The Brewers Journal May-Jun 2017, iss 3 vol 3

the magazine for the professional brewing industry

Brewers T H E

J O U R N A L

May~JUNE 2017 ISSN 2059-6669

st austell

roger ryman talks craft beer, cask beer and creating a legacy

P.40

Yeastie boys: uk expansion

P.55

point of sale and merchandising

P.60

Analysis and measurement

l e a d er

strength and dep th

I

t is not often you see Brett Ellis and Stuart Winstone from Wild Beer Co pouring a beer for Brooklyn Brewery’s Garrett Oliver, moments before the team from Manchester’s Cloudwater also swing by. But the Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America was the place to do just that.

The 34th iteration of the Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America took place last month, attracting 13,300 visitors and 900 exhibitors to Washington DC. The scale and setup of the four-day event was incredibly impressive with breweries of all sizes descending on the capital to engage with peers, customers, suppliers and friends both old and new.

Following four days in and around the show, it was clear that breweries, regardless of scale, were looking to learn but also to invest in new technology, products and services to help take their brewing operations to the next level.

Issues of The Brewers Journal and The Brewers Journal Canada were also distributed at what was a truly global event, so it was particularly rewarding to see attendees from across the brewing spectrum thumbing the pages of both publications. Thanks to Brewers Association for the opportunity and roll on 2018 in Nashville, Tennessee. Despite a successful event however, new research from Brewers Association showed that there were challenges, as well as opportunities on the road ahead for breweries.

“Small and independent brewers are operating in a new brewing reality still filled with opportunity, but within a much more competitive landscape, Bart Watson, chief economist at Brewers Association explained. “As the overall beer market remains static and the large global brewers lose volume, their strategy has been to focus on acquiring craft brewers.”

He added: “This has been a catalyst for slower growth for small and independent brewers and endangered consumer access to certain brands. Small and independent brewers were able to fill in the barrels lost to acquisitions and show steady growth but at a rate more reflective of today’s industry dynamics.

"The average brewer is getting smaller and growth is more diffuse within the craft category, with producers at the tail helping to drive growth for the overall segment.”

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Editor's choice Stu McKinlay, co-founder of New Zealand's Yeastie Boys, gives his thoughts on "Drink fresh" beer, UK life and the search for a new brewing partner. - Page 40

Elsewhere in this issue we speak to Roger Ryman, brewing director at St Austell Brewery. It is nearly 20 years since Ryman created St Austell ‘Tribute’, a beer that would ensure his name forms part of the story of modern UK brewing. Much has changed since he first produced that ale in 1999 but with the subsequent, popular creation of numbers like ‘Proper Job’, Ryman has helped guarantee ongoing success for the historic Cornish brewery.

“The market is constantly changing. I’ve been part of this game since 1988 so I’ve seen enough of them,” he explains. “Growth for us now is mainly in bottle and keg, while cask has levelled out a bit. And I have to say, I do worry about cask beer in the longterm.

Lots of breweries are moving out of cask beer production and I get and understand that decision."

For more on Ryman and St Austell, turn to page 18. I hope you enjoy the issue!

Tim Sheahan Editor

May~June 2017 | The Brewers Journal 3

C o n tac t s

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contacts Tim Sheahan Editor tim@brewersjournal.info +44 (0)1442 780 592 Jim Robertson Head of sales jim@rebymedia.com +44 (0)1442 780 593 Josh Henderson Sales executive josh@rebymedia.com +44 (0)1442 780 594 Richard Piotrowski North America sales richard@rebymedia.com +1 (647) 975 7656 Rhian Owen Head of content rhian@rebymedia.com Jack Young Publisher jack@rebymedia.com

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SUBscriptions The Brewers Journal is a bimonthly magazine mailed every January, March, May, July, September and November. Subscriptions can be purchased for six or 12 issues. Prices for single issue subscriptions or back issues can be obtained by emailing: subscriptions@ rebymedia.com

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4 | The Brewers Journal | May~June 2017

AIRCON Brewers' Journal Half Page DriLine ad.indd 1

UK One year: £29, two year: £54 Rest of the world One year: £39, two year: £69 The content of The Brewers Journal is subject to copyright.

However, if you would like to obtain copies of an article for marketing purposes high-quality reprints can be supplied to your specification. Please contact the advertising team for full details of this service. The Brewers Journal is printed at Buxton Press Ltd, Derbyshire, UK.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any information storage or retrieval system, without the express prior written consent of the publisher. The Brewers Journal ISSN 2059-6650 is published bimonthly by Reby Media, 42 Crouchfield, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP1 1PA. Subscription records are maintained at Reby Media, 42 Crouchfield, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP1 1PA. The Brewers Journal accepts no responsibility for the accuracy of statements or opinion given within the Journal that is not the expressly designated opinion of the Journal or its publishers. Those opinions expressed in areas other than editorial comment may not be taken as being the opinion of the Journal or its staff, and the aforementioned accept no responsibility or liability for actions that arise therefrom.

www.brewersjournal.info 26/04/2016 12:42

c o n t en t s

c ontent s 60

52

30

46

40

Cover story

18 - It is nearly 20 years since Roger Ryman created St Austell ‘Tribute’, but he continues to help guarantee ongoing success for the historic Cornish brewery.

COMMENT 28- Irwin Mitchell focus on intellectual property 30- Design firm Colt talks employer branding 32- Cloudwater on success and the future the brewers lectures 36- This June The Brewers Journal hosts its third Brewers Lectures event featuring talks from Fourpure, Beavertown, Yeastie Boys and more

Meet the brewer: Yeastie Boys 40 - An incredibly successful crowd

funding campaign in 2015 led Yeastie Boys co-founder Stu McKinlay to start a new life in the UK. Now, he faces his biggest challenge yet brewery tour: ossett brewery 46 - Rebranding and expansion at

the West Yorkshire brewery

6 | The Brewers Journal | May~June 2017

Show focus: edinburgh craft beer festival 52 - Scotland plays host to the Edinburgh Craft Beer Festival, taking place at the city’s Biscuit Factory venue from 26th-28th May. sector: pos & merchandising 55 - Effective, impactful, marketing and branding is a key catalyst in moving your beer from the shop or pub and into the hands of drinkers. sector: analysis & measurement 60 - Maintaining productivity and controlling operating costs is a constant challenge in the brewing industry. In the field of in-line measurement this is no different but there are a range of companies and products that can assist in the field Science: malliard reaction 77 - Gary Spedding of BDAS, LLC puts the spotlight on the very complex, though simply elegant chemistry known as the "Malliard reaction"

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It begins with one or two but slowly the scale becomes apparent as more brewers are found unconscious, broken and exhausted.

These were the brave souls filled with true passion and a love for beer, that made up the army of small breweries providing great craft beer to the ever more discerning beer drinker. they try to keep up but in the end it is just too much…

“I can do no more”

But no... It doesn’t have to be this way!

By working together with Simply Hops the brewers discover a range of natural hop derived brewing aids. These incredible products such as HopAid Anti-foam increase the efficiency of each brew allowing the brewers enough time to read the paper and grab a biscuit before they mash in once more… sanity is restored.

“we speak hops” We talk about the issues that matter to the craft brewing industry such as the pressure to produce great beer efficiently. We want to be part of the discussions that will shape the future of craft brewing. You might think we are being dramatic (we think so too). You may agree or disagree with what we say... Either way, we exist because of craft brewing so we’ll help you in any way we are able. @SIMPLY HOPS

SIMPLYHOPS

WWW.SIMPLYHOPS.COM

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Brewery numbers surpass 19,000

T

he craft beer revolution is taking hold in more countries across the globe.

Consumer demand and a growing passion for craft brewing mean you can now get an IPA in India or Iceland, a Saison from Belgium or Brazil, and an APA from the U.S. or Ukraine.

According to a new survey released by Alltech and The Brewers Journal, the number of breweries worldwide has surpassed 19,000, representing 209 countries and territories surveyed. Some 17,732, or 94 percent, of these breweries can be defined as craft beer producers. For the purpose of the survey, a craft brewer is defined as: having fewer than 30 staff; or producing less than 5,000 hectolitres per year; or more than 50 percent of the brewery being privately owned.

The craft beer movement has created a global surge in the number of new breweries opening, with the U.S. and the U.K. alone seeing a greater than 10 percent increase in the number of craft breweries year-on-year. This has drastically changed the fonts and fridges in pubs and bars on every continent.

The thrill of innovation, experimentation and community engagement is creating a new market for brewers and retailers.

The largest craft beer producer remains the U.S. with 4,750 craft breweries, of a total 5,025 breweries. However, of the top ten the U.K. has the most craft breweries per capita with 25 breweries per million people, compared with 15 in the U.S. and 16 in Germany.

“The U.S. and the U.K. fermented their lead in craft beer production as a result of legislation that paved the way for craft brewers,” said Tim

Manitowoc Foodservice rebrands as Welbilt Manitowoc Foodservice has rebranded to Welbilt, part of a strategic repositioning of the company.

Welbilt, formerly Manitowoc

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Sheahan, editor of The Brewers Journal. “In the U.S., the pivotal moment was in 1978 when President Jimmy Carter allowed home brewing for the first time since Prohibition. The U.K.’s watershed moment came in 2002 with Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s progressive beer duty legislation that reduced beer duty to nil for breweries producing less than 5,000 hectolitres.”

Although the U.S. is recognized as the originator of the recent craft beer movement, and has heavily influenced the modern take on traditional styles, there are more craft breweries in Europe than North America. The top ten craft beer producing countries are: the U.S., U.K., Germany, Italy, Spain, France, Canada, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Australia.

The global momentum behind the craft beer craze has led Alltech, an international company with a brewing and distilling division

renowned for its Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale, to leverage its worldwide presence and create opportunities for craft brewers to network and showcase their creations.

Alltech hosts multiple beer festivals around the globe, the largest of which is the Alltech Craft Brews and Food Fair in Dublin, Ireland. Now in its 5th year, the event featured 38 breweries from five countries and attracted more than 7,000 attendees. The event has since been mimicked in other Alltech locations, including Kentucky, Canada, Brazil and China.

“It is fun to see what all of the other brewers bring to these festivals,” said Ken Lee, master brewer for Alltech Lexington Brewing & Distilling Co. “There is a real spirit of collaboration among craft brewers, and, for consumers, perhaps that sense of community is just as appealing as the diversity of flavour.”

Foodservice, was spun off from its former parent company, The Manitowoc Company, last March.

The new name and brand represent a “long-standing commitment to put customers’ needs first”, it explained.

Hubertus M. Muehlhaeuser,

president and CEO, said: “We are excited to announce the changing of our name to Welbilt, Inc., which further strengthens our corporate identity as a stand-alone company. Welbilt reflects our promise and commitment to bringing innovation to the table."

May~June 2017 | The Brewers Journal 9

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business

CBC attracts more than 13,000 visitors WHILE US craft brewery numbers rise

T

he latest iteration of the Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America attracted 13,300 visitors and 900 exhibitors to Washington DC last month.

The 34th edition of the event was last held in the capital in 2013, when 6,400 attendees and 440 exhibiting companies took part.

Highlights of this year’s event included successful keynotes, diversity committee meetings, an update to the BA’s marketing and advertising code, the latest CBC beer symposium and also a fresh dialogue on government affairs.

The association also used the event to confirm that the 2018 CBC will be held in Nashville, Tennessee from April 30 – May 3, in conjunction with the 2018 World Beer Cup. Elsewhere, more than 5,300 breweries are in operation in the US, with small and independent craft brewers representing 12.3 percent market share by volume, new Brewers Association research shows.

The number of operating breweries in the US last year grew 16.6% to 5,301, 2016 data from the Brewers Association confirms.

Small and independent craft brewers represent 12.3 percent market share by volume of the overall beer industry.

These businesses produced 24.6 million barrels with a 6% rise in volume on a comparable base and a 10% increase in retail dollar value.

According to Brewers Association, retail dollar value was estimated at $23.5 billion, representing 21.9 percent market share.

With the addition of 1.4 million barrels, craft brewer growth outpaced the 1.2 million barrels lost from the craft segment, based on purchases by large brewing companies.

Bart Watson, chief economist at Brewers Association, explained: “Small and independent brewers are operating in a new brewing reality still filled with opportunity, but within a much more competitive

10 | The Brewers Journal | May~June 2017

landscape.

“As the overall beer market remains static and the large global brewers lose volume, their strategy has been to focus on acquiring craft brewers.

“This has been a catalyst for slower growth for small and independent brewers and endangered consumer access to certain brands. Small and independent brewers were able to fill in the barrels lost to acquisitions and show steady growth but at a rate more reflective of today’s industry dynamics.

“The average brewer is getting smaller and growth is more diffuse within the craft category, with producers at the tail helping to drive growth for the overall segment.”

A breakdown of the 5,301 breweries in operation showed there were 3,132 microbreweries, 1,916 brewpubs, 186 regional craft breweries and 67 large or otherwise noncraft brewers in the US. 826 new breweries opened in 2016 while 97 closed. Craft brewers provided nearly 129,000 jobs, an increase of almost 7,000 from the previous year.

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business

SMALL & INDEPENDENT

2016 U.S. Craft Brewers Growth in the Beer Category 2016

Volume Share for Craft Brewers

5.7% 6.5% 7.8%

11% 12.2% 12.3%

2011

2014

2012

2016

2013

2015

2016

Craft Retail Dollar Value Growth

$23.5 billion (10% growth over 2015)

Craft Dollar Share = 21.9%

( Total U.S. beer market retail dollar value $107.6 billion )

2016

U.S. Operating Breweries

5,301

Total Breweries (17% increase over 2015)

5,234 Craft Breweries 67 Other Breweries 1,916 Craft Brewpubs 3,132 Craft Microbreweries 186 Regional Craft Breweries (11% Increase over 2015)

(21% Increase over 2015)

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St Austell to double capacity at Bath Ales with new brewery St Austell Brewery is investing in a new brewery for Bath Ales, a move that will double brewing capacity at the company.

Brewing capacity at Bath Ales is to increase to up to 50,000 brewers’ barrels following the installation of a new brewery from Musk Engineering.

New bottling and canning facilities also form part of the company’s expansion plans thanks to a multi-million pound investment by St Austell Brewery.

Bath Ales, which was acquired in July last year, has also announced a new general manager, Tim McCord, who will play a key role in driving forward the future growth of the business.

McCord has more than 20 years of senior drinks industry experience and has held the consultant role of managing director at Dartmoor Brewery and for leading the set-up, launch and strategic direction of the new Salcombe Brewery and brands.

