom Brewery has provided ‘Ash Brook Red Lager’, which has been brewed with three different UK malts and comes in at 4.7%. The final addition is ‘Double Hopped Citra IPA’ is a 5.9% IPA that has aromas of passion fruit and a mango and lemon flavour. Marks and Spencer’s latest beers complement the launch of four rebadged numbers earlier this year that included Sambrook’s ‘Battersea Rye’ and Hog’s Back ‘Five Hop Lager’.
ites for the 2015 monthly cask ale specials. During this process the brewery came across the recipe for Decadence, a golden ale which was originally brewed in honour of the company's 10th anniversary that took place in 2005. Inspired by this, head brewer Will Twomey decided to create the follow on to the original ‘Decadence’ by double hopping the brew to deliver a clean and assertive bitterness which complements the sweet malt caramel flavours.
Spitfire Gold launched
S
hepherd Neame has made an addition to its Spitfire Premium Kentish Ale range with Spitfire Gold, a new 4.1 beer available in cask from this month. According to the brewer, the beer is a well-balanced, light golden ale that features a sweet malt base with delicate floral and pine aromas imparted by Centennial and Saaz hops. Spitfire Premium Kentish Ale was first brewed 25 years ago to honour the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Britain and as 2015 marks 75 years since the historic air campaign,
brewer Shepherd Neame decided to commemorate the occasion by launching Spitfire Gold, a new permanent addition to the range. Spitfire brand manager William Upfield explained: “We feel that Spitfire Gold is a fitting way to honour those heroes who fought bravely in the Battle of Britain and celebrate the Spitfire plane itself, a Great British icon. It also helps raise awareness of our mammoth yearlong fundraising campaign for the RAF Benevolent Fund during 2015 to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain.”
Upham unveils 4.2% EPA
W
inchester-based Upham Brewery has brewed a new beer, Upham EPA, to showcase at the National Maris Otter 50th Anniversary Beer Festival that takes place from 17-19 September. Although less than 6% of British beer is produced with Maris Otter, it has a strong, lasting support from brewers and beer-lovers and Upham said it has long been an avid
16 | The Brewers Journal | September~October 2015
supporter of the barley malt with both its Upham EPA and Tipster ales brewed using Maris Otter Pale Ale Malt. Upham EPA is a 4.2% ABV fullflavoured pale ale that gives a floral, grassy and fruity aroma with hints of spice and a malty, bitter mouthfeel. It is be brewed using Maris Otter Pale Ale Malt, Crystal Malt and a combination of Fuggle, Challenger and Target English Hops.
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the
bee r s
ne w s
Robinsons launches trooper in keg
S
tockport-headquartered Robinsons brewery has confirmed that its 4.7% Trooper beer is available now on keg. The beer that previously been offered on cask, in bottles, and in cans in the US, was inspired by Iron Maiden and features Bobec, Cascade and Goldings hops. John Robinson, brand manager of Trooper, explained: "It has been a firm favourite amongst beer and music fans since it first launched back in 2013 but not all venues are fortunate enough to have real ale
on the bar. "We initially launched the 330ml bottled version to try and fill the gap but many venues still struggled with fridge space. Brewed to the same great recipe, we're thrilled to now be able to bring Trooper to the market as a premium British keg ale. "Not only is keg more userfriendly, longer lasting and easier to keep than cask, but keg ale drinkers are now also demanding a more premium offering. It's a perfect brand match for these venues and with Trooper’s drinkability, we know it will go down a storm."
Bradford and Leeds Breweries create ‘Northern Powerhouse’ beer
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radford Brewery and Leeds Brewery have joined forces for their first-ever collaboration, ‘Northern Powerhouse’. The 5.5% beer is the creation of Bradford’s head brewer Anthony Barrett and Leeds Brewery’s assistant head brewer Will Warriner. Hops included in the beer include First Gold, Admiral, Target and Bramling Cross. “We’re using hops which we’ve never put together before, so we’re not 100% sure how it’s going to turn out. It’s already smelling and tasting incredible though. It has a reddish hue and, at around 5.5%, may emerge as an ESB (Extra Special Bitter) or a Best,” explained Barrett. Bradford Brewery’s managing director Matt Halliday said there has always been a “cheeky” bit of rivalry between Bradford and Leeds – including arguments about who can brew the best beer. He said: “But the truth is that the brewing industry is part of a proud tradition across the whole county – so, for Yorkshire Day, we decided to
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A powerhouse collaboration
bury the hatchet and work together to create a powerful new brew which we feel sure will get everyone’s vote. “For this weekend at least, we are all united behind one aim as beer loving Yorkshire folk, so we’ve named it Northern Powerhouse. The difference here is that you can be confident that our vision will be allowed to proceed to maturity!” Only 40 casks of the special edition Yorkshire beer have been
brewed, with half of these distributed across bars in Bradford and Leeds. Leeds Brewery’s head brewer Venkatesh Lyer added: “When the idea was put forward by Matt at Bradford we were quite excited, as we’ve never done a collaboration brew before. We felt there was no better way to do a great Yorkshire Day beer than in a collaboration brew – and the name Northern Powerhouse seemed very apt!”.
September~October 2015 | The Brewers Journal 17
b i g
p i c t u r e
18 | The Brewers Journal | September~October 2015
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b i g
p i c t u r e
Eastern promise
B
eers from Beavertown, Buxton, Magic Rock, Thornbridge and Weird Beard grace the taps at Singapore's popular Druggists bar. Sitting alongside US titans Rogue, Anderson Valley and Deschutes, it's a sign of the growing, insatiable appetite that exists for UK beers across the globe. The bar, which takes its name from the Singapore Chinese Druggists Association, that it shares the building with, was opened by distributor duo, Corrine Chia and Lincoln Goh of The Drinking Partners in 2015.
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September~October 2015 | The Brewers Journal 19
a d v er t o r i a l
mu n to n s
The malting opportunity
W
hilst it may seem to be too early to say that summer is drawing to an end, now we are in September it simply can’t be denied. Early summer saw some amazing weather (certainly in most parts of the country) and there is no doubt that brewers will be treating themselves to a few more celebratory beers when the summer “season” ends. Then a short break before it’s time to start again ready for the Christmas rush. The same goes for those farmers who are watching the fields, monitoring the crops, assessing the quality and yield hoping for good weather to finish the harvest, explains Joanna Perry, marketing and creative manager at Muntons. Maltsters like us are also watching the crop and buying to our specifications as the harvest progresses – right now it’s the spring barley harvest although in northern areas because of the weather we are a couple of weeks behind last year. It is too soon to advise what to expect, we will provide more detail in December, when the results for the entire harvest will be in but it’s fair to say, so far so good. This is England however and you know our weather - anything can happen. Farming is tough, there are a number of things that can affect crops and thus impact not just the cost of production but also the quality of the end product. A
20 | The Brewers Journal | September~October 2015
long spell of cold weather, including cold nights or heavy rains, influences the timing of sowing the barley seeds. Conditions do need to be right to encourage growth. Whilst Scotland is generally much colder, we are already seeing the impact of that delay as growth didn’t happen until much later due to the colder growing conditions, so given the shorter “growth” time there may well be an impact on yield. A heat wave strikes and the nation basks themselves and beer gardens fill. In the meantime the growing grains, which are still small, are ripening quickly. But conditions must be right to get the very best quality; the right amount of rainfall, sunshine and warmth. Harvest is well underway in Scotland but there is an element of anticipation as the majority of Scottish Barley is contracted to distillers, so poor yield can limit availability for the domestic requirement. What brewers are interested in is quality and price. Is the malt going to match their requirements and is it going to be at a price that they are happy to pay? As highlighted earlier, there are a number of factors that can affect quality and thus price – most, if not all, are down to mother-nature and the market place itself. Muntons offer full traceability, a good support service, technical advice and even pilot brewing facilities. With new malting varieties coming along every few years there is always an opportunity to try these and see which variety will work for you. We have heard of breweries getting exceptionally good results from both Venture and Propino.
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mu n to n s
a d v er t o r i a l
2015 sees the 50th anniversary of Maris Otter, a firm favourite for brewers looking to use a true heritage variety. This year will see fifty new beers being launched at the Maris Otter Festival (17-19th September 2015). Some brewers may decide that with new craft breweries opening at a rate of two to three a week that now’s the time to try something a little different
About Muntons Muntons Malt is a division within Muntons plc currently selling over 180,000 tonnes of malt annually to the world’s brewing, distilling and food industries. One of five major maltsters located in the UK, Muntons are a family owned, independent company. Our two maltings, located in the prime malting barley growing areas of the UK enable us to buy our barley from local suppliers within a 50 mile radius of our maltings. Today Muntons plc has two operating divisions: Muntons Malt specialises in serving the brewing and distilling industries whilst Muntons Ingredients is focused on supplying added value malt products to the food and beverage industries worldwide. For more information regarding Muntons Malt for brewing and distilling visit our website: www.muntonsmalt.com or email sales@muntons.com If you would like to arrange a brew at our Centre for Excellence, please visit our website muntons-centreforexcellence.com or email centreforexcellence@muntons.com
and try to find a way to stand out from the crowd. The Centre for Excellence at Muntons, which is a 100 litre microbrewery is open to brewers who want to come and experiment, or try something new perhaps even take part in some of the trials that will be undertaken using spring barley. In March this year we picked up the title of ‘Maltster of the year’ at the first ever Brewing Supply Awards competition, organised by RMI and presented at the biennial World Barley Malt & Beer Conference in Dublin. This is a global award recognising business success in the brewing supply industry. Other winners that we have seen throughout the year include a number of SIBA winning beers made using Muntons Malt, the most recent being the Champion Beer of Britain won by the Tiny Rebel Brewery for their ‘CWTCH’ ale.
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September~October 2015 | The Brewers Journal 21
c o mm e n t
legal
the brewery, the stafF
and social media Social media can be both a boon, and a burden to breweries. Daryl Cowan, partner at DC Employment Solicitors outlines the importance and the benefits of having a comprehensive social media policy for your business.
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hether it is Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, or now even Google Plus, there is an ever growing wave of social media available via the internet, which has brought with it a new set of issues for businesses to
deal with. While social media can be very useful to business in terms of marketing, we have seen an increase in the case law involving problems encountered with employee misuse and the employer’s ability to take action against employees. Employees are increasingly postiWng comments on their social media accounts which are damaging the reputation of their employers and in some cases divulging confidential information. The frequency of social media related problems shows no sign of letting up. The fact is that a significant number of employees do not appear to be learning from highly publicised incidents of abuse and the dismissal (and sometimes criminal action) that results from their inappropriate use of social media. Instead, they are increasingly posting comments online which are (whether deliberately or inadvertently) damaging the reputation of their employers - and in some cases divulging confidential information.
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blanket ban
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blanket ban on the use of social media in the workplace is clearly an option open to businesses but it is unlikely to be practical. Aside from social media being a useful platform for promoting and marketing businesses, a ban will most probably not prevent employees (often seemingly without realising they’re doing anything wrong) from posting work, colleague or customer related comments on their personal computer or phone outside of their work hours. By way of illustration, a brewery client of ours recently had a member of staff who had a serious falling out with a customer. They began by bickering via their Facebook accounts. The situation quickly escalated to the extent that the employee began to make some very ugly (and, frankly, disgusting) threats towards the customer. This was all documented on Facebook – the employee mistakenly thinking that it was somehow private. When the customer complained to the brewery, an investigation took place, swiftly followed by dismissal for gross misconduct (the correct disciplinary procedures having taken place). Having a good social media policy in place made this a
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legal
very straight-forward case to deal with (albeit the circumstances in this case were so extreme that the dismissal would have safely taken place in any event).
abusive customers
T
here are plenty of examples where bar staff have been abusive about customers they’ve become (let’s say) disenchanted with. In those situations the Employment Tribunal is quite prepared to support the employer if the employee’s actions are, or could be, damaging to the business or its reputation. Proper procedures will need to have been followed and (preferably) a social media policy should be in place. A good example is the case of Preece v JD Wetherspoon plc, in which Miss Preece worked as a manager at a Wetherspoon pub. Miss Preece was subjected to abuse at work and abusive telephone calls by two customers and one of the customer's daughters. She reacted to this abuse by, whilst on duty, posting offensive comments about one of the customers on Facebook. She believed that only 50 of her Facebook friends were able to see such posts, however they were also seen by the customer’s daughter, who subsequently complained to Wetherspoon’s. Wetherspoon’s began disciplinary proceedings on the grounds that by commenting on Facebook Miss Preece was in serious breach of its internet policy (Wetherspoon’s policy warned employees about posting comments which could lower its reputation or the reputation of colleagues or customers and its disciplinary procedure stated that any failure to comply with that policy could constitute gross misconduct). Miss Preece was dismissed following a disciplinary hearing on the grounds that her actions had lowered Wetherspoon’s reputation, breached its internet policy and breached the duty of trust and confidence.
