Brewers Congress 2018 Guide

The premier gaThering of The professional brewing indusTry

Brewers C O N G R E S S

28 November 2018 oNe great george street, LoNdoN

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le ad e r

Onwards and Upwards

W

ell, what a year 2018

head brewer of Schneeeule Brauerei in Berlin, Pete

has been. And it’s

Lengyel, head of production and quality control from

not even over yet.

Williamsburg’s Kings County Brewers Collective and

We’ve seen

Sophie de Ronde, head brewer of Burnt Mill Brewery.

mergers and acquisitions, innovation and invention, breweries

opening and breweries closing.

Lager ruled the summer, while Brut IPA followed suit

as we entered autumn. If I can make one request for winter then it’s more Scotch ales, please.

We’re also no closer to defining what craft beer

Joining them is Earth Station founder Jenn Merrick and Brian Strumke, founder of Stillwater Artisanal.

And if you’re going learn from anyone, you may as well learn from the best. So I’m thrilled that Ray Daniels, founder of the Cicerone Certification Program and Dr Keith Thomas, head of Sunderland-based Brewlab, are here today.

I want to also take a moment to show my gratitude to the sponsors and exhibitors that have helped make today

is, nor how we bring cask beer back into focus. The

possible. It’s incredibly rewarding that this event, in only

latter remains a point of fierce debate, why it’s being

its second year, is a forum that can bring together figures

undervalued and just who is to blame.

and businesses of all kinds from across the industry.

But what is certain is that quality, delicious, well-

So thank you to Muntons, Lallemand, QCL and SSV

maintained cask beer is the envy of the world and it

Limited. And thank you to ACO Building Drainage, Bruni

belongs back on the proud mantle it deserves.

Erben, Cara Technology, Cask Global Canning Solutions,

It is a real privilege to welcome you here today. I know

Cicerone, Enterprise Tondelli, Fermentis, Johnson

how busy your schedules are, regardless of where you

Brewing Design, Moorgate Finance, Murphy and Son,

work within the diverse, broad spectrum of the brewing

Palmer Canning, Portman Group, Rastal, Rankin and

industry. So it’s fantastic to see you here, and I know it

ThemThatCan.

will be a worthwhile day of education, networking and socialising.

It is also an honour to have a programme full to the rafters of best-in-class brewers from across the globe.

They’ll be showcasing their leading products and services in the Great Hall, and ready to answer any questions you may have.

I’d also like to thank all of the fantastic breweries and

Garrett Oliver from Brooklyn Brewery, Andy Leman, head

producers that have kindly supplied beer and snacks.

brewery at Timothy Taylor’s and Georgina Young, head

Appreciate it!

brewer at London-based Fuller’s.

We have Põhjala head brewer Chris Pilkington,

So on that note, I hope you all have a fantastic day and here’s to an even more successful 2019.

Northern Monk’s production manager Colin Stronge, and Chorlton Brewing Company founder and head brewer

Tim Sheahan

Mike Marcus.

Editor

But wait, there’s more. Ulrike Genz, founder and

congress.brewersjournal.info

28 November 2018

3

CO NTE NT S

contents

sCHEDULE

7- The schedule of the Brewers Congress, 2018 prepare for the panel discussions

8- The topics up for discussion following each session Meet the exhibitors

10- The leading manufacturers and suppliers exhibiting in the Great Hall throughout the day Meet the SPEAKERS

14- Ray Daniels | Cicerone 15- Andy Leman | Timothy Taylor's 16- Pete Lengyel | KCBC

4

28 November 2018

17- Mike Marcus | Chorlton Brewing Company 18- Jenn Merrick | Earth Station 19- Garrett Oliver | Brooklyn Brewery 20- Chris Pilkington | Pohjala 21- Sophie de Ronde | Burnt Mill 22- Colin Stronge | Northern Monk 24- Dr Keith Thomas | Brewlab 25- Georgina Young | Fuller's Meet the Sponsors

26- Lallemand 28- SSV Limited 30- Muntons 32- QCL

Brewers Congress

y b e R

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S C H ED U LE

Programme 7:00

Exhibitor early access

8:00

Doors open

8:00

Registration

Great Hall Exhibition

Lobby

Arrivals drinks

Coffee/Tea/Cookies

Great Hall Exhibition

9:00

Welcome address

Tim Sheahan, The Brewers Journal

Telford Theatre

9:20

Session 1

Modern takes on the traditional

Telford Theatre

Garrett Oliver

The co-development of Western food culture, a journey that takes us from traditional food and drink, through an era of ‘food facsimiles’, and how craft beer culture tracks with it.

Andy Leman

So you want to brew quality cask beer? Making your mark in a crowded marketplace.

Georgina Young

Making the most of a collaboration, what each brewery can gain, and the secrets behind a successful project.

10.20

Panel discussion

What is the relationship between big and small brewers: Can you ever get away from the business of brewing?

10:40

Morning break

Coffee/Tea/Cake

Great Hall Exhibition

11:20

Session 2

Brewing to style

Telford Theatre

Mike Marcus and Ulrik Genz

How to put your own stamp on the diverse, exciting category of slow, sour beer.

Colin Stronge

Brewing a truly great dark beer, how you achieve that and the reasons you you may be falling short.

Chris Pilkington

What constitutes a great barrel-aged beer and what you need to know when starting your own ageing programme.

12:20

Panel discussion

The Importance of a core range: Should you focus on a core, or pursue the new?

12:40

Lunch

Hot buffet lunch and beer tasting

Great Hall Exhibition

13:50

Session 3

Raising the standard

Telford Theatre

Ray Daniels

What's gone wrong in your beer - Unwanted flavours and their causes

Pete Lengyel

Why cleaning and sanitation is essential in ensuring consistent and quality beer.

Dr Keith Thomas

Microbiology - Where modern techniques can tell us the hazard areas and organisms to look out for.

14:50

Panel discussion

Avoiding unwanted guests: In the world of innovation, what’s a positive and what’s an off flavour, and how can you make sure you’re producing the beer the brewer wanted?

15:10

Afternoon break

Beer and pub snack tasting

Great Hall Exhibition

16:00

Session 4

Perfecting Production

Telford Theatre

Sophie de Ronde

Brewing with consistency - from small batch to big runs

Brian Strumke

Beer without a brewery - Ensuring repeatability without bricks and mortar .

Jenn Merrick

Scale up your production - The business opportunity and the pitfalls to avoid.

17:00

Panel discussion

Funding Expansion: Where do should turn when it’s time to grow your brewery?

17:20

ENDS

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28 November 2018

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panel

S ch e d u l e

discussion

Join the debate

The Congress will host four panel discussion debating core questions facing the industry

need to crank out volume to pay the bills, while another could be run as a glorified hobby.

And just how does that impact the need to sell beer at a price that is fair to all?

John Keeling, former head brewer at Fuller’s and

Panel One

now an ambassador for the West London brewery, says smaller independent brewers can learn from bigger

W

businesses, and vice versa. hat is the relationship between big and small brewers: Can you ever get away from the

business of brewing?

“In the craft world, brewers are seen to be the leaders.

They are the experts in flavour and make the new interesting beers, therefore it is the beer that informs the marketing,” he explains.

We’re in an industry defined by the individuals that

“In the world of the big brewer it is the marketeer

comprise it. One brewery may be the brainchild of

who decides what to make. The finance team decide

industry veteran and its neighbour is just as likely to

the cost, then they instruct the brewer to make the beer.

be headed up by an avid homebrewer that’s taken the

Consequently the brewer has a disconnect with the beer

opportunity to start their own business.

they are making.”

Money makes the world go round, of course, but are we all operating on a level playing field? One outfit might

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28 November 2018

So with that in mind, as you grow your brewery, can you ever truly get away from the business of brewing?

Brewers Congress

panel

discussion

sch e d u l e

before it goes into the wild is greeted with applause

Panel Two

and adulation. It wouldn’t happen in other fields, so why should beer be given such leeway?

T

But this isn’t a hard and fast approach adopted by all. he Importance of a core range: Should you focus

If your beer has sour properties for instance, was that part

on a core, or pursue the new?

of the recipe formulation and if not, how did it get there?

But elsehwere, we’re in a world now where very little

"What have you go that’s new?"

It’s a question countless breweries have no doubt been asked when liaising with accounts, and with good

surprises when it comes to the flavours, additions and adjuncts brewers add to their beers.

