The Brewers Journal July 2019, iss 6 vol 5 by Reby Media

The magazine for the professional brewing industry

Brewers J o u r n a l

July~August 2019 | Volume 5, issue 6 ISSN 2059-2059-6669

purity brewing co

brewing award-winning beers in warwickshire

36 | The big interview: the Boston Beer Company

43 | Denver: adapting to a changing landscape

54 | Sustainability: the steps you can take

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Make your mark

like the idea of brewing in a pure way, by using the best hops, yeast, malt and water at my disposal. I don’t believe in messing with the brewing process,” Flo Vialan, director of brewing at Warwickshire’s Purity Brewing told us recently. In an age where, seemingly, anything goes in the world of brewing, Vialan is a firm advocate of keeping things simple. “My dad is a butcher and he always told me that you should do your best to get the finest ingredients and with them, produce something to the very best of your abilities. That’s how I approach brewing,” he adds. Some 4,500 miles away from Warwickshire is the city of Denver, Colorado. In 2018, Brewers Association figures noted that 396 craft breweries operate out of Colorado, ranking it second only behind California. With that, there are 9.2 breweries per capita and an impressive 1,522,834 barrels of beer produced per annum. And to date in 2019, some 15 breweries have opened their doors in Colorado and close to 50 new businesses are under construction. 20% of these will be proudly brewing out of the state’s capital Denver in the foreseeable future. One brewer about to mark their first anniversary there is Tamir Danon, co-founder of Novel Strand Brewing. Like Vialan, he is meticulous in his approach to brewing. “When someone tries a beer, looks up and tells us it’s great, we like to think we knew that already. Surely that’s the point? We go through a painstaking process to make sure each beer we make is good enough to sell. We wouldn’t bother otherwise, he says. “I’ve dumped beers that demonstrated off flavours. But I’ve done the same for beers that didn’t fit the flavour profile I wanted, too. I’m a chef, but I brew. So if I think a beer isn’t in line with what I had in mind, then it’s not of the quality I’d expect the consumer to pay for, either.” You can read more about these excellent breweries elsewhere in this issue. And it’s this impeccable approach to the art of brewing we want to recognise at the inaugural Brewers Choice Awards.

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editor's choice How Denver's breweries and taprooms are adapting to cater for the changing beer landscape - page 43

Designed to recognise the very best in UK brewing, we want to put the best of the best in the spotlight. There is a wealth of incredible beer being produced in the UK. The best beers deliver fantastic flavour and awe-inspiring aroma, they’re consistent and leave a lasting impression whether it’s a one-off brew or a year-round number that offers up that sought after reliability. These beers are being produced by brilliant breweries of all shapes and sizes, some new and some older. Some employ an individual and others offer employment to dozens, or more. So, if you think you’re doing something worth shouting about, tell us. You can enter one, or all of the categories on offer. The deadline for entries is August 31st and for more information on the 2019 Brewers Choice Awards, visit: awards.brewersjournal.info Good luck! Tim Sheahan Editor

July~August 2019

co ntac t s

contacts Tim Sheahan Editor tim@rebymedia.com +44 (0)1442 780 592 Ryan Horwood Head of sales ryan@rebymedia.com +44 (0)1442 780 593 Josh Henderson Sales executive josh@rebymedia.com +44 (0)1442 780 594 Jon Young Publisher jon@rebymedia.com Reby Media 42 Crouchfield, Hemel Hempstead, Herts, HP1 1PA, UK

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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.

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Brewers Journal

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contents 38

Cover story 30 - Flo Vialan, director of brewing at Warwickshire's Purity Brewing, talks us through his approach to the art of beer production and the success that has brought the business

Brewers Lectures 18 - The full lowdown on Brewers Lectures Glasgow, taking place on 25 July, 2019

sector | sustainability 54 - Insight from the worlds of packaging, water and brewhouse manufacturing on how you can run a more sustainable brewing operation

COMMENT 20 - The importance of a driven field sales team

Dear John 22 - John Keeling extols the virtues of the pub lunch, and the positive role it can play

Science | microbial control 60 - Why a brewer's choice of microbial control method could be key to their success, says the science-based technology company, 3M

Science | kveik Meet the brewer | bowness bay 38 - Brewery founder Richard Husbands on changing careers and making a success of it