c o mm e n t
human rights, in particular her freedom of expression. This claim was dismissed and it was held that Wetherspoon’s decision was justified due to the risk of damage to its reputation. Case law in the UK has shown that rights under the Human Rights Act 1998 will rarely assist employees who have posted damaging comments on social media accounts. The right to privacy has proved to be a difficult defence to suceceed with because any right to privacy has been waived by the employee when they made the decision to post information on a public forum such as Facebook. By way of further illustration of how the Employment Tribunal is likely to view social media use (and abuse) by employees, a recent and highly publicised case involved a canal worker who insulted his supervisors on Facebook while on standby. He also boasted about being drunk when there was a clear policy that said he couldn’t drink on standby. He later claimed his comments weren’t true and were just ‘banter’. He lost at the Employment Appeal Tribunal with the employer’s policy prohibiting “any action on the internet which might embarrass or discredit” clearly playing a significant role.
reasonable response
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here employees’ abusive online comments are directly related to work, colleagues or customers, it is easy to see why a dismissal would clearly be within the “band of reasonable responses” - the test a Tribunal would apply when deciding if a dismissal is fair or not. Whilst the Tribunal in this case did state that it would have issued a final written warning, nevertheless it held that the decision to dismiss fell within the range of reasonable responses and was fair. Miss Preece tried to claim that Wetherspoon’s was in breach of her
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September~October 2015 | The Brewers Journal 23
c o mm e n t
legal
public grievance
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action that may take place, together with potential consequences (including dismissal).
further issue that employers often fail to consider is the security of its own social media outlets and accounts. A perfect example of this is where a village pub sacked a chef after he refused to work on Christmas Day. He subsequently took to his employer’s Twitter account to get his own back and posted that the pub’s food was sourced from a supermarket. In a succession of disparaging tweets on the pub’s own Twitter account he very publicly proclaimed his grievances about his employer to 2,000 of the pub’s followers. After he was accused of hacking the account, he responded saying he had set the account up so he had all the details. The crucial point in this situation was the fact that the Chef had set up the pub account with the permission of his former employers. This meant that the pub landlord was not in control of his own business social media and it was the Chef who had primary access to the account and its password. So, if your business delegates the setting up and management of your social media accounts to team members, you need to take back control of passwords and contact email accounts as soon as possible so that details can be changed when required. It is obviously fine to delegate the management of accounts to employees provided overall control is retained and the account is regularly checked. The case law demonstrates that employers with well considered social media policies are in the best position to protect their businesses when issues arise. Policies should clearly outline any disciplinary
positive communication
I
n addition employers should communicate to employees the business’s expectations in relation to social media and educate them by raising awareness of the impact their actions could have. It is also essential that employers take each case on its merits and investigate disciplinary issues properly (including the context in which the situation arose). We are seeing ever increasing numbers of social media related disciplinary action taking place. It is essential that employers protect their business from the poor publicity these cases bring. Being prepared is key. It’s very difficult to entirely remove the risk of the abuse of social media by your employees but you can protect your business and have the ability to take swift action by: Having a well-publicised social media policy in place which makes clear what is and is not acceptable; Have policies in place protecting confidential information and intellectual property. Following a fair disciplinary policy and carrying out a reasonable investigation into any disciplinary issue that arises. Establishing whether you believe the employee is guilty of misconduct and considering whether you have reasonable grounds for that belief? Finally, you should ask yourself whether your decision to dismiss is one that a reasonable employer might make.
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ca r botech
a d v er t o r i a l
carbonation techniques
C
arbonation Techniques is a UK manufacturer of Carbonating machines for the drinks industry. Each of our systems is bespoke, individually designed for the product range required and production volumes specified; starting with a capacity of 2000 litres up to 44,000 litres per hour, the machines can be used for carbonating alchopops, beer, cider, soft drinks, water and wine; they are used in bottling halls, canning factories and kegging plant. With installations now spreading across the developed world and with several award winners in the ‘sparkling’ categories, we have an enviable reputation. Each product is considered carefully and the benefits of using a purpose built machine will be clearly seen. From the receiving vessel the liquid is very gentle handled by the positive displacement pump, into the carbonating vessel. The liquid enters the tank through a specially designed spray head which forms a controlled size droplet which then fall through the carbon dioxide layer and by absorbing the C02, it de aerates at the same time. The droplet size control ensures consistent carbonation and the champagne bubble is produced. The now carbonated drink is transferred to filling station which is harmoniously programmed with the carbonator. In the case of beer, de aeration ensures that any life span reducing gases are effectively removed and recorded levels of nitrogen are as low as 0.0003 parts per million, giving a much longer shelf life as required by supermarkets and off licenses. It is extremely important that beer is handled gently to prevent protein damage and ensure product stability throughout carbonation, the integrity of the beer is preserved and low fobbing achieved during the filling process. The introduction of our mixed gas units for stout production is becoming increasing popular, especially as the craft beer market increases year on year. The request and demand for these carbonation systems is continually growing and we review our designs and carbonation functions to suit each and every product which is carbonated. Carbonation Techniques Ltd help two Breweries to expand. Little Valley Brewery have recently had installed a new bottle line capable of 2000 bottle per hour. Little Valley Brewery explained: “Carbonation Techniques installed a Eurostar bottling plant MEC ISO DPS, Conveyor system and an in-line Carbonator Model Carbo2000at in June 2014. "The installation was quick and hassle free, everything went to plan. The new kit has made a
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Little Valley Brewery's new bottling line
huge difference to Little Valley. Carbotech engineers are on hand to support if we need them and available for yearly maintenance visits." Rye River Brewery purchase a complete line, Eurostar Rinser, filler and crowner, labelling machine, conveyor system along with the inline carbonating machine Carbo 2000. The added: “Having our own bottling line has given us full control in house of all our beer, something we are very passionate about. The bottling line is very intuitive and had been commissioned and installed with very few issues. The beer quality coming out of the line is fantastic, our partnership with carbotech has allowed us expand our packaging facility very quickly and I have always found them great to work with"
Contact Carbotech For more information on Carbotech, or to get in touch visit www.carbotech.co.uk Tel: +44 (0) 1952583901 Email: wendy@carbotech.co.uk
September~October 2015 | The Brewers Journal 25
c o mm e n t
malt
Maris Otter at 50 With the 2015 harvest, the UK malting barley variety Maris Otter celebrates 50 years since its first commercial crop. Dr David Griggs, technical director at Crisp Malting Group talks about the secret of its longevity.
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ince 1965 the brewing industry has changed out of all recognition and numerous barley varieties have passed into and out of vogue, yet malt made from Maris Otter has continued to hold a special place within the brewer’s portfolio of malt types. Maris Otter was bred by Dr GDH Bell and his team of plant breeders at the Plant Breeding Institute (PBI) in Cambridge from a remit laid down in the mid-1950s. By crossing the PBI-bred and established malting barley variety Proctor (commercialised 1955) with another variety Pioneer (released 1942), Maris Otter was bred to brew traditional cask conditioned ales, the mainstay of the then flourishing and comprehensive regional brewing network within the UK.
dominant variety
M
aris Otter was first described in 1965 by the National Institute of Agricultural Botany (NIAB) and recommended the following year for cultivation in the UK as a winter malting variety. Maris Otter was the dominant malting variety in the UK in the 1970’s and remained on the NIAB Recommended List until 1989 whereupon it had been outclassed in agronomic yield by newer varieties (some of which were off-spring of Maris Otter such as Halcyon and Pipkin). Although the large brewers had moved onto other malting varieties, support for the variety continued within the smaller, independent brewing sector in the UK and Maris Otter was taken into the custodianship of two UK grain merchants (Robin Appel Ltd and H. Banham Ltd) who continue to manage the supply of Maris Otter seed and commercial crops. Anticipated
26 | The Brewers Journal | September~October 2015
quantities from the 2015 harvest are back to the levels seen in the late 1980’s.
global demand
T
he burgeoning craft brewing sector now continues to drive the global demand for Maris Otter malt half a century after Bell and his team at PBI bred the variety with Maris Otter malt being exported to the USA, Japan and other discerning markets. Why the longevity? For maltsters, Maris Otter is a reliable performer giving consistent malt quality. To still be sought after 50 years, however, Maris Otter must have attributes that provide the brewer with operational benefits or final product quality improvements, with many craft brewers putting their success down to using Maris Otter malt. Evidence exists to show that Maris Otter malt performs well yielding its available extract under a range of brewing situations and proving straightforward to brew with. Independent flavour profiling with blind tasting of malt revealed Maris Otter to be at the preferred end of the flavour spectrum - ‘very clean, crisp with biscuit and grain notes’
50th anniversary
T
o mark the 50th anniversary, a beer festival dedicated to Maris Otter is being held in Norwich this month (September). The Maris Otter 50 Fest (tweet @marisotter50) will showcase 50 new beers brewed with Maris Otter from breweries around the world and promises to provide a perfect opportunity to celebrate this incomparable brewing ingredient.
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malt
www.brewersjournal.info
c o mm e n t
September~October 2015 | The Brewers Journal 27
c o mm e n t
hop
co n t r acts
The hops dilemma Gregg Irwin, co-founder of Weird Beard discusses why hop contracts are, by and large, a very good thing.
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hop contract is a piece of paper that you sign that commits you to taking a certain volume of hops over the course of the year. There are a number of hop merchants that you can contract with and we frequently use Charles Faram as they tend to have the best range of available hops. It is vital for most breweries to guarantee the supply of interesting American/ New Zealand/Australian hops that are so prevalent in current beer. It is also very useful if you contract at least 500kg for the year... At that point Faram's will store the hops for you allowing you to draw down from the contract without having to either store the hops yourself or pay for all the contracted hops upfront. To put this into perspective, our hop contract for this coming year is in excess of £40,000 and is over two tonnes of hops, not something we have the money or space to deal with all at once. However, the availability of hops is always a hot and stressful topic at the brewery. We in the UK only get the stuff that is left when the growing US craft scene has had its fill of the best of them. Back before we started the brewery we knew that some hops would be very difficult to get hold of. Certain hops like Sorachi Ace and Nelson Sauvin are hoovered up in such large quantities by the bigger, more established breweries that they are almost impossible to get hold of unless you have a record of using them. If you are a start up you can't have such a record so you are left feeling that there is no way in. It took a lot of begging and buttering up the guys at Faram’s to get the small amount of Sorachi we did manage to get in the first year. We still can't get hold of any Nelson for love nor money.
28 | The Brewers Journal | September~October 2015
Even when you have a contract, this is no guarantee of supply. Hops are regularly shorted (a situation where the hop merchant gets only a percentage of their order and they pass this shortfall onto the brewers). Even when the hops arrive into the country can be a bit of an issue. Currently we are being told that there are no Simcoe pellets available, even though we have them on contract, that they have not arrived as yet. Not arrived! Hell, they were harvested nine or 10 months ago... how long does the boat take to get across the Atlantic? The biggest bugbear this year is the availability of Citra. Citra is our biggest usage hop accounting for about 25% of all the hops us we have on contract and the instrumental hop in Mariana Trench, our best selling beer, and Faceless Spreadsheet Ninja. Unfortunately it is a very popular hop with other breweries so the demand is large. This year for some reason, perhaps there was a lower yield on the Citra crop, or one of the big US brewers decided they wanted a lot more but Charles Faram received only 70% of their expected ration. As such, they passed this shortfall onto the brewers so we only got 70% of the Citra we were expecting. So how does a ninja deal with this kind of bump in the road? Be Prepared: As you may expect we were sensible enough to order more Citra than we needed, particularly the pellets we use for dry hopping. This got us through the start of the year. Be Flexible: Faceless Spreadsheet Ninja in concept was a single hop Citra but as soon as we were shorted we changed to Magnum for bittering, which also allowed us to keep the price down slightly. All was going well until we started to ramp up our production of Mariana Trench. We keep running out
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hop
of Mariana so had to brew it more regularly - twice as often as planned in fact. A quick spreadsheet later and we realised that we had *just* enough Citra to brew Mariana at this accelerated level for the rest of the year, so where did this leave this Ninja's dearest beer... Plan B: We had to make a sacrifice, we had to ninja the Ninja. We had to come up with the “Variations on a Ninja” series. So what are the Variations on a Ninja series? First up is ‘MAC Spreadsheet Ninja’, almost ready to release, perhaps a play on the Apple Mac where this Ninja first encountered spreadsheets. It uses Mosaic, Amarillo and Centennial and is less tropical than the Faceless version but its crisp hoppiness put a very big
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co n t r acts
c o mm e n t
smile on my face. The second variation is ‘Traditional Spreadsheet Ninja’. It uses the Saaz hop, which you all will of course know is traditional in Czech Pilsners. Even if our brewery water treatment brews more German style pilsners, it is currently tasting great from the fermenter, so expect to see it soon. We have other ideas, ‘Experimental Spreadsheet Ninja’ using Experimental 431 as the hop and ‘Faceless Wordprocessor Ninja’ with Aurora, Bobec, Celia and Dana hops. Whether these get brewed, this ninja can't really say. The original version of this article can be found on http://weirdbeardbrewco.com/ . Follow Gregg on Twitter @dredpenguin
September~October 2015 | The Brewers Journal 29
r e ta il
tesco
every tipple helps As beer buyer for Tesco, Chiara Nesbitt is responsible for the procurement of all of the ale, bitter, and stout sold by the retail giant in its stores and online across the UK and Ireland. So how does she decide what makes the cut?
phillip suddick
C
hiara Nesbitt has been buying beer at Tesco for six years, and before this she worked in both the the company’s convenience and dairy teams. Including Nesbitt, there are four buyers in total across the beer and cider category, as well as a senior buying manager that oversees the team, as well as a customer manager responsible for looking after the marketing and customer facing side of the business. She’s been told she has many people’s dream job more times than she cares to remember, that’s if they believe her in the first place. But the role is no laughing matter for Nesbitt, who has the power to elevate a brewery from a local enterprise to a national name. “I love attending trade shows where I get to meet up not only with suppliers and brewers I already know, but also make new contacts," she explains. According to the personable beer buyer, there is a great deal of development going on in the industry and it’s a great way to keep up with fresh new opportunities. "I love trying new and exciting beers as well as the constant enthusiasm that comes from this industry,” she adds. Nesbitt explains that she is a fan of meeting new breweries no matter how big or small, in order to see what “gems” they have to offer.