Roger Ryman, the company’s brewing director who oversees production at Bath Ales and St Austell Brewery, said he is “hugely excited” about the year ahead and also the prospects at the new Hare Brewery.

Work begins in September and is expected to be complete by Spring 2018.

He explained: “At both breweries, there’s a continued appreciation of only crafting the highest quality beers.

Since we have come together I have been very impressed with the skills and capabilities of the Bath Ales brewing team.

“We will continue to give them the support and resources they need to succeed and deliver what they have the potential to do.

“After a rigorous process, we’re delighted to have commissioned Musk to build the new brewery. We have an excellent working relationship with Musk’s engineering and design teams, having worked with them during the installation of a major upgrade of the facilities at our brewing home in St Austell.

"We know they will deliver on the vision we have for the new brewery.”

James Staughton, chief executive at St Austell Brewery, added: “When we announced the coming together of St Austell Brewery and Bath Ales we committed to a longterm significant investment in the brands, pub estate, people and the brewing facilities.

“The creation of a new brew house will ensure we’re able to offer even more of what Bath Ales’ customers know and love.

"Alongside the appointment of Tim, we’re very much looking forward to being a part of Bath Ales’ next chapter and building on the legacy created by its founders.”

For more on St Austell Brewery, see our interview with Roger Ryman elsewhere in this issue.

(4% Increase over 2015)

BrewersAssociation.org www.brewersjournal.info

May~June 2017 | The Brewers Journal 11

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business

BLACK SHEEP BREWERY MAKES 330ML FORAY

B

lack Sheep Brewery is marking its 25th anniversary and reacting to an “evolving” market with the launch of two beers in 330ml can format.

The Masham-based brewery has started canning two beers from its craft range, Pathmaker & Glug M’Glug.

The former is a 5.6% ABV pale ale that was created in homage to the brewery’s founder Paul Theakston and is also available in keg.

The other beer is a dark IPA at

6.2% ABV that was named after a mythical creature created by a relative of the Theakston family.

Jo Theakston, chief of sales and marketing here at the brewery, said: “We promised a number of surprises for our 25th anniversary and this is another exciting offering to our customers and pub trade partners.

“The market is evolving and we at here at Black Sheep are glad to be part of that movement by offering our craft beers in cans.

“It’s the first time we’ve produced these new beers in can and it’s only

fitting that they both reference tales of our brewing dynasty, to coincide with our silver anniversary.

“The hand drawn designs of both Pathmaker and Glug M’Glug will be striking additions to any bar or fridge. Our brewing team are always ahead of the curve and continually producing award-winning beers.

We’re always pushing the boundaries in the spirit of Dad and his legend when he founded Black Sheep.

We still have plenty of exciting surprises to come this year, as we celebrate our landmark anniversary!”

Wimbledon Brewery seals M&S deal

W

imbledon Brewery has sealed new listings for its beers at Marks & Spencer’s London

stores.

Four Wimbledon-brewed beers will feature in all 86 M&S Food stores in the capital. These comprise the 6.2% Quartermaine IPA, a 5% Tower Pale Ale, its Gold Lager, and a canned Bravo American Pale Ale. The brewery, founded in 2014, brews its beers under the steward-

12 | The Brewers Journal | May~June 2017

ship of master brewer Derek Prentice, aims to produce a range of well-balanced ales and lagers which reflect the very best ingredients and methods both traditional and modern which go into their making.

Mark Gordon, founder of the Wimbledon Brewery, said: “We’re delighted to be part of the excellent

beer range offered by M&S. They have shown tremendous enthusiasm for highquality English food and drink of all types, so it is a real privilege to be shown in that company. We’re all about balanced beers made from fine ingredients, that go well with food, and we are confident they will be well received

by M&S customers.”

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A CRAFT BREWING SPECIALIST SUPPLIER AT YOUR FINGERTIPS.

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All Malts delivered ON TIME to your specification, crushed or whole Main products include: Maris Otter, Pearl, Propino and Golden Promise Ale Malts together with the complete range of Speciality Crystal and Roasted Malts including Wheat, Rye and Oat products

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May~June 2017 | The Brewers Journal 13

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business

New compact DE-free beer membrane filtration unit launched by pentair

P

entair has launched a new compact diatomaceous earth (DE)-free beer membrane filtration unit designed for small and craft breweries.

The BMF +Flux Compact S4, which is already in operation at the Princen Brewery in the Netherlands, as well as two other breweries in Europe, is equipped with four type R-30 membrane modules.

According to Pentair, its filtration performance of 30 to 60 hl/h makes

it “ideally suited” for breweries with an annual output between 10,000 hl and 100,000 hl.

They explained: “Complex DE handling and disposal is eliminated.

In addition, Pentair’s Beer Membrane Filtration gives brewers a fully automated process that can be interrupted at any time.

“This true start/stop filtration is especially beneficial to craft brewers who produce a wide variety of beers.

“Small batches of beer can be

run with constantly excellent beer quality and very low beer loss. This provides considerably more turnover for craft beers, which are often exclusive runs.”

The BMF +Flux Compact S4 filter unit is a stand-alone solution on a stainless steel frame. To install the BMF in an existing brewery all that is required is incoming and outgoing beer connections, water, power, compressed air, and carbon dioxide.

Hepworth opens new multi-million pound site

W

est Sussex-based Hepworth Brewery has officially opened its new site.

The move was made possible with a £2.36 million funding package from HSBC alongside “significant personal investment” from the business owners and grant funding.

The HSBC finance package included a £1.8 million commercial mortgage loan that has allowed the brewery to treble its space and also increase its work force, with local recruitment at the heart of the company’s expansion.

A small proportion of the fund-

14 | The Brewers Journal | May~June 2017

ing was also used to purchase two state-of-the-art conditioning tanks, which is required to meet the demand for increased production of the company’s own-brand beer and to enable the company to expand its capacity for contract brewing.

Its new site also includes a shop which sells a selection of the brewery’s products and a newly built visitor-centre which will run tours for budding brewers and beer lovers.

Hepworth Brewery also wants to use the facilities to host a series of lectures and training sessions for other local small breweries.

Andy Hepworth, founding

member of Hepworth Brewery, said: “Brewing great beer has always been a passion for us and our relocation in West Sussex has allowed us to continue to tap into the great produce from local farmers on our doorstep.

“Sussex farmers are excellent: their skills make our job much, much easier and we can’t wait to brew even more varieties. HSBC attended our launch on Friday, and the bank’s team has been an amazing resource for us during this move. Their support and advice has been invaluable and we hope to continue this great relationship."

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Helping brewers produce beers to the highest standard.

Training new brewers to reach their full potential.

170 breweries assisted over three decades.  Regular on-site visits. Our bespoke service ensures we know both your brewery and your brewers  Technical support for day-to-day issues  On-site training  Residential training courses  New start-ups. We offer a full consultancy service from concept to completion and beyond David Smith or Rob Smith David: 07970 629552 / Rob: 07966 693097 enquiries@brewingservices.co.uk www.brewingservices.co.uk

01255 224500 - www.steamboilers.co.uk

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May~June 2017 | The Brewers Journal 15

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HARVEY’S CANS OPEN NEW MARKETS

H

arvey’s Brewery has “created a whole new market” for the business with the move to canning

its beers.

East Sussex-based Harvey’s has moved into offering its beers in cans following a request from British Airways.

The brewery expedited its plans to diversify into canned beer after British Airways tasked Harvey’s with supplying beer to its i360, a 450ft high viewing pod, in Brighton last year.

“They were unable to dispense draught beer and there was a restriction on glass bottles so we

decided to put our Best Bitter into a can,” explained Harvey’s sales and marketing manager Bob Trimm, going on to explain how it was a success.

He added “With our new branding on the cans it created a whole new market for us, with a younger demographic clearly attracted to our beer – some of whom told us they would never have tried it if they’d only come across it in cask.”

The success convinced Harvey’s to launch a whole range of beer in cans so Best Bitter is joined by Gold Bier (4%), Malt Brown (4.8%) and the newest addition to the line-up, Black Stout (4.8%), a traditional

stout porter.

The latter is described as having undertones of coffee and chocolate and a balanced, bittersweet flavour from a combination of light and dark malts together with traditional British hops.

Trimm added: ”We believe cans give us the opportunity to engage with a demographic and a route to market that would not have considered us as solely a cask ale producer.

“We’ve had interest from companies that supply cruise ships and airlines and we’re also talking to restaurants and hotels. These are all conversations we couldn’t have had with cask ale.”

BREWOLOGY BOOSTS PRODUCTION CAPACITY BY 30%

E

quipment manufac turer Brewology has invested in new kit that will help boost production capacity at business by 30%.

Leeds-based Brewology has invested in a CNC machine and conveyors to speed up production and increase output.

The company, which manufactures cask and keg filling and cleaning systems, doubled its turnover to £1.35m last year, citing business from breweries such Sharps, Heineken and Fuller’s.

Its new investment, which was assisted by the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP), is

expected to increase production capacity by 30% and to create up to four new jobs at the company.

David Grant, managing director at Brewology explained: “The UK and the United States are in the middle of an explosion in craft brewing. In the UK alone there are 2,000 brewers, with new brands and breweries entering the market every week.

“The new machine is now fully operational. We’ve already employed two new members of staff – a skilled machine operator and a fabricator – and this has allowed us to significantly reduce our machining times, which will be reduced even

further when the new conveyors are installed.”

Cllr Judith Blake, leader of Leeds City Council and chair of the LEP investment panel added: “Leeds has a proud and successful history as a centre for the brewing industry and this continues today with the growth of small and medium size craft brewers such as North Brew, Northern Monk and Leeds Brewery.

“Many of these have received grant support through the LEP business Growth Programme and it’s fantastic that we can support investment to create new jobs within the wider supply chain for an industry that’s booming.”

Wadworth rebrands bottles

6X, gluten-free 6X Gold and golden ale Horizon. They are branded to EU labelling guidelines, which make them available for export to 11 countries.

Wadsworth called on award-winning design agency Tynan D’Arcy for the project, with all bottles updated with modern, colourful labels.

Elaine Beckett, head of marketing and communications at Wadworth, explained: “There has been a great sense of anticipation about the new bottled beer design at Wadworth, and we’re excited to see how retailers

and consumers react to the modern redesign. Wadworth is an energetic and forward thinking brand, and it’s important that our beers reflect this.

“We have over 100 years of knowledge and experience in craft brewing and have always moved with the times, while retaining our brand heritage. The new look and feel is reflective of our status as a genuine original craft brewer that continues to cater for our original beer drinkers, but looks to target an emerging market of younger beer drinkers.”

Wadworth has unveiled a new look of its bottled beer range following the successful relaunch of its flagship 6X ale.

The Devizes-based brewery and pub operator has experienced sales of its beer double in supermarkets over the past 12 months and is aiming to continue driving growth in the premium ale sector by encouraging “shelf appeal”.

The rebrand comprises all seven Wadworth bottles, which include

16 | The Brewers Journal | May~June 2017

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Siren Craft Brew adds to its core range

S

iren Craft Brew has added Yu Lu, a loose leaf Pale Ale brewed with Earl Grey Tea, to its core beer

range.

The 6% beer is available in keg, cask and bottle, and has become the brewery’s sixth core beer.

The beer’s Earl Grey leaves deliver an inherent dry bitterness along with a burst of bergamot juice that begins to layer the fruit flavours, complemented by an all-star American hop profile of Chinook, Citra, Amarillo and Simcoe, said the brewery.

Lemon zest shines through in careful balance and the beer comes full circle on the finish, as the ale yeast from Vermont, which has since become Siren’s unique house strain, finishes the tasting with peach and apricot notes.

Darron Anley, founder of Siren Craft Brew, explained: “As part of our core range, we’re delighted to

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be able to offer Yu Lu in cask, keg and bottle all year round. It’s just as good as an after work pint as it is complementing food in a restaurant.

“We think it’s a great introduction to the flavour-forward beers in our core range, and an ideal starting point on the craft beer journey.”

Siren Craft Brew were recently included in Ratebeer’s prestigious ‘Top 100 Brewers in the World’ for the 3rd year running.

They are also undergoing a period of expansion at their home, which is located in Finchampstead, Berkshire.

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TRIBUTE TO A PROPER BREWER

It is nearly 20 years since Roger Ryman created St Austell ‘Tribute’, a beer that would ensure his name forms part of the story of modern UK brewing. Much has changed since he first produced that ale in 1999 but with the subsequent, popular creation of numbers like ‘Proper Job’, Ryman has helped guarantee ongoing success for the historic Cornish brewery.

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t Austell Brewery produced 15,000 barrels of beer in 1999. Enter Tribute, its 4.2% Cornish Pale Ale, and 14 years later that beer accounted for more than 60,000 barrels alone. Now, in 2017, the brewery outputs around 115,000 barrels, and it has beers such as Tribute and Proper Job to thank for that. But Roger Ryman, brewing director at St Austell, is refusing to rest on his laurels.

“The market is constantly changing. I’ve been part of this game since 1988 so I’ve seen enough of it to know,” he explains. “Growth for us is now mainly in bottle and keg, while cask has levelled out a bit.

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And I have to say, I do worry about cask beer in the longterm. Lots of breweries are moving out of cask beer production, a decision I get and understand. With cask, we all know that a great beer served in perfect condition has few rivals but the challenge for cask beer is, of course, the trade.”

Ryman continues: “Breweries have little control over how the beer they have produced is served in the pub and it obviously has a limited shelf life. We are also part of a changing drinking landscape where people are drinking less, but drinking quality and in a more varied amount of venues. As a result, this draws from the traditional market of cask beer. Look at the breweries leaving, there is a sound business decision

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behind that.

“In truth, cask beer is oversupplied. There are low barriers of entry and too many new breweries are doing it. The market is well supplied and the pressures of that market dictate the price, which see it pushed down. With keg still somewhat of a speciality, drinkers are less price-sensitive and are happy to pay more, with better margins to be had for the brewer. So maybe we will eventually end up at a point where cask beer becomes the preserve of specialist places that look after it. Places that pay the brewery the price it deserves and attracts drinkers that are happy to pay the price it warrants. And if that means I live in world where the local I don’t go to anyway stops serving cask beer, is that necessarily a bad thing? As long as there is somewhere that will serve me a great cask beer, then that is fine with me.”

Ryman is in a pensive mood. Work, and his love for beer, is set to take him to Germany and Belgium following our meeting but at this moment his mind is firmly focused on the future of UK beer.