So in this era of extreme innovation, how can you know

reason. If you’re a bottle shop, you’re just as likely to have

know what’s a positive presence in your beer, and what’s

clientele that visit and check out the new arrivals. It could

an unwanted guest?

be a fresh release from an established brewery, the latest

Panel Four

import, or the maiden beers from a new outfit.

But with space on the shelves and taps of bars, pubs and bottleshops, not to mention supermarkets, more fiercely contested than ever, how do you stake your claim? In this very issue, Timothy Taylor’s head brewer Andy Leman acknowledges the time the brewery has had

F

unding Expansion: Where should you turn when it’s time to grow your brewery?

to develop a brand in beers such as Landlord. While Earth

In the last few years we’ve seen breweries turn to

Station founder Jenn Merrick predicts that the next years

acquisition, the sale of stakes to other breweries,

will see the prevalence of large, stable brands and with

investment from private equity, and crowdfunding to

that, a need for others to differentiate once again.

help aid the expansion they desire. And in the case of

So do you play the long game and have faith in the

breweries such as Camden Town, they’ve done both.

sticking power of your core, or do you pursue variety and

For every option above, there are pros and cons to

capitalise on the consumer’s desire for the new. And can

the path you choose. Private equity may demand returns

you tread both?

sooner than you’re comfortable in providing, while an acquisition could see you lose any influence and control

Panel Three

in the brewery you’ve worked so hard to create.

Then you can look at crowdfunding. As an investor,

A

are you buying into an overvalued business and for the voiding unwanted guests: In the world of

fundraiser, there’s no guarantee in your campaign proving

innovation, what’s a positive and what’s an off

a success in reaching those goals. And with that, you

flavour, and how can you make sure you’re producing the beer the brewer wanted?

could be back to square one.

But then look at the aforementioned Camden Town Brewery. Their beers have never tasted better and they’re

Social media and the sleuth of beer rating sites has

more freely available than ever before. A result, for the

brought the brewer closer to the drinker than ever

drinker. While other outfits have sold stakes or been

before. And for better or worse, depend on who you

acquired, creating more jobs for the local communities

ask. A consumer can articulate their thoughts on the

they inhabit in the process.

beer they’re imbibing, often creating a dialogue with the

And back to crowdfunding, breweries and distributors

producer behind said beverage. Opinions expressed can

alike have been able to expand, grow their teams and

be positive or negative and often, will question how far

open new taprooms and bars as a result. In return, they’ve

the beer falls from the descriptors and style it has been

given investors and fans equity, perks and in many cases,

sold and marketed on.

great beer.

We’re thankfully getting past the point where a brewery pouring away a beer they’re not happy with

congress.brewersjournal.info

So when it comes to taking the plunge to grow your own brewery, which option is the best fit for you?

28 November 2018

9

b r e w e r s

con g r e ss

e x hibitors

meet the exhibitors

The Brewers Congress brings together some of the industry's leading manufacturers and suppliers from across the UK and overseas. Here are the companies that will be in town, ready to answer any queries or questions you may have.

Gold Sponsors

the importance of reliability of supply. Muntons are a little different. They consider how markets are moving and use their innovation and new product development

Lallemand - Lallemand’s extensive, unique knowledge in

facilities to create products relevant for brewers and

the propagation of many different yeast strains led us to

manufacturers alike to capitalise on market opportunities.

be consulted by a number of international breweries on

They care passionately about malt and the environment,

yeast nutrition. As a result of this expertise, we developed

vital for good growing conditions and a good crop,

and continue to perfect a specialized range of yeast

investing wisely to minimise their environmental impact.

nutrients that target specific problems in the brewery

And they know a lot about malt and the benefits it can

resulting from variations in raw material quality. Whether

bring.

you are a startup, a global leader in beer production

Stand 12

or anywhere in between, we have something for you.

At Lallemand Brewing, we brew with you.

QCL - QCL has been serving laboratory scientists in the

Stand 9

UK for more than 35 years, providing innovative, rapid analytical testing products for a wide range of industries.

Muntons - Muntons understands the importance that

We source equipment from around the world, using our

you, the brewer, place on the quality and consistency

expertise to select the most advanced, robust and cost-

of the malt that you use in your brewing process and

effective analytical solutions.

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28 November 2018

Brewers Congress

b r e w e r s

con g r e ss

8

11

Portman Group advice desk

8

11

Beer service

Beer service

e x hibitors

1

1

2

15

4

4

5

10 GOLD

18

13 GOLD

18

Registration

17

3

3

10 GOLD

17

13 GOLD

9 GOLD

16

12 GOLD

16

9 GOLD

12 GOLD

2

15

19

5 6

19

20

6

7

20 Catering

7

Catering

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28 November 2018

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b r e w e r s

con g r e ss

e x hibitors

We maintain a high level of technical expertise enabling

Cask Global Canning Solutions - We provide innovative

us to deliver excellent customer service, developing

and affordable canning systems to the world’s small and

operating procedures and calibrations to ensure that

medium-sized creators of craft beer, cider, wine, cold

our customers can achieve the accuracy and efficiency

brewed coffee, kombucha and other life-enhancing

required from their testing regimes.

beverages. Cask has installed 875+ canning systems

Stand 10

in 46 different countries throughout the world and we are the official supplier of printed aluminum cans to

SSV - SSV are specialists in the design and manufacture

our customers for Ball Corporation, the world’s largest

of brewhouses, liquid process and storage vessels,

aluminum can producer.

dual purpose vessels (DPV), brite beer tanks (BBT-V),

Stand 19

fermentation tanks (FV). SSV Limited source all of our stainless steel vessels from a single supplier. Lehui is

Cicerone - Anyone can call themselves an expert on

the largest brewery equipment manufacturer in Asia,

beer. But when consumers want great beer they need

with over 25 years of experience manufacturing process,

help from a server who really knows beer flavors, styles,

storage and brewing vessels. Their compliance with

and service. They also want to buy beer from a place that

European and US standards and certifications ensure you

understands proper storage and serving so the beer they

will receive a quality product. We can also supply you

drink will taste the way it should. Too often great beer is

with all of the equipment and consumables to properly

harmed by improper handling and service practices.

operate and maintain our vessels.

The Cicerone® Certification Program has become the

Stand 13

industry standard for identifying those with significant knowledge and professional skills in beer sales and

Exhibitors

service.

Stand 18

ACO Building Drainage - Engineered drainage solutions

Enterprise Tondelli - Since 1977 Enterprise Tondelli

for internal and external built environments. Hygienic

have been suppliers of services, solutions and systems

drainage is critical to any food manufacturing or

integrators of specialist equipment designed to meet

processing facility and, as one of the world's leading

the production requirements of the bottling, canning and

drainage specialists, we are determined to help raise

packaging industries. Working with our manufacturers in

standards across every part of the process from drainage

Italy, Enterprise Tondelli supplies packaging equipment

design through to installation, cleaning and ongoing

and services to the soft drinks and beverage, spirits and

maintenance.

water, brewing and wine, dairy and food, pharmaceutical

Stand 15

and chemical industries.