Crossing continents | denver 43 - We speak to some of Denver, Colorado's breweries to discover a growing, changing scene that is moving with the times

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63 - A focus on kveik yeast, the opportunities available to converts and an argument for the kveik-skeptics to learn more about them

Science | kombucha 67 - First Key Consulting look at the way that Kombucha production at your brewery can represent a growth opportunity for business

July~August 2019

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Charles Wells renamed as Wells & Co, announces Brewpoint facility

harles Wells has changed its name to Wells & Co

involvement, we have not embarked on this lightly, but

and revealed it will open a new brewing facility in

we feel it embodies the change of direction we have

Bedford next summer. The new site will have the ability to brew up to

taken as a business. “This includes the significant investment we are making

30,000HL per annum, which will produce its Dry Hop

in our pubs and the creation of a beautifully designed

Lager and Triple Hop IPA beers as well as scaled up

new home capable of producing a range of beer styles

versions of its Wandering Brewer collaboration numbers.

that we would not have dreamed of ten years ago. It is a

The facility will also house a pub-restaurant, retail

statement of confidence about our future direction as a

shop, coffee roastery, company offices and a visitor centre. Brewpoint will be located on a gateway site to the

company.” The new site has been designed with sustainability in mind with solar cells on the roof, solar shading, air source

north-west of Bedford at the meeting of the A6 and the

heating and cooling alongside a highly efficient modern

northern Bedford bypass, making it readily accessible

brewing plant. The car park will incorporate nine car

to a wide area of Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire,

charging points.

Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire. Justin Phillimore, chief executive of Wells & Co, said: “After 142 years and five generations of family

Siren reveal new head brewer

iren Craft Brew has appointed Sean Knight as its new head brewer.

Knight, who has previously held the roles of

head brewer at Sambrook’s and head of operations

Once open in summer 2020, the site will employ over 85 people in the town as well as many more in pubs across the local area and France.

Knight takes on the role from Kyle Larsen, who is leaving to set up a brewery called Kings & Daughters with his wife Kacie. Siren said in a statement: “ Sean is very highly regarded in the industry and will be an exceptional asset to Siren. “Due to visa restrictions and Kyle’s long term ambitions,

at Fourpure, will oversee the Berkshire company’s

it was always going to be a three-year project. Luckily

expansion plans.

for us, he embraced the challenge with open arms,

This will include the addition of tank space, improving lab facilities and the addition of a canning line.

brewersjournal.info

exceptional care and a healthy sense of humour. His legacy lives on with our hugely talented brew team."

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Purity Brewing announces Australian partnership, Soil Association certification

“It’s great to be teaming up with Purity and that our beer

Australia’s Prancing Pony, a move where the

will be hitting the shelves super fresh. Not using ships or

Warwickshire business will brew the company’s beers

containers will reduce the potential for spoilage and help

under license.

maintain both brewers sustainable ethos.”

urity Brewing has announced a partnership with

Through the deal, South Australia’s Prancing Pony will reciprocate the arrangement in their market. Corinna Steeb, CEO of Prancing Pony, said, “Purity was like the big brother that lived overseas for the Pony. “We could identify with every aspect of their business all the way down to their involvement with the local community, their dedication to the arts and local music, to

Flo Vialan Purity’s director of brewing, added: “I’m so proud and excited to be working closer with Frank and the whole team at Prancing Pony, brewing is all about sharing ideas and passions and the beers we’ve brewed so far have been so well received I can’t wait for the next one.” Elsewhere, Purity Brewing has announced that it has

the sustainable approach that underpins everything they

satisfied the rigorous requirements of the Soil Association

do.”

organic certification process.

Purity’s CEO and co-founder Paul Halsey added, “Ever

With these pre requisites met, the brewer has been

since the International Beer Challenge awards where

issued with a processor license, enabling the marketing of

Prancing Pony won supreme champion beer for their

organic beers produced on site.

India Red Ale, (director of brewing) Flo and I wanted to learn more about the brewery. "Trying their beers and reaching out to Corinna & Frank we knew we had found people who were passionate

Halsey says the addition of an organic offering to Purity’s award-winning portfolio, is a step in the right direction. He added: “We’re absolutely delighted to be

about great beer with real character as much as

accredited with the Soil Association license and can’t wait

ourselves. Inviting them over to brew a collaboration brew

to share our first ever organic beer with our loyal Puritans.

seemed an obvious winner.” Both head brewers work on Braukon brewhouses and are looking forward to the new arrangement. Frank Samson, head Brewer and co-founder added,

July~August 2019

“We see this as the perfect next step in our innovation pipeline, during what is a very exciting time here at the brewery and it sits perfectly within our already existing gluten free and vegan friendly offering.”