“I have to say, I respect (beer author and journalist) Pete Brown. When he speaks he is well thought out and pragmatic. I recently took in one of his talks that looked at the idea whether the current UK beer landscape was undergoing a fad or a revolution. He pointed out that a fad was more a ‘Here today, Gone tomorrow’ situation while the latter, a revolution, ends up changing the landscape and I think the beer market has most definitely changed. And for the better, too,” he explains. “I’ve been involved in beer since 1988 and the transformation we’ve undertaken

“

Lots of breweries are moving out of cask beer production and I understand that decision.

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in the last ten years or so has been major. At one point every drinker was knocking back Caffrey’s, then it was Stella Artois, and then it was bottles of Magners cider over ice. And now we are seeing an increasingly large amount of people drinking good beer. Sure, those drinking habits remain, but they are being challenged by excellent UK breweries.

But for Ryman, he is acutely aware that at some point, the heat in the market will die down. Figures released late last year confirmed that there were 1,700 breweries in the UK, a 8% jump in the previous 12 months and a figure that has no doubt grown since.

But while the pub trade is still losing an average of 21 establishments a week, market pressures will soon come into play.

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“The rate breweries are opening will die down at some point and there will be closures during this period, too. But this growth in breweries will find a natural balance at some point. Whether that is at 1500, 2000 or 3000, I don't know,” he says. “However, if you extrapolate the current brewery openings, it would not be long before there are close to 5,000 breweries and no pubs. Market forces will ensure that won't happen as people want to enjoy beer in the on trade environment. But where that balance is, nobody really knows. Natural selection is taking place in pubs, and it will continue to take place in breweries. Both need to avoid complacency and offer the customer a reason to invest in their product.”

So what advice would Ryman give a new brewery opening today?

“Before you even start, I’d ask where you are selling that beer. I was told in the past that I was in the business of selling beer so anyone going into this industry needs to know that from the off. I would also want to know what separates you from the competition,” he says. “If I was opening a brewery, I’d open a pub first. The latter gives you a market, a point of difference and the ability to sell it direct to the consumer. If you could do that, why wouldn’t you? That’s why we are seeing more taprooms and micropubs opening. People like to drink from the source, and to be in that environment, while the brewery has a direct route to their customer. It’s quite simple.”

“

If I was opening a brewery, I’d open a pub first. The latter gives you a market, a point of difference and the ability to sell it direct to the consumer.

"

Ryman is an advocate of consistency and quality, factors that fed into his brief when creating ‘Tribute’ in the late nineties. It was his first project for the brewery, and an opportunity he grasped with both hands.

“There was a clear opportunity for me at that time.

St Austell did not offer a beer between 3.7 and 5%, while Cornwall as a whole lacked a modern golden ale that was both clean, bright and balanced. It was also characterised by late hopping with fruity aromatic hop varieties. I was obviously more than keen to make my mark and create something that was the opposite of the other beers St Austell was producing,” he says.

Ryman decided that Tribute was to be paler in colour,

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fuller of palate, while also being more balanced, softer and cleaner. “I wanted moderate bitterness and aromatic late hopping delivered by blending Willamette and Styrian Golding hops Slovenia.”

And it is those factors that Ryman believes could help form the backbone of a successful keg beer in 2017.

“I firmly believe there is a market for a solid, wellmade, drinkable keg beer that is well-branded and well-supported. I was recently part of a judging panel that comprised judges from across the world. I made an interesting observation as during the break, there was the opportunity for a drinks break. There was a cask beer on offer that was ok, nothing more,” he explains. There was also a pilsner and a keg red beer around the 4.5% mark. More than half were drinking the latter. If the beer judges from across the globe were opting to drink that, was does that say? I think the future of well-made, accessible beers, that are nicely branded, will be in ascendancy. It goes back to what I said about the market changing.

Ryman adds: The days of commodity beer days that are just about acceptable are behind us. But what is frightening is that when the big guys really start to catch on and crank this up. There is no reason why a big brewer cannot make a very, very, good beer. What often inhibits that ability is the desire to purchase quality raw materials but if you have the financial muscle, and decide to go for it. the rest of us have to worry. You only have to look at some of the big, multinational-funded breweries popping up in the UK and beyond. They are very capable and can turn their hand to producing what they want, if they want to.”

At St Austell, its Korev lager has grown nicely, complementing the successes of Tribute and Proper Job, but Ryman stresses that anyone that studies product lifecycle in business will see a maturity and then a plateau of a product, ensuring the need to be working on what’s coming next, even when a current product is in its growth phase. And in 2017, St Austell continues to explore a wealth of beer styles to help broaden its product offering. Very few would be aware the brewery produced 70 different beers in 2016 alone.

Eureka and Underdog are have become permanent additions to its permanent draught portfolio. The former is a 4.9% ABV single-hopped American pale ale an is the first beer that’s been launched as a permanent brew from St Austell’s Small Batch Brewery.

The latter is a 3.5% session IPA that features the as yet un-named US 7270 hop in addition to Galaxy and Simcoe.

“Eureka is a big moment for us as it’s the first beer from our innovative Small Batch Brewery that has been made available to the on-trade nationwide.

After a great response, it made total sense to launch Eureka as a core brand to allow it to reach even more beer-lovers,” says Ryman. “With Underdog, what it intentionally lacks in ABV it more than makes up for in flavour. We’ve been brave with it as it is unfiltered but it glows from the glass. We believe there is a gap in the market for a high flavour low alcohol IPA and

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this memorable beer will leave pub-goers asking for more.”

Those two beers form part of a bigger picture, one that involved the production of 70 different beers last year. These include a Gose, Saison, Rauch, Berliner Weisse and an Imperial Russian Stout. The stout is a personal project of Ryman’s and one drawn from the archive of Imperial Russian Stout from Courage. It was also brewed in Moscow and is currently in casks ahead of a release next year. Small batch operations at St Austell complement its more commercial operations.

These operations comprise a 13bbl and a 2bbl setup and enable the brewery to run initiatives such as its recent cask programme across 40 pubs. Each pub signs up to 12 beers over three months and receives one firkin each week, enabling variety at both brewery and the on-trade.

With the wealth of brewing activity taking place in Cornwall, it would be easy to forget the other side of

“

There is no reason why a big brewer cannot make a very, very, good beer.

What often inhibits that ability is the desire to purchase quality raw materials.

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Ryman’s brewing director role at Bath Ales. Earlier this year, the company announced that brewing capacity at Bath Ales was to increase to up to 50,000 brewers’ barrels following the installation of a new brewery from Musk Engineering.

New bottling and canning facilities also form part of the company’s expansion plans thanks to a multimillion pound investment by St Austell Brewery, which acquired the business last Summer.

Ryman says he is “hugely excited” about the year ahead and also the prospects at the new Hare Brewery, with work beginning in September and expected to be complete by Spring 2018.

“At both breweries, there’s a continued appreciation of only crafting the highest quality beers. Since we have come together I have been very impressed with the skills and capabilities of the Bath Ales brewing team. We will continue to give them the support and resources they need to succeed and deliver what they have the potential to do,” he says.

“After a rigorous process, we’re delighted to have commissioned Musk to build the new brewery. We have an excellent working relationship with Musk’s engineering and design teams, having worked with them during the installation of a major upgrade of the

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May~June 2017 | The Brewers Journal 25

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facilities at our brewing home in St Austell. We know they will deliver on the vision we have for the new brewery.”

Ryman explains that the opportunity to specify a brewery expansion is a “privilege”, a noun he uses to describe his career at St Austell to date.

“It has been a privilege, both unique and career defining for me. There is no chance of getting bored and there is always a new opportunity to grasp. Being tongue in cheek, you could say I am looking after five separate brewing sites across both businesses now but

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with that breadth of responsibility, I am still happiest in the brewery and when I end the day with malt under the fingernails,” he says.

“And still being able to do that is a great thing.

I love brewing beer and totally feel that if you brew good beer, you will find a market and you will be able to sell it. I fundamentally believe that. Our values are to brew the best beer possible.

"Whether that is Tribute or a Berliner Weisse, it doesn’t matter. It’s about brewing the best beer you can.”

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property

Commerciality Bites BrewDog faced some negative national press coverage recently after getting a bit over-protective of its new “Lone Wolf” brand. Alex Newman, partner and head of intellectual property at Irwin Mitchell outlines the need to assess the legal, commercial and reputational risk together, and only take action if it feels fair, right, and your customers will accept it.

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he details aren’t exactly clear from the news reports, but it seems that BrewDog’s lawyers went in hard when they got a sniff that a new bar in Birmingham opened under the same “Lone Wolf” name.

Threats of legal action followed, the non-dominant pup backed away and changed its name to “The Wolf”, but the backlash for BrewDog (allegations of hypocrisy and not staying true to its “punk” ideals) has probably caused more damage to the BrewDog brand than anything a “Lone Wolf” pub in Birmingham could have done.

Whatever the legal rights and wrongs – and they are not always clear-cut in these circumstances, where everything usually turns on the likelihood of confusion and existence of a misrepresentation – BrewDog’s experience has drawn attention back to the real purpose of branding and trade marks, and why they matter.

Lawyers (and businesses over-influenced by lawyers) can often lose sight of it, but branding is about courting and keeping a target demographic. The purpose of the law associated with branding is to stop competitors from unfairly using that branding to poach that target demographic after the courting has been done.

Over the last 5-10 years the brewing industry’s recognition and use of the power of branding has developed at break-neck speed. Its role in the growth of the craft ale movement has been huge. We all know that a cool name (brewery and beer) and cool pump clip demands a new beer’s selection more than anything else.

BrewDog was a genuine early adopter. The branding was in your face like nothing before in this country, and people not only liked the taste but liked

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being associated with the brand and what BrewDog told them it stood for. This time it seems to have lost its way. It does not really matter whether they were right or wrong legally. Commercially, that pub in Birmingham was never going to cause them any real harm. Reputationally, going after that pub in Birmingham in the way they have almost certainly has done.

Don’t get me wrong – there are often circumstances where enforcing trade marks (and other intellectual property rights) in this industry is absolutely the right thing to do and might even be essential.

But be smart about it. Assess the legal, commercial and reputational risk together, and only take action if it feels fair and right and your customers will accept it.

When the use of the brand (including its enforcement by lawyers) stops courting and keeping the punters but actively turns them away, something has gone badly wrong, and it is time to remember what the brand stood for in the first place.

That said, if the share sale to TSG Consumer Partners is anything to go by, it doesn’t look as though a couple of ill-timed PR clangers took much of a bite out of BrewDog’s brand value. What remains to be seen, though, is the long-term effects which that deal will have on consumer goodwill toward the BrewDog brand. It could bite much deeper. As its sales have increased, its bars have opened in more and more locations, and its beers have become fixtures on the shelves of all the major supermarkets, it is hard to deny that BrewDog has lost some its snarl as a disruptor and challenger to the establishment and the mass-producers. The sale of a significant stake to a US venture capitalist firm does not sit very comfortably with those punk, non-conformist, revolutionary values, and would seem to dilute those original brand values (if not brand value) yet further.

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May~June 2017 | The Brewers Journal 29

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branding

Beyond the Brand In an era where consumers are demanding total transparency, employer branding could deliver a tailor-made solution. It offers an authentic insider view of the company that produces a product they are considering consuming, explains Steve Beckworth from London-based design agency Colt

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very organisation has one.

Some are aware of it and others less so. Some really ramp it up and truly maximise its value whilst others all but ignore it. What I am referring to is an employer brand. Up until quite recently, those companies who have been consciously developing their employer brand have done so primarily to differentiate themselves in the labour market. A strong employer brand enables an organisation to compete for the best talent and goes a long way towards establishing credibility.

When employer brand first became a popular HR notion few thought to expand it out beyond talent management. It is estimated that 80% of job seekers research an employer online before deciding whether to apply to a position there. When candidates don’t find enough information to convince them the organisation is worth working for, they pass. That much is obvious, but employers are now beginning to reckon with the consequences. In other words, job seekers are making a consumer decision, too: If the organisation isn't good enough to work for, why buy anything from them?

Boston lager brand, Sam Adams have taken employer branding several steps further and turned it into a consumer-facing marketing exercise, showcasing their employee’s at work. Based on the belief that demonstrating the real pride and confidence their employees have in their company

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sends a strong message: “These are our employees. See for yourself how they make our company great.”

In the case of Sam Adams their branding message centres around their employees explaining what the company stands for and the sort of work culture that results. As one employee extols; “We bring our best friends to work. We treat every day like casual Friday.”

When most other beers focus on their product and apply a generic approach in an already overcrowded sector, Sam Adams don’t even talk about the beer, yet they manage to connect on a much deeper level. They 'humanise' their brand and they differentiate.

They also delve deeply into the consumer’s curiosity, and give us an authentic 'behind the scenes' glimpse of the very people who make the beer we suddenly really want to taste. These people are not paid models reciting a marketing-derived narrative, they are the guys who actually craft a drink they want to drink themselves. You would struggle to get a better recommendation. Consequently, the consumer subconsciously wants a slice of their relaxed, happy culture.

The narrative is totally unexpected and, well, refreshing!

Heineken have taken a different approach to the way they maximise on their employer brand. They offer consumers a memorable interactive experience of their beer with the ‘Heineken Experience’. This 'Museum to Beer' has become Amsterdam’s most visited attraction and has had a halo effect on the overall brand. By focusing on creating internal and

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external brand ambassadors and getting them to mingle amongst the visiting crowds, Heineken have taken their beer beyond its generic brand messaging and have turned those working at the Heineken Experience into enthusiastic walking, talking brand models. In so doing it has also influenced its consumers into becoming brand ambassadors themselves.

Of course using your employer brand as part of the overall marketing exercise will only ever be effective if it is the genuine thing. It is all about finding what your employees have that is unique and then flaunting it. It is not about turning employees into something they are not or forcing them to become brand ambassadors when they may not actually enjoy working for the company. Bringing employees into the mix will also give them an additional emotional stake in the organisation.

In an era where consumers are demanding total transparency employer branding could deliver a tailormade solution. It offers an authentic insider view of the company that produces a product they are considering consuming. It also offers a narrative that comes straight from the heart, it contains no artificial marketing jargon, it doesn’t add an unnecessary gloss over the facts, it is real and it is down to earth. There is no better way of connecting with consumers who are tired of being given a manufactured brand that doesn’t truthfully reflect what they are purchasing.

Employees could just be key to taking a brand that next step closer to its target consumers.

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May~June 2017 | The Brewers Journal 31

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brewery

Two Years Young Cloudwater celebrated its second birthday at the beginning of 2017. For a year somewhat still in its infancy, it has been one that will live long in the memory for the the Manchester-based brewery. Paul Jones, the company's co-founder and managing director, takes up the story.