Stand 20

Bruni Erben - Bruni Erben is a leading supplier of closures, glass and machinery for the spirits, wine, food,

Fermentis - Fermentis works with everyone in the world

and gourmet markets. Founded in 1951, the company has

of fermented beverages. Its range of products and

developed & diversified and today offers an extensive

services covers almost all professional requirements.

catalogue of stock items, industry leading technical

Fermentation is a complex art, and more and more of our

support and a product design team which delivers world-

clients want to understand the process and the subtleties

class expertise to yield extraordinary results.

involved. That’s why, in addition to our products, we

Stand 4

would like to share with you our most valuable asset: our knowledge. To do so, our expert advisors are available to

Cara Technology - Cara Technology specialises

meet and advise you who ever and where ever you are.

in process consultancy for breweries. We carry out

We can train your staff and make our research

technical audits of brands, production methods,

laboratories and manufacturing base available to you.

production activities, quality management activities

Because for us, service really means something.

and other aspects of brewery operations that impact on

Stand 11

production including hygiene management and beer loss management. We also offer brewing training, flavour

Johnson Brewing Design - Johnson Brewing Design

training and sensory management

has over 20 years experience designing, manufacturing,

Stand 16

installing and commissioning brewing and beverage systems throughout Europe and the UK. We can design

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28 November 2018

Brewers Congress

e x hibitors

b r e w e r s

con g r e ss

and install complete hygienic process systems for brew-

Portman Group - The Portman Group is the responsibility

houses, filtration, carbonation, packaging and clean-in-

body for drinks producers in the UK.

place (CIP). We also have many years of experience in the

Our role is to: Lead on best practice in alcohol social

supply and installation of Glycol chilling units, installing

responsibility through the actions of member companies.

the pipework and temperature controls for fermentation

Regulate the promotion and packaging of alcoholic

and conditioning.

drinks sold or marketed in the UK through our Code of

Stand 3

Practice.Challenge and encourage the industry to market its products responsibly. The Portman Group is a not-for-

Moorgate Finance - Moorgate Finance understands the

profit organisation funded by eight member companies

financial pressures that arise in professional businesses

who represent every sector of drinks production and

and provide financing solutions to help these businesses

collectively account for more than half the UK alcohol

grow. Mash Tuns? Fermenters? Steam Boilers?

market

Centrifuges? Canning lines? Whether you are a start-up

Lobby

microbrewery, setting up a craft bar, or planning your next phase of expansion, Moorgate Brewery Finance is here to

Rastal -Rastal created the brand-Exclusive Glass concept

help you make it happen.

in 1964: the inspiration behind the idea was to craft a

Stand 5

uniquely designed drinking vessel that would be reserved solely (hence ‘exclusively’) for a particular brand. The

Moravek - Moravek design, manufacture and install

Bitburger goblet was the pioneering masterpiece of its

high quality bottling and kegging systems with fully

kind, and it ushered in the unparalleled success story of

integrated process technology. We produce a wide

the Exclusive Glass! In today’s brand-conscious world,

range of machinery suitable for all production, bottling

the Exclusive Glass is an integral part of the marketing

and canning requirements from large scale production

strategies of renowned beverage brands around the

to research and development. All our machines are

globe. No other company in the industry has developed

constructed to the highest standard and only use the best

more brand-Exclusive Glasses than Rastal..

quality components. Our range of products are designed

Stand 1

to require minimal operator control and processes are fully automatic wherever possible saving your company

Rankin - Since 1774, the Rankin family has been

both time and money during the production process.

supporting the beers, wines, spirits & foods packaging

Stand 7

industries with best in class closures that help seal, protect and add value to brands. Our expertise in

Murphy and Son - We are a long-established provider of

production quality and project management is shared

brewing supplies and technical expertise to the brewing

with you as part of the Rankin Brothers & Sons service.

and broader beverage industry. Our company is built

Please feel free to contact us about your requirements,

on over a hundred years research into reliable solutions

expectations and aspirations. Our collaborative approach

for your bespoke brewing challenges. Thus, each of our

begins from your first enquiry.

products are formulated and manufactured to perform

Stand 6

to the highest standard; ensuring you consistent results each time you brew.

ThemThatCan - The premier beverage mobile canning

Stand 17

company - We bring our service to you. Since establishing itself as one of Europe's first small scale contract canning

Palmer Canning - Founded in 1996 by Michael Palmer

companies, the business has helped countless breweries

BSME, who had previously worked 9 years for Adolph

move into canning their beer. We cater to the craft beer,

Coors Technologies developing new technologies for

cider, pre-mixed drink and artisan beverage sectors

the can making and filling industry. Now celebrating

Stand 8

more than 20 years. Mike’s love for real beer started growing up in Portland, Oregon, in the mid-80s when

The exhibition, taking place in the Great Hall, is open all-

craft brewing was just beginning. Trying Widmer Brothers,

day on the 28th November. So if you have any questions,

McMenamins, and Bridgeport beers woke up his beer

or queries, for the wealth of companies exhibiting, don't be

senses and is happy to see the nationwide expansion

afraid to draw on their expertise at any point throughout

evolve. Palmer Canning Systems provide rotary and

the day.

in-line beer and beverage can filling and seaming technology solutions to craft brewers and producers.

Stand 2

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28 November 2018

13

S pe a k e r

R ay

D aniels

Set your bar high Making beer is easy, but getting it right time and time again is where you have to start to show your true expertise, explains Ray Daniels, founder of the Cicerone Certification Program.

2

018 has been a big year for Ray Daniels.

Cicerone, the certification program designed for those that sell and serve beer, is celebrating its 10th anniversary with nearly 100,000 people having passed through its

ranks.

The course covers a number of areas, namely:

1) Keeping and Serving Beer, 2) Beer Styles, 3) Beer Flavour and Evaluation, 4) Beer Ingredients and Brewing Processes, and 5) Pairing Beer with Food.

“We set out with one big goal and that was to serve the entire industry from bar staff at your favourite pub to head brewers and presidents of major brewing businesses. And we’ve been lucky to accomplish that,” Daniels tells us.

He adds: “In the late 1990s and early 2000s, a lot of places were pouring beer ruined by poor handling.

Additionally, they often knew nothing about the beers themselves.

“I wanted to motivate servers and retailers to ‘up their game’ by learning more about proper beer service as well as beer styles so that they could talk to their customers about their offerings.”

Daniels opted to establish a set of certifications based on what beer professionals should know when working in various jobs.

To help people assess what they needed to know, he published a lengthy syllabus for each exam that detailed all of the topics that would be tested and made them freely available online.

And as it has grown, the program, which initially consisted of three levels (Certified Beer Server, Certified Cicerone, and Master Cicerone®), was expanded in 2016 to include a fourth, known as Advanced Cicerone®, which was inserted between the Certified and Master levels.

But Daniels is not stopping there.

A focus on international markets such as Asia, Australia

consistently so it’s worthy of sharing with someone else without any off flavours is a difficult task,” he explains.

Daniels adds: “Then look at how you can do that

and Latin America is key, but his goal remain the same.

constantly in a bottle or can, cask or keg and have it

Improving quality across the industry.

shipped off to parts unknown and arrived in good shape.

“Getting your beer right is essential. I always tell my students that making beer is easy, it is simple as pie.

Making good beer, however, is harder. And doing that

14

28 November 2018

That’s where the real challenge lies.

“But there is so much quality and talent in this industry, and it keeps on improving. And that’s only a good thing.”

Brewers Congress

A ndy

L eman

S pe ak e r

STICK TO YOUR GUNS Timothy Taylor’s is a name synonymous with excellent beer, in particular its cask output in the form of Landlord and Boltmaker. And while the modern cask marketplace is undoubtedly challenging, Andy Leman, head brewer at the West Yorkshire-based business, says you should never compromise your values when it comes to believing in, and making, quality beer.

T

he recent Leeds International Beer Festival

Leman explains: “Landlord started life as a bottled

was a triumph in showcasing excellent

beer. As a then-nameless beer in the 1950s, samples

modern beer produced both in the UK

were sent out to accounts such as clubs complete with a

and overseas. But a cursory glance

tear-off label. People were to send back their suggestions

towards social media during those three

and the best name would win.

days showed just as many people gleefully snapping

“A club steward suggested ‘Landlord’ and won

shots of pints of Timothy Taylor’s Landlord imbibed in

£500 for their troubles. That was an awful lot of money

establishments such as Whitelock’s Ale House. A quality

then! So when it came to renaming our Best Bitter, the

beer, perfectly cellared. Many would, and do, argue

brewery adopted the same idea. The landlord of the The

there’s few better beers going.

Boltmaker Arms recommended ‘Boltmaker’ as a name

Head brewer Andy Leman knows the Keighly brewery operates in different spaces to many of the modern beer styles being enjoyed across the UK, but he is endeared by the ongoing popularity beers such as Landlord have with drinkers of all kinds.

“It can be a common misconception to think that brewing from years gone by was improvised and done on something of an ad-hoc basis, but this couldn’t be further from the truth,” he says.

Brewers and beer fans alike, Leman explains, have long come to Timothy Taylor’s wanting to know the secret of their success, but there is no magic bullet in making

and here we are.”

“The funny thing is, they also won £500. Not quite the same decades later,” he laughs.

Beers such as Boltmaker and Landlord have long been staples in the Timothy Taylor portfolio. But the addition of Knowle Springs last year has swiftly established itself in that family, too.

Created by Leman and his team, the Blonde Ale was produced to fill a gap for such a beer in their output. Trial batches began production in the August of 2016 with the beer seeing the light of day the following March.