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“The challenging part of the job is that the shelves are not elastic and unfortunately I cannot list everything so the difficulty is making sure that we have the right range in the right stores,” she adds. TBJ - How important are UK breweries to Tesco’s beer portfolio and has their importance changed in the last few years? CN: UK breweries are hugely important! The majority of our ale range is made up of UK brewers and the local range which I’ve already mentioned, also takes that a step further to ensure that we are also supporting and offering local brews for local customers. We are extremely proud of our ale offering and also the bottled conditioned Real Ale range that we have supported by CAMRA. TBJ - How does Tesco source its UK beers? You’ve clearly got a strong relationship with a great number of breweries, but when it comes to getting new breweries on board, how does this work? CN: We deal directly with our brewers and I believe we have a great working relationship with every one of them. For own label, we have very strict technical guidelines but do work with a range of brewers including Marston’s, Greene King and Brewdog. I am always on the lookout for new opportunities, whether it is something that we present to the brewer or
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equally something they have presented to us. We do receive a number of opportunities every week as we have such a wide range of suppliers however it’s that same old space issue that it comes down to. I would love to fill a whole store with Ale! TBJ - There’s a great deal of invention and innovation taking place across the UK brewery scene while there are dozens of new breweries opening monthly. What do you expect to be the big trends in beer emerging over the next 12-18 months? CN: I think the whole “craft” debate will continue for at least another 12 months before it begins to settle down. Tesco has backed this trend for some time though there was a stage we were perhaps a little bit too quick and brave to market. I am hopeful that bottle conditioned will become a trend that is welcomed by new drinkers as well as the established customers and I do believe there is room for growth in the ruby category. TBJ - On that note, how does a company like Tesco inform and educate its customers on new beer types, or is it an aspect they leave to their customers? CN: Yes we do a great job of assisting a customer’s shop we have shelf stripping on our shelves and merchandise our range by flavour profile which makes
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it very easy for customers to find new beers that are similar to their favourites. We used to merchandise by brewer however customer feedback told us that they preferred the flavour profile and found it more helpful. We do know that on many occasions the person shopping is not always the person that’s consuming the product. TBJ - What does someone like Chiara look for when taking on a new brewery or new beer for Tesco? CN: Something new and exciting that stands out! I get sent a lot of samples every week for potential new lines and love nothing more than to find a gem in there TBJ - Have you approached companies that choose not to take the opportunity to supply Tesco? If so, is this an issue of capacity or is it more of a cost issue for the businesses in question?. CN: The benefit of working with Tesco is that brewers can see their products in two stores and in anything up to 2000 of ourstores, there is a huge amount of flexibility. "However there have been occasions when we have approached a brewer, sometimes even for local sourcing, who were unable to supply us due to capacity.
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ONE STEP AT A time Burgeoning supermarket chain Lidl has recently expanded its beer range with around 60 additions from the UK and abroad. The Brewers Journal speaks to Ben Hulme, senior buyer manager at Lidl UK about the growing importance of beer and the challenges of satisfying the ever more discerning UK drinker.
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ou can please some of the people all of the time, you can please all of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time,” Abraham Lincoln once famously paraphrased. The same challenge is arguably similar to the one facing German supermarket chain Lidl with its attempts to fulfill the escalating demand for good quality beer from the UK’s drinking public.
quality and quantity
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ince 22 June Lidl has been offering 48 beers, primarily sourced from local breweries, across eight regions in the UK. These will be complemented by a number of world beers and premium ales. According to the company, these will fall into a price range between £1.17 and £1.69 with the majority setting buyers back £1.49. Confirmed additions to Lidl’s range include beers from Innis and Gunn, Hogs Back, Portobello and Trowbridge, Ringwood, Whitstable Bay, Jennings, Black Sheep, Badger, and Bombardier. Initial reaction from readers of The Brewer’s Journal has been somewhat lukewarm with many arguing
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that, bar several of the list, most can be purchased in other supermarkets. “We have selected a range that is predicated on quality and one that helps represents breweries from across the UK. It is important to remember that this is just the start of what we will be offering customers,” explains Hulme. Hulme and a colleague, Edward Smeaton, have been working on the beer concept for nearly two years. With wine sales up 38% year-on-year at Lidl, the duo were keen to expand its beer offering beyond the “small selection” it had for customers. He adds: “We’ve gone through a process, looking at the concept and how it would work. What is key for us was sourcing beers nationally, an extensive process that enabled us to ascertain who was, and who wasn’t interested. “Some breweries wanted to concentrate on their core business and didn’t want to work with us, which is fine. Some simply couldn’t handle the volumes we would require.”
Value for money
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ulme would not be drawn on whether cost was an issue for some breweries but reiterated that what remains key for Lidl was the ability to offer value for
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money. He adds: “There are no multibuys. If you want to buy one beer then you can, you are not required to pick up three or four beers in order to activate a special offer. We pride ourselves that we are the best value retailer. “We are offering value for money and we are offering variety. Some existing Lidl customers will soon be able to source their beers from us and hopefully, it’ll also encourage new customers to visit.” But step into Morrisons and you are greeted with Hardknott Brewery and BrewDog, Marks and Spencer offer Fourpure, Wild Beer Co and Siren, in addition to its ever-expanding rebadged range, while Tesco and Sainbury’s are also making strides. Will Lidl follow suit? Hulme concludes: “I truly believe that beers from breweries such as Portobello, Wooden Hand and Box Steam, in addition to the rest of our range offer real quality and choice. Beer is deeply subjective and I would hope we would have a good selection that offers for everyone. “My feedback would be that we are the best value retailer on the market. "It’s a positive start, and we are already planning on increasing the range by 50% later in the year. "And if you’re not interested in the local beer, where else can you get a good quality Belgian Trappist beer for less than £1.50 in the UK?”
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Talk of the town Logan Plant and his team at Beavertown are producing some of the most exciting new beers coming out of the UK. Speaking to The Brewers Journal, Plant talks collaboration, expansion, retail, and just how popular its Bloody 'Ell IPA really has become.
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ays before our visit to Beavertown, Logan Plant and his team were busy brewing with Oklahoma's venerable Prairie Ales, producing a golden oakfermented beer with Brett Drei and Lacto Brevis. The day after our visit, Plant is heading up to the Midlands to brew a new pale ale with the well-respected drinks supplier Cotteridge Wines, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. “When we were starting out, they would come down here with a van, stock it up with our beers and head back to Birmingham. They made an effort and I will always appreciate that so it's great to be able to continue that relationship,” he explains. Whether it's a meet the brewer event, a tap takeover, beer collaboration, or presence at a food and drink festival, the importance of culture, community and camaraderie is an ethos that has been, and continues to be, a central driving force to Beavertown, and its personable owner and founder. “I used to do a lot of those meetings on my own, and of course the brewing side too. But when we started to build a team, I've stepped back a bit from that side of things and I can tell you, that was a big day. Meet the brewer events and the like are such great fun but I'm in a position now where I'm am doing those types of things, while also seeing the bigger picture, understanding why I got into this industry and ultimately, what it means going forward,” says Plant. In 2015, Beavertown, which is based across several units in a Tottenham Hale business park, has five staff on sales, and five on the brewing side. Employing 25 people in total is impressive, considering that when they moved into its current site a year ago there was only nine in the team. According to Plant, everything the company makes goes back into being reinvested on new equipment
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and the brewery itself, so it comes as no surprise that the company is continuing on such an upward trajectory. The team live and breath Beavertown, so while the beer is good enough to do the talking for them on its own, it's backed by a dedicated group that has helped the brewery become of the UK's most respected names here, and abroad. And with increased demand, Beavertown has had to act quickly to meet the growing, insatiable appetite drinkers have for its beer. Operating with eight 120HL tanks and a 30BBL system when they moved into the site one year ago, Beavertown has since installed another four 120HL tanks three months ago. However, it doesn't stop there, another 12 tanks, supplied by Olympus Automation, will be going into the company's second unit later this year. This investment complements an incoming brand new canning line from CFT, which Plant describes as a fantastic canning and bottling line manufacturer, and an addition that will vastly increase its canning capabilities. “Anything that we do, is putting balls on the plate. Many people tell us that you can't get Gamma Ray, it's there and then it's gone. We worked out the other day that we could be solely brewing Gamma Ray non-stop and it still wouldn't meet the demand for the product. And I don't want that! I want people to be able to drink Gamma Ray when they want!,” he enthuses. And while the company is experiencing a remarkable demand for its beers, Plant is keen to ensure that Beavertown's involvement with the beer they product doesn't end when it leaves the warehouse. He explains: “A challenge for us is geared around education and the service we give people, challenging ourselves to make better beer but at the end of the day, we want to be serving great beer, and drinking great beer at every corner but I do think there is still information we need to pass over.” This desire for education extends to the brewery's
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approach to supermarkets and the way beer is sold at retail. In 2015, an increasing amount of good beer can be found in Marks & Spencer, Waitrose and Tesco, among others, but Plant is yet to be convinced of Beavertown's place in the retail landscape. “We've been approached by some supermarkets before and it's not a cost issue as people will pay our price, but my only worry is that by going into the mainstream wholesalers is that they could dilute our product and it will lose something of what we are. It will simply become a blended product for them to
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bring people into the stores and that really worries me. It really worries me. “I never want my beer to be sold in Tesco for £1.50 a can. “At that point, all the companies that you've worked with, supported and been supported by, and have grown with on this journey, will get blown out of the water as they can't do that. And of course, we can't make beer that cheap either.We don't do price cuts with companies, they work with what we sell at. I'd like to be able to sell with those guys but it'd
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would need to be done with us, on our terms and, so we can make a big splash and really educate people about beers such as ours,” he says. The issue of beer pricing at the other end of the spectrum is another bugbear for Plant, too. Beavertown's incredibly popular 7.2% Blood Orange IPA, Bloody 'Ell has been a sought after beer since its initial launch in 2013. Coupling Amarillo and Citra hops, a tropical hit and excellent packaging designs once again from Nick Dwyer, the beer has become a modern classic.
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While people are happy to pay a fair price for good beer, some bars, in this writer's experience were charging upwards of £9.00 a pint for the drink in question. Seasonal or not, it's a big price to pay for a beer made in London, and drank in a London pub. “I know from our end and we charge what we charge, and as a result I know the make up they are making on that and that is incredibly unfortunate and not something I'm happy with. I guess people have built up something with Bloody 'Ell as in the past the releases were super limited but now, as we can brew
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ten times more now and the last time, we brewed 20 batches, it has been distributed more widely. We pretty much bought pretty much all of the batches of blood oranges coming to England, bringing it in by the tonne having a company process it for us. It's a great beer, and a popular one, but the prices others set can be an issue,� he laments. Looking at the bigger picture for Plant and his team at Beavertown, there is an affinity with London, the brewing scene, and the distribution and retail
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network that supports it. But central to Plant's goals for the brewery were to have its beers, and its message, reach a broad audience. Something he is proud to have achieved. �I started brewing in my kitchen, and then at Duke's Brew & Que (his barbecue and bar in Haggerston, London). And now, in 2015, we are a world brewer, distributing into 20 different countries. We've been expanding as our journey progresses and once we these new tanks come in we will be at
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another landmark point at this site,” he explains. And when does he see Beavertown hitting capacity at it's current site? “When the new tanks touch the ground!” People are of paramount important to Plant. His team, he regularly points out, are everything but finding people on the same wavelength and a perfect fit for Beavertown is a tough challenge. He says: Finding individuals that suit our culture and our vision is so, so important. We look for
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experience, flare, passion and someone who is a believer in what we are doing and wants to make a name for themselves. Somebody that wants to take ownership, which is also down to the individual. “When I started, it was me as a homebrewer, then with the guys at Duke's helped me bottle. Then the first guy who came in was a homebrewer too, and from that we are now at a point where we are bringing in someone experienced in say, wood, for example or someone who is very experienced in sales
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within the craft beer market. How can we do that and how can we drive quality as there aren't many people out there so we need people with very specific skills. “Two words I always talk about are culture and community, big things that drive us. People are everything and out team, is do or die by. We still have a solid crew that have been here for a while. How can we look after them and after the hard times we've been through, how can you look after them, as much as we can. It's got to be more than a work environment.” While companies such as BrewDog continue to expand its bars and bottleshop concepts on an
Timeline December 2011: Setup by Logan Plant in the kitchen of Duke's Brew and Que, in De Beauvoir, Hackney, London. The brew house, which is situated opposite its two Smokers of the BBQ restaurant, runs at 4BBL per brew (650 litres - 1150 pints). March 2013: Moved out of its home at Duke's Brew & Que and into its new brew site at Unit 4 Stour Road, Fish Island, London E3 2NT. May 2014: Moved to its new 11,000sqft space in Tottenham Hale and upgraded to a 30BBL (50HL) brew house with new 120HL tanks to be up and running by the end of 2015.
international scale, Plant has also been keen to broaden the Duke's Brew & Que format, something he was keen on pursuing only weeks after opening the original restaurant several years ago. He says: “We have looked but the places we've seen haven't quite been right. The space needs to be right and conducive to what we want to achieve there. So looking at the smoking procedure ,with the time that takes. “And especially now, wow, I wish we found one two and a half years ago with the premiums on property at the level they are now! “So maybe then it's going to be a case of looking at working with good landlords, opening a big Duke's with a sizeable bar space and bigger restaurant. Taking people through the process, a little brew-kit on site and educate them, while working with locals in the process. That's something I'd love to do at some point. I spent a lot of time in the US so whenever I went out with the service was banging and for Duke's, we have that too.