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n the 26th of September 2016 I received an email that made me jump up and down with excitement – Jennifer Tucker’s invitation to RateBeer Best arrived in my inbox and filled me with just about every emotion a young business owner could feel.

“You have been selected to participate in this exclusive event based on your brewery's world class performance at RateBeer. The awards ceremony Sunday morning recognises RateBeer Best winners for the year 2016 and we strongly encourage your attendance.”

Yeah whatever (we’re never quite good enough, you understand), but damn right I’ll make the journey and head out to San Francisco to participate, even though I’m not what you’d call a relaxed airline passenger!

Despite our utmost focus on quality we always think we’re behind and catching up to who we consider the best. We’ve never thought of ourselves as up there with any of the UK’s best breweries, let alone breweries abroad, many of whom we think operate on levels of finesse, nuance, or boldness we can only dream of.

Six months in our beer was shaking off early diacetyl presentation and ineffective CIP problems (read unintentional brett infections and lab result scares), gradually modernising, dropping in bitterness from its near IBU war beginnings, and picking up in aroma and boldness. Twelve months in we found ourselves trying as hard as we could to catch up to the best in the UK, from those focused on flavour to those focused on consistency, and to all those in between too.

Eighteen months in and we felt like we were finally hitting our stride, but damn, all those beers I’d brought back from the US over the months seemed so far ahead of what we were able to achieve in terms of flavour impact (and in some senses, they still do). But as we aren’t a US brewery – we’re situated ideologically somewhere between European drinkability and finesse and US boldness and progressiveness, and we’re keen to find our own way forward through experimentation and constant evolution.

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To ship our beer out to RateBeer Best we pushed back against the usual sea freight route to get our beer out to California, sucked up the financial losses to try and get the beers on tap over there at reasonable prices, and put kegs on a plane destined for San Francisco. After all, we’d been invited to RateBeer Best, at least we’d presumed, off the back of the reviews for our Double IPAs, so the least we could do to feel any confidence was to send fresh beer.

When I arrived in San Francisco a few weeks ago, and met up with our twelfth, and newest employee Katie (more on this in a future post), we both buzzed with anticipation. Would our beer taste ok at the tap takeover Kevin at Shelton Brothers had arranged at Mikkeller SF? Would any of the visiting brewers, in town for RBB, think we were doing ok?

Would De Garde regret lining up a Manchester based collaboration (you’re all coming to their tap takeover, right?), and would the team at Cellarmaker feel like we could do their progressive, juicy beer making justice with our collaboration too?

Our lives at the brewery are deep in such critical, reflective questions. Nothing we do ever feels good enough, so not much we arrange, get invited to, or partake in ever really feels like something we’re fully worthy of.

Let’s skip ahead a week or so, to our time at RateBeer Best Festival. As new kids on the block (and with the compromised position I always worry we’re in) I knew we weren’t going to draw a crowd off the bat, and was deeply annoyed not to have remembered to bring anything to dress our bar, but people trickled by as the queues grew to impressive lengths for excellent breweries like Side Project, De Garde, and Trillium. As mid afternoon arrived, and as attendees had presumably sampled beers they already knew or had heard about, we started to pick up, until we too had a near continuous queue for the rest of the session, and weren’t far off selling out of beer too by the end. This felt great – each time we’ve visited the US to pour our beer we’re starting from scratch, without a reputation, and with only the quality of our service and beer right there and then to rely on.

It was deeply exciting to see attendees return back for more samples, some even professing “Best DIPA in here!” and other such kind but seemingly nonsensical

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statements. For what it’s worth, I take every compliment as seriously as it’s given, even if I hold differing views about where our beer is in comparison to breweries we think of as better.

Saturday night passed with so many delicious beers in the company of so many wonderful people in the industry, and precious time to unwind, relax, chew the fat, and have a damn good laugh.

I awoke to what can only be described as a difficult start. Jet lag the week leading up to RBB, fighting off a bug, and a hangover combined to make packing my bags and making the award ceremony a struggle, but there was nothing going to stop me! I had no idea what to expect, but I felt confident we weren’t going to be sat in the audience just to applaud other people.

We picked up 7 awards right off the bat, even before the ceremony started: • Best Beers in the World - DIPA - v3 • Best New Beers - Cloudwater DIPA - v10 • Best New Beers - Cloudwater DIPA - v3 • Best New Beers - Cloudwater DIPA - v6 • Best New Beers - Cloudwater DIPA - v8 • Best in Pale Lager - Bronze - Cloudwater Spring Summer 2016 - IPL Centennial • Best in Double IPA - Silver - Cloudwater DIPA - v3 Wow! And I was told there was more to come!

As Joe Tucker (Mr RateBeer and all round jolly nice man) got things started my mind raced around what might lie ahead.

Best Brewery in Greater Manchester!

Best Beer in Greater Manchester! Yes! Ok. Totally worth the journey already.

Best Brewery in England! What?! Seriously?! I mean I know we’ve made some great beers this past year, but we’re only just getting started…

Top 100 Breweries In The World. Holy fuck.

Wow. Oh my, I mean I was blown away to get best

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in England, but Top 100? You guys sure?! Ok, so Beavertown, Thornbridge, Kernel, Magic Rock, Siren, Buxton, are all there. I guess we’re in a similar league to them. Ok… I was totally buzzing. To go from Best New Brewery in England 2015 to the Top 100 Breweries 2016 was a complete thrill. As I take care of all the social media I sat back down to post some snaps to our accounts.

The team back home will be chuffed, I thought!

And then something happened nobody would have predicted. Sam from Other Half took to the stage for 10th Best in the World. Then a few places up in 7th Trevor from De Garde. Makes sense. They’re great guys, and their beers are really impressive too.

Hill Farmstead is bound to hit 1st again, so who else is going to be left? Get that Top 100 photo posted dude!

“5th Best goes to Cloudwater.”

WTAF?! I ran up! Oh my! No fucking way. No way.

Seriously?! I was speechless, with the biggest smile on my face!

There I was, on stage alongside nine of the world’s best breweries, representing not even yet a toddler of a brewery in a regional city in England (that can hardly be said to have welcomed us with open arms, but has thankfully warmed to us over time) – totally stunned.

After many congratulations, and a few swigs of beer to cheer all the awarded breweries it started to sink in.

Shaun Hill congratulated me and asked if we’d got Best New Brewery last year. Yeah, how come? I didn’t get it at first, not until Jennifer Tucker told me that we’re only the second brewery in RBB history to go from Best New Brewery (by region) to a place in the Top 10 (apart from Hill Farmstead). We were also the first brewery from the UK to get into the Top 10 too.

Heavy!

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So what now? I mean where on earth do we go from here?

Regardless of any accolades we’ve received so far, and might receive in the future, we’ve still only one goal, the same goal we’ve had that fired us up to start in the first place – to make the best beer we possibly can. I hope it’ll be our life’s work, and it will undoubtedly take so much more planning, critical thinking, process improvement, reality checks, confidence, honesty, self belief, off flavour training, thirst for knowledge, and all the other things that I guess helped get us this far so soon.

Nothing matters to us more than you guys getting great value for money from our beers, and us raising expectations again and again, both of what you guys expect to get from us, and from the modern British brewing industry as a whole, whilst we work hard to grow our own expectations of what we think we’re capable of achieving too. We’re so incredibly grateful for the recognition from British beer lovers up and down the country, and solemnly promise to keep pushing on even harder than we ever thought we could. I hope there’s a long road ahead of us, and that we make ever fewer mistakes in pursuit of ever better beer. Thanks so much for all your support – the critical praise when we get things right, and the kind and patient constructive criticism when we screw things up.

We’ve a lot to live up to, and will do everything we can to go even further than we’ve ever hoped.

Here’s to our third year brewing, a year when political manoeuvres may see many of us struggle to keep our chins up, but a year where we’ll do our best to make those moments of relaxation over a beer as good as we possibly can.

dipa: the future

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hen we started making double IPAs we set out to experiment, and to share our journey of experimentation with you all by making the changes between each iteration as clear as we could (by ingredient listings and descriptions on our bottles, and now cans, and by answering every question we could on social media too).

Nearly 18 months since our first release of a style we’ve both grown to love, and become well known for, we’re ready for a change.

If you’ve been following closely you’ll have seen us move from event scheduled brewing (v1 for the anniversary of moving into our warehouse, v2 for our 1st Birthday, v3 for BrewDog’s AGM, v4/5 to experiment with addition timings in order to make v6/7 for Modern Time’s Festival of Dankness, etc), to monthly brewing, to recently doubling our monthly production to try to reach all the people out there keen to enjoy our boldest, hoppiest beers. We’ve featured different hop varieties, different techniques, and largely the same family of yeast.

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At the start of the year it seemed plausible to imagine us making a lot of DIPA, monthly at least, with a few specials thrown in too, and also to imagine we’d do that by continuing our v series. But we’ve found a new way forward, and whilst we’re not entirely sure how we’ll end up working our production plan to fit it all in, we’re excited to announce that v13 is the last in the series.

We’re going to move forward with three distinct styles of stronger IPA, all featuring a rotating range of new season hops at their best, and the low bitterness presentation we’ve come to love.

NW DIPA: Whether by combining our beloved WLP4000 with yeast from our friends at JW Lees, or by featuring the deliciously fruity flavours from JW Lees yeast on its own, we’re excited to focus on a style of DIPA with one foot in the distant past of Manchester’s brewing history, and another firmly in the present. We’ll rotate NW DIPA into our production plan as much as we can, as a representation of a modern DIPA with a distinctly local twist.

IIPA: We love WLP4000 and WLP095. They’ve been the foundation (actually, because of how impactful a flavour they impart, they’ve been the majority) of the flavour of our DIPAs. But such a bold characterful yeast sometimes gets in the way of the body, mouthfeel, and intense flavour we love from dry hopping our beers. Our IIPA will be brewed with WLP001, a clean, low ester producing yeast to showcase hops front and centre.

NE DIPA: We’re far from done with our love affair with New England style DIPAs. So from time to time we’ll rotate into our production plan the softest, juiciest DIPAs we can make featuring complex malt bills (designed for maximum mouthfeel), WLP4000 or 095 with all their stone fruit flavours, and the freshest new season hops too.

PRODUCTION volumes

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e're planning on continuing as we have so far, brewing both according to demand, and also with the explicit intention to see our double IPAs drank as fresh as possible. They aren't beers for keeping, especially if they aren't kept below 5°C at all times (and even when they are stored perfectly, at a constant and stable low temperature, they still age rather rapidly). As a result we'll try to brew just enough to keep the UK in supply for a month at a time.

I'd like to close up by saying thank you so much for joining us on our journey as we trialled ingredients, process techniques, and more. It's been a thrill to feel as much anticipation from you all as we have so far, knowing all the while our straight forward approach has helped at least some of you learn what it is you like the most from hoppy beers.

Whilst this is the end of an era, there is no end in sight for our focus on quality and hop forward flavour impact - there's still a long road in front of us.

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Muntons Seminars and Innovation 2017 Following the success of the seminars we hosted from our Stowmarket Maltings, we’re pleased to announce the launch of our 2017 series of seminars. These are aimed at breweries who wish to gain a greater understanding of brewing. We have teamed up with industry specialists to ensure delegates are given a complete overview providing technical insights and of course we encourage delegate participation.

You may attend one seminar or all of them, the choice is yours. To register your interest your interest at these events, please visit our website: www.muntons.com/seminars

For those who seek perfection, we can help.

The topics include:

1: Raw Materials Friday 3rd February 2017 2: Fermentation and Yeast Management Friday 10th March 2017 3: Beer stability, Consistency and Packaging Friday 23rd June 2017 4: Compliance and Quality Control Friday 8th September 2017 5: Innovation & Trends Friday 13th October 2017 Venue: Muntons, Flamborough Maltings, Bridlington, East Yorkshire, YO15 1DY Other info: Parking and refreshments available throughout the day.

Lunch included.

If you would like to attend these events, please register at: www.muntons.com/seminars 2015 | GOLDEN CATEGORY : MALTSTERS

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The Brewers Lectures

EDINBURGH 22 June, 2017

The Brewers Lectures have been a hit in London and Manchester, and we are now bringing the event to Edinburgh this June. Join us this Summer for an afternoon in the company of best-in-class experts from across the brewing industry. Get full details and tickets at www.brewerjournal.info/lectures

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his June The Brewers Journal will host its third Brewers Lectures event, in Edinburgh. Taking place this Summer, the half-day event follows on from an incredibly-successful series of talks held in London and Manchester.

These events featured a diverse lineup that included Fuller’s head brewer John Keeling, Beavertown founder Logan Plant, Cloudwater co-founder and managing director Paul Jones to Sylvia Kopp, the Brewers Association’s American Craft Beer Ambassador in Europe and award-winning writers

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Matthew Curtis and Jonny Garrett.

These lectures are designed to inform, educate and inspire. They will cover a diverse, but focused remit of ideas and subjects designed to help you improve the business of brewing.

The lectures programme in Edinburgh feature eight experts and will place the spotlight on the issues that matter in- and-around brewing in 2017, and beyond.

The Brewers Lectures features speakers from inside and outside of the industry, offering insights, advice and thought-provoking content. Challenging the way you run your brewery.

www.brewersjournal.info

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ED INBURGH

Venue & Time Dovecot Studios, 10 Infirmary St, Edinburgh EH1 1LT 22 June 2017, 1.15pm – 6pm Followed by drinks at Andrew Usher & Co., 32b W Nicolson St, Edinburgh EH8 9DD

confirmed speakers Daniel Lowe | Fourpure Daniel Lowe is the co-founder of London’s Fourpure.

Serving at diverse venues from the Tate to popup restaurants in railway arches, the company has national distribution through Tesco and M&S; and exports to an ever increasing and diverse global footprint. In Edinburgh, Daniel will place the spotlight on new brands, rapid growth, scaling, decisions and the challenges around that.

Stu McKinlay | Yeastie Boys Stu McKinlay is the co-founder of Yeastie Boys. A native of Wellington, New Zealand, Stu is now based in the UK and is responsible for the impressive yearon-year growth of its beers such as ‘Digital IPA’ and ‘Gunnamatta’.

Nick Dwyer | Beavertown Nick Dwyer is the creative director at Beavertown.

Responsible for creating the London brewery’s iconic branding and artwork, Nick is helping inspire creative design across the burgeoning number of UK breweries.