“We went through around 12 iterations before settling

great beer. Instead, it's having faith in what you do,

on a beer we were all happy with. This combined Vienna

holding strong principles and sticking to them.

malt with UK-grown Cascade, Chinook and Minstrel.

“I recall Alan Hey (head brewer until 1995) once deliver

It took time, but we got there,” he says. “I understand

a presentation in response to what we do differently with

not all breweries have the resources to go through so

our beers.

many batches before commercial production but those

It started with one simple statement:

No, No, No, No, No “Alan proudly stated that we used no adjuncts, no enzymes, no pellets, no extracts and so on. We were doing things no differently, simply others had changed.”

Such an attitude extended to the naming convention of the brewery’s beers, too. And demonstrated that canvassing public opinion when making decisions in the world of beer wasn’t an invention that came with the advent of Twitter of Facebook.

congress.brewersjournal.info

principles should be the same, regardless.

Leman adds: “We are fortunate to have had longevity to build a brand, just as Fuller’s has with something like Pride and ESB. They are brand beers that have a dedicated following across generations.

“Starting fresh and building from the base is more difficult, but that doesn’t mean you cannot be successful.

Quality should be paramount above all else. And as long as you stick to your guns and commit to producing good beer, you can be a success too.”

28 November 2018

15

S pe ak e r

PE TE

LEN GYEL

PROTECT YOUR REPUTATION

Having the best possible practices in place should be at the very top of your agenda because as a brewery, your reputation is the most important thing you have, explains Pete Lengyel, cofounder and one third of Williamsburg’s Kings County Brewers Collective.

W

all bring their own recipe ideas to the table that are developed and formulated as a team. As a result, you’re as likely to see a DDH Double IPA as you are a Light Lager or Imperial Stout. The brewery is knocking it out of the park with their sours, too.

Lengyel is particularly proud of the brewery’s Robot Fish IPA series. Each iteration is characterised by a single malt, single hop recipe. Recent beers have paired Vienna malt with Galaxy or Golden Pils and Ekuanot.

e’re cranking right now,” says Pete

“It’s a simple beer, but complex at the same time,” he

Lengyel, co-founder of Brooklyn’s

says. “We dry hop it early during fermentation so it’s hazy

Kings County Brewers Collective.

due to the base malt yet the water chemistry is distinctly

And he ain’t lying.

The brewery, perhaps more

West Coast.”

He adds: “We’re a democracy in everything we do. We

commonly known as KCBC, has just celebrated its

all have different backgrounds so we all bring something

second birthday and the outfit is putting out more beers

different to the table. But when it comes to beer, quality

than ever before.

underpins everything we do. It has to!”.

So much so that the arrival of much-needed new tanks

As head of production and quality control, Lengyel is

is imminent and the idea of needing a secondary unit is

heavily into water chemistry. As a trained microbiologist

being discussed more each day.

and former stem cell researcher, he explains he’s proudly

The Kings County Brewers Collective comprises Pete Lengyel, Zack Kinney and Tony Bellis. Bonded by a love

pedantic when it comes to process and protocol.

“We are always improving and if there’s a better way to

of beer and the desire to open their own breweries, the

carry out a process then we are going to ensure we are

trio met at the American Brewers Guild in Vermont.

doing that, too,” he explains.

“We were three independent brewers looking to open

“Putting out quality beers doesn’t happen by accident.

our own places but it soon became evident that we were

You should have strict processes in place as these govern

on the same page with a lot of our ideas,” he explains. “It

everything you do.

quickly made sense that we should put our resources together and give this thing a go as a group.”

KCBC opened in 2016. And Lengyel, Kinney and Bellis

16

28 November 2018

“If you don’t, you can end up compromising your brewery’s reputation and that of your peers, too. And your reputation is the most important thing you have.”

Brewers Congress

mike

marcus

S pe ak e r

STRIVE FOR ACCESSIBILITY Good beer should not be an elitist product for the few. If you can make something that many people can enjoy and want to return to time after time, then everyone’s a winner, explains Mike Marcus, founder of Chorlton Brewing Company.

M

ike Marcus isn’t afraid to make bold decisions.

Many lamented his call to stop canning the brewery’s beers several years ago. They sold well and got the

Chorlton name out there, but he wasn’t happy with the quality. So that was that.

“You could argue we’re less visible now, but we’re selling more beer than ever before,” he enthuses.

“However, we’re always going to be a boutique operation and I never want that to change.”

Chorlton’s founder, a Londoner, is graduate of the capital’s Saint Martin’s University of the Arts and it was

A Lambic brewery, Marcus believes, will help elevate Chorlton’s standing in both the UK, and wider world.

“We want to take that next step, and to do something

during an MA in fine art when he started to become

that bit more special. I’ll never compromise what we do in

increasingly disillusioned with the art world that

the UK, but producing Lambic beer will help more people

surrounded him. Dealings with other professions led

sit up and take notice of us,” he adds.

him to the world of brewing and a desire to express his creativity in different ways.

Now, in 2018, Marcus, is looking excitedly towards the next stage of the brewery’s development.

And all roads lead to Belgium.

“I love what we do here in Manchester, and thankfully

That’s not to say drinkers are not doing that as it is, though.

Marcus is seeing a notable increase in the types of beers resonating with drinkers, as well as the types of drinkers enjoying them, too.

Beers such as Mango Sour, English Strawberry Sour

drinkers do too. But I want to evolve Chorlton, and what it

and Vanilla Sour are flying off taps as soon as they hit

means to people,” he explains.

them, and Marcus says it’s not rocket science to know

And that means opening a Lambic brewery in Belgium.

Marcus is in the planning stages of a project where

why.

“We’re making beer that’s accessible and affordable,”

the business will open a Lambic operation overseas

he says. “They may not be as complex as some of the

to complement the output produced in suburban

other beers we produce, but they are drawing people into

Manchester.

our space that may not have done so otherwise.”

“I pride myself in making simple, accessible sour

Marcus adds: “People that previously drank stuff like

beer,” he says. “But this market is getting increasingly

Kopparberg, or even still do, are buying and enjoying our

competitive all of the time, and by complementing those

beers.

beers with Lambic gives us a point of difference. I couldn’t be more excited.”

congress.brewersjournal.info

"And if you’re making beer that lots of people can appreciate and enjoy, then where’s the harm in that?”

28 November 2018

17

S pe ak e r

J enn

M errick

The new normal The beer industry can be as cyclical as any other and with that, there is an opportunity for breweries of all sizes, believes Jenn Merrick, brewery consultant and founder of East London’s Earth Station.

T

here’s a reason Jenn Merrick is courted by so many breweries. As a consultant to new and expanding businesses, Merrick has a CV that includes the role of head brewer, operations manager, production manager

and director of operations, among others.

She’s founded her own brewery, too.

Earth Station came into being towards the end of 2017 and after extensive planning, Merrick and her team are ready to break ground in East London’s Royal Docks early next year.

The brewery, which will feature a 20-bbl kit from Gravity Systems, is being founded as a community-based hub of creativity and manufacturing.

It’ll also house The Pipework Project, something Merrick describes a social enterprise comprising of an apprenticeship scheme and a community education program.

No small feat then when balanced with extensive consultancy work.

“It’s an exciting time. We had hoped to have a building by now but these things take time. But we’re at the point

“When I was working on the Earth Station business

where we can move forward and make Earth Station a

plan there was a real gap for steady, reliable sessionable

reality,” she says.

pales. That’s somewhat changed now and there’s lots of

Earth Station will be a boon to the local community.

When not focusing on that, Merrick, who has held roles at Meantime, Dark Star and Beavertown Brewery among

breweries doing this well, and doing this consistently,” she says.

Merrick adds: “It feels like the next chapter will be

others, enjoys advising other outfits. Most recently she

about differentiation again. You’ll have breweries with

has helped West London’s Fuller’s with the installation of

large, stable brands, so it’ll be a case of finding another

its pilot kit.

niche and how you can specialise once again and capture

“It’s brilliant because it was hands-on and allows me to use all the parts of the brain I don’t get to use everyday

some of that market share.”

And Merrick says that the need for innovation once

anymore,” she says. “Working on recipes with Hayley

more, should not be an excuse for putting out anything

Marlor, who heads up the pilot plant, has been a pleasure

other than excellent, consistent beer.

because she is excellent.”