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“Considered hospitality in something of a rough and ready setting requires space, wages, and somewhere that supports your business. We need to ensure that we can offer, and hit all of those targets because if we're going to go out and bring something like Duke's to more people, it needs to be at the quality we, and they, expect!” While Beavertown, like many others, its forging its own path, another respected London brewery, Meantime, recently confirmed that it had been acquired by multinational giant SABMiller. Acquisitions are a thorny subject in the brewing world, especially with many names in the US craft brewing scene subject to successful takeover bids by groups such as Anheuser-Busch InBev. So how with Plant greet such an approach? He explains: “I'd give them a tour and say thank you very much and that's about that! At the moment Beavertown is just me in that sense and I would like to keep it like that. As much as you can, it's important to keep the power and vision, then that will help us define what we do. It's key. “Once you start bringing in higher powers that be that have demands and expect a dilution of your product, that's where the problems lie. It's tough, look at Meantime, it'll be mass marketed “craft” which I guess, is beneficial to us and other breweries as it'll spread the appeal but who knows what their plans are. And would Beavertown look to acquire? “Russian River would be great! We are too small, and still sorting our journey, which is why I like collaborate so much. It's an extension of friendship, knowledge and experience. Being able to lean on such breweries, and they do too, is a marrying on knowledge. Each one is great and a culmination of consideration for many months. And then the end product, is breaking ground for us in terms of new beer styles and processes. Every beer is special for us and that's how it should be,” adds Plant. For Beavertown's owner and founder, concentrating on strong, solid growth is the key to success and longevity. As a result, he sees his own grounding in the business as paramount. In the beginning, Plant had to work the bar, “long days for first six months brewing in day and working at night.” he says. Plant adds: “But you were with buddies and the camaraderie was great but there was no way I would have wanted to have the beer I brewed sold by others, it was important that I was there, pulling those pints.” And now, following those formative days, he is reaping the rewards. “I was working with a distributor in Sweden serving our beers some time ago and my boy calls me up from a shop in London and excitedly tells me 'Dad, Dad they have Gamma Ray in the fridge... OH WOW THERE IS SOMEONE BUYING IT!!',” which you can imagine was so great to hear. “Back in the day, the kids were with me when I was making a mess in the kitchen, trialling all my recipes. And several years later we did this thing a charity thing for a school in Kensal Rise, with Camden Town
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Brewery. Throughout the day, they were spotting our Neck Oil Session IPA. 'There's one, there's another and there's another!,' they repeated. It never tires me of seeing our beer out there. And then the next thing I do is pick it up and check the date. It pisses me right off if you see it and it's slightly old. Thankfully doesn't happen much,” he adds. In terms of its canned output, this now makes up 95% of Beavertown's small pack sales with beers like its Gamma Ray APA, Neck Oil, 8 Ball Rye IPA and Smog Rocket porter commonplace in bars and in shop fridges. And only several days before our visit, they launched its two latest Berliner Weisse beers, Yuzilla Phantom and, according to Plant, the “equally banging” Lemon Phantom, in can form. While Beavertown has been prolific, but measured with its approach to new beers, it puts as much emphasis on its older recipes, too. ”We are still tweaking the Neck Oil recipe, tweaking the hops individually with the Neck Oil, and Gamma Ray. If I'm honest, we've been annoyed with Columbus recently, as it's grown so vastly across so many farms, it can vary so differently so it's a challenge. And a beer tasting different can be a beautiful but as a brewer, it's...... not ideal. You find yourself asking 'What is that and why does it taste so different?! So we look at how can we blend and add layers to compensate,” he explains. And if this wasn't enough to keep Plant busy, he's also playing a key role in a new association that aims to both promote and protect the interests of British craft brewers, United Craft Brewers. Plant, Magic Rock’s Richard Burhouse, Camden Town’s Jasper Cuppaidge, distributor James Clay and BrewDog’s James Watt have all put their names to the cause, claiming it will focus on “core values of education and quality, along with promotion and protection”. However, they are also quick to point out that the association isn’t an exclusive membership community that other breweries will want to be part of. He explains: We've got a definition of what we are, aims and purpose while bring people that are interested together. It's now looking at the bigger picture. It needed a start and we got the seed going and we've had a great response. “Now we need to get together and press on with it but we've been busy! People need to understand, and will see, that's it not just about us four breweries. It's not. People are worried about consolidation and that is not the case. It'll help define us and it is what it is. It'll help us raise the bar, which can only be a good thing.” And on that note, one of Plant's colleagues apologetically interrupts to quiz him on whether he'll be returning the same-day following an upcoming trip to Edinburgh to spread the Beavertown name. He jumps at it as if it was the first time he'd been asked to do so. And with that enthusiasm matched by those around him, coupled with excellent beers to boot, Plant and Beavertown are well and truly on the up.
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Steeped in tradition Approaching 35 years with Fuller, Smith & Turner, John Keeling has seen breweries come and go, while various beer styles he helped refine have crossed the Atlantic, and come back with a fashionable new getup. He speaks to The Brewers Journal about the importance of cask beer, his respect for the new wave of brewing, and how he still has trouble convincing his friends to drink good beer.
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ou can, and should try to, educate consumers about the merits of good beer, and the best way for people to like a beer you enjoy, and respect, is to drink it. But for some people, their prejudice won't allow them to taste, and like, a good beer. And you can't win with people like that. I don't know many of those types as there's not a huge amount of them, thankfully,” explains a defiant John Keeling, nestled in his office at Fuller, Smith & Turner's Griffin Brewery in West London. Stepping into Keeling's office is akin to to being greeted with an abridged insight into some of the key moments and highlights from the head brewer's 34 years at the Chiswick brewery. Sitting in-between photos of old colleagues and various accolades and awards, is an impressive cross-section of beer bottles, old and new. Fuller's Vintage Ale and Robinson's Old Tom sit side-by-side with Stone Brewing Co and Firestone Walker from the US, breweries he both respects and is mutually respected by. And Keeling's ability to marry tradition and the new, is one of the main reasons the Manchester-born brewer remains a key figure in the brewing landscape, both in the UK and abroad. While he knows Fuller's back-to-front, and having travelled the world regaling drinkers about the merits of good beer, Keeling remains an opinionated, vocal advocate of the cause he continues to fight. “There are dyed in the wool difficult drinkers but there are those drinking in the craft beer world won't appreciate traditional cask beer. Some of the criticism coming out of keg fanatics is incorrect and it's born out of ignorance. But they can be vocal, writing in to magazines, tweeting about “boring brown beer” and the middle ground, where a lot of people lie, are subjected to this,” he laments.
modern success
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ut Keeling doesn't sit where he does today by taking criticism on the chin. In the 2015 financial year, Fuller's brewery operation contributed considerably to increasing group sales of £321.5 million, a 12% hike on the £288million made in 2014. And while turnover is vanity and profit is sanity, the latter increased too, with a 7% growth in adjusted profit before tax to £36.4 million. Impressive figures and an indication of the continued success of one of the UK's most well-known breweries. “Some of the family breweries that have taken to the modern world well, are aware that things are changing. If you sit in a place and don't think that, it means there is only two ways you can go,” he explains. He adds: “And there are breweries like that where it is a more than acceptable solution. Look at Harvey's for instance, a fantastic brewery, but they aren't interested in the world domination approach adopted by someone like BrewDog, who also make some good
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beer. But they are vastly different in the types of beer they choose to make, and the companies that they are running.”
us competition
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nd it's the US, that Keeling continually points out as a geography that has had, and will continue to have, an impact on the success of breweries in the UK. Not only in the flavour, and quality of beer they produce, but the mentality they adopt when brewing. “Look at the US, there are breweries who are incredibly interested in the beer styles from the UK, Germany and other countries. They explore these styles and they are not as dismissive of some of the craft breweries here that think they are gods, so it's an unusual thing. It's a weird cycle,” he says. Pointing to Fuller's Wild River 4.5% double-hopped ale, which features Liberty, Willamette, Cascade and Chinook hops: “You could describe that as a weird cycle, as it's a beer that's influenced by Americans, who are making beers influenced by England. Look at Brooklyn, it's a beer that you could use to give to CAMRA types that wouldn't want to drink lager, and often they'd look at you not believing it's a lager. ”It's really funny that you can have someone like Stone, making their beers, a response to English beers, and they ratchet it up to make super big versions of it. And then, we look at it and say, we like the flavours but let's make a subtle version of that. “And I think a lot of British breweries will be in trouble the day the US breweries truly discover subtlety but they've been going for 200 years and they still haven't, maybe they never will. They go from extremes of Budweiser to having 'Arrogant Bastard'. “But now, the main topic of conversation is how you make drinkable beers, getting those flavours into subtle drinkable beers. That's what they're interested in now and that's what I'm being asked on a regular basis.”
changing tastes
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eeling, more than most, has seen how people's tastes have changed in recent years, and decades, as well as the volumes they consume too. He highlights how, when the 5.5% ESB came out, was considered a strong beer, which isn't considered as strong now. “Historically as a nation, we primarily drunk beer in the pub and that is somewhat reversing now, with a more 50/50 split with the amount we drink at home. But, even so, it's a hefty percentage, a people don't want to be drinking 7% beers all night. Yes they may be drinking halves, or two thirds, but how long do they stay at that pub,?” he asks.” One of things that's important to recognise now, is that it the number of occasions you could drink beer has widened. When
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I grew up, the occasion you drank beer is when you went down the pub and you would have four, five, or six pints with your mates. All the other occasions when beer could be drunk were totally ignored If you were in a restaurant, you drunk wine. If you were at home, you would drink tea. Now, it is much different.” But while the amount of occasions we drink beer has broadened, Keeling still encounters challenges on his quest to educate those around him about good beer. “To some of them, beer is Heineken and Carlsberg. That's their experience. While those beers represent a very narrow range of flavours, they take up a big chunk of what people drink. The range of beer flavours is huge, but the majority of the world's population does not know that. But that's not an issue that is endemic to the UK exclusively. You could go to the Midwest where Budweiser is still what beer is, or even New York where the truck driver will come in, and order three slabs of that beer,” he explains. While Keeling would never openly criticise another brewery, or the beer they produce, his passion for what he considers good beer, especially cask beer, is unfaltering. He is aware of the limitations of cask, but is also keen to point out how people's perceptions of what makes good beer, have changed . He says: ”For a long time, the price and cost was the most important element in beer production. And an acceptable way of generating more money was to reduce your costs. So a beer that typically took five weeks to make, if you could make that in a week then great. People chose to judge a beer on clarity. But now, it's different. “Beer is now judged on flavour, with the scientific thinking focused on how we can keep the flavour, and keep the beer interesting. So, we have beers like our 1845, which is bottle conditioned, and we accept that the flavour will change, and change often, often for the better. Nature goes in cycles not in straight lines, which is why the beer also goes in cycles and not in straight lines. “You could say that up till the so-called craft beer revolution, brewers were forcing the beer to do what they, actually maybe now they, but what the marketing or accounting team wanted it to do. And brewers were seen as subservient, a tool to deliver what they wanted back then. It's changed, you now accept the beer for what it is. They've had the shackles loosened and flavour is now king. Fuller's has always realised that as things change, and if we are going to stay in brewing, you may as well be good at it.”
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eeling points out the company's acquisition of George Gale & Co in 2005, as an example of the need for investment and the challenges for staying good at what you do. “When I joined in January 1981, that year we brewed just short of 70,000 barrels of beer and Gales
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brewed 43,000 barrels of beer. When we took them over, we were brewing 180,000 and they were brewing 20,000. While we were working out what we could do with them. We took around their head brewer, pointing out that the mash tuns cost £2m and the coppers similar, and a new keg line that was £2.6m. He said that in his 25 years as a head brewer, he had never spent more than £25,000 on new equipment. And that shows the difference between the two, and that's why we were successful and they went to the wall,” says Keeling. He adds: “But they spent the money on pubs, and we got the pubs with the acquisition. We closed the brewery as we had the capacity to absorb the production of their beers. It's interesting, looking back that we moved beers around as now it's far more common, it wasn't then.