Phil Lowry | Simply Hops Phil Lowry is one of the craft brewing originals with experience in the craft market for over 20 years, that makes him one of the best-known personalities in brewing. Phil looks after the growing European and African market for Simply Hops and is the co-founder of Dover’s Breakwater Brewery.

Tickets Tickets are just £20 per person and include beer and snacks on the day.

To order your tickets go to: www.brewersjournal.info/lectures/edinburgh-2017/

Adam Hardie | Johnstone Carmichael Adam Hardie is the Business Development Partner and Head of Food & Drink at chartered accountants Johnstone Carmichael. He has a wealth of experience in fast growth owner-managed and early stage companies across various industry sectors.

Chris Shearston and Vicky Carr | Textbook Chris Shearston and Vicky Carr are part of the team at Textbook, a design studio based in Manchester.

The team, which is responsible for the creation of Cloudwater’s iconic logo, focuses on printed materials, especially editorial and publication design, for arts and culture sector clients.

Robert Percival | Lallemand Robert is a qualified brewing professional with extensive experience in quality and technical roles in beer production. Working for yeast specialists Lallemand, his expertise includes fermentation and cask beer production. IBD young brewer of the year 2013/14, he is passionate about beer flavour and sensory science.

Sophie de Ronde | Muntons Sophie is the resident Brewing Technologist for Muntons where she runs a 1HL pilot plant for product development. Sophie helps customers, locally and internationally, to develop and produce recipes. Along with customer support she aids product development of brewing ingredients and homebrew products. In Edinburgh she will be giving an insight into malt and guidance on best brewing practice.

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May~June 2017 | The Brewers Journal 39

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Taking the Rough with the Smooth An incredibly successful crowdfunding campaign in 2015 led Yeastie Boys co-founder Stu McKinlay and his family to start a new life in the UK. In two short years, McKinlay has become a familiar and popular part of the brewing industry. However in 2017 he faces his biggest challenge yet, but he is more than up to the task.

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can safely say that this is the busiest I have ever been at any point in my life. There’s no doubt about it,” explains Stu McKinlay, co-founder and self-confessed “benevolent dictator” of Yeastie Boys.

McKinlay is making his point in-between sips from a pint of Beavertown’s Neck Oil. Variety in beer is not what you come to Central London’s Ape & Bird for, but the relative calm away from the capital’s chaotic Shaftesbury Avenue very much is. And as McKinlay goes on to point out, other options of Wild Beer Co’s Fresh or Camden Town’s Pale means that there are three solid beers to be choosing from, at the very least.

The New Zealand native has called the UK home for nearly two years now and he’s made light work of becoming something of a household name in many beer circles. He even came straight to this bar from a working lunch with Fuller’s John Keeling, a duo that brewed last year’s excellent ‘Double Summer’

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cask beer. But with successful integration into the UK brewing scene under his belt, McKinlay’s attentions have turned to more pressing matters in 2017.

Earlier in the year, BrewDog informed McKinlay that the brewing agreement the Ellon brewery had with Yeastie Boys was coming to an end. The Scottish company had been brewing and canning a number of their beers for the UK market and it’s no coincidence that Yeastie Boy’s visibility had increased massively as a result. BrewDog, though, decided that it had to recall that production capacity for their own beers but despite McKinlay being thrown the mother of all spanners in the works, he is still confident that his brand can push ahead with their growth plans for 2017, and beyond.

“They had a number of reasons, I’m sure, for needing to take that capacity back. They are focusing more on brewing their own beers and need everything they have to do that. I’m grateful for their help and I have a great deal of respect for the team they have

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there,” he explains. “We still have a short while to continue production in Ellon but instead of focusing on growing the brand in this time, I need to engage with other breweries for us to brew with once that concludes.”

McKinlay is no stranger to working with breweries to brew their beer. Yeastie Boys never set out to be a production brewery, and he plans to keep it that way.

Just this time, McKinlay has to find a solution quicker that he’d like.

“I'm talking to a lot of good people and a lot of good breweries. I probably have around 20 or so on my list. Around ten of these I’m in serious talks with and personally, I probably have a top five or three,” he says. “The issue is that a brewery that might fit our needs now, may not be capable of producing the volumes we hope to be doing further down the line.”

McKinlay plans to triple sales this year, with further growth predicted in 2018. Canning its beers such as Digital IPA, Gunnamatta and, newer release, Bigmouth, has been very successful for Yeastie Boys, enabling them to get into a growing number of pubs, bottle shops and other retailers. In addition, the recent hire of their first UK employee, Charlie Docherty, has also “opened up doors I didn’t know existed,” according to McKinlay. So things show no sign of slowing down. Having help in the field is something

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he has taken a while to get used to. McKinlay personally spent the first year in the UK visiting as many pubs and bars as possible to spread the word of Yeastie Boys, all between focusing on other sides of the business.

“If I was going to give advice to someone coming in and doing something similar to us it would be to just bite the bullet and get someone else involved,” he says. “Spend the money so they can make it happen.

I have spent a lot of time getting my head around HMRC and the compliance side of the business, which has been positive. But when you’re handling so many other responsibilities, it would have been great to have had help! It has also made me appreciate how hard it is for someone else to come in and do what we’re doing here, which is really heartening.”

McKinlay’s team at Yeastie Boys includes his wife Fritha, the aforementioned Docherty and his co-founder Sam Possenniskie. McKinlay has lived in the UK with his family since 2015 thanks to a crowdfunding campaign in New Zealand that exceeded any of their expectations. Held in January of that year, Yeastie Boys took only 30 minutes to raise NZ$500,000 through an equity crowdfunding campaign designed to help sell beers to markets in Britain and Europe. Moving with the four other members of his family some 12,000 miles to England

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had its own inevitable challenges. So it’s perhaps unsurprising that McKinlay lives and breathes Yeastie Boys on a twenty-four seven basis, which involves feeling the pressure that running a company with 200 shareholders brings.

“I realise that I'm not that good a brewer. I'm good at working out flavours, concepts and ideas, as well as the branding, but I fully admit that the best place in the business for me is out on the front telling stories and things like that,” he says. “But I also know our beers. I know they are good and I know what they should taste like. When BrewDog produced the initial batches of ‘Digital IPA’ for us, they got in touch to say that it had failed the brewery’s sensory panel. It was brilliant to hear their honesty and openness but I obviously wanted to try it.”

And try it he did.

“The door rang early one Friday and the beer was there. So the first thing I did was crack one open warm. I had one cold, then later I had another warm. I emailed them to say that the beer seemed good to me but asked for a few days to get back to them. I didn’t have time to get any other expert advice but I had strength in my convictions. At this point, the beer was their ‘problem’ but when I gave them the go-ahead to brew the first 200 hectolitre batch of my beer, then it was my problem. So I clenched my ass cheeks

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together and told them to go with it. If things went wrong then that’s a lot of money down the tubes. But once that arrived a week or so later, I cracked it open, warm once again, and thought ‘F*ck yes, this is how I expected it to be’.

"So I’ll tell you what, when people blurt on about my beers being BrewDog beers because they are brewed there, I’ll simply tell you you to F*ck off.

F*ck you. These recipes are the reason my wife and three children moved to the other side of the world.

Everything is riding on these beers. So I don’t have time for pointless remarks from people who don’t know the facts.”

McKinlay is incredibly proud of the beers Yeastie Boys have released on the way since coming on to the scene back in 2009. Beers such as its South Pacific porter, ‘Pot Kettle Black’ have picked up numerous awards in New Zealand and Asia. While New Zealand gets the bulk of the variety in their range, newer partnerships with Nomad Brewing Co in Australia and BrewDog has helped Yeastie Boys bring its core beers to more of a global audience. McKinlay explains that the growth in the number of New Zealand breweries has been fairly strong, something not mirrored in the country’s population trajectory. But closer to his (new) home, he believes that there is more than enough to go around in the buoyant field he is now part of.

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“There is a lot of bollocks talked about and believed in the brewing industry. Sure, we have lots of London breweries now. But do we have too many? No way. It’s the same with the proliferation of breweries producing beers in the New England IPA style. Drinkers are being told that a beer needs to be drunk within three weeks of it being canned or bottled. Nonsense. Good beer should last on cold shelves, and warm. If you’re insisting on people drinking beer that quickly, ensure it’s served from a brewery tap or distributed in a way that gets it to people in that timescale you’ve chosen,” he says. “Look at Cloudwater. They are really into what they’re doing and they obviously really care about it but it’s not my kind of thing, personally. To me, some beers are made to age really well and they're the kind of beers I really like. These are the ones that have a lot more nuances and subtlety such as those from Burning Sky or from the team at Lost and Grounded Brewers.”

McKinlay is also a fan of the beers that make it to the UK and Europe through the New Zealand Beer Collective, of which Yeastie Boys is a part. 8 Wired, Tuatara, Renaissance and Three Boys comprise the remainder of the collective, while other guest breweries come on board at times throughout the year. McKinlay says being part of the group, founded

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by Todd Nicolson, has been invaluable in helping the company grow in the UK and Europe.

“Working with Todd, Sam and Fritha means I’m working with my three best friends in the world. I'm very lucky as we all very passionate and we are all good in the parts of the business we work in. As a result, we fight a lot over the way things should go but I love that more than anything. I call myself the benevolent dictator and that’s for a reason. Anything you taste or see with Yeastie Boys is me and that's my decision. They are my beers, my words and my ideas,” he enthuses.

McKinlay adds: “It's a dream job and it's why a lot of people always expected us to do more things faster that we have. It has been a bit slow because we actually work together well as a group and ensure each decision has been made in a concerted manner.

“Sure, I will have been a massive pain in the ass and I know that I am a massive pain in the ass for my wife to live with and also horrible for Sam to work with a business partner. But we respect each other and have similar aspirations about what we want the business to be. It’s about growing and doing what’s best for the drinkers, for us, our families and our shareholders. I’m pretty sure we are the smallest multinational company.

And I couldn’t be happier!”

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keeping it in the family

Jamie Lawson is a very busy individual. After becoming the owner of Yorkshire’s Ossett Brewery last year, he has helped plot a company rebrand and also a full-scale coldstore expansion. That’s all before we’ve even got on to mentioning the management of the group’s 24 pubs, bars and restaurants.

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’m tired, but I’m happy,” says Jamie Lawson. The owner of Ossett Brewery has just seen the group’s latest addition to the UK’s pub landscape open its doors. The Candle Bar in Leeds came into being in 2015 offering a combination of good beer and good pizza. But Lawson spotted an opportunity to shake things up and combine his passion for Japanese food and quality beer. And so Candle Bar in partnership with Edo Sushi, a successful Sheffield institution, was born.

“We’ve been lucky to be able to team up with Japanese Chef Tomonori Hasegawa from Edo Sushi and I think we may be on to a winner,” he says excitedly. “There are obvious barriers to entry in combining great Japanese cuisine and great beer in the UK, so we’re happy to be in this position."

It’s perhaps not surprising that Lawson has pushed such a partnership. Aged 19, he went to Tokyo to study, staying for six years and learning the language in the process. It was upon his return, in 2003, he properly became involved in the family business by founding a pub company to complement the Ossett brewery setup. 14 years later, he has 24 establishments under his belt.

“These range from traditional community pubs to rural ones, city centre bars, and restaurants. They are all founded on great beer, be that ours or from other breweries. Regardless, quality is key,” he explains.

And quality for Lawson is all important, regardless of its dispense method. But one thing is sure, he firmly believes that reports of cask beer’s untimely demise are widely exaggerated.

“I always find it funny that when something new comes along, people are quick to make a linear projection that this new invention signals the death of what came before. I am confident there will always be cask beer,” he says. “The UK brewing scene is so exciting and it is fantastic. But everyone has to plot their own course as nobody has a crystal ball.

So whether that means running a brewery that is exclusively cask, or keg, or a bit of both. The choice lays with you.”

Lawson also believes that with new breweries entering the fold week-on-week, there is still enough of the pie to go around.

“There is still a lot of room in the market. You just have to look at the volumes and sales percentage that multinational keg beers take from smaller independent breweries to give you hope. Of course, the market is becoming more competitive and many people have the fear that the market is becoming saturated, but this will level out as not everyone can survive. You need to be brewing quality, consistent beer to stay on top,” he says.

With that in mind however, Lawson stresses that more needs to be done to help encourage breweries to grow and take the next step.

“We will see an increasing amount of, let’s be honest, average brewers enter the market until government legislation is adjusted. The barriers to

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entry are low, which has helped create the buoyant industry we have today. But by the same token, it is also holding people back,” he says. “There needs to be greater incentivisation for the small tier guys to become bigger, which means there needs to be an environment to make moving to that next level possible. If you can take that step, you can invest in more, employ a greater number of people and ultimately pay more tax.”

Lawson adds: “However, the incentives are too great to stay small at the moment. To develop more in-line with breweries in the US, then something needs to change. The current alcohol duty situation we have in the UK puts off a lot of breweries. It doesn’t seem right that so many companies are being artificially held back at growing because of outdated government taxation system. It needs looking at.”

As a business established in 1997, Ossett outputs around 200 barrels a week, well surpassing the threshold Lawson is referencing. The company was founded in 1997 by now chairman Bob Lawson. He started the brewery following a 30 year career brewing for Joshua Tetleys, Beverley Brothers and Kelham Island. Brewing started in 1998 with ‘Bobby Dazzler’ while many of the original beers such as Excelsior and Siver King are still produced today and have picked up a number of awards. Early on, brewing was carried out on a 5-barrel brew length plant (about 1,440 pints per

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brew) but the company soon outgrew this and moved a short distance around the corner to Kings Yard where brewing still continues there today. For the last 15 years, head brewer Paul Spencer has overseen the evolution of the core range of beers whilst developing more experimental full flavoured seasonal beers.

Spencer and his team currently brew the 200 brewers barrels a week at Ossett and a further 40 brewers barrels at its sister micro-breweries.

As well as the brewery at Ossett, three of the pubs have their own on-site micro breweries. These are The Riverhead in Marsden, Fernandes in Wakefield and The Rat and Ratchet in Huddersfield. While the brew pubs all have their own house style and full-time brewers, Paul holds head brewer for all sites.

“Paul is one of the real cornerstones of this business,” explains Lawson. He is driven, hardworking and more than anything else, he has a passion for beers. He learned a lot from my father but he has taken that on and made things his own, too. Going forward we will be investing increasingly in new kit, which will help him demonstrate his skills even more.”

While new additions to the Ossett brewing setup are on the horizon, the short-term sees work already commencing on the site of its existing brewery and a new 12,000 square foot warehouse scheduled to open by the end of the year. With the brewery currently employing 28 local staff, which will increase

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Core Beers Yorkshire Blonde Our biggest selling beer, Yorkshire Blonde is a mellow, lager coloured ale. Full-bodied and low in bitterness, there is a delicate malty sweetness on the palate.