Early recipes produced on the pilot kit are as diverse

“You need to have a reputation for consistency and repeatability. People have been burnt once or twice so

as a Thai Stout to a New England IPA, complementing

they won’t accept that again,” she explains. “Ensure you

output Fuller’s are more synonymous with. And Merrick

adhere to strict quality standards and compliance, while

too sees a shift in the types of beers being produced and

maintaining a high level of professionalism from the very

enjoyed in recent years.

start."

18

28 November 2018

Brewers Congress

G arrett

O liver

S pe ak e r

Learn your art You’ve probably enjoyed one of Garrett Oliver’s beers, or read one of his books.

Or maybe you’ve attended one of his many tastings, dinners or cooking demonstrations. The point is, very few in the world of modern beer are unfamiliar with his good name, and nearly 25 years since joining Brooklyn Brewery, he’s helping educate and inform a new generation of beer fans and brewers.

T

he beer world has many parallels with the music industry. A band like Metallica drew on their influences, British bands such as Black Sabbath, Judas Priest and Motörhead, to create their own sound. They went on to

lead a scene for decades, and still do. With that, they’ve inspired musicians in their tens of thousands to forge their own path. Plenty of those popular bands hail from the UK and are indebted to groups like Metallica for lighting that fire within them.

Then you have beer. Garrett Oliver was, himself, living in England during the early 1980s. Working in that oh

you spent and time spent drinking it,” he told us. “A

so common trade of rock band management, Oliver

good pint of Timothy Taylor’s is pretty much as good as

immersed himself in a wealth of British culture of which

anything you’ll find on earth, and that’s because they have

good beer is such an important part.

perfected their art.”

His introduction to cask-conditioned beer, dark, bitter,

Oliver adds: Do the thing that moves you the most, the

complex beer, was a far cry from much of the produce

thing that you genuinely believe you can do better than

he was used to back at home in the United States. This

anyone else.

epiphany helped catalyse his love affair with great beer and brewing, and he’s never looked back.

Brewmaster at Brooklyn Brewery since day one, Oliver has created beers that have stood the test of time. Alongside brews such as Sierra Nevada’s Pale Ale,

“Because if you start a brewery and you don’t think you can be the best, how can you expect success?”

But you’re not going to end up there overnight. And patience is a virtue in the world of brewing.

“People are not going to like this but piece of advice

Oliver’s beers have left an indelible mark on the palates

number one is go work for somebody else first,” he says.

of countless drinkers. Just as bands such as Metallica

“Why should you make all of your mistakes, which you

have done in music, he’s inspired many to start their own

will make, on the back of paying customers at your own

breweries and go on their own journeys within the world

brewery. Go learn under somebody that knows what they

of beer and brewing.

are doing, soak up that knowledge and then go out on

And having worked in more than 20 countries, and with countless breweries, he also knows a thing or two about getting your business right.

“You should be brewing a good Pilsner or a Pale Ale

your own once you actually know something,” And when you’ve learned the ropes, know that you should be putting out great beer time and time again.

“People want to be cool right now, but if you can’t put

consistently before you start putting stuff in wine barrels.

the beer out tasting brilliant every time then well, there is

Our name is a promise that the beer is worth the money

something very uncool about that in my opinion.”

congress.brewersjournal.info

28 November 2018

19

S pe ak e r

C H R I S

P I LK I N GTO N

FIND YOUR BREWING IDENTITY Establishing your brewery’s identity can take time, but it’s one of the most important undertakings you’ll ever experience, explains Chris Pilkington, head brewer at Estonia’s Põhjala.

T

he Tallinn-based brewery is in the process of moving into its new site, based in a former naval shipyard-turned-Soviet submarine facility, and Pilkington couldn’t be happier.

Once the whole process is over, that is.

Originally from Aberdeenshire, Pilkington was working

for BrewDog in Aberdeenshire when Põhjala came into being. From emailing over advice for the brewery’s first brew back in 2013, the outfit, founded by Enn Parel and Peter Keek, has gone from strength-to-strength since.

In that time, the brewery has become as by-word for quality in the world of Baltic Porters, Barrel-Aged beers and foraged ingredients omnipresent in its popular Forest

tips and forest blueberries, Laugas, a 12.3% Barrel Aged

Series.

Imperial Gruit, or Sajand, a 12.3% Barrel Aged Imperial Rye

And with Põhjala running at capacity for a year now,

Baltic Porter, where Põhjala has made its name.

the idea of being able to triple output from day one is

It’s through such beers that Pilkington believes the

something Pilkington is very much looking forward to.

Põhjala has established a strong identity, and he implores

“It’s a big project for us, that’s for sure. We’re a small team, but we were at the point where we simple couldn’t fit anymore in at the current brewery,” he explains. “It’s

younger breweries to do the same as early as possible in their brewing journeys.

“We’ve always had a guiding compass, what we want

rewarding that people enjoy what we’re doing, and

to do and where we want to be,” he explains. “It’s never

this new setup will allow us to realise who we are as a

been written down, rather a belief and understanding we

brewery more than ever before.”

all have.”

Pilkington is humble regarding the revered way many

He adds: “Sure, in the early days we played around

of his beers are held. A recent collaboration with To Øl,

with lots of different styles while we found our feet. But

was 10 Apple Stout, a 12% stout that featured five Danish

once we all ended up on the same page, it was easy to

and five Estonian apple varieties that aged in Calvados

establish what Põhjala was.

Barrels with Smoked Apple Wood.

It was a sell-out star of this summer’s Borefts beer

“Our new setup affords us a 500sqm barrel warehouse.

We’re fortunate people enjoy those beers but we’re not

festival held at De Molen in the Netherlands and such

being reactive to that, those beers have long been our

beers, ones that embrace high ABVs and local produce,

focus and we give them the attention they deserve.

are calling cards of much of Põhjala’s output.

And while the brewery offers a core range that includes an IPA and a Session IPA, it’s beers like Mets, a forest-inspired black IPA brewed with hand picked spruce

20

28 November 2018

“If you don’t focus, then you’ll end up giving lots of different projects 10% rather than a few your full attention and effort.

“Your brewing identity is everything, so don’t ignore it.”

Brewers Congress

S ophie

de

R onde

S pe ak e r

Quality is always key

You work for a maltster and discover an intolerance to gluten. So what next? You become head brewer at one of England’s hottest prospects and help them become the best new brewer in the country, that’s what. All in a day’s work for Sophie de Ronde, head brewer at Burnt Mill Brewery.

S

ophie De Ronde’s heart is in commercial brewing. It’s where she started, back at

and guidelines discussed.

“A lot of the time they’d admit they simply stopped

Brentwood Brewing in Essex and it’s what

adhering to their processes and wonder why things were

she does now, as head brewer for Suffolk’s

no longer acting as they should. So I’d simply tell them to

Burnt Mill Brewery.

go back, follow those guidelines again and see how you

As founder of the International Women’s Collaboration

Brewday (IWCBD) and through her role of brewing

go. It’s as simple as that!”

Now, as head brewer at Burnt Mill in Badley, de Ronde

technologist at Muntons, she has become a familiar face

runs the brewhouse on a day-to-day basis, oversees the

in the industry. But the commercial brewing sector is

cellar operations, and strives to get the best out of their

where she calls home.

equipment and raw materials.

It’s through the diversity of roles however, that has

And although a gluten intolerance prevents her from

given de Ronde the wealth of knowledge and expertise

sampling the beer she brews, that’s proved no hurdle at

she uses on a day-to-day basis.

all. Quite the opposite, with Burnt Mill crowned the best

“Over the years I’ve learned many things but above all else, it is to avoid complacency,” she explains. “You have your processes and you should stick to them. Because

beer in England at the RateBeer awards at the start of 2018. But she’s not ready to stop there, either.

She explains: “Quality needs to come first. Every

thanks to those processes you'll get consistency, and

brewer is forever chasing that perfect beer and they're

consistency breeds quality.”

never going to achieve it. But there is no harm in trying.

She adds: “Too often as a brewing technologist I’d have

“The important thing is to ensure that quality underpins

calls from brewers asking me where they’re going wrong.

everything that you do, and you are only sending out beer

So I’d ask them if they’re following all of the processes

that you are truly happy with.”

congress.brewersjournal.info

28 November 2018

21

S pe ak e r

colin

stronge

PROVE YOUR WORTH Repeatability and consistency in your beer is absolutely key if breweries are to attract more casual drinkers from the macro market, says Colin Stronge, production manager at Northern Monk.