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“I was only taking the other day to our export manager. If we were to brew London Pride abroad, in the US or Australia. While there's a few brewers there, that are interested in that and would treat it with care, I'm just not so sure. Two things occur to me. Firstly, a big hoppy beer is easier to transport and to keep the flavours, but a more subtle one like London Pride, then it's much harder to do that, so it comes back to what makes a great beer. You need quality and consistency, but at the same time you need flavour and character.” According to Keeling, quality and consistency reassures the drinker, but then it's the flavour that gives it the ability to satisfy and refresh, while the character keeps it interesting, making you want to drink it again. While the character comes from the people that make the beer and that's what makes it
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difficult for Keeling as it won't be the same people making the beer, his beer, if it was to take place away from Chiswick. ”If you have brewers you trust, their interpretation will be a good one but it'll be another facet of the identity of the drink. If Michael Turner (Non-executive chairman of Fuller's) came in tomorrow and said, 'John we're selling up and moving to Milton Keynes', I'd tell him that would be a very bad idea. Because they could maybe pay me to go there, but not everyone else could co,” he says.”It would take such a long time, and history is littered with people taking beer elsewhere and not making them the same. But money will always an influence in the end but take that away and it's blooming hard to do it elsewhere. So look at if London Pride was brewed at Stone or Firestone Walker, who I respect and trust. But as you would not get the original London Pride, all you would get is a good impression of London Pride.”
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t's partly why Fuller's will never brew under license. London Pride tasted different in 1978 to it does today. Whether it's better or worse is a different question, but Keeling wryly adds that he doesn't have a time machine to get the ingredients that were used then. “We have principals of brewing that beer but we would never want to put it in a straight jacket, either,” he says. It's a reason, according to Keeling, that beers like Pride have a distinctive character, but without having a hoppy dominance. “I would say it that if you name the ingredients, yeast is one of the hardest to get right. Modern brewers will find out, after a while, that there is a yeast that works best for them. And will find that they want to control that. They will find changes in the yeast they use, due to inconsistencies in the yeast and once they have enough money and science, they will look to control that,” he argues. It's this guidance, teaching and concern for newer breweries that has endeared Keeling to them across the globe. He points out that it's very important to have good brewers, and that wages are going up, as it makes Fuller's' stance on flavour seem like a good decision to have made. “And in the end, people are buying our beer. We don't care if you belong to the craft world, or the traditional world. We learn from big companies, we learn from small companies, and then you look at the whole picture,” he explains. “Reputation is important as you have value and standards, but communication is important too. We are an open brewery, and I don't mind other breweries coming too. Breweries studying and learning, they come here and work to learn and progress. They are going to make the pool we fish in better and if we don't help them, they could easily mess it up and make our pool smaller.
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“I don't want anybody that starts a brewery to produce rubbish beer and fail. I want them to produce good beer.” Keeling adds: “We want people to know the lengths we go to produce good beer, and equally if another brewery discovers something we don't know, then I'd like them to tell us too. I look at craft beer definition, and I do worry that it promotes some sort of elitism. We would be considered craft under the US definition and it's crazy. I think it's a matter of mindset, value, culture and philosophy. “I don't want those in the craft world, fighting their corner and not letting people in as it may 'eat into a part of their pie'. We've had adversity in the past and people are afraid of Fuller's coming into their town and wiping them out. We want to work with others, but if you are going to have a commercial battle of something, guess who is going to win? “But, you have other breweries that we are massively friendly with and we sell their beers in our pubs. I tell to people coming here to look at breweries, get yourself sorted out and we'll buy 100 firkins or so for our pubs.”
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hile Keeling's consideration for other breweries is to be admired, his love and passion for the Fuller's brand doesn't stop when he leaves the Griffin Brewery,
either. He explains: “Philosophy is important and makes it easier to let new people know more about what we do and the first line of this is. We will always attempt to make good beer. “Everything comes back to that as a root of what we want to do. In practical terms, when our sales department say they need more London Pride, but none is ready, then we have to say no, as then you're not attempting to make great beer. That's where credit has given us power, to say that we won't compromise and you'l get it when it's ready. “So when I'm out, I try a variety of beers, but I will order by own beers, too. When I do see them, I need to order them as I have a QC check I need to do before anything else. It's like you're working for a family, we have people looking after the brand.” And it's that family approach Keeling, and his team have embraced that is likely to ensure that his beer will continue to be a success many years from now, too. “You always have to move eventually, and when Reg Drury (the respected, now-departed former head brewer at Fuller's) moved on after his 18 years as head brewer, he told me they had replaced every piece of equipment at the brewery and the first piece he commissioned was starting to wearing out and that he didn't have the strength to start the cycle all over again, and maybe that will happen to me. “But could I ever work for another brewery if I left here? I really don't think so.”
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Taking no prisoners In a few short years, Weird Beard Brew Co has gone from being an idea formulated by two home brewers, to an award-winning brewery exporting its beers to countries across the globe. We paid them a visit to find out where they go from here.
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eird Beard Brew Co is in a state of transition. The Hanwell, West Londonbased brewery had just bid farewell to its head brewer, Jonny Bright. And with the team a man down during our visit, the brewery was also in the process of bidding adieu to another mainstay. But this time it was by choice. The company’s popular 5.8% IPA ‘ Hit The Lights’ is being brewed for one last time. A key name since the brewery’s formation, the self-confessed ‘Mixed Up IPA’, which features Aurora and Targett Hops, is being put to bed, for now at least. “Creativity is key for us, it helps you grow, and it allows you to explore different beer types if you refuse to put up boundaries,” explains Natasha Wolf. Wolf is the sales and marketing coordinator at Weird Beard, although the modest, qualified biochemist, could easily add bottler, brewer and a dozen other responsibilities to her title if she pushed the issue. The brewery’s respected IPA being brewed during the visit is being put on an indefinite hiatus as the result of a reorganisation of Weird Beard’s core range.
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Though Wolf, as well as co-founders Gregg Irwin and Bryan Spooner, are loathed to refer to their beer offering in such an insular fashion. “We are at a point where we are putting out quite a few beers, as well as continuing to concentrate on collaborations, which we really enjoy doing. We looked at ‘Hit The Lights’ and came to conclusion that it isn’t really a ‘Weird Beard’ beer. It’s a shame as it’s a really good beer, but as Bryan has said to us before, it is one he wishes ‘someone else had brewed’,” explains Wolf. It’s by taking decisions such as this that the (at the time of writing) eight-staff brewery has grown from an idea formulated by Irwin and Spooner in London’s venerable Euston Tap pub in 2011, to a profitable business exporting to around 20 different countries across the globe. The brewery itself, like many others across the UK and Ireland, calls several units in an industrial estate home, with neighbours in the shape of heavy industry and distribution firms. Housed across two units, Weird Beard used to share part of their site with Ellenberg’s Brewery, which ceased trading last year. However the brewery’s founder, Mike Ellenberg is now part of the Weird Beard team, carrying out important maintenance roles on equipment at the Boston
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Business Park facility. Having someone like Ellenberg on hand at Weird Beard, you assume, is vital for the brewery to continue its successful operation. While there are eight members of the team, the company has a strong ethos of cooperation with each member of the team playing a number of important roles across the whole business. Spooner, for instance, is busy manually bottling some of its next beers for distribution during our conversation. “There’s no such thing as an average day here. For me, it’s a balance between sales, and communication, which includes the social media side, too. That’s what I was hired to do but that has changed over time. We are lucky that as we have a small team, we make enough beer and we don’t often have to find customers, they often come to us!” says Wolf. But that doesn’t mean that the team rests on its laurels, quite the opposite. Irwin explains that the team could be at an event spreading the Weird Beard name, pretty much most
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days in July and August. And when you look at the brewery’s calendar, you start to think that they’ve actually committed to each and everyone of those anyway. In the weeks following our trip, Weird Beard was among the hundreds of breweries in attendance at the latest Great British Beer Festival. Elsewhere, it had a successful showing at the London Craft Beer Festival, not to mention a wellattended ‘Meet The Brewer’ and tap takeover event at BrewDog Camden, a new beer launch with beer writer Matt Curtis, as well as a whisky and beer pairing evening organised by Wolf as part of the excellent London Beer City week of events. And these are just a few of its London-based commitments. If we were to discuss its national and international focus we would need the rest of this very magazine. Among the other new beers showcased by Weird Beard during August was its brand-new IPA, ‘Defacer’. For the outfit’s 200th brew, it didn’t take long for the team’s collective love of Sorachi Ace to once again come to the fore. Following on from its popular
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Natasha Wolf (far left) and Weird Beard's growing brewing and packaging operation in Hanwell, West London
8.1% ‘Sorachi Face Plant’ double IPA, ‘Defacer’ is a heavyweight 11.1% triple IPA, but opting to brew such a beer wasn’t always a clear-cut decision. “When brewing Defacer, we were aware that there was a trend with a great deal of breweries doing triple IPAs so for us, moving into that space was something we deliberated on for some time,” explains Wolf. “We are big fans of the triple IPAs put out by breweries such as Pressure Drop, Siren and Magic Rock so we tried a lot and asked what we liked from these beers, and also what we wanted to safeguard against. We had a fear that by doing something extreme, you’re always running a risk that you may not get what you want out of the beer. You have to be careful.” She adds: “In this industry other great beers inspire you, and you learn from them. It’s not a case for wanting to brew a beer that is “better” than the alternatives on the market as it’s not that type of industry, it’s about brewing one that you are truly happy with.” Thankfully Weird Beard, and drinkers alike are truly
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happy with ‘Defacer’. But while Weird Beard continues to experiment with new beer styles, Wolf is keen to point out a less attractive side of the modern beer drinker. She explains: “People can also be quite fickle. It’s like music, when something is indie, people think it’s automatically great but when it becomes mainstream, people switch off regardless of whether is a good or bad album, or in our industry, a good or a bad beer. “And that’s something people should be aware of in this industry. There is always excitement of the new kids but there is also a prestige of reliability surrounding tried, and proven breweries. Everyone starts from somewhere, and you then hopefully you can grow and diversify. “There is always something you can improve and that’s why the good breweries succeed as they are committed to improvement, change, and to challenging themselves.” And if that is the case, then Weird Beard will be around for a long time yet.
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forging an identity Beer packaging is an exciting and evolving beast. Regardless of the approach you take to your marketing, effective and innovative design is a key way many breweries have seen their beers enjoy a marked success over rivals on shop shelves and pub bars. We speak to Chris Walker and Josh Smith who together, are responsible for the now-iconic branding for Weird Beard, to get their take on what constitutes effective beer design.
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TBJ - Chris, I know your passion is in illustration and, in particular, characters for children's books so how did you and Josh get into working for Weird Beard and how does this partnership between you both work? CW - Josh and I go way back, we used to work together at design agency AKQA, long before I went full time illustration. We were doing designs for a Fanta website where I was providing drawings and animations and he was doing the design. The partnership worked from the start, so when he moved to another agency and I went freelance with my illustration we just sort of kept it up on a few ‘out of work’ projects. JS - I met the Weird Beards (Bryan & Gregg) a couple of years ago at a small beer festival at the Strongrooms. I loved their beer, but found their branding, let’s say, ‘a little sucky’. I got in contact with them a little while after that to see if they wanted to work together. We met at a Craft Beer Co to have a chat and really got on. They were looking for a label design for their new brew ‘5’o’clock Shadow’ and they pretty much said “show us what you’ve got”. That’s when I got Chris involved. CW - That first label was our job interview! Josh already had a good idea of what the label should look like at that point, but really needed some help on the illustration side, especially with the creation of Lup’in, the Weird Beard skull. TBJ - What was the inspiration for the Weird Beard themes and Lupin. Did you approach the brand with the idea of consistency and a “universe” of different Lupin styles defining (or defined by) each beer?
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CW - I think I enjoy the homage Lup’ins the most. The Weird Beards already had their little skull character when we met them – he was part of their logo, but rather crudely drawn at that point, sporting a beard very reminiscent of Bryan’s own beard at the time. We’d suggested the idea of bringing a different style skull to each label and they loved the idea. Their inspiration for Lup’in was Eddie the Head – the Iron Maiden mascot. Just as Eddie made an appearance of every Iron Maiden album cover, Lup’in would be on every label. It took a few goes to get him right, but once we had that ‘base’ Lup’in everything just started working. They loved the first label – a cowboy theme, (Gregg even took to wearing a cowboy hat after that) and we were asked to design the whole core range. Josh took the design of the first label and created a template that we’re still using to this day. Each new label gets a new Lup’in and a new typographic treatment. I do the skulls and Josh does the type. We get free rein on how each treatment will look, most of the time we just get sent the name of the new brew and it’s up to us to create the concept. Our surrounding template is so strong that we can really go to town on the brew typography and it still feels on brand. I’ve been pushing some pretty freaky Lup’ins recently and Josh had been doing some amazing type – the later labels are definitely our best. I really like ‘Holy Hoppin’ Hell’ and it’s subsequent partner Brews – ‘Sorachi Faceplant’ and ‘Defacer’. JS - ‘Smoke’ and ‘Fire’ are my favourites. We went all out with those. TBJ - What has been the greatest challenge in working on the Weird Beard brand and equally, what has been
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the area in which you've got the greatest satisfaction from? JS - The greatest challenge is probably coming up with new ideas for each labels, while trying to keep a generally consistent look and feel. The greatest satisfaction is definitely seeing the success Weird Beard have had over the past 3 years, and the love all the labels and skulls get is a part of that. CW - Yep, I think I’ve done around 50 Lup’ins now, and it can be hard to come up with new ideas. Some of the brew names instantly lend themselves to a character (‘Something, Something Darkside’ was always going to be a Star Wars look) but others are a bit more vague. ‘Hive Mind’ and ‘Rye Smile’ took a bit more thought, but I really like those challenging ones. We’ve had some great feedback on the labels. About a year ago I was watching a review of one of the Weird Beard beers by ‘Real Ale Craft Beer’ on Youtube. The beer got a fantastic reaction, but they also spent quite some time talking about the label and how they thought it paired perfectly with the beer. That was the best thing they could have said to me, as that’s really what we’re trying to achieve. Felt good that! TBJ - Why do you think the Weird Beard labels and packaging have resonated with their audience? JS - There's definitely an honesty in the labels we've made for Bryan and Gregg. They live and breath the brewery and these labels are part of their little brewing world. I think people also respond well to the names and randomness of each label. Beer really isn't a boring product, and hopefully Weird Beard is proof of that.