The fruity hop aroma results from a generous late addition on Mount Hood hops.

Flavour: Full bodied, well-rounded and slightly sweet on the palate.

ABV: 3.9%; Hop: Mount Hood Hops Big Red Brewed with pale, wheat, crystal and chocolate malts, this is a rich full bodied ruby red ale, bursting with complex flavours.

Bitterness and aroma comes from the addition of generous quantities of Slovenian grown Atlas hops.

Citrus, fruit and spice aromas dominate.

Flavour: A full bodied ruby red ale with subtle chocolate malt character.

ABV: 4.0%; Hop: Slovenian Atlas Hops

to workforce to 40 over the next three years, there are plans to move into packaged products. The warehouse will allow Ossett to increase its cold storage capacity and put the plans in place to handle packaged inhouse, which is currently outsourced.

With investment in bricks and mortar underway, Ossett has also undertaken a rebrand in a bid to represent its beers in effective fashion. The company is confident that the new imagery fits well into both traditional community pubs as well as city centre bars such as brewery’s own Hop venues in Leeds, Sheffield and York. The new branding covers the company logo as well as the full range of permanent, seasonal and limited edition pump clips. Alongside the rebrand, Ossett Brewery has also reverted to the ‘Science and Art Combined’ strapline which was used at the time of the company’s very first brew back in 1998.

Lawson explains: “The main company logo remains the same design but we have toned down the colours, making it fit better into a wider variety of applications.

For the new pump clips we have deconstructed the full logo somewhat to create a sleeker design.

“We have found it difficult to effectively fit the full logo onto the front of a limited size pump clip, so we have used our ‘red bar’ only which prominently displays the company name. With a major new brewery expansion coming, we feel we are now in a better position to elevate our brands to new successes.”

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Silver King Our palest permanently available brew, and consistently popular for fifteen years, Silver King is perhaps Ossett's best known beer and winner of many prestigious awards. A single combination of lager malt and American Cascade hops result in a crisp, dry, refreshing bitter in which the aromas of citrus are pleasingly well balanced.

Flavour: A crisp, dry flavour and a fruity, citrus aroma.

ABV: 4.3%; Hop: Lager Malt and American Cascade Hops Excelsior A classic pale ale, brewed from British pale malt and American Cascade hops this is the perfect drinking experience! Smooth fruity and full-bodied, but with a deceptive bitterness to complement the high alcohol content, this is a deliciously easy-drinking beer.

Refreshing citrus hop aromas complete the sensory pleasure.

Flavour: A fresh hoppy aroma with citrus and floral characteristics.

ABV: 5.2%; Hop: British Pale Malt & American Cascade Hops

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SCOTLAND's Celebration This May, Scotland plays host to the Edinburgh Craft Beer Festival. The event, cofounded by Dan Sylvester and Greg Wells, brings 25 best-in-class breweries such as Thornbridge, Beavertown and Magic Rock Brewing to the city’s Biscuit Factory venue from 26th-28th May. This preview gives you the lowdown on a festival that is sure to be the first of many in Edinburgh.

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an Sylvester and Greg Wells co-founded the London Craft Beer Festival in 2012 and since then, the annual event has been drawing in crowds of beer lovers at each sell-out event.

“Working with breweries, we felt there was something missing in the beer scene and set off to organise out first beer festival in the space of six months. Since the first London Craft Beer Festival, we feel that we have always taken the beer festival up a notch every year and expect Edinburgh Craft Beer Festival to be no different,” they explain.

Last year saw the festival venture outside London for the first time to Bristol and in 2017 the decided to take the festival north to Scotland’s capital, Edinburgh. “It seemed like a natural place to host our beer festival as it is a festival city and has strong craft beer culture,” they tell us.

The team has put together a diverse lineup of respected breweries from across the globe but with a wealth of quality, it makes picking a potential highlight difficult.

“There are so many great breweries coming to the festival that it is hard to pick out favourites.

Obviously, we’re excited about the breweries who are

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coming from far away and particularly excited about the Scandi beer invasion – Mikkeller, Dugges, Lervig, Amundsen, Aegir and Beerbliotek. The beer line-up is truly a global gathering of craft beer and there are some real gems in there for people to discover,” says Sylvester. “We are pretty confident there will be beers from breweries that people haven’t tried before especially from some of these Scandinavian breweries.”

Complementing the broad spectrum of beer is an equally diverse food line-up. Pizza Geeks, Umami, The Buffalo Truck and The Pitt, among others will be on hand serving up an excellent array of street food throughout the three days. In addition, the organisers have booked a strong music offering too. Edinburgh Craft Beer Festival will have DJ sets from Young Fathers, Bombay Bicycle Club (Jamie MacColl), Idlewild, Belle & Sebastian and Metronomy (Olugbenga).

Sylvester and Wells conclude: The world class beer festival that Edinburgh deserves is here; a celebration of passion, creativity and quality in brewing. Over the last May Bank Holiday weekend, we’re bringing together a specially curated, global gathering of the world’s finest breweries in a one-off festival. The Biscuit Factor will play host to this gathering, and we’ll be filling its cavernous industrial spaces with only the most sought after beers and brewers.”

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Ticket Information Tickets: Your ticket gets you entry to the event, and access to all the beers on for the session you choose. This enables drinkers to choose and explore hundreds of very special beers in 100ml pours. Entry also gets you a glass, a festival ‘zine, and access to street food and music acts.

Strictly no under 18s are allowed.

Venue: The Biscuit Factory, Edinburgh EH6 5NP. Website: www.edinburghcraftbeerfestival.co.uk

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May~June 2017 | The Brewers Journal 53

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54 | The Brewers Journal | May~June 2017

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Stand Out From The Crowd Effective, impactful, marketing and branding is a key catalyst in moving your beer from the shop or pub and into the hands of drinkers. A strong presence with point of sale and merchandise are several ways to help do that.

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here has long been a consensus that you consume a beer before you actually drink it. This arguably relates to the appearance, and aroma, of the drink itself. But the same increasingly applies to the packaging, branding and the perception of the beer and brewery in question. Most of us have been guilty, I’m sure, of buying a beer because of its eye-catching, attractive, or divisive, look of a particular bottle, can or appearance on a bar.

It’s no surprise that it’s an approach that’s far from exclusive to beer as good packaging sells a product, with breweries placing an increasing emphasis on the way their beer and brand is perceived by the consumer.

That there’s no one size fits all approach for the way beer types or breweries should, or must, look for consumers, makes the packaging, branding and merchandising proposition all the more exciting.

In the craft beer world, merchandising is often downplayed. The reason is that it is often only seen as a means to allow your brand to appear in places beyond beer labels, explains Csaba Babak, beer business consultant. “Branded clothes and accessories can be outcomes of your product line development, but product line development is only one of the two core components of merchandising. The presentation of your products is the other one.”

He says: “Everything that is the result of product line development is merchandising. However, for example, seasonal brews are often not seen as such, as they appear within the core product category. In contrast, when you introduce non-beer products, they are usually made part of a ‘merch’ range. Sometimes, non-beer items are related to beer or the act of drinking e.g. bottle openers, koozies, glasses, coasters, etc. Other times, the brewery branding is the only link

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between the new product and beer such as. t-shirts, hoodies, bags or towels.

“The first product line extensions through merchandising are typically branded clothes. Clothes are an effective way to equip your brand ambassadors.

They are also practical, as your first ambassadors are your staff. They can be sold to the public too, as the appeal of these items is as strong as the appeal of your brand. Also, consumers like to express their support beyond buying your beer, which is clearly demonstrated by the continued success of brewery crowdfundings.”

Babak argues that in a beer marketplace that is becoming more crowded and selling beer is becoming harder, selling ‘merch’ product line extensions will gain a bigger role in generating revenue. In addition, ’merch’ can be sold to consumers without particular licensing or distance selling issues.

He says that the revenue generated from selling ‘merch’ products directly affects your bottomline but the contribution of merchandising goes beyond that: Branded items can be used as add-ons for sales promotions instead of discounting, as discounting can be detrimental to any premium product incl. most craft beers.

The presentation of your products and optimising your trading environment can help improve sales. An insightful arrangement of your market stall or taproom can encourage consumers to purchase more from you.

“Merchandising is, in essence, marketing: it relates to most marketing areas: product, place and promotion. Any product development should be in line with your marketing ambitions and conform to your brand to provide positive reinforcement,” he says.

“We are likely to see more emphasis on merchandising in craft beer. When the importance of branding is growing, the importance of consistent brand and product representation grows with it.”

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Make a mark Point of sale and merchandising represents a massive opportunities for breweries. Here are some key companies operating in this fields that can elevate your business to the next level.

WPA Pinfold

Rudd Macnamara

WPA Pinfold is a brand design consultancy that adopts a hands-on approach to strategic branding and marketing communications. Its work for both international and niche brands has given the business an unprecedented depth of insights and enables it to deliver successful integrated brand communications – on market, to brief and within budget.

It was responsible for the the successful creation of the Crafty Dan range, which was Thwaites’ answer to the American craft beer revolution. Each design has a clear definition of its beer style (which is a key communicator for today’s more experimental drinkers) and supporting copy emphasises the more challenging ingredients and flavours.

The branding and packaging uses a classic illustration style and crafted lettering – presenting it in a fresh, clean contemporary way. The challenge, explains the business, was to integrate the branding across all packaging formats (bottle, can and fount) and communicate a premium positioning. The designs have roots in traditional scraper board illustration style, with a contemporary edge that resonates with the graphic style for craft beers in the USA. On-shelf (and on-bar) stand-off is exceptional and average sales per beer increased by 590%. Its design for the Crafty Dan range has been awarded a Gold Design Effectiveness Award.

Rudd Macnamara is a producer of branded items, with a flair and creativity to turn a customer’s ideas and designs into top quality printed materials.

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Unlike many UK printers and manufacturers, it offers both large and small runs while still maintaining a 100% UK supply chain.It has recently seen great success with its unique vacuum wrapping technology that continues to be a hit in supplying 3D illuminated branding solutions to the drinks dispense industry.

“This affordable technique allows brewers to distinguish themselves from the competition at the bar with an impactful pump that simply cannot be missed. We’re very proud to have produced the vacuum wrapping for a particular international brewery brand whose new pump has increased sales by 12% in locations where it has been installed,” they explained.

The company added: “Using digital and screen printing, as well as thermo forming techniques, outstanding results have been achieved in the cost effective manufacture of 3D panels for back illumination and the decoration of tap handles.”

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United by Design

Taphandles

“Happiness pays. Delight means business,” explains United by Design. “We do things differently. BrandHappy means finding new ways to help a brilliant brand engage its best audience.

It means working with care, attention, and a spark of joy. Our clientele is international, but our craft is all Yorkshire. We work face to face. Whether it’s the rotation of crops in Sudan’s Nuba mountains, multiple facets of UK infrastructure, or the blend of barley and hops in a local real ale, your brief has a unique story to tell, and we will find a uniquely compelling way to tell it. We bring experience. We experiment. And then we tune, and fine-tune, until we capture what is relevant and right for you. It’s about connections. We take brands with character to audiences that matter. ”

Tap handles has been making handles since 1999, working its way from a small garage to a fully integrated design and manufacturing company for tap handles, lighted signs and other point-of-purchase needs.

Each day bustles with teams committed to creativity, collaboration, problem-solving and fun. The company has carried out eye-catching work for breweries such as Beavertown Brewery, Camden Town, Deschutes and more.

AJS Tap Handles

Beer Me Bags

AJS Tap Handles designs and manufactures beer tap handles, beer tap markers, beer pulls and beer tap knobs. They also produce wine tap handles, spirits tap handles, cider tap handles, tap handles for soft drinks, and tap handles for other beverages from kegs. It also specialises in permanent Pointof-Sale products for the beer and beverage industry.

“We’ve been in this business a long time and we enjoy helping our customers develop the perfect art piece to complement their brews and get attention at the tap,” explained Mark Steinhardt, general manager of AJS, “our goal is to help breweries sell the first pint. After that, the uniqueness and quality of their beers do the rest.”

Beer Me Bags is a new type of carrier for bottles. It was design specifically for craft beer retail to accommodate the purchasing patterns among today’s beer enthusiasts. With Beer Me Bags, you can let your consumers carry more bottles and thus sell more beer from your outlet.

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With the increasing competition for on-trade presence, having a retail side to your brewery is an advantage and an effective way to access the market. If you opened up your brewery to the public and sell beer on the premises, you might be missing out on selling beer for consumption at home.

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Purple Mustard

GoCustom

Purple Mustard is based in the heart of South Wales and is the UK´s largest manufacturer and printer of dye sublimation printed promotional and point of sale products. It is a specialist in bonding to natural rubber and nitrile, die cutting, sublimation and direct to substrate printing and have a fully equipped on-site sewing room. Its range includes extensive point of sale and promotional products for the beverage, retail and leisure sectors. They manufacture a host of products such as promotional bar runners, barriers & parasols in addition to custom printed flooring solutions. It offers PVC bar rails, umbrellas, parasols, bar runners, mats and other taproom accessories.

GoCustom are market leaders in the supply of personalised clothing. From its large factory facility in Ludlow, Shropshire in the UK, they undertake a full range of garment customisation techniques including Embroidery, Screen Print, DTG Print (Direct to Garment), DTG Hybrid and Vinyl Transfer Print.

The KATZ Group

IWP Communication

The KATZ Group is one of just a handful of companies worldwide that specialise in the production of beverage coasters, also popularly known as beer mats or drinks coasters.

IWP Communication is a design and marketing agency specialising in food and drink – passionate about serving up hard working ideas that help businesses engage with consumers.

The company recently helped rebrand Whaley Bridge Brewery, which is based in Derbyshire’s High Peak. They explain: “We believe that to succeed in an ever more saturated market place, small, independent brewers must focus first and foremost on developing trade on their doorstep.

“With this in mind, we developed a clean, simple and contemporary graphic style for Whaley Bridge Brewery that is designed to resonate with the local drinker who is looking for something a little bit different.”

“We are proud to have dominated this niche market for over 100 years – and we’re even prouder that we have managed to secure such a promising future for our wood pulp-based raw materials,” they explain.

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With brewery-branded clothing big business in 2017, an increasing number of breweries are looking to personalised clothing to increase their brand visibility.

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HCW

Biopac

HCW offers a wide range of products that range from ceramic jugs and tankards, promotional mugs, trays, umbrellas, ice buckets and more.