N

orthern Monk’s Colin Stronge believes that smaller, independent breweries need to do more to prove their beers are worth the higher price tag than so-called commodity rivals that line pub, bar and

shop shelves.

“We’re in a sector where quality and consistency is

improving all of the time, but there is still a long way to go,” he explains. “I’m seeing more of the larger breweries dedicate time and resources to quality assurance, but that doesn’t mean smaller outfits should feel they can avoid this part of their business, either.”

Stronge has a decorated career that has involved working at Marble Brewery, Black Isle and Buxton Brewery. He’s just celebrated his first year overseeing ambitious expansion at Leeds-based Northern Monk, and says innovation in beer is fine, as long as it doesn’t compromise quality output.

“For years you could argue many breweries were chasing fads and the next big thing and with that, attention to detail was somewhat ignored,” he says. “You must have belief in the quality of your beer, and not accept mass variations in what you’re putting out.”

He adds: “Previously there was an attitude among some that if something went wrong, it would simply get chucked in a barrel. That wasn’t acceptable then and it’s not acceptable now.

“As more and more people are moving into the world of craft beer, you cannot send out a product and hope for

The brewery produced 65 beers in its last calendar

the best. The guesswork in that beer should have been

and when the latest expansion is completed, Stronge is

removed long before it leaves your brewery.

looking forward to turning his attentions back to refining

“You need to be meeting the high demands and expectations of the customer. They might be used to the

the brewery’s portfolio.

He says: “Our core and special beers are working really

consistency of a pint of Guinness or a Fosters. If you’re not

well for us. Currently 40% of our output is dedicated to

striving for repeatability in your beer, you cannot expect

limited and special beers but I see the core increasing as

repeatability from your customers.”

we go forward to account for 75% of what we produce.

Stronge, who is speaking at the Brewers Congress in

“You cannot underestimate the importance of a core

London next month, has helped coordinate significant

range of beers for your brewery. People enjoy the new

capacity expansion at Northern Monk, and has just

and the limited, but you need that reliable, constant range

overseen the commissioning of its new 6,000cph canning

of beers in your armoury. They are the beers that people

line.

associate with your name, your brand.”

22

28 November 2018

Brewers Congress

y b e R

Food The

Business

The podcast for the food and drink industry From Reby Media, we bring you The Food Business. If you’re in the industry, or just super interested in all-things foodie, then this is right up your alley. Our informative and entertaining fortnightly episodes will keep you in the know.

We’re a British-focused show, bringing you the best stories from the industry featuring authentic, and sometimes candid inter-

views. You’ll hear personal stories about big successes, failures, and lessons learnt from industry heavyweights and successful startups. We’ll be investigating the biggest trends, developments in technology and food science.

Experienced journalist, editor, and host to The Brewers Lectures, Rhian Owen, co-hosts The Food Business alongside producer and journalist Bernadette Ballantyne.

Listen at: foodbusiness.reby.media

S pe ak e r

D R

keith

thom A S

Make a connection The industry has evolved and developed a great deal since Dr Keith Thomas founded Brewlab, a leading provider of training and analysis services for the international brewing industry, nearly 30 years ago. And with more entrants coming on to the scene, it is more imperative than ever to know how, and where you are going sell your beer.

W

hat do Hawaii, Mongolia, Brazil, Iceland and Chile have in common? Well, in the beer world at least, they are just a small snapshot of the nationalities that

have taken brewing courses at Brewlab in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear.

As a microbiologist working with yeast in the late eighties, Dr Keith Thomas was a fan of good beer but he didn’t see training the field as his true calling. That was soon to change, however.

“There was a time where some people I knew were arranging a festival in a park and of course, we needed a bar and some proper beer!” he recalls. “That was left

They are focused on providing the optimum blend of up to date practical and theoretical skills, and sections of training take place in regional craft breweries where students gain real hands on experience.

Its nine week British Brewing Technology course and

to me so I dutifully procured some cask beer and got

our three week Practical Brewing course are endorsed

everything setup.”

with the Quality Mark from ONE Awards, ad Brewlab also

Proud of the beers he had ready for patrons, Dr

encourages its students to sit the Institute of Brewing and

Thomas was ready. But it was downhill from there.

Distilling (IBD) professional examinations on completion of

“It was awful! The beer we poured was sour, cloudy and stale. It was very embarrassing,” he laughs.

Dr Thomas wasn’t to be defeated so he reached out

the courses.

The business also offers analysis services and provides assurance and development for breweries seeking to

to the breweries in question, visited them and a plethora

manage consistency and evaluate prospects for future

of problems were there to greet him at each of the guilty

products.

Dr Thomas has seen brewers from all walks of life pass

parties.

“Once I found and identified what was going wrong, there was no going back,” he says. “There was clearly a need to improve standards and knowledge so I was ultimately dragged into it all.”

Since then, Brewlab has gone on to train more than 1,000 students hailing from every continent on the globe.

through the doors of Brewlab and as we enter 2019, one thing is clearer than ever for the company’s founder.

“When starting out, you need to know where you are going to tell your beer. I can’t stress that enough,” he explains. “Investigate every avenue possible and find what’s best for you. Complement what goes into the wild

Training courses offered are relevant to the first time

with self retail and where possible, a taproom. Develop

brewer, through to professionals who are seeking to keep

that connection to your audience and they’ll develop a

their skills and knowledge updated.

connection to you, too."

24

28 November 2018

Brewers Congress

G eorgina

Y oung

S pe ak e r

NEVER LOSE YOUR CREATIVE SPARK Regardless how big your brewery grows, you should never lose your creative spark, believes Georgina Young, head brewer at Fuller’s.

F

uller's Georgina Young, who has been instrumental in many phases of the West London brewery’s growth and expansion, was appointed to the role of head brewer at the beginning of 2017.

In her time at the company, she has overseen the

installation of a new Crossflow membrane filter and a continuous beer stabilisation system.

She has also been key in the brewing of Fuller’s beers such as Honey Dew, Jack Frost, Oliver’s Island and Session IPA. Young took over the position from John Keeling, who retired from the company in an ambassadorial capacity, at the end of September this year.

Upon her promotion, it was noted that Young became

release schedule for 2019 that will enable every member of the brewing team to flex their creative muscles.

“At Fuller’s we are much like any other brewery. You need to learn to adapt and give the consumer what they want,” she says. “We’re currently a 50/50 split between

the company’s first female head brewer. But speaking

cask output and chilled, filtered beers. That split has

at last year’s Brewers Congress, John Keeling made one

changed over time but as a brewery, you need to by

point abundantly clear.

dynamic.

“Georgina Young is the new head brewer at Fuller’s.

She’s the new head brewer because there is simply nobody more suited to the role than Georgina Young. End of story,” he said.

And those that have met Georgina, who is the Chairman of the Southern Section of the IBD, a director of

“And next year we will release a new cask and new keg beer each month. These things really excite me.”

The New England IPA produced on the brewery’s pilot kit is being scaled up for wider release later this year, and such moves represent a shift at Fuller’s, says Young.

She explains: “I think we’re being a bit braver with what

Cask Marque and a member of the Worshipful Company

we do. We’ve worked with lots of excellent, younger

of Brewers, will know that she has embraced the

breweries and we’ve learned from each other. It’s a good

opportunity with both hands.

place to be but you always have to remember who you

“I feel as if it’s the start of a new journey for me and Fuller’s. I have the upmost respect for John and have

are, too.

“Regardless of the beers we make, it is underpinned

learned a great deal from him. But it’s a new feeling to be

with the desire to be creative. We will never lose sight of

able to help lead the fantastic brewing team we have at

that.”

Fuller’s on a day-to-day basis,” she explains.

Young is enthused with the team around her and also the beers they will go on to make. A new pilot kit installed on the brewery’s grounds has already resulted

Young is also passionate about developing her brewing team and supporting them in gaining qualifications she personally has in abundance.

“You should always be looking to continuous

in numbers such as Thai Stout, Grapefruit IPA and a New

improvement,” she says. “And when we look to produce

England IPA. Beers that have received unanimous positive

new beers, I want our brewing team to give things a try

feedback.

because if you don’t, you’ll never know. It’s ok to fail,

In addition to that, Young has has overseen a beer

congress.brewersjournal.info

because that’s all part of the learning process.”