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Eco-friendly enzyme-based detergent said to help cut the brewing industry’s environmental impact

n all-in-one, eco-friendly cleaning product from available from NicheSolutions can help breweries

reduce their environmental impact, the company said. Enzybrew 10, from Realzyme, is specially designed for the daily cleaning of microbrewery equipment. It’s an enzyme-based powdered detergent rather than a traditional caustic-based cleaning solution. Niche Solutions said it could prove popular with brewers because it’s environmentally friendly – an allin-one detergent that works on biofilms as well as all the organic residues encountered during the production of beer. The enzyme-based detergent is ideal for the deep, safe cleaning of filter plates, wort cooler and maturation, boiling and fermentation tanks. As a natural, non-caustic detergent, it’s safe to use alongside other cleaning products such as those that contain chlorine. And because it works at much lower temperatures, it’s more energy efficient - working hard to save you money. Lorenzo Mascherini, head brewer at London-based Redchurch Brewery, has trialled the product.

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He explained: “We tried it cleaning our underback, heat-exchanger, carbonation stones and achieved brilliant results. The underback was shiny as new. “The enzyme is very effective on Biofilm and tiny places, so I would suggest to run an occasional enzymatic CIP on fermenters, heat exchanger and sensitive areas to protect the brewery from contamination origins.”

24/06/2019 15:49:11

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Northern Monk launch 2019 Northern Powerhouse

orthern Monk has launched the 2019 iteration of Northern Powerhouse, collaboration beers designed

to showcase the modern beer scene in the north of England. The project, set up by Newcastle’s Wylam brewery last year, consists of seven limited-edition beers that in 2019, have been brewed at Northern Monk in Leeds. This year’s collaborating breweries are Wylam, Track, North Brew Co, Donzoko, Buxton, Cloudwater and By the River. Northern Monk Patron, James Butler, a tattoo artist from Bradford, helped Northern Monk source six more of the North’s best tattooists to design a can label each, with James’ own art featuring on the Northern Monk x North Brew Co beer. The full list of beers, breweries and artists is as follows: u Northern Powerhouse 001 // Northern Monk x Track // Small IPA // // 3.3% (art by Marko Prenger) u Northern Powerhouse 002 // Northern Monk x

u Northern Powerhouse 007 // Northern Monk x By

North Brewing Co // Triple Fruited Gose -White Guava,

the River // Imperial Maple Brown Ale // 10% (art by

Prickly Pear, Raspberry // 4% (art by James Butler)

Ruth Jamieson)

u Northern Powerhouse 003 // Northern Monk x

Russell Bisset, founder of Northern Monk, said:

Donzoko // Bavarian Pilsner // 4.7% (art by Alex Badge)

“We’re honoured that Dave and the team at Wylam

u Northern Powerhouse 004 // Northern Monk x

chose Northern Monk to be the home of the Northern

Wylam // Tropical Sour IPA // 6% (art by Barney

Powerhouse this year, we’re proud to bring this iconic

Rushworth)

project to Leeds.

u Northern Powerhouse 005 // Northern Monk x

“Together with seven of the North’s finest breweries,

Buxton // West Coast IPA // 7.4% (art by Lucy O’

we’ve created a collection of really varied, great-tasting

Connell)

beers. Community, collaboration and creation are at the

u Northern Powerhouse 006 // Northern Monk x

core of our business, and the Northern Powerhouse sits

Cloudwater // DDH Double IPA // 8.2% (art by Kevin

in perfect alignment with these values. We’re looking

Keates)

forward to getting the beer into people’s hands.”