They offer a large range of ceramic jugs and tankards in standard shapes and sizes, however they also customise individual designs to suit your requirements. “Promotional mugs are always a favourite when it comes to marketing your business or service. We offer a large range of mugs in all sorts of ranges that can be customised to suit your marketing / advertising requirements,” they explain.

HCW add: “We offer a wide and varied range of trays for all types of occasions that can be finished in metal or plastic to suit your requirements."

Biopac has become a key UK’s developer, manufacturer and supplier of eco-friendly food packaging and catering products. It has taken a leading role in the research and development of high performance alternatives to oilbased and unsustainable materials. its solution is to use biodegradable disposables and packaging items that decompose naturally with no harmful effects on the environment. With the stronger focus on protecting the environment, and the stricter regulations all businesses face these days, it’s more important than ever to use 100% biodegradable food packaging. All of its innovative products are designed not to harm the environment, as they can be fully composted alongside their associated food waste.

Beaumont PPS

Willis Publicity

Beaumont PPS specialises in supplying and developing creative promotional and point of sale merchandise. They work closely with a large portfolio of leading and emerging brands in the Spirit, Brewery, Wine and Cider sectors.Its strengths lie in its experience, flexibility, reliability, innovation, design flair and marketing knowledge. “At Beaumont PPS we ensure that we deliver the most appropriate solution to enhance your brand. Whether sourced from a wide but carefully selected range of suppliers across the globe or individually designed and created for you. We aim not just to meet expectations but to exceed them with every project,” they explain.

Willis Publicity has developed into one of the UK’s leading suppliers of Branded POS Bar Products. Working with some of the world’s leading brands they have carefully developed ranges to suit all drinks sectors and venues. Its product range caters for all budgets and covers both standard items as well as bespoke developments. “It is impossible for us to illustrate every single product we have produced but hopefully our site will give you a good feel for what we can offer. With our inhouse manufacturing and design facility we can provide your brand and company with “the Total Branded POS Solution,” says the company.

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Measured route to Success Maintaining productivity and controlling operating costs is a constant challenge in the brewing industry. In the field of in-line measurement this is no different but there are a range of companies and products that can assist in the fields of monitoring product quality, dissolved gas levels and water to beer phase transition.

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mproving production efficiency is vital to successful business operations.

Part of that endeavour is ensuring brewery equipment is operating correctly and is well maintained. This is as true for analytical measurement systems as it is for any other plant asset,” explains Mettler Toledo, a multinational manufacturer of measurement and precision instruments. “Failure to properly maintain measurement sensors can have a significant impact on efficiency and production costs. Reduced product quality, over- or underuse of ingredients, or unplanned downtimes can easily result from poorly calibrated or failed sensors.”

The business addresses a number of key issues that exist for brewers as to ensure reliable operation, measurement sensors must be kept in good order, but it can be difficult for operators to tell when maintenance or calibration is required. Manufacturers such as Mettler Toledo offer digital technology for in-line process analytical systems that it says helps enhances measurement integrity, simplifies sensor operations, and reduces sensor lifecycle costs. But, perhaps unsurprisingly for such an established sector, there is a raft of technology across the spectrum available to aid the analysis of concentration and density measurement of beer and wort in breweries.

Hach, a manufacturer and distributor of analytical instruments, places the spotlight on the measurement of dissolved oxygen in a brewery.

“In wort, techniques have now been developed to ensure total gas dissolution. They are based on proprietary designs with extremely high internal pressures and turbulence. Oxygen is best used in these new devices to avoid excessive gas volumes.

The practice in a modern brewery is to very tightly control dissolved oxygen (±0.5 ppm) and to use only just enough. This ensures consistent fermentations and minimum beer loss in excess yeast,” it explains.

“Because of particulates and the need for feedback

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control, it is preferable to use an in-line oxygen analyser for measurements in wort.”

For bright beer, typical dissolved oxygen values vary between breweries, but values should be less than 0.05 ppm. Whether measuring in bright beer or wort, it is imperative that all gases are in solution before oxygen is measured by the analyser. Soluble gases such as oxygen are displaced by bubbles, which artificially reduce the dissolved concentration value.

When looking at portable measurements, it’s important to fully open the sample valve and regulate the beer flow using the flow control on the outlet side of the instrument. In this way the sensor will always be at the beer pressure, and this will ensure that beer on its way to the sensor is clear and bubble-free.

Flow rate through the instrument is not critical, the manufacturer says, but it should be low enough that there is no degassing at the oxygen sensor. Be aware that the first measurement of the day will have a slower response, since the sensor must rid itself of any air accumulated in the instrument. It must also adjust to the beer temperature.

It highlights its portable 3100 Dissolved Oxygen Analyser as a useful tool for such applications. When looking at in-line analysis, finished beer is a very expensive product and if it is damaged by oxidation, such effects cannot be reversed, explains the company.

It is recommended to continually monitor the process in order to give an immediate warning should oxygen pick-up occur. Oxygen sensors can be installed in most parts of the beer line, but must be placed as far away as possible from pumps, CO2 injection or wort aeration sites. Always install the sensor so that it lies horizontally. It is particularly important never to put any sensor, for oxygen or otherwise, vertically into the top of a pipeline since an air pocket could be trapped here and effective CIP would be impossible.”

For an insight into some of the key companies in the sector of analysis and measurement, check out the profiles overleaf.

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ANALYSE THE BENEFITS When it comes to brewing, the sectors of analysis and measurement are far-reaching.

These are some of the major companies offering products to improve your process.

SensoTech

Anton Paar

SensoTech’s LiquiSonic is an inline analytical system designed to determine the concentration in liquids directly in the running process and without delay. The device is based on high-precision measurement of the absolute sonic velocity and process temperature and thus allows the calculation and monitoring of concentrations.

Anton Paar’s Beer Monitor Basic combines the well-proven sound velocity technology with an innovative new formula to determine alcohol, original extract and real extract of finished beer directly in the line. Designed for craft beers, the system comes preconfigured, is set up within minutes and is completely maintenance-free. Measuring the alcohol content with an accuracy 0.1 % v/v, the original extract with an accuracy of 0.1 °Plato and the real extract with an accuracy of 0.2 °Plato, the Beer Monitor Basic allows you to monitor your craft beers continuously. Out-of-specification product is avoided, beer quality improved and product consistency ensured.

According to the manufacturer,benefits for the user include optimal plant control through online information about the state of the process, maximization of efficiency of processes, increasing of the product quality and reduction of costs for laboratory measurements.

Using the latest digital signal processing technology ensures a highly accurate and fail-safe measurement of the absolute sonic velocity and the concentration.

In addition, integrated temperature sensors, a sophisticated sensor design and the know-how resulting from numerous series of measurements and many applications guarantee a high reliability of the system with a long lifetime.

Advantages of the measuring method are absolute sonic velocity as a well-defined and retraceable physical value, independent of colour, conductivity and transparency of the process liquid, installation directly into pipelines as well as tanks or vessels and aseptic and bypass-free installation.

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The Beer Monitor Basic uses the well-proven, totally maintenance free sound velocity sensor from Anton Paar.

It measures the alcohol and original extract and can compensate for CO2 via a measured or stored CO2 value.

The mPDS 5 evaluation unit with colour touchscreen continuously, accurately and reliably determines both beer parameters. Combined with an additional CO2 sensor, a complete and economic beer and CO2 measuring system is created. A large mathematical model is not required and only a single initial, product specific adjustment may be needed.

The reliable and compact sound sensor allows you to determine alcohol and original extract with high accuracy, with a single, simple sensor. Results are automatically temperature and CO2 compensated. The sensor connects directly to the main line via Varivent or DIN flanges. No additional bypass installation is needed.

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Gusmer Enterprises Gusmer represents Hamilton and their line of process sensors.

Hamilton is considered one of the pioneers of optical DO measurement and has built a complete portfolio of inline measurement sensors and accessories. In addition, the Hamilton ARC platform brings the conveniences of modern wireless technology and integrated systems to inline sensors.

The innovative new ARC system from Hamilton provides wireless connection of the sensor to the terminal or control panel. ARC sensors are fitted with a wireless transmitter to allow remote viewing of up to 30 sensors simultaneously, on either a computer or handheld device to monitor readings, review sensor health, or perform remote calibrations.

Hach Through the integration of Orbisphere and Hach Company, its customers can monitor and assure superior quality products and manage their brewing water quality and wastewater with the complete analytical solution from Hach. Its accurate, industry-standard products provide consistent and reliable results for a brewer’s lab and production areas while helping them control costs and increase production uptime.

Now more than ever, the brewing industry is witnessing a heightened consumer awareness that the taste of beer changes over time. Brewers know that improper amounts of oxygen present in various stages of the brewing process will greatly affect the final taste. Accurate oxygen analysis allows the brewer to control the process so that the flavour stability

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Stevenson Reeves Stevenson Reeves manufactures hydrometers for all industrial, laboratory, and home uses. It also distributes thermometers for the brewing industry.

The business specialised in manufacturing measuring instruments for the brewing and distilling industry. It has been manufacturing instruments of the highest quality, and now supply many industries around the world.

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Rototherm Canongate

QCL and BrewLab

Canongate offers breweries include its Canongate VesselCheck, a highly accurate, truly non invasive liquid level system based on our unique ultrasonic technology proven for over 20 years and is ideally suited for level detection of light beer. Elsewhere, the Canongate DensiCheck can be used to measure the Alcohol, Plato or SG concentrations in bright beer. The DensiCheck can also be used to measure the concentration of cold, hot and boiling wort in the brewhouse.

For blending applications where a higher degree of accuracy is required in the concentration measurement, a signal from a densitomer may be combined with the DensiCheck measurement to achieve this.

QCL provides innovative, rapid analytical testing products for a wide range of industries. Its BeerLab, used by more than 20 UK breweries, is a fast and reliable analyser that measures a range of parameters including Alcohol, Bitterness, Colour and pH. Specifically designed to monitor the brewing process the BeerLab ensures product consistency, avoids the use of excess ingredients and optimises the yield from every brew.

The BeerLab allows brewers to perform tests in a few minutes to facilitate real time process adjustments to improve quality control. Another product it offers is BrewPAL, which detects Pediococcus and Lactobacillus beer spoilage organisms.

BrewPAL provides quantitative test data in less than 3 hours.

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Toasting The Grains Very complex, though simply elegant chemistry known as the “Maillard reaction” (pron. “my-yard”), involves 100’s-1000’s of chemical reactions, dictates much of the flavor of all cooked foods, including the overall flavor profile of beer and grain-based distilled spirits. These reactions are also known as non-enzymatic browning reactions due to the colors imparted through the chemical components generated and, while they can occur at lower temperatures, most effectively take place under heating conditions. The basic processes, from start to finish, which can be considered a cascade of reactions are shown in Figures 1 and 2, with further explanation illustrated overleaf, in this article by Gary Spedding from BDAS, LLC

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simplified definition would run as follows: in food chemistry, any heating steps involving the presence of sugars and amino compounds (ammonia, amino acids, proteins or polypeptides) lead to the complex reactions originally demonstrated by Louis-Camille Maillard (1878-1936) ca. 1912. Maillard demonstrated to scientists at the French Academy the formation of a yellowish-brown colored liquid, via mixing amino acids and sugars. That the discovery failed to knock the academy scientists off their chairs is now well known and, likely in part due to two world wars, his work (1912-16) was not resurrected until the 1950’s.

Since then the Maillard reaction has gained worldwide interest from both the food and medical fields with relevance to food flavor and coloring, digestibility of food and due to the toxicity of certain Maillard compounds and associated implications for several diseases. The modern era of research, starting in 1953, is attributed to a J. E Hodge who first defined three stages or phases to the Maillard process and then unraveled some of the overall complexities of the scheme within each stage.

When the Maillard, non-enzymatic “browning reactions” take place they lead to the formation of reducing substances and a plethora of flavorful compounds which include; malty, toasted, bready and nutty flavors. The reducing substances, which were termed reductones, were shown to exhibit antioxidant behavior and thus to reduce the number of damaging oxidation reactions which occur during product aging.

Brewers and maltsters have been aware of Maillardtype reactions since the early 1900’s even prior to Maillard’s own demonstrations. With respect to the malt kilning process the following provides a neat and familiar description: “The products obtained from the former are sugars and from the latter amino-compounds. When these amino-compounds are heated at 120—140° with sugars such as ordinary glucose or maltose, which are produced at this stage of the process, combination occurs. The precise nature of the compounds produced is unknown to me, but they are probably glucosaminelike bodies. When heated at the temperature to which the malt is subjected at the final curing stage these compounds are decomposed, forming dark coloured substances” Ling (1908).

Clearly the Maillard reaction (as will be understood from the discussion that follows) is at play here in the quote. Moreover, it is known that darker beers made with the more highly roasted malts have more reducing potential, due to higher reductone content (also noted below), and thus longer shelf-life stability.

Modern day brewers now have access to an everwider variety of grains, cereals and other ingredients that may have been “touched” by the magic of Maillard chemistry and they and maltsters should thus understand more about this topic.

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Figure 1. Many sugars and many amino acids lead to 1000’s of Maillard compounds

Figure 2. A simplified schematic of the processes involved in the Maillard reaction

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brief discussion of the overall Maillard scheme now follows. See Figure 1 (over leaf) for the initial steps and Figure 2 for a general outline and key to subsequent individual steps, stages and sub-reactions.

As noted above, the Maillard reactions are initiated by the condensation (the joining together with the loss of water) of a carbonyl group of a reducing sugar and an amino compound. Depending upon the raw material source there are many sugars available to react and nineteen common amino acids plus one imino acid (proline) present which may lead to 100’s if not 1000’s of chemical components in the initial phase (Stage 1 – see Figure 2) of the Maillard chemistry. For example, the reaction of glucose with the simplest amino acid glycine alone can yield 24 different compounds.

Some sugar chemistry: • Aldose – a monosaccharide (simple sugar) with an aldehyde chemical group (-CH=O) • Ketose – a monosaccharide (simple sugar) containing a ketone group (C=O) • Reducing sugar – sugars with a free aldehyde or free ketone group can act as a reducing agent and are thus called reducing sugars.

Some amino/imino acid chemistry: Amino acid – an organic compound – building blocks of proteins and important in other biological reactions, containing amine (-NH2) and carboxyl (-COOH) functional groups and a side chain (R-group) specific to each one. If the amine group is replaced by a -C-NH group, the compound is designated as an imino acid. There are 19 common amino acids and one common imino acid – proline with a cyclic rather than linear structure. In proline, the nitrogen is “locked up” in the ring hence only one hydrogen is directly attached to the nitrogen.