28 November 2018

25

C on g r e ss

s p onso r

L allemand

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rewers dry yeast typically carries over 93% dry matter. The most meticulous conditions are applied during manufacture to avoid microbial

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Sheets. The dry yeast is packaged under vacuum. Do not

Additionally, Lallemand Brewing also offers the AB

use a pack of yeast that appears to have lost its vacuum,

Vickers line of products. Both traditional and innovative,

resulting in a package that is soft and easily crushed.

the AB Vickers line ranges from beer and wort clarification

Both humidity and oxygen will impact on the quality of

products to a comprehensive range of non-GMO

the yeast and once a pack or sachet is open the yeast

enzymes. From small local breweries up to the largest

will deteriorate quickly. If kept sealed and stored under

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appropriate conditions, dry yeast can be used up to the expiration date mentioned on the package. Once a pack is open it is recommended to use the yeast as quickly as possible.

Rehydration is a crucial step to ensure rapid and complete fermentation. There are important rules to follow to slowly transition the cells back to a liquid phase.

Careful precautions were taken when drying the yeast and the brewer has the opportunity to revert the process to obtain a highly viable and vital liquid slurry.

Bacteria for brewing

F

ramed within the new WildBrew product line, and following our continuous effort to be innovative, Lallemand Brewing is pleased to

introduce to the market a series of bacteria products used for beer brewing. Exceeding in quality, purity, and performance, the bacteria products from Lallemand Brewing’s WildBrew product line offer avant-garde brewers a new set of products so that they can showcase their creativity and expertise.

The first product of this exciting line is WildBrew Sour Pitch, a ready-to-use dried bacteria specifically selected for its ability to produce a wide range of sour beer styles.

WildBrew Sour Pitch is a ready-to-use, high-

yeast cells are placed in stressful brewing environments, which can be caused by a wide variety of conditions.

performance, and high-purity lactic acid bacteria

These conditions range from high gravity environments,

specifically selected for its ability to produce a wide range

adjunct brewing or nutrient-poor wort, among many

of sour beer styles.

others.

WildBrew Sour Pitch produces a clean and balanced

Having inconsistent or tailing fermentation can lead to

citrus flavor profile typical of both traditional and modern

flavor defects, increased product waste, limited brewery

sour beer styles. When inoculated at optimal temperature

capacity and manufacturing downtime.

and the right conditions, it is a powerful, safe and

At Lallemand Brewing we have a strong range of yeast

easy way to handle bacteria for various beer souring

nutrients specially designed to give brewers flexibility and

techniques, such as a typical kettle souring process.

to deliver a more predictable and consistent fermentation.

Styles which can be brewed with WildBrew Sour Pitch

Enzymes

include, but are not limited to, Berliner Weisse, Gose, lambic, American Wild, and Sour IPA. WildBrew Sour Pitch will deliver unmatched consistency, effortless application, fully assured performance and unparalleled purity for brewing the sour beer style of your choice.

Focus on your creativity and style and let WildBrew Sour Pitch do the rest

A

t Lallemand Brewing we offer a full complement of enzymes to aid your brewing process requirements. Whether you are improving your

wort run off, increasing extracts or preventing starch

Nutrients

L

carryover, you can be sure we have the right enzyme. All enzymes are non-GMO derived.

Processing aids

everaging our technical expertise and knowledge in yeast manufacturing, Lallemand Brewing has developed of a range of yeast nutrients designed

to support, aid and supplement fermentation processes.

During fermentation, brewing yeast can struggle to achieve consistent performance. This happens when

congress.brewersjournal.info

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allemand Brewing is also proud to offer brewers around the world the AB Vickers’ wide range of process aids and additives for optimizing capacity,

improving processes and delivering cost-savings.

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s SV

LTD

A step ahead SSV Limited has taken great strides in recent years, supplying and serving customers such as Northern Monk, Verdant and Tiny Rebel, among others. For company founder Sam Lawson, the business and its customers are well set for even greater success in 2019 onwards.

2

018 has been a year of growth for the Leeds-

group of customers following growth in the Brewhouse

based company. With sales of the newly

division, means the company now offer full installation

designed brew-bloc brewhouse system

and commissioning. Further reducing the time between

hitting double figures and the demand for

order and first brew.

their Hopinator far surpassing expectation.

Managing director and founder Sam Lawson thinks the

future is bright for the small business.

He explains: “We’re delighted with the growth we’ve seen over the last 18 months. There’s a real buzz within

To ensure SSV Limited stay ahead of the ever changing industry and to ensure the company has a complete technical brewing offering they have recently appointed two full time qualified brewers to join the team.

Venkatesh Iyer, former head brewer at Leeds Brewery,

the brewing industry and we believe we’ve got the

joined the company in October and brings a wealth of

perfect range of products to attract a wide range of

knowledge from his input and involvement in growing

customers. We’ve invested a substantial amount of time

Leeds Brewery.

and money into developing our products and ensuring

In November, James Campbell, former head brewer

the best possible value for money and delivery times.

and co-founder at Cloudwater Brewing joined the team.

We’re pleased that our customers have responded to this

James was instrumental in the meteoric growth of the

which can be seen our order book.”

brewery and together the two new starters will offer

When they launched their new brew-bloc design, for a simplified installation of the modern craft brewhouses, at

consultancy to all SSV Limited clients old and new.

Their continued investment in new technologies,

the 2017 Drinktec trade show in Munich, they expected to

equipment, R&D and staff means the small company

sell a handful in the first year.

now offer not only affordable quality equipment but the

Lawson says: “Brewhouse installations took several months prior to our new design, but all of a sudden we

knowledge and expertise to work with customers to help grow their brewery for years to come.

could install and commission a brewhouse from delivery

Products

to completion within a couple weeks”.

With no compromise on quality and a price point most find hard to beat, the company has more than tripled their original estimates.

The addition of a full UK based installation & commissioning team, to support the ever expanding

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s well as the new 2, 3, 4 & 5 vessel brew-block brewhouse and a full range of tanks, including fermentors, dual purpose vessels and bright beer

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tanks, SSV Limited have designed and manufactured a unique Hopinator to increase the hop utilisation during dry hoping. With more than fourty sales in the six months it’s proved both a popular and invaluable addition to any brewery.

Customer focus

W

ith customers such as North Brew, S. A. Brains, Northern Monk, Verdant, Tiny Rebel and William Brothers along with having just

completed installations for By The River Brew co, and Salt Beer Factory, Lawson is optimistic.

“2019 is going to be another busy year for us but we’re confident our product and our service is up for the challenge. We stand by the quality of our products and invite potential customers to visit our kit at any of our installations,” he explains.

In just four years since SSV have started, they have managed to turn the brewing industry upside-down and they are not stopping there.

With new products, services and a webshop to be launched in the new year.

For more information on SSV Limited or to discuss your brewing needs contact sales@ssvlimited.co.uk or call 0113 873 0021 www.ssvlimited.co.uk

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M untons

More than just a maltster Muntons are a little different from the average maltster. They make malt, of course. Producing around 200,000 tonnes each year, no less. And being based in the centre of the finest barley growing region in the world, it's very good malt it is too. But Muntons are more than just a maltster.

S

ince its inception nearly a hundred years

facilities, one that has provided exactly what was needed

ago, Muntons began life making malt extract

to get them closer to understanding the needs of their

in their converted brewery in Bedford. Then

customers.

moved to their 45-acre site in Stowmarket, in the heart of the East Anglian malting barley

Their stainless steel, 100-litre test brewery housed within their Centre for Excellence was designed and

region. They constructed their innovative Boby Drum

made especially for Muntons. Not only is it a complete

maltings at their new site, well-designed and still used to

replica of a modern craft brewery, capable of test brewing

this day. They built another maltings in 1965 in Yorkshire

all types of beer, but it is used to develop new homebrew

to supply demand from northern breweries and the

recipes and to emulate the wort production from their

Scotch whisky industry and in the 1970’s expanded their

full-sized malt extract plant.

capacity further with the addition of their cedar maltings at Stowmarket.