Don’t ignore apparel opportunity, garment firm says

proud to be walking billboard ambassadors for brands that they relate to. "With a rise in environmental awareness, there is also

ondon-based Fifth Column has said breweries

a growing sense of responsibility to source sustainable

shouldn’t ignore the merchandise opportunity when

products and use organic cottons and waterbased inks.”

looking to increase their brewery’s visibility. Apparel makes up over 30 percent of all merchandising products worldwide and custom printed

One brewery Fifth Column has worked with extensively is Beavertown. “Promoting our brand through our merchandise is very

garments can be used for both promotional and retail

important to Beavertown. We take pride in our product, it’s

opportunities.

no secret how much we love our designs and our ethos is

The company explained: “Whether for festivals, events or retail, we are seeing breweries generate significant

to make everything look as good as it tastes!” They said. The brewery added: “We don’t make beer we wouldn’t

additional income by offering their customers authentic

drink, so we don’t make clothes we wouldn’t wear. Our

branded garments.

clothing is designed to be limited and is always produced

“There has been an ongoing trend to opt for better quality, ethically sourced garments and consumers are

July~August 2019

in small batches - we rotate our merchandise designs as much as possible to keep our ranges as fresh as our beer.”

Brewers Journal

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Foolproof Brewing Co beers hit UK

eers from Rhode Island-based Foolproof Brewing Co have been launched into the UK market through

global beverage importer Heathwick. The Pawtucket brewery produces limited production seasonal and speciality brews, marketing its beers by naming them after experiences or common drinking contexts for which each beer is intended. Beers include Backyard IPA, Barstool American Golden Ale, Raincloud Robust Porter and La Ferme Urbaine Farmhouse Ale. "We are ecstatic to introduce Foolproof's brews to

Graham Richardson, general manager at Heathwick, added: “It’s important for the imported beer market to

beer lovers across the UK and fortunate to be partnering

continue innovating in order to compete with the rapidly

with such a reputable and knowledgeable importer,

evolving UK market we see today.

Heathwick," said Nick Garrison, president and founder of Foolproof Brewing Company. "The UK has a proud beer culture deeply steeped in history and tradition, and Foolproof looks forward to

“We are launching Foolproof because it brings a different dimension into the UK market and is not just a ‘me-too’ brand. “Consumers are more adventurous than ever before

showcasing the bold flavours, ingenuity, and creativity of

and want to try new and exciting beers that offer a

our craft beers to the UK market."

genuine point of difference.”

Custom printed glassware operation launched

at Utopia. “We can decorate around corners and on embossed and debossed surfaces. There are no boundaries. The client will be able to get what they truly

ableware specialists Utopia has added of a state of the art Kammann printing machine and launched a

want, with no compromise.” According to Rammell, branded glassware is one

custom-built production facility that it said will “change

of the most visible and important ways to promote the

the face of branding and personalisation for the whole

brewery’s brand.

industry”. According to the company, existing methods for printing on glassware are limited by the technologies employed. Colours are also restricted and it’s only possible

He said: “It is a distinctive way to showcase the brand offering and create an ‘in group’ of fans and customers of the drink. “With superior decorating techniques new styles and approaches can be taken to bring uniqueness to the

to print on even surfaces and to print on toughened

serve through the product and the glass. After all it is the

glass means very large volume production runs from

packaging for the product, the first taste is always with

manufacturers.

you eyes.”

By leveraging digital and screenprinting techniques the company said it can now achieve an “infinite choice” of decorative options for glassware branding – even on toughened glassware. The company’s new machine, which is the largest in Europe, brings huge digital and screenprinting advances. It uses both full-colour CMYK printing and a fourstation screen print, the size of the print area has

Working with breweries, Rammell has also observed a number of key trends being demanded by the consumer. He explained: “There is a steady move towards differentiation, whereas it was usually to conform to the set shapes of Conical, Tulips and Nonics in glass now there is an expansion as brewers realise that there are so many options. “This is the same for decoration, whereas it was set

increased considerably from what is currently possible to

around the same places for designs in the past now with

give a much greater flexibility for design.

enhanced forms of decoration brewers and businesses

Digital methods mean that decal quality images can be achieved, including tonal work. “This machine will revolutionise decorative printing. It is the future,” said Josh Rammell, marketing manager

July~August 2019

are looking at how to evolve their brands.” According to Rammell, other demands on the company are for stemmed beer glasses, especially in the two third volumes, as well as shorter profile glasses, too.