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CW - The labels are really fun. Bryan and Gregg put a lot of time into each one, carefully crafting the story that sits on the side of each label. They are worth a read! I think people look forward to seeing a new Weird Beard label, we often tease some of the branding on twitter as a new brew is being packaged and that gets a bit of excitement. TBJ - On a broader beer packaging note, what do you think makes an effective, standout design in 2015? What qualities do you identify as means to help the brand in question stand out? JS - I think the most important thing that makes a standout design now is whether it's engaging and telling a story. Cloudwater Brewing has recently done an excellent job of this, with zen-like designs that evolve with the seasons. CW - There’s such a variety out there now, it’s fantastic. I think craft beer has had to employ this extra element of creativity into their brands to set themselves apart. I was in Brooklyn last year and we found ourselves addicted to Brooklyn Summer Ale, seeing that bright blue can now, instantly brings back happy memories of rooftop drinking. You couldn’t get that association with a can of Stella could you? The big name brands are so stale. Although I do have a soft spot for the Brahma bottle – that’s gorgeous. TBJ - Breweries such as Kernel go for a minimalist approach while companies such as Weird Beard and Beavertown have opted for packaging that incorporate many design elements. What other labels have you seen
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that standout in your eyes, and why? JS - I love the utilitarian labels of Transmitter Brewing in New York, the constant evolving illustrated scenes of Alec Doherty and Partizan, and the screenprinted class of Omnipollo Brewing. CW - I really like those simple designs. Five points and Brew By Numbers have gorgeous branding, but there isn’t much to set each brew apart. We knew that wouldn’t work with Weird Beard. Each one has such character. TBJ - For a brewery looking into its first label designs or looking to rebrand them, what advice would you give them? Where do you start and what are the key elements should they focus on? JS - Be honest to your drinkers and don't let a boring Agency suck the soul out of your brand. There are so many incredibly talented designers and illustrators out there that will inject a lot more love and character to your labels than a marketing company will. CW: I agree. Don’t be scared to do something out of the norm. Employ some talent that have never tackled packaging before, let’s see what comes up. TBJ - BrewDog, among others, have employed embossing techniques to promote a tactile approach to their bottles while hot foiling is also a way to elevate the bottle's appearance. What techniques do you like to recommend or employ and are there any examples you respect? CW: We’ve just started printing on foil, that’s an
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exciting one. We’ve been pushing for that for quite a while. The next brew – Defacer – will be a shiney one! We’ve done a couple of can designs, but for the most part those were just repurposed bottle designs. I’m really keen to do something different with cans and I can’t wait for the next one. The wax seal on Sadako was a lovely touch – the Beards thought of that one. Siren have been producing some great designs – I have a soft spot for a clear label – they almost look etched into the glass and that’s such a sophisticated look. I’d love to do a special edition Beard in that way. TBJ - Certain breweries have benefitted from branding ultimately elevating an average product to a level it wouldn't have been at without it. The same can be applied to many sectors but in your eyes, how seriously do you see breweries taking product branding? CW - It’s become a very competitive market, and small startup breweries are fighting for attention on the shelves. So it really benefits them to take some time and effort with their branding. You’ve spent months crafting this beautiful beer, you should show your audience you’re prepared to put that same level of detail into your brand. JS - I think over the past few years, breweries have taken branding a lot more seriously. The market has gotten a lot more competitive and also the overall design quality has gotten higher. I doubt any brewery about to start hasn't had a good look at both their brand and labels, as it's becoming pretty important to get this right to then get a good foothold in the market. I still thing the best beer prevails, which gives me hope that this industry isn't all just smoke and mirrors.
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Did you know that Muntons has a fully equipped test brewery available for use to help its customers developnew ideas and create more award-winning beers?
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The Can drive
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Beavertown's current canning operation
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The UK’s packaged beer market is changing. In recent years, breweries that wanted to can had to commit to eye-watering order volumes with major manufacturers or be fortunate enough to be able to invest in their own canning line. Most of those inbetween were left to look longingly at their US brethren, ably canning their beers with an enviable ease. But as breweries in the UK and Ireland continue to flourish, so have the avenues available to those wanting to can beers and increase their routes to market.
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hen Beavertown Brewery’s Logan Plant took the major decision to move the majority of the company’s beers into cans, it was a key moment in the brewery’s journey to date, and arguably one that has gone to great lengths in increasing the visibility of the brand in pubs, bars, and bottle-shops across the land. With cans now accounting for 95% of Beavertown’s small-pack sales, it’s no surprise that he lauds it as “one of the best decisions we made as a company”. The ongoing debate surrounding the merits of packaging your beer in can or bottle shows no sign of abating. While a can’s ability to protect a beer from light penetration, is unlikely to be argued by even the most ardent advocate of bottling, issues of taste and quality, and which vessel is the superior option to convey these, rages on. However, a cursory glance towards off licenses and bottle-shops show one thing, an increasing number of breweries are turning to cans as a means to ship their beer.
for small / medium volume beverages and, according to Hughes, business has never been busier with breweries wanting to make their forays into canned beer production. But why? “Cans are innovative, and the ability to can relatively small amounts makes the whole process achievable. We are talking about very small breweries that are conditioning 1,000 litres, and our aim all along was to assist brewers, and allow them to compete and take their product to market,” he adds. Hughes also points out that not only are beer cans easier to transport, but that they also open up different markets for beer, such as sporting events where bottles are prohibited. “We had a customer in Holland recently who was producing beer to be sold at a cinema. It’s only when it came to the packaging phase that it emerged that the cinema wasn’t going to allow glass bottles to be sold there. We ended up canning 15,000 cans for the client and it’s a simple example of one benefit cans had over glass,” says Hughes. Prototype cans printed using Tonejet technology
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K sales of packaged beer is up and the balance between bottles and cans is tipping. Consumers are embracing canned beer to such an extent that the UK is arguably in the midst of its own ‘independent canned beer movement’ echoing the trend that hit the US more than a decade ago. “People are changing, and the way they drink beer is changing. Canned beer is an ethos that an increasing number of breweries, not to mention consumers, are embracing, and it’s only going to continue to grow,” explains Andy Hughes, director at WeCan Solutions. The company provides a contract canning service
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lsewhere, North Cornwall’s Harbour Brewing Co and Somerset-based Wild Beer Co have made forays into permanent can production following the installation of new LinCan lines from American Beer Equipment (ABE). The micro-canning lines were supplied and installed by Vigo, which has been the UK agent for US-based ABE since April of this year. The new LinCan lines feature a twist rinser, 7 head filling station, seamer, rinser, airblower and packing table. To minimise oxygen pickup there is a CO2 purge, a fob pulse and under-lid CO2 jet. Eddie Lofthouse, co-founder of Harbour Brewing Co, says the foray into canning was a clear business decision. He adds: “Flexibility of packaging is what the market dictates. Cans are convenient, they don’t break – so they’re ideal for the beach and festivals – and I love the fact that you can stick loads in the fridge! There are cost benefits too - cans are cheaper than bottles and we are able to pass these savings on to our customers.” Harbour has been running its 30 can per minute canning line for a month at the time of writing, and Lofthouse explains that its sales have increased 30% since the introduction of cans. “We are in the latter stages of negotiation with a number of multiples, due to our strong brand and as a result of using a canning line which is CE compliant,” he adds. Vigo has previously supplied Harbour with a CIMEC automatic bottling line in 2013 with Lofthouse citing the supplier as “integral” to the success of the business to date. “They give us good service, and the knowledge, backup, and support of their staff is excellent. We need to work to capacity and every hour and minute counts. Vigo enable us to do this with minimal downtime. I have no hesitation in recommending Vigo as a wonderful partner,” he says.
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or Wild Beer Co, the decision to start canning at The Wild Beer Co was clear-cut, with co-director, Andrew Cooper explaining that “cans are of the time and now is the time to be in cans for beer.” Wild Beer’s automatic CIMEC bottling line was supplied by Vigo last year, and the company’s experience of Vigo was a “key factor” when sourcing canning equipment. “We chose Vigo for the canning line because we have an excellent existing relationship with them,” co-Director Brett Ellis confirms, “and they offered the right product at the right time – and the right price,” he adds.
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Harbour's new canned output is put under the spotlight
Ellis explains: “The cans have met our highest expectations. In the first month of production we are extremely satisfied with the quality of product we are able to produce with the canning line. We are seeing excellent demand for our product in cans, which justifies our decision to move to cans.” Jon Clatworthy, commercial director at Vigo Ltd, says the company had noticed a growing interest and excitement over canning in the independent brewery sector in the last couple of years.
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“Cans for convenience is just half the story. Craft brewers are very keen to do all they can to retain the personalities of their beers and canning is one of the ways of achieving this. Cans help protect beer from light and oxygen and retain fresh hop flavours,” he says. WeCan Solutions’ Hughes agrees. “Cans keep the beer better, in my opinion. The pricing is comparable against bottling, and the overall proposition is simply stronger”.
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The demand for the company’s mobile canning proposition has led the business to investigate the addition of two newer canning lines that will enable them to handle larger volumes of up to 15,000 cans an hour, which has resulted in interest from larger breweries looking into mobile canning. “People consume a beer before they open it so ensuring a can looks as good as possible, and one that keeps the beer in excellent condition, is so, so important,” he adds.
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ca n s
Tonejet
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digital innovation
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hile companies such as Vigo and WeCan Solutions are enabling breweries to make their forays canned beer through permanent and mobile canning lines, another manufacturer, Tonejet, offers a printing technology that will enables breweries to open up new avenues for their beer can packaging. Tonejet’s 2-Piece Can & Tube Digital Decorator is designed to meet the needs of short to medium print runs for a range of applications, and beer cans are a key application in this space. Traditional analogue printing process that have been used for decorating cans, coupled with the economic crossover point of the suppliers, has meant that minimum order quantities of around 100,000 units, as well as testing lead times, have effectively resulted into monumental barriers to entry for smaller breweries requiring printed cans. The company’s electro-static drop-on-demand digital print system is designed to enable canners and craft brewers to produce short to medium run can jobs with the USPs of high speed production coupled with high quality print, and at a low cost. Digital can printing’s benefits are not restricted to short to medium run economics, rather this is a fact of the technology. What is also attractive is the ability to change the design of the can at ease. The domestic use of full colour digital inkjet printer in homes or offices enables the user to print a different document or image on each individual sheet. Leveraging the Tonejet technology, the same idea can be applied to cans, which can be ordered small to medium can runs, where the design for each can could be different or even personalised to an individual. Tonejet’s Digital Decorator allows for different images to be printed one after the other without the need to stop the production line, change printing plates, or change printing inks while the high resolution digital imaging process means that high quality photo images can be printed as well as traditional graphics.
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The benefit of cans providing an opportunity for brewers to use the full container height and the full 360 degree circumference is well known. It’s significantly larger than a label can provide cost effectively, which arguably allows brewers in the UK and Ireland to increase their branding coverage.
return on investment
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imon Edwards, VP of sales and marketing at Tonejet says that digital can printing technology is enabling the availability of many more good beers with striking marketing, and branded products to be brought to market, with the potential to unlock yet more growth from beer. He explains: “We have spoke to a lot of people, currently there are companies bottling that want cans. The feedback from the bottlers and brewers is showing us that there is an interest in cans full-stop. “There is a great deal of brewers that don't like the look of labels, and what stifles some of these companies is the inability to print digitally, but the problem is that these machines don't come cheap.” According to Edwards, while the return on investment is rapid, the average brewery doesn't have the ability to support a single machine, which is opening up an opportunity with contract canners. He highlights one such business in the US, BevCan, that created a business based on its technology and has been successful with it. “With canning, the problem is that people want to can small volumes and if you want these printed then you will need to be putting in large order sizes to the major manufacturers. With Tonejet technology, the cost is the same if you are printing 10 cans or 40,000 cans. But at the same time, the ability to print major runs is there, too,” he explains. Edwards concludes: “There’s also an opportunity here for major breweries to adopt the technology. If you are running the machine eight hours a day, you will be producing around seven million cans a year.”
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glass
A clear advantage Bottling remains the go-to vessel for breweries. But the advent of increased canning capabilities, through investment in canning lines and the use of contract canning firms, is threatening to erode the once unsurmountable advantage the bottling industry had when it came to small-pack beer sales.