Meanwhile their malted ingredients business grew

This facility has proved useful for developing malt extracts without having to interrupt mainstream production, saving money on potentially wasted material

as interest in high quality, clean label malted ingredients

from full scale production trials. Within their facility

became more prevalent in an increasingly health

they are able to replicate all of their many production

conscious world. In addition their malt extract, where

processes including evaporation, vacuum band drying

they stand as the largest manufacturer in Europe and,

and spraydrying. Customers and potential customers

arguably, the largest sales manufacturer in the world, but

can book the facility to hold brainstorming and product

also malt flours, kibbles, flakes, flour blends and beer

development sessions and also tap into the expertise

making kits.

readily on hand with Muntons in-house baker, food

The brewing industry has always been important to Muntons but it is perhaps the rapidly growing craft

technologist and head brewer.

For years, Muntons have been regarded as leaders

brewing movement which has benefitted most from

in the field of sustainability, taking their environmental

Muntons approach towards innovation. They recognised

responsibilities very seriously. They have even coined

that the only way to drive development of their products

a phrase which sums up their beliefs: P.S. Practical

in the right direction was to increase their understanding

Sustainability – it’s no afterthought. This is so ingrained

of how their products were being used in real-world

within Muntons that it forms an integral part of their

applications.

project process, with the environmental benefits clearly

This led to the construction of their Centre for

forming a major part of the decision-making process.

Excellence, a state-of-the-art new product development

This year they have again proved themselves at

and innovation facility which was built in the height of the

the forefront of the global malting industry. They are

credit crunch at a cost of half a million pounds. A bold

the first maltster in the world to have signed up to The

investment yet with a test brewery, test bakery and test

Science Based Target Initiative, setting an ambitious 45%

kitchen, sensory evaluation and meeting/conference

reduction of their carbon footprint within 15 years based

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on their 2010 level. Over the past six years they have

facilities offered within their Centre for Excellence to

invested in excess of ÂŁ11.3 million in projects which bring

develop workable recipes for innovative new beers and

environmental benefits, such as reductions in carbon

lagers. This cost-effective development method ensures

footprint and reduced energy use. But they are not just

that these fully developed and proven new beers can be

content at looking at their own environmental impact.

confidently released by the customer onto the market

They have worked with the Government to help produce a carbon footprint calculator for the farming

following full scale production at their brewery.

Muntons are a little different. They consider how

industry, and with fertiliser manufacturers and farmers to

markets are moving and use their innovation and new

encourage the development and use of abated fertilisers,

product development facilities to create products

which offer significant reductions in CO2 emissions. And

relevant for brewers and manufacturers alike to capitalise

at the other end of the supply chain have developed

on market opportunities. They care passionately about

recipes which can reduce bake time by up to 15% for

malt and the environment, vital for good growing

products such as bread rolls, cakes and muffins, bringing

conditions and a good crop, investing wisely to minimise

significant energy savings to their customers.

their environmental impact. And they know a lot about

Consumers are continuing to show growing interest

malt and the benefits it can bring.

in new and innovate products as is clearly seen within

Not just in brewing and distilling but within a wide

the burgeoning craft brewing market. A market which

range of food, confectionery and beverage applications.

has clearly bucked the general trend, with craft brewed

An advantage of being not just a maltster but a

beer sales growing year on year. Interest in the new and

manufacturer of ingredients made from their malt. It

unusual is driving innovative craft brewers to experiment

is perhaps this broad understanding of how malt is

with fresh new flavours and beer styles to satisfy

used, the benefits it brings and their craving to innovate

consumer cravings.

and develop that makes Muntons stand out from the

Muntons have worked with many brewers both regional and craft, using their pilot brewery and the

congress.brewersjournal.info

crowd. They see nothing wrong with being just a little bit different, as the French would say: ‘vive la difference’.

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Q C L

Bringing Quality Control to the Brewery

CDR BeerLab: The Importance of Analysis for Consistency QCL has been serving laboratory scientists in the UK for more than 35 years, providing innovative, rapid analytical testing products for a wide range of industries.

T

here are hundreds of factors that can affect

Quarterly Analysis

the flavour of your beer – Yeast, Hops, Malt, Fermentation temperature, Mash temperature, water chemistry… but how many parameters are measured in your

finished product to ensure a consistent flavour profile?

The main four parameters frequently tested in finished

beer include:

Parameter

Common Test

Alcohol (% ABV)

Specific Gravity calculation

Specific Gravity calculation

Grain bill calculation/colour chart

pH

pH probe and meter

Bitterness (IBU)

Calculated from alpha acid % and hop utilisation

Monthly Analysis

I don’t think anyone would argue that the bitterness of a beer is one of the most important factors when judging the flavour of a beer; however it is rare that bitterness is routinely measured on the finished product, instead it is calculated from the alpha acid content and hop utilisation of the Brewhouse with full analysis run by an external laboratory every 3 – 6 months. u If bitterness is such an important flavour component of your finished product, why is it measured so infrequently? u What happens if a new hop season affects your IBU pickup? u What if you replace an element in the kettle that improves utilisation?

Here is a comparison for the difference between quarterly and monthly testing for a 30 IBU beer:

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28 November 2018

At first glance, Quarterly analysis might look as if your beer is consistently testing to specification; however the data from Monthly analysis shows that more data points can shed light on changes in the brewery that might not be apparent through Quarterly analysis. This is crucial for delivering a consistent product to your customer.

Colour is also important for consistency of flavour

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due to a change in EBC value arising from varying levels of roasted/caramelised malts. Again, colour is usually estimated using a calculation and roughly checked against a colour chart, but could be measured more accurately to give the brewer more control over consistency.

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Mash analysis Fermentable Sugars (Glu, Fru, Mal)

15 – 200 g/L

Starch

0.10 – 10.0 g/L

FAN (Post Boil)

30 – 300 ppm

CDR BeerLab – Consistency Throughout the Brewing Process The CDR BeerLab can provide quick and accurate analysis of your finished product, giving you in-house

Yeast Health Yeast Vitality

analysis for the main four specification tests – ABV, IBU,

VDK

colour, and pH.

Yeast Count

Where in the brewery can I use the BeerLab?

Finished beer

Liquor Treatment Calcium

5 – 250 ppm

Magnesium

2 – 50 ppm

5 – 100 IBU

Bicarbonate

0 – 300 ppm

Colour

1 – 100 EBC

Chloride

100 – 500 ppm

pH

3.60 – 6.00

Sulfate

20 – 250 ppm

Zinc

0.05 – 1 ppm

Alcohol by Volume

0.1 – 17.0 % v/v

Bitterness

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#MadeWithMuntons

Muntons - Est. 1921 -

F O R M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N C O N TA C T: MUNTONS DIRECT SALES

Katie Richardson

David Hannah

South & Ireland

Scotland & Northern England

07979 537759

Katie.richardson@muntons.com

07525 809093

David.hannah@muntons.com

DISTRIBUTOR SALES

Total Brewing Supplies

Absolute Brewing Supplies

Staffordshire Brewery

North East, Yorkshire & Humberside, East Midlands

Wales, South West & Hampshire

North West & West Midlands

01636 823909

01733 700089

01538 361919

gary@totalbrewingsupplies.co.uk

sales@absolutebrewingsupplies.com

info@staffordshirebrewery.co.uk

Muntons plc, Cedars Maltings, Stowmarket, Suffolk IP14 2AG T: 01449 618300 muntons.com

y b e R

Food The

Business

The podcast for the food and drink industry From Reby Media, we bring you The Food Business. If you’re in the industry, or just super interested in all-things foodie, then this is right up your alley. Our informative and entertaining fortnightly episodes will keep you in the know.

We’re a British-focused show, bringing you the best stories from the industry featuring authentic, and sometimes candid inter-

views. You’ll hear personal stories about big successes, failures, and lessons learnt from industry heavyweights and successful startups. We’ll be investigating the biggest trends, developments in technology and food science.

Experienced journalist, editor, and host to The Brewers Lectures, Rhian Owen, co-hosts The Food Business alongside producer and journalist Bernadette Ballantyne.

Listen at: foodbusiness.reby.media

DESIGN & SUPPLY OF BREWHOUSES

LIQUID PROCESS & STORAGE VESSELS

PROCESS PIPEWORK

DELIVERY & INSTALLATION

THE TECHNOLOGY BEHIND THE CRAFT +44 113 873 0021

sales@ssvlimited.co.uk

@SSVLimited

Photograph shows SSV Brewhouse installation at Salt Beer Factory.

#SSVLimited