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Saltaire Brewery expands ownership

altaire Brewery has expanded the ownership of the business to include sales director, Nick Helliwell and

operations director, Dan Spampinato. Helliwell and Spampinato join brewery founder, Tony Gartland and managing director, Ewen Gordon. Since 2017, the company has invested more than £3m

in a new 40bbl brewhouse and a new 1,000 square metre packaging plant to create a new contract brewing and bottling business. This proposition has attracted a range of new clients to the extent that the business is now brewing some 65,000 litres and is bottling 70,000 bottles a week. Current yearon-year sales of its own beer, to both on- and off-trade, have also shown an increase of 20 per cent. Brewery founder Gartland said: “Recognising the need for long term stability in the management team and the contribution made by Nick and Dan during this significant period of expansion, we are pleased to be able to offer them the opportunity to share in the value of the business as it continues to grow. "Both have significantly added to the quality of the

while Dan has strengths in planning, compliance, risk and

Board and it is the next logical step to invite them to take

quality management, demonstrated by his management

part in the ownership structure. “

of the new packaging plant initiative from conception to

Managing director Gordon added: “Nick and Dan both come from a financial services background. Nick spent

completion. "I am really pleased that our great team of directors not

15 years working in sales management before developing

only manages the business day-to-day, but is also now

his experience in his own, US-based, wine business

invested in the future of the business as shareholders.”

Rudgate Brewery launches new beers

udgate Brewery has broadened its range of beers with the addition of three fruit-based numbers.

Blue Nose, Key Lime Pie and Mango in the Night are

available in 330ml cans, complementing the brewery’s core cask business. Craig lee, MD of Rudgate Brewery, said: “We wanted to develop something a little unique, and are really delighted with our new ‘Innovation Ales Range’. “The brewing team are already working on exciting new additions which we hope to launch in the coming months.” Rudgate Brewery was set up in 1992 by two ex Bass Brewers in an old armoury building on the disused WW2 airfield on Marston Moor in Tockwith. As the brewery was on the Viking road of `Rudgate’ it

shortly followed by Battle-axe. These were the only two beers produced until Ruby Mild was created around 1995. In 2011 a new brewery facility was built, volumes doubled between 2002 and 2008 then grew further under the new leadership up to our current volumes of around

seemed natural to use this name and theme the brewery

120 brewers barrels (35,000 pints) per week and now into

on Vikings. Viking Bitter was released in September 1992

the expanding market of craft cans.

July~August 2019

Brewers Journal

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Ingredient and energy values should appear on all beer labels in EU by 2022, industry body says

In the last four years brewers have been voluntarily

ngredients and energy values should appear on all beer labels in the EU by 2022, The Brewers of Europe said. The Brewers of Europe is an organisation that beings

rolling out ingredients and energy labelling in full accordance with Regulation (EU) 1169/2011(1). As recently reported, 60% of beers are now labelling

together national brewers’ associations from 29 European countries and provides a voice to support the united

calories, whilst 85% already carry an ingredients list. Commenting following the publication of the brewers’

interests of Europe’s 9,500 plus breweries According to the BOE, there will be a signing of a

latest labelling results, EU Health Commissioner

new ‘memorandum of understanding (MoU)’ with the

Andriukaitis said: “I welcome brewers’ commitment to

European Commission in September to formalise the

provide the full list of ingredients and the energy values

brewers’ commitment.

per 100ml on the labels of all pre-pack beers. "The EU Regulation sets the rules to follow and I’m

The MoU supported by brewers is open to companies and associations from all alcoholic beverage sectors,

delighted that brewers are fulfilling these high standards.

provided that the signatory fully endorses the MoU and its

This is in the interest of public health and consumers

commitment to the on-pack labelling of both ingredients

information”. The idea of the MoU is that companies take public

and energy values. Pierre-Olivier Bergeron, secretary general of The

responsibility for the declaration of both ingredients and

Brewers of Europe said: “The Brewers of Europe’s

energy information on the labels of their products, whilst

members have set clear ambitions for the next steps

trade associations support these efforts including through

towards ensuring all beers label ingredients and calories.

setting local sectoral ambitions and collective reporting. The ultimate objective is that consumers receive

I am delighted that EU Health Commissioner Andriukaitis will in September attend the official signing by our

understandable, recognisable, comparable and accurate

members of the MoU and our Ambition 2022.”

information for all alcoholic beverages.