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here are a huge range of beer bottle styles available, one for every occasion, market and price point. Cans simply don’t offer anywhere near that flexibility or appeal. Because of the barriers to entry, once a brewer has decided to opt for canning, then realistically they are wedded to that medium, so we, both as a company and the glass industry, have to be clear with our messaging,” explains Tim Croxson, managing director of glass bottling supplier Croxsons, and as a result, a fierce advocate of bottling to the industry. “The capital expenditure required to install a bottling or canning line is a big barrier to entry, and the skill set to operate efficiently is very different from brewing. As a result, if brewers are going to opt for canning over bottles and in my experience, it will
often be at the very early stages of growth,” he adds. “We are fortunate that we have not had customers looking to move away from bottling, and we put that down to many of our customers being established players, it is more challenger brands that are opting for canning, as they attempt to disrupt the norm and create a name for themselves.”
flexible packaging
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or Craig Wilson, who is the UK managing at Enterprise Tondelli, a company that has been supplying bottling and canning lines to be brewery sector since 1976, much has changed in recent years. “In that time we have seen package trends come and go. Typically our projects have been for the larger
Camerons Brewery's new bottling line
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producers with high sped packaging lines from 600 to 1200 containers per minute for both the UK and the International markets. Recent orders have tended to be for complete lines or single machines with the occasional part lines,” he says. Wilson explains: “However for the last few years there has been strong interest in small beer bottling lines especially for craft breweries. Installing their own bottling line gives them greater flexibility of packaging times allowing them to meet their customers needs more closely. We have some reports that our customer are sometimes bottling to order rather than stock. “They also also express a desire to take control of the entire process from brewing to packaging so that the quality is much more consistent and allows them to monitor quality in-house. Customers of Enterprise Tondelli who have recently installed their own bottling
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lines include Buxton Brewery, Tempest Brewery and Knops Brewery.” For Wilson, another recent development has been the setting up by Camerons Brewery of Hartlepool with an Enterprise Tondelli bottling line to offer a medium sized contract bottling services for both glass and PET bottles (Read more about the installation in the news pages of this issue).
premium appearance
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ilson argues that historically, there have not been as many options for this service and Camerons feel that this investment in high quality flexible filling and packaging gives them the ability to offer an
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Vocation Brewery opted for vichy bottles
alternative service for larger production runs. He says: “This project features a filler with electro pneumatic filling valves so that the filling phases can be optimised for the different products to minimise O2 pick up. It also means much less maintenance and the reduction of product losses due to a central bowl rather than annular ring. “The other major advantage of the filler from Enterprise is that the fill levels can be adjusted centrally without any change parts direct from the control panel which means any new bottles or products will not require filling parts. This is also better for hygiene as no vent tubes need to be replaced. In fact the vent tubes do not have spreader rubbers that requiring replacing but a "swirl" type of filling. “Special universal change parts for the line ensure that Camerons can handle practically any bottle that can be required including PET. This is just one example of the leading edge equipment that Enterprise Tondelli supply for projects ranging from single machines to complete turn key projects.” For UK glass packaging manufacturer Beatson Clark, the branding advantages of glass bottles over aluminium cans, and showing people 3D concepts that show how their bottle could look with alternative embossing or shape options, is an important way to convey the benefits of bottling to breweries. Charlotte Taylor, marketing manager explains: “Our key selling point is the premium nature of glass – it
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is undeniable that glass looks and feels like a quality product and this is frequently reflected in consumer’s perceptions. “With glass bottles you can still incorporate the artwork on the label – some bottles have the same label area as a can – yet you also get the branding advantages of different shapes, styles and embossing options which cans can’t offer. Probably the most iconic glass bottle shape is Coca-Cola – an instantly recognisable design which can’t be achieved in cans.”
added value
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eatson Clark has enabled West Yorkshire-based Vocation Brewery to producing some impressive beers in Vichy bottles thanks to corporation with Leedsbased branding agency Robot Food. They chose Beatson Clark’s standard 500ml amber Vichy bottle as its aesthetic appeal complemented the brewery’s colourful labels. “We brew punchy and distinctive beers, and in a crowded market you’ve got to find any way you can to stand out,” explains Vocation Director and Head Brewer John Hickling. “There are lots of pieces to that jigsaw, and an important component is the shape of the bottle. So many breweries use the same shape of bottle for practical reasons, especially if they’re contract bottling which makes it difficult for them to
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be creative with the bottle design. Hickling adds: “As we bottle our own beer on site there’s an opportunity for us to be a little bit different. I gave Robot Food a selection of bottles which suited our technical requirements and they chose the bottle which best fitted the brand’s aesthetic. “The look of our bottled beer is very important and I’m trying to tread a fine line by creating a brand that appeals to a younger market without alienating older drinkers. We’ve only been up and running for three months and sales are already going really well,” he said. According to Chris Palmer, business development manager at Beatson Clark, the key driver for new business at present is smaller breweries looking to differentiate themselves from the competition. He explains: “The craft brewing sector is a really strong growth area for us at the moment, and now that our new amber furnace is in full production we have additional capacity to meet the extra demand. “It can be hard for smaller producers to stand out on the shelf, and the key to that is defining your brand through eye-catching packaging. With our extensive standard range and our in-house creative design team we can supply distinctive bottles that really help beers to get noticed.”
premium and personal
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he idea of standing out compared to competition is something that resonates with Croxson. “A recent Euromonitor report states that ones of glass’ biggest opportunities for innovation has been a growing demand from beverage brand owners for premiumisation and personalisation, to secure a high-end position or to convey tradition and create nostalgia. Having a complete range of beer bottles, in sizes from 275ml to 3L, in many shapes and price points, is essential for breweries wanting to increase their sales; glass has a clear advantage here. “Over the past two years, many customers have created line extensions with a focus on premiumisation. This carries its own challenges in that the volumes are often, by their nature, smaller, and every brewer wants to do something which hasn’t been done before,” he says. “Often we effectively operate as consultants to our customers as creating something different may not be a particular comfortable place for them, so they need a partner to work with them, who understands what they want to do, and is willing to
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work alongside them.” Croxson adds: “We have seen many micro-breweries grow into established players, and many of our established customers have grown exponentially. All are success stories in their own right, and we are proud of our role in helping them achieve that. Each relationship is important to us, and is something that we are passionate about. “Some of our customers use many millions of bottles, but we are flexible enough to cater for all needs. Shepherd Neame approached Croxsons to supply growlers to serve Samuel Adams Boston Lager in Steam and Rye, the American-inspired restaurant and bar that opened late last year in London. The growlers, which hold around five pints of the US premium craft beer, are dual-branded with Samuel Adams on one side and Steam and Rye on the other. They are the only Samuel Adams-branded growlers in the UK. “The Samuel Adams brand wanted to do something different with the presentation of Samuel Adams Boston Lager in Steam and Rye, and the growlers have worked really well. In fitting with the venue, the growlers successfully reflect its American heritage and create a real ‘wow’ factor when they’re carried through the restaurant to table, as well as being great branding for Samuel Adams.”
sensible investment?
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lsewhere, contract bottling specialists Branded Drinks says it continues to offer a “high quality but competitively priced service that has gained a wide reputation for reliability, flexibility and quality assurance” in the UK beer industry. Jonathan Calver, managing director of the UK business says he is seeing more brewers investing in their own bottling lines but questions if this is the right thing to do. “I’m not so sure it's a good use of money. They will inevitably end up with spare capacity if they can’t fill it all with there own product, and then they turn to contact bottling. But it's not that easy as there is a great deal to consider in terms of fulfilling contracts, and adhering to the requirements of the customer in question,” he adds. Branded Drinks calls itself a ‘onestop-shop’ gateway into on and off trade markets, handling everything from bottling and quality testing through to marketing, distribution and sales. It has invested more than £1.3m in new bottling technology since 2012, and handles nine different bottle types for
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its clients. While Branded Drinks is experiencing ongoing success in the bottling sector, Beatson Clark is continuing its dialogue with the industry from a manufacturing perspective. Taylor says: “Many breweries place restrictions on the dimensions of the bottles they can use as they have to contract out their bottling; we therefore try to provide alternative shapes that still fit many standard bottling lines, such as our tapered beer bottle: the dimensions are the same as our standard 500ml ale bottle which means that change parts should not be required to have the bottle filled, as with our new 500ml craft bottle. “Breweries get alternative shapes to choose from rather than going for the same standards as everyone else. Many breweries do not realise that they can have their logo embossed onto a standard bottle on a production run of just 150k units, so communication is key.”
this offering a big point of difference over labelling, and the benefit of not needing a label application, it is one of our most common asked questions and order requests,” he explains. So while canning beers, and the desire to do so, continues at pace, bottling still has a great deal to offer for breweries, established and new.
bespoke design
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t is that communication that has led to Beatson Clark’s involvement in projects such as the production of bottles for Robinson’s Old Tom, the 750ml Embossed Brooklyn Sorachi Ace and Meantime Brewery’s 330ml Champagne style bottle used for beers such as Yakima Red. She says: “One flexible option we offer is to emboss a standard bottle with a name or logo, or change the shape of the bottle while sharing blank moulds with one of our standard containers. This means a customised container can be produced from only 150k units and also reduces the outlay by more than half. “Multiple embossing is a relatively new idea we’ve been working on: for one customer we recently produced four distinct versions of the same bottle from one production run, each with its own embossed design, which gives consumers the choice of four different designs on the shelf. It makes the bottle something of a collector’s item at no extra cost. “We have also started to introduce embossed standard beer bottles available from stock, such as our 330ml craft beer bottle, which is a cost-effective way of creating a unique container without the expense of a bespoke design.” The idea of added value is something that has continued to grow in popularity with Croxsons, also. “Decoration is also a technique that allows for innovation, and differentiation. Brewers are opting for ceramic printing direct on to glass to add value to their brand and to keep ahead of the competition. With
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A novel approach
to product development Dr Chris Smart is the head of brewing services at food and drink research body Campden BRI. In this piece, he argues that there been an explosion of product development in the alcoholic beverages industry, around a category that can be broadly described as: 0-5% ABV, single serve bottles, sweet and often fruity, refreshing, coloured, bright or cloudy. Many of these products have a beer or cider base, but may not be marketed as such.
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ith the demand for these beverage styles, we have been answering an increasing number of technical questions on this topic and assisting in overcoming various pinch points. This white paper highlights some of these technical issues, and outlines some approaches that may help as you develop these novel products.
Microbiological stability
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his is essentially the burning issue, since failure to ensure microbial stability could result in exploding bottles and danger to the consumer. These novel beverages are more vulnerable to spoilage than traditional alcoholic beverages since they often have added sugar, may have a lower (or zero) alcohol content and may have virtually no hops. As such, the pasteurisation protocol must be adapted for each product in order to mitigate this risk. In-house challenge tests can be adapted to check
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that the pasteurisation is sufficient, ensuring that a suitably resistant test organism is selected. When creating a range of products, a useful approach is to categorise them by microbial risk in order to ensure that they go through the correct pasteurisation procedure. Finally, some producers add preservatives, to avoid excessive heat treatments and to improve colour and flavour. This year, we have conducted a member funded project to produce guidelines on pasteurisation procedures for these beverages, and so we can provide further information and guidance on this key issue.
Sweetening the products
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he most common sweetener used in these products is sucrose, which has the advantage of being natural with a pleasant taste, but has the disadvantage in that it is expensive. Fructose is also natural, can actually boost fruity flavours, but it is also expensive. From a technological viewpoint, both sucrose and fructose are water soluble, colourless, and heat stable, but their usage requires significant investment in dispensing, dosing and mixing technology.
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Added sugars also add calories, and so an alternative is to consider using artificial sweeteners. Again these tend to be water soluble and colourless, can be cost effective and have the advantage that dosing equipment is not required and pasteurisation may be avoided. On the other hand, be aware that sweeteners can have a significant aftertaste, and that it may be necessary to explore adjusting the product composition to mask these.
regulatory background
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efore starting product development, we advise checking the regulatory background of the materials that will be used in the beverage. Additives such as Stevia have maximum levels set for their usage and restrictions placed on the alcohol content in beverages. Some ingredients may also trigger issues if they fall under the Novel Food Regulations, which may occur if the ingredient is not on the permitted list or was not in common use in the EU before 15th May 1997. Finally, be aware that for products under 1.2% ABV a full ingredient listing will be required on the label as well as nutrition information. We also advise
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double checking that claims such as ‘natural’ or ‘ low calorie’ can be substantiated and are permitted on your beverage, ones such as ‘low carbohydrate’ are not allowed in the EU.
cloudy or bright
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significant challenge with these products is colloidal stability - either keeping a product bright or keeping a product hazy, depending on the style. As soon as a beer base is mixed with any fruit substance, a haze is guaranteed to form as the proteins and polyphenols interact. This is a complex process and unfortunately the best strategy to get the correct haze level seems to be trial and error, and potentially the use of a good filtration system! For many products, such as Radlers, a cloudy product is required and an understanding of the composition of the fruit mix which may contain cloudifiers (oils) or stabilisers (gums, pectin) is valuable to optimise the product development process. To ensure colloidal stability over the lifetime of the product, we advise adapting the in-house forcing tests; we have a member project on this topic which is
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investigating the best methods to identify and predict haze, which will be able to offer further detailed support.