Three stages are considered: Stage I: A – Sugar-amine condensation, B – Amadori rearrangement.

Stage II: C – Sugar dehydration, D – Sugar fragmentation, E – Amino acid degradation (Strecker degradation).

Stage III: F - Aldol condensation, G – Aldehydeamine condensation and formation of heterocyclic nitrogen compounds.

Recent information adds H to the list which represents free-radical breakdown of Maillard intermediates (not covered further in this review).

These reaction steps are discussed further in the text. Adapted from Hodge (1953) as referenced in Nursten (2005).

Following the initial condensation step, a series of complex degradations, rearrangements and other reactions lead to the generation of many compounds which influence both the color and flavor of foods and beverages. The additional reactions lead to many important classes of flavor compounds including

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aldehydes and heterocyclic molecules including furans, pyrazines, pyrroles, oxazoles, thiophenes, thiazoles and other heterocyclic compounds. These components and the process in simplified form are discussed below.

The sugar amine condensation reactions lead to relatively unstable glycosylamines (sugar-amine compounds) which then undergo a reaction known as an Amadori rearrangement. Amadori rearrangements are acid or base catalyzed isomerizations or rearrangement reactions of the N-glycoside of an aldose or the glycosylamine to the corresponding 1-amino-1-deoxy-2-ketose. Amadori reactions, which can occur spontaneously at a temperature as low as 25°C, are generally considered irreversible. Sometimes the term Heyns rearrangement will be seen in the literature and this refers to a situation whereby ketoses are rearranged to the corresponding 2-amino-2deoxyaldoses (in place of the ketoses). These reactions and many more are described in exquisite detail by Nursten (2005).

The Amadori and the Heyns rearrangement products (ARP’s and HRP’s) are regarded as important intermediates of the early phase of the Maillard reaction. Aminoketones can react with each other to form various cyclic compounds called pyrazines (more on this later) characterized by potent flavor notes and which may be responsible for harsh and burnt flavor notes. Amadori and Heyns reaction products (ARPs and HRP’s) are, on one hand, regarded as relatively stable intermediates and have been detected in various heat-processed foods. That said, at higher pH values, ARPs and HRPs easily undergo cleavage of the carbohydrate chain, yielding fission products such as 2,3-butanedione (diacetyl), acids, aldehydes and many other components; ARP’s and HRP’s are thus good precursors for Strecker aldehyde formation.

Such is the complexity of sugar chemistry including fragmentation.

Of importance to this discussion is the plethora of compounds that are produced in the intermediate stage of the Maillard scheme. See Figure 2, where sugar dehydration (Symbol C), sugar fragmentation (D) and amino acid (Strecker) degradation reactions (E) are portrayed. The amino ketoses, through the removal of 3 molecules of water, may pass through an intermediate called a Schiff base to produce the compounds furfural (caramel, sweet and nutty nuances) and hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) through an amino compound and further water molecule elimination. Sugars can also be converted to furfural and HMF via other routes. Note: these two compounds are also thus produced during caramelization.

Sugars and, through sugar dehydration reactions, amino ketones can form reducing compounds known as reductones, which themselves can reversibly interconvert to dehydroreductones via hydrogen addition or elimination. Reductones are products formed from the loss of two molecules of water, unlike when three waters are removed which leads to the furfurals (as noted above). Also in the intermediate

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Amino acid

Strecker Aldehyde

Odor

Valine

2-Methylpropanal

Green, overripe fruit

Leucine

3-Methylbutanal

Malty, fruity, toasted bread

Isoleucine

2-Methylbutanal

Fruity, sweet, roasted

Phenylalanine

Phenylacetaldehyde

Green, floral, hyacinths

Methionine

Methional, methanethiol, 2-propenal

Vegetable-like aromas

Proline

Pyrrolidine, 1-pyrroline NO STRECKER ALDEHYDE

Important intermediates for bread-like aromas

Cysteine

Mercaptoacetaldhyde, acetaldehyde, H2S, ammonia

Important intermediates for meat-like aromas

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Table 1. Selected examples of amino acids, Strecker aldehydes and their associated odors.

stage (or stage 2) the well-known Strecker degradation reactions occur. Strecker degradation is primarily a major pathway for the conversion of amino acids into structurally related aldehydes of significant flavor value. The amino acids are degraded by dicarbonyl compounds, also formed in the Maillard reaction, leading to deamination (amino group removal) and decarboxylation (CO2 elimination) of the amino acid. Aldehydes (and this also applies to ketones) are produced with one less carbon atom than they started with. The amino group is transferred to the other reacting species in the reaction. A listing of Strecker aldehyde flavor notes can be seen in Table 1 (over leaf).

As seen in Table 1, a veritable profile of fruity, floral, grainy, sweet, roasted, vegetable and bready and meaty flavors are associated with compounds of the chemical class known as aldehydes. Note also that the cyclic (ring-containing) imino acid proline does not degrade to a Strecker aldehyde. Proline instead forms other ring-containing molecules including the cyclic secondary amine tetrahydropyrrole (aka. pyrrolidine).

The sulfur containing amino acid cysteine degrades into potent compounds including ammonia and hydrogen sulfide (rotten egg-like). Remember there are many other amino acids thus increasing the number of flavors which may be produced.

Now for coloration and flavor production we move to the more interesting final stage (stage 3)

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of the Maillard scheme (reactions F and G). Fission products, furfural and HMF, dehydroreductones and aldehydes, through aldol condensation reactions (F), result in aldols and nitrogen-free polymers; these reactions represent a very large and complex area of chemistry (again see Nursten {2005} for more detail). An aldol is an abbreviation for an aldehyde and an alcohol – an organic compound containing an alcohol and a carbonyl group, especially a compound known as a beta-hydroxy aldehyde. Moreover, by aldol condensation of two sugar fragments or a sugar fragment and an amino acid fragment, heterocyclic aroma compounds are generated upon cyclization, dehydration and/or oxidation reactions. See Figure 3 and associated discussion for more on heterocyclic chemistry.

Aldehyde-amine condensation reactions and formation of heterocyclic nitrogen compounds are illustrated in the reactions marked G in Figure 2 (see also Figure 3). The very final products of nonenzymatic browning are complex high-molecular weight brown nitrogen-containing polymers and copolymers known as melanoidins to distinguish them from the melanins produced by enzymatic browning. Unfortunately, the dark brown melanoidins have proven difficult to isolate, characterize and identify based on their overall complexity, though are considered responsible for the uniquely characteristic rich toasty-sweet notes in bocks, doppelbocks and other heavy-malt accented beers.

From the above discussion, it is seen that a cascade of reactions produce a vast pool of compounds. These arise from early product rearrangements and then degradation, elimination, cyclization, dehydration, fission and fragmentation reactions. These many reactions all lead to a multitude of flavor and color compounds.

Another major class of Maillard-associated chemical components, generated through cyclization reactions, is seen in Figure 3. This figure shows heterocyclic compounds which play a key role in beer and distilled spirits flavor. Simply defined, heterocyclic compounds are ring-like structures which contain atoms other than carbon in the ring; oxygen, nitrogen and sulfurs primarily being present in such molecules.

Through reductone and dehydroreductone chemistry, and their resultant product interactions with ammonia NH3 and hydrogen sulfide H2S, the heterocyclic compounds; furanones (oxygen in the ring), pyranones (oxygen), pyrroles (nitrogen) and thiophenes (sulfur) are produced. The basic structures and general flavor notes associated with these compounds can also be seen in Figure 3. More significantly, each of these base heterocycles can have many different chemical substituents attached, thus vastly increasing the total number of possible compounds and potential flavor nuances detected in foods and beverages.

Figure 3 also shows a few more details of the Strecker degradation reaction scheme. Interactions of aldehydes and aminoketones with a compound

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Figure 3. A simplified schematic of the processes involved in the formation of heterocyclic compounds via Maillard chemistry

called acetoin can lead to formation of pyrazines (dual nitrogen atom ring heterocycles), pyridines (nitrogen), oxazoles (oxygen), imidazoles (dual nitrogen’s in the ring) and thiazoles (sulfur). Once again, we note that base (simple skeleton forms) and more complex substituted heterocycles are formed. Furans (five membered oxygen-containing ring heterocycles) are also illustrated in Figure 3. They arise from rearranged sugars. Once again, note the main flavor characteristics for each type of heterocycle from this part of the scheme. These components may be present in very small amounts yet, with very low detection thresholds, can quite significantly impact beverage flavor profiles.

CONDITIONS FOR THE MAILLARD REACTION

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s the Maillard process is a series of chemical transformations, factors that influence a chemical reaction also affect the Maillard reaction. The rates of chemical reactions depend primarily on temperature, pressure, time and concentration of reactants. Maillard reaction products increase with increasing temperature, with longer heating time and at pH values above 7.0.

The relative moisture content is also important and metal ions such as copper and iron have been noted as stimulating the reaction. As temperature is a key condition for the Maillard reaction further details are presented in Table 2. Some similar products to Maillard compounds are produced during the caramelization process but we note here that caramelization reactions, unlike Maillard reactions,

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require the input only of sugars not amino acids.

The topic of caramelization could form the basis of a paper of its own and we only point out here that, at higher temperatures (see Table 2), caramelization can interfere or compete with Maillard reactions.

Finally, with respect to pH it is noted that the amount of reactive amino acids increases with pH and this thus leads to an enhanced Maillard reaction sequence at higher pH values. However, when Maillard reactions then occur the result is a lowering of the pH – the pH drops by formation of acids (through sugar degradation) and by the production of basic heterocyclic compounds. Further information regarding the conditions impacting and controlling the Maillard reaction has been presented by Ames, (1990).

BEER PRODUCTION AND THE MAILLARD REACTION

F

rom raw materials and from start to finish, in processing of beer, the Maillard reaction is likely to be involved at any stage involving significant heat input. Though the production and use of malt and other cereal grains is likely the most significant contributor to Maillardderived flavor compounds. Even maltsters do not yet have a complete picture of Maillard chemistry and its full contribution to beer color and flavor. Much more research needs to be done here!

Malting/kilning: For cereal-based beers and malt beverages, the malts and other grains used provide the initial input of Maillard reaction components – the sugars (from starch degradation) and amino

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Temperature

Conditions and Rate of Reaction

< 55°C (130°F)

Days, months, years (e.g., products stored on the shelf).

55-100°C (130212°F)

Water, high protein concentration. high sugar concentration and alkaline conditions -- pH above 7.0 – reaction over hours or days.

100-150°C (212300°F)

Hours when close to the boiling point (BPt.) of water

150-165°C (300330°F)

Fast – browning in mins. The “sweet spot” for Maillard.

165-200°C (330400°F)

Increase in caramelization (sugar only reactions) – Maillard inhibited. Sugars interacting with amino acids limited!

200+°C (400+°F)

Caramelization and burning.

Table 2. Temperature and the rate and extent of Maillard reactions

acids (from proteolysis). Amino acids in green malt are transformed, in a pH dependent manner, to corresponding Strecker aldehydes (see Table 1). Model Maillard reactions in the laboratory have also revealed the classic cereal, corny and bready-like flavors that originate through the complex cascade of Maillard reactions. Brewer’s malts are often produced through variable high temperature kilning and roasting which leads to many specialty grains with a wide range of flavor compounds (including caramel, roasted, nutty, burnt, coffee and chocolate). The brewer today thus has a choice of dozens of specialty malts and many other cereal grains. The full complexity of Maillard chemistry and grain production is far from being completely understood, especially in relation to the set of high molecular weight color and flavor compounds noted above – namely the melanoidins.

Cooking and mashing: Different cereal cooking systems are available to brewers, depending upon the need to gelatinize starches in non-barley malt grains and adjunct cereals. These cooking steps are of course run at high temperature. In addition to Maillard color and flavor compound formation, degradation or consumption of fermentable carbohydrates and amino acids occurs which may impact the amount of alcohol produced. Fermentable sugars are reduced in concentration – perhaps not in a huge way - but free amino nitrogen (FAN) concentration is also reduced which may also impact fermentation and thus alcohol production. Heavy adjunct sugar use will increase one of the two main reactants at the expense of nitrogen and here the FAN concentration may be too low for

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subsequent fermentation. Mashing operations may also produce Maillard compounds and impact ethanol yields for similar reasons noted above.

Wort Boiling and Maillard reactions: Wort contains high levels of reducing sugars and enough amino components which can continue to participate in Maillard reactions during wort boiling. Maltose and maltotriose are the most abundant sugar compounds in wort and thus, these sugars and oligosaccharides form their own specific compounds induced by Maillard reaction chemistry. One main flavor compound generated by the Maillard reaction found in wort is furfural.

This compound has frequently been regarded as an indicator for heat damage of wort. Strecker degradation reactions are also notable in the wort boil, producing the types of flavorful aldehydes as already discussed. Some of the Strecker aldehydes of low odor/flavor threshold detection concentrations are also highly volatile and may be evaporated off significantly with efficient wort boiling systems. If the brewer keeps the steam pressure during boiling at a low level, the corresponding temperature of the heating surface will be moderate and the occurrence of extensive Maillard reactions can be reduced. The use of the modern wort forced convection system is known to generate less Maillard reaction products when the steam temperature is lowered in comparison to conventional boiling. The brewer thus has a lot of potential when it comes to manipulating the extent of the Maillard reaction during the wort boiling process. More on this has been discussed by Spedding, et al, (2016).

Concluding remarks: A neat, though complex, chemistry known as the Maillard reaction has been detailed here. We hope that this review has reduced some of the mystery of this oft noted, though little discussed, reaction as applied to brewing. Once again, a key understanding of flavor origins and changes can allow ultimate control of beer quality, and a big contributor to color and flavor is to be found through understanding Maillard chemistry. It started with a yellow-brown colored product and a French chemist back in 1912. Now it is up to the brewer to see what browning and Maillard flavor production can and does do for them. Let the brewery cooking begin.

References Ames, J. M. (1990). Control of the Maillard reaction in food systems. Trends in Food Science & Technology. December 1990; 150-154.

Ling, A.R. (1908). J. Inst. Brewing. 14(6); 494-521.

Nursten, H. (2005). The Maillard Reaction: Chemistry, Biochemistry and Implications. The Royal Society of Chemistry.

Spedding, G., Weygandt, A. and Linske, M. (2016).

Basic Quality Management – Wort Boiling. Getting Set for Efficient Fermentation – Part 2. Scandinavian Brewer’s Review. 73(4); 36-39.

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