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July~August 2019

www.qclscientific.com/beerlab 07/06/2018 16:53:41

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Budweiser world’s most valuable beer brand

udweiser has been crowned the world’s most

101.2 million hectolitres of beer sold per year, more than

valuable beer brand for the first time, according to a

double that of Budweiser’s sales.

new report. The beer brand overtook long-standing leader Bud

According to the report, the brand, which historically has only been sold in China, has made a number of

Light, according to the latest report by independent brand

strategic partnerships in order to raise its global presence,

valuation consultancy Brand Finance.

notably with Dutch brewing giant Heineken and America’s

Budweiser’s brand value has increased 6% to US$7.5 billion, thanks to the success of its global sponsorship campaign of the 2018 FIFA World Cup. The campaign reached 3.2 billion football fans globally,

Molson Coors. Tsingtao, which is up 49% to US$1.7 billion, jumped up 9 places in the ranking, more than any other brand. It continues to retain its loyal customer base in its

facilitating accelerated growth in new markets including

home country and is also the most exported Chinese

South Africa, Colombia, China and Australia.

beer, sold in over 100 countries and regions globally.

Both Budweiser and Bud Light, which dropped 5% to

David Haigh, CEO of Brand Finance, said: “As you can

US$7.0 billion, are the flagship brands of Belgian brewing

see across this year’s ranking, it is the Asian, particularly

giant AB InBev.

Chinese, beer brands that are seeing the highest brand

The AB InBev portfolio dominates the rankings with 11 brands claiming spots in the top 25, down from 13 last year. The brewer closed the third largest acquisition in history in 2016, after merging with SABMiller, and

value growth. “With demand for beer at an all time high in China and predictions of inflated growth over the coming years as a result of greater disposable income from the emerging middle class, this trend looks set to continue.

has since been tackling its mountainous debt pile,

“If these brands begin to expand beyond China and

predominantly through sales drives, the report said.

into new markets, we could potentially see some very stiff

Elsewhere, the finds showed that Chinese brands record fastest growth. China’s Snow is the fastest-growing

competition to established Western beer brands.” Scotland-headquarted BrewDog was the highest new

brand in this year’s ranking, breaking into the top 10 for

entrant in the ranking in 19th position, with a brand value

the first time, with a 52% rise in brand value to US$3.7

of US$1.5 billion. The report acknowledged its ambitious

billion.

growth plans with new breweries and bars in the pipeline

Snow, the best-selling beer in the world, clocking up

Europe beer market to hit £123bn by 2025

both at home in the UK and abroad.

Based on type, the market is divided into lager, ale, stout & porter, malt, and others. The lager segment held the largest share in 2017,

he value of the European beer market will hit

contributing more than two-fifths of the market and is

$159.69bn (£123bn) by 2025, a new report claims.

projected to continue its trend throughout the study

An increase in youth population and a rise in number of

on-premise distribution channels are among the factors expected to propel the Europe beer market, according to a report from Allied Market Research. These factors, along with an increase in number of onpremise distribution channels, have boosted the growth of the Europe beer market. However, the volatile raw materials prices and excessive taxation and excise duties hamper the market growth. On the contrary, advent of organic alcoholic beverages is expected to create lucrative opportunities in the near future. The Europe beer market is segmented on the basis of type, category, packaging, production, and geography.

brewersjournal.info

period. According to the report, titled: 'Europe Beer Market

by Type' Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2018-2025', the malt segment is estimated to manifest the fastest CAGR of 2.0% during the forecast period. Based on regions in the report, the market across the U.K. held the largest share in 2017, accounting for nearly one-fifth of the market, owing to rise in per capita alcohol consumption and wavering consumer preference. Moreover, the region is estimated to portray the fastest CAGR of 2.0% through 2025. The Europe beer market was valued at $138,649 million in 2017, a figure projected to reach $159,687 million by 2025, registering a CAGR of 1.8% from 2018 to 2025.

July~August 2019

b r e w e r s

le c tu r e s

glasgow

Brewers Lectures The Brewers Lectures come to Glasgow this July. There’ll be experts from across the brewing industry delivering insightful and engaging talks, a load of great beer and the perfect opportunity to catch up with friends old and new.

KEY INFORMATION The Lighthouse 11 Mitchell Lane Glasgow, Scotland G1 3NU

cotland is a country steeped in the tradition of producing best-in-class beers and whisky. When you look at the number of incredible

25 July 2019 12.30 to 17:00

breweries and distilleries in operation, it’s something of an embarrassment of riches.