Retraining the sensory panel
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or each product, a new set of descriptors will be required, as well as a standard profile that the panel can assess against, and Quantitative Descriptive Analysis (QDA) is a suitable method to achieve this. The panel will also need to be trained on new flavour and aroma notes such that they can assign values to the intensity and also can identify a new range of taints that may form in these products. As such, a significant investment in panel training will be required, whether by an internal or external trainer. In addition, visual assessment of colour presents a challenge and is very reliant on individual skill – so while colour could be assessed by the panel, we advise considering investing in colorimetry equipment to be more robust.
due diligence and quality control
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sing new raw materials means new risks, and expansion of the due diligence food safety testing programme will be required with these novel products. Each raw material needs to be considered by risk likelihood and also in relation to any legal limits, and integrated
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into the testing plan. It is useful for the first few due diligence rounds to increase the sampling frequency to establish a baseline; it may then be justifiable to reduce the frequency if no issues have occurred. In the lab, there is also a challenge around standard QC methods, which will need to be adapted to take into account the new matrix. For example, the use of matrix matched standards and spiked samples can be useful for validating methods, and sending duplicate samples to a specialist laboratory to get an external corroboration of your new method is advisable.
new packaging formats
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inally, these novel drinks are often presented in flint glass bottles, but the marketing teams are driving new small pack formats that can create additional technical challenges. We would suggest checking the packaging before starting the NPD process – for example, if the pack cannot be pasteurised, the use of preservatives or sweeteners may be need to be considered. Delving deeper into the literature or the wealth of information on the web or consulting the author will provide further gems of information introducing the reader to the fascinating world of the sensory evaluation of their favourite beverage. We encourage you to look up terms in your favourite search engine and explore a little more about each flavour note mentioned above
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Flavour production
in a nutshell In this paper, Gary Spedding, Ph.D. Brewing and Distilling Analytical Services, LLC. Lexington, KY. USA, provides an introduction to the flavour complexity of brewing and of the final beer.
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n understanding of a couple of dozen or so compounds from their aroma and taste can go a long way to ensuring the quality of the final product. Sensory evaluation provides an inexpensive quality control program for every beverage manufacturer and starts with tasting the brewing liquor, the raw materials and all steps along the way. Each step in brewing (see schematic in Figure
Gary Spedding
phillip suddick
Gary Spedding went to the University of East Anglia for his Biological Sciences degree and then to Leicester Uni for a PhD in Biochemistry. After this, he moved to Canada and, after teaching for some time, ended up at the Siebel Institute, the oldest brewing School in the US. He then moved to Kentucky, forming BDAS, LLC in 2002/2003. Gary and his team test beer, wine and distilled spirits, working for businesses large and small. For more information, see: www.alcbevtesting.com or email: info@alcbevtesting.com
1) provides points of entry or control of flavour components which impact final product. The raw materials can be discussed another time but malt and hop specification sheets should be consulted to appreciate the flavour notes that will be imparted to the beer through their judicious use. These ingredients must be inspected visually,
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aromatically and through the preparation of smallscale malt “teas” and hop “teas” preparations and tastings. If force carbonating the beer – test the flavour and aroma of the commercial CO2 source by bubbling some through water and sniffing and tasting to ensure no major issues such as strong corn aroma (dimethyl sulfide or DMS-like) or hydrogen sulfide (rotten eggs) exist. From malt: grainy, cereal, toffee, chocolate, coffee and more subtle roasted and phenolic notes. Hops: citrus, fruity, piney, floral, herbal and much more. Next in this brief journey, and assuming quality yeast is used (for traditional beers), a clean fermentation provides the main soup of aromatic volatile components found in beer. From a chemists viewpoint all classes of compounds will be present, alcohols (ethanol and higher – meaning longer carbon chain length - alcohols – sometimes called fusel oils – with solventy, nutty and even roses-like notes) aldehydes (green apple-like acetaldehyde, almond-marzipan from benzaldehyde), ketones (the dreaded buttery compound diacetyl), esters (fruity and solventy notes – think bananas in wheat beers or red apple and hints of aniseed or tropical fruit notes), phenols (cloves in wheat beers), acids (acetic and lactic acid and more complex acids leading to cheesy, rancid, goaty notes), sulfur compounds (dimethyl sulfide – cooked corn, tomatoes, oysters – the ocean spray, hydrogen sulfide – rotten eggs, hair permanent solution, or sulfites – burnt matches) and more create about a third or more of over a 1000 components in your glass. Some vying for full attention, some quietly lurking in the background but all providing what makes beer – well essentially beer! See Figure 2 for a very brief overview graphic covering the keys to fermentation flavour production via yeast metabolism. The new breed of barrel aged brewers adds the complexity of wood flavours (including the depicted whiskey lactone with woody, green and coconut undertones – Figure 3) along with vanilla notes and
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Figure 2. Yeast metabolism and beer flavour production. Chemical and biochemical complexity leads to 100’s of flavours representing all chemical classes. Only some classes and chemical component examples represented here.
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Figure 1. The complexity of beer production with points of origin for flavor extraction, production or control.
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far more besides. Understanding wood chemistry and its effects on beer maturation is in its infancy. We do not even discuss the flavour complexity of Brettanomyces – “Brett” beers, spontaneously fermented and sour beers here – maybe next time? Unwanted microorganisms create a plethora of taints and off-flavours. Oxidation of the beer promotes staling reactions with cardboard, papery, bready notes – but enough of the bad stuff. Back to brewery fresh, quality beer. Ten key flavours found in alcoholic beverages with brief flavour notes are illustrated in the infographic wheel in Figure 3. While not all points illustrated in the three figures are mentioned, the article will provide a concise introduction to beer from the perspective of the key flavours. When these flavours, and a few other components, are understood the brewer should be poised to better grasp the quality issues involved in brewing which can then help ensure more consistency and higher quality beer production. Delving deeper into the literature or the wealth of information on the web or consulting the author will provide further gems of information introducing the reader to the fascinating world of the sensory evaluation of their favourite beverage. We encourage you to look up terms in your favourite search engine and explore a little more about each flavour note mentioned above
Figure 3. Ten key flavours to be aware of in your beer and other alcoholic beverages.
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Making a splash Nearly 40,000 visitors will descend upon the Nürnberg Messe this November for BrauBeviale 2015. Over the next two issues, we put the spotlight on some the exciting innovation on show, as well as giving you all of the essential information to ensure you get the most from your visit.
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rauBeviale has much to live up to following a massively successful showing in 2014. 37,200 visitors flocked to take in the latest developments from across the supply chain of beverage production. However, the team behind the BrauBeviale aren’t ones to rest on their laurels and around 1,150 exhibitors are expected to take part in the three-day event this November, which features a raft of new programmes, seminars and sessions to help you improve your business. The Nürnberg Messe will play host to visitors from across the globe from 10-12 November with the focus firmly placed on the process chain of beverages production: high-quality raw materials, effective technologies, efficient logistics solutions and a raft of marketing ideas. BrauBeviale is expecting around 37,000 attendees at this year’s event. This figure includes a cross-section of brewers, as well as specialists and experts from the plant and engineering sector, packaging industry and from malt houses, the retail trade and catering industries. Visitors to the last show came from 128 countries, with a total of over 8,100 international guests attending from the Czech Republic, Italy, Switzerland, Austria and Russia. 87 percent of those in attendance were decision-makers or were involved in the purchasing and procurement decision-making processes of their respective companies. Following a survey of this audience, the main focus of interest was towards the beverage production technology, filling and packaging, as well by raw
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Essential information Venue and date Exhibition Centre Nuremberg Tuesday, 10 to Thursday, 12 November 2015 Opening times Tuesday and Wednesday from 9.00 to 18.00 Thursday from 9.00 to 17.00 Online Ticket Shop Order tickets from October onwards online at: www.braubeviale.de/ticketshop Box office 1-day ticket: EUR 26; Full event: EUR 36 Online exhibitor platform All exhibitors and their latest product information available at: www.braubeviale.de/exhibitors-products Entrances and floor plan Entrance is via Eingang Mitte entrance to Halls 1, 9 and tour of the halls via Eingang Ost entrance to Halls 4, 4A, 5, 6, 7, 7A and tour of the halls Exhibitors Approximately: 1,150 Trade visitors 2014: 37,200, 40% international share
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materials, logistics solutions and marketing ideas. Director exhibitions Andrea Kalrait explains: “Last year BrauBeviale was impressive for all those involved. Our new concept has really proved itself and that is why we will of course be sticking to it. Here and there we will still be making a few minor adjustments in order to obtain the best for all those involved.”
international focus
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xhibitors at last year’s event came from 47 nations, including Germany, Italy, Great Britain, the Czech Republic, Netherlands, Austria, Belgium and Switzerland. From speaking to those involved, 93 percent of the exhibitors were “satisfied” with the overall success of their trade fair participation, 96 percent of the exhibitors reached their most important target groups and almost just as many exhibitors, 94 percent, made new business contacts. This year, BrauBeviale is once again placing a focus on the prominent markets and trends in the brewing sector with its European MicroBrew Symposium. The training event for managing directors, company owners, proprietors, technical managers and master brewers from European micro and craft breweries, as well as representatives from the supplying industry, will be held as usual on the day before the fair opens.
Hall layout Raw materials (Hall 1) Raw materials and beverages as a raw material Technologies (Halls 4, 4A, 5, 6, 7, 7A) Machinery, plant and installations for the production, filling and packaging of beverages Packaging materials, packaging aids, closing and sealing materials Automation and IT Operating and laboratory equipment, process and auxiliary materials, beer refinement Plant and installations for energy, compressed air/ gases, industrial safety, environmental protection Logistics (Hall 7A) Vehicles, loading equipment, material flow, warehousing and storage systems, transport equipment Marketing (Halls 1 and 9) Beverages marketing, catering equipment and facilities Services, institutes, research, media
80 | The Brewers Journal | September~October 2015
Travel You can reach the exhibition centre quickly and directly via the motorway, rail network or Albrecht Dürer Airport Nürnberg. By car Fast access to the A3, A6, A9 and A73 motorways. The Exhibition Centre Nuremberg is signed from all directions and connected by a well-developed network of feeder roads. By Rail High-speed trains like the ICE and national and international long-distance trains like the IC und EC stop at Nuremberg’s centrally located main station. Connection: U1 underground line in the direction of Langwasser as far as the "Messe" station; journey time eight minutes. Information about all other local public transport connections to NürnbergMesse can be requested online using the search function of the Nuremberg regional transport system (VGN) From Airport Access to the U2 underground line to Nuremberg Röthenbach in front of the terminal. Change at Nuremberg main station to the U1 underground line to Langwasser Süd, leaving the train at the ‘Messe’ station. Total journey time 25 minutes. Alternatively by taxi from the airport to the exhibition centre (24 hours a day, journey time approx. 25 minutes); cost approx. EUR 27. All the well-known car hire firms like Avis, Hertz, Europcar and Sixt are represented at Nuremberg airport. The nearest international airports to Nuremberg airport are in Frankfurt am Main or Munich and can be reached with a connecting flight or by ICE in about an hour.
This is being staged by NürnbergMesse in cooperation with the Versuchs- und Lehranstalt für Brauerei (Research and Teaching Institute for Brewing, VLB), Berlin.
market intelligence
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popular facet of the show’s programme returns in 2015 in the form of the BrauBeviale Forum. The event comprises top-ranking lectures, workshops and panel discussions, with more than 3,000 guests in attendance throughout during last year’s seminars.
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B r au B ev i ale
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Extras Trend theme 2015 Because drinking pleasure is at home here! “Creative Beer Culture meets Premium Spirits”, Hall 9 PET@BrauBeviale BrauBeviale and PETnology present PET in the beverages industry, Hall 4A BrauBeviale Forum Top-ranking presentations on top themes in the sector in Hall 1 Presentation of the European Beer Star Europe’s largest beer competition, Hall 9 European MicroBrew Symposium A look at the markets and trends for microbrewers Tasting bar in Hall 9 Beverage Innovation Award in Hall 1
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September~October 2015 | The Brewers Journal 81
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2015 1 - 4 October London Beer Carnival Leake Street, Waterloo SE1, London www.londonbeercarnival.com 8 - 11 October Independent Manchester Beer Convention (Indy Man Beer Con/IMBC) Victoria Baths, Hathersage Rd, Manchester www.indymanbeercon.co.uk 23 - 25 October 5th CAMRA Beer & Cider Festival VSpa Valley Railway, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN2 5QY www.spavalleyrailway.co.uk 10 - 12 November BrauBeviale: Trade Fair for Production and Marketing of Drinks Messezentrum, 90471 Nuremberg, Germany www.braubeviale.de
82 | The Brewers Journal | September~October 2015
Around 10,000 professionals from across the brewing landscape are expected to attend the next Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America, which takes place in May 2016
10 - 12 November InPrint: The Exhibition for Industrial Print Technology Munich Trade Fair Centre, 81829 Munich, Germany www.inprintshow.com 19 - 21 November 2015 Belfast Beer & Cider Festival Ulster Hall, Belfast, County Antrim BT2 7FF www.belfastbeerfestival.co.uk
2016 3 - 6 May Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America Philadelphia Convention Center, Philadelphia, PA 19107 www.craftbrewersconference.com
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