Whether its 6° North, Stewart Brewing or BrewDog.

Then there’s Fierce Beer, Tempest, Harvestioun and Williams Bros. But of course you also have Fyne Ales, Fallen Brewing and Strathaven Ales. You get the point…. So it goes without saying that we can’t wait to hold the

As we all come to these events from differing backgrounds and differing means, we have made all tickets available for free, we just ask you to make a small donation if you are able so that we can continue to run these events.

Brewers Lectures in Glasgow this July. The afternoon will comprise talks from brewers and

Go to lectures.brewersjournal.info

brewery owners as well as leading names from the fields of ingredients, business and branding. We’ll also have a drinks reception where you’ll be able to enjoy some fantastic beers from breweries across the UK. Join us for an afternoon not to miss!

proudly sponsored by

July~August 2019

Brewers Journal

glasgow

b r e w e r s

le c tu r e s

glasgow speakers David Hannah | Muntons

Robert Percival | Lallemand

David Hannah is a craft brewing sales manager extraordinaire. An incredibly popular member of the team, Hannah manages and visits existing brewing customers to maintain relationships while identifying and developing new opportunities within the craft sector. Working with these compa-nies, Hannah helps breweries utilise the broad portfolio offered by Muntons Malt so they can continue to brew excellent beer.

Robert Percival is a qualified brewing professional with extensive experience in quality and tech-nical roles in beer production. As Europe technical sales manager for yeast and bacteria special-ists Lallemand, the IBD young brewer of the year 2013/14 is an expert in the fields of fermentation and cask beer production and dedicates his time helping brewers take their production to the next level. Ed Razzall | Adnams

Kamilla Hannibal | Yeastie Boys Kamilla Hannibal is marketing manager at Yeastie Boys. An expert in online communication and marketing, as well as content production, Hannibal was previously the digital content and project manager at Beavertown and also events and communications manager at at Warpigs in Copenhagen. She has vast experience in helping grow the visibility and presence of some of the world’s most respected brewing outfits.

Ed Razzall graduated from UCL with a degree in Molecular Biology & Biochemistry; and started his brewing career at a pub brewery under the tutelage of the esteemed Mark Dorber. He joined Adnams in 2016 where he spent two years learning production brewing; and now spends most of his time running the filtration and dealcoholisation program; as well as nurturing an ever growing collection of barrel aged beer. In late 2019 he’ll be opening a farmhouse style brewery in a beauti-ful barn in deepest Suffolk.

Greg Hobbs | Five Points Brewing Company

Jo Stewart | Stewart Brewing

Greg Hobbs is the head brewer and co-founder of London-based Five Points Brewing Company. Hobbs, who has a background in chemistry and previously had a career as a head chef, has a passion for creating high quality, consistent beers that are as accessible as they are available. In 2019, the brewery continues to go from strength-to-strength thanks to the ongoing popularity of beers such as its Pils, XPA, and Pale Ale.

Jo Stewart is the co-founder and marketing director of Loanhead-based Stewart Brewing. The multi award-winning brewery has long established itself with beers such as Stewart’s 80 /-, Radical Road and First World Problems. In her role at the highly-respected business, Jo continues to help promote a brewery that pairs innovation with a respect for the traditional ethos of Edinburgh's rich brewing history.

brewersjournal.info

July~August 2019

Co m m e nt

S al e s

How do you sell beer in today’s fiercely competitive market A well-trained, structured, controlled and motivated field sales team will put your beer on the bar, week after week. They'll also ensure the fridges and shelves are full of your bottles or cans and will keep your competitors out, argues David Grant an industry consultant and formerly managing director of Moorhouse's Brewery.

unfortunately beer was being ‘sold’ FOC most of the time. When I got to know my sales team it became apparent that they were not as happy as they first declared. They realised their shortcomings. They had a desire to do better. We agreed that the cappuccino calls would be avoided, with every visit having a purpose and a clear objective. As the two became more structured, accountable and focussed they started to be more successful; their days became more rewarding, longer, and they became motivated to achieve profitable sales and started to really

by david grant

enjoy what they were doing. With their success more customers were gained

omethings don’t change in the ever-

and additional sales staff were recruited to service the

changing brewing industry - beer duty is still

increasing customer base. The geographical sales areas

the largest expense on the P & L, closely

were reduced putting more customers in a smaller area,

followed by staff costs, particularly sales

improving sales productivity, reducing transport costs and

staff.

improving the breweries carbon footprint.

I was having a pub lunch recently and noticed a fresh-

As for the original sales staff, they worked within

faced individual loitering around the bar, laptop in hand,

larger sale teams, had greater job satisfaction, were

trying to attract the attention of the staff and proudly

more fulfilled and never gave beer away again. They also

announcing to all that he was the ‘brand ambassador’ for

stopped “popping in” to avoid the wasted call with better

a major brewing company. He asked to speak with the

planning and both enjoyed long and successful careers.

licensee, who, of course, was not available. This brief encounter catapulted me back to when I

The unprecedented growth in small craft brewers has given the discerning drinker much more choice and

was introduced to my two strong salesforce, employed

diversity of products than ever before. It also gives the

to generate income for the brewery that I had been

retailer the most competitive market in any sector, along

appointed to run. The two individuals were the nicest

the way removing loyalty for brand or brewer with price

people you could ever wish to meet, they were

being the main driver.

immaculately dressed, had a knowledge of the company, its brands, and some of its customers. Nevertheless, my first trade visit with them started

It is times like these when a well-trained, motivated and structured sales team makes the biggest difference. A sales team will either compete on price, giving away

alarm bells ringing when one of them told me that he had

margin and eventually drive the business to bankruptcy

the best job in the world, visiting country pubs having a

or increase profitable sales for both the brewer and

coffee and talking about beer.

customer with the use of professional salesmanship,

What they didn’t do was sell beer, and it was not their fault. They had little training, if any, and very little direction.

service, passion and enthusiasm. In this very challenging market, when supply outstrips

They were doing what they thought was right. They would

demand, only the best will survive. The quality of the

get up in the morning, jump in the company car and go

product is, of course, paramount but you still need to get

wherever the wind was blowing, arriving at their first call

the beer onto the bar. Tele-selling is brilliant when it works

at 11ish.

well, but licensees get so many phone calls every day

If they were lucky enough to meet a decision maker and run the risk of selling they would inevitably give

that often there is no apparent difference to them. Yes, field sales staff are very expensive. However, a

something away. I always remember one of them saying

well-trained, structured, controlled and motivated field

to a customer that he only traded with new customers on

sales team will put your beer on the bar, week after week,

a FOC (free of charge) basis, a slip of the tongue, what he

and ensure the fridges and shelves are full of your bottles

actually meant to say was COD (cash on delivery) - but

or cans. It will keep your competitors out. u

July~August 2019

Brewers Journal

d e a r

j o h n

th e

pub

lunch

Improving the world, one pub lunch at a time John Keeling, like many, is a keen advocate for pub lunches. They bring people together and allow us to communicate. Equally, they can offer up a moment of solace away from the rigmarole of the place of work. Either way, they are a beneficial exercise and we should all be engaging in more of them. by JOHN KEELING

A 22

good pub and what use is the pub lunch. In this article, an article that has been deeply researched I might add, I will give you my own particular take on these institutions. So just what is the purpose of a pub lunch. For me, as a retired person, it is a chance to get out of the house and to meet up with friends. I might have a pint or two but rarely any more than that. So firstly, the object is not to get drunk but to chat over a pint and a meal. I like meeting up with the pub staff too and it is great to chew the fat with them. I mostly meet up with friends who are still working, so they cannot spend all afternoon in the pub, and they most certainly canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have several drinks. But what value is it to them? I remember when I was

nybody who follows me on Twitter will

working, I would go to the pub for lunch most days. I

know of my fondness for pub lunches.

found the time spent, even if I was alone, was well spent.

Indeed, my fondness for pubs in general

The chance to recharge the batteries and to think, was

is also evident. I think we might all have

very important to me. When I was with colleagues and

slightly different views on what makes a

friends the chance to bounce ideas off them and talk

July~August 2019

Brewers Journal

th e

pub

lunch

d e a r

j o h n

through problems was most valuable. Indeed, when I

was exactly how I imagined an Aussie pub to look like and

was most productive, I put this down to those lunch time

it had been decorated in a funky, quirky way.

meetings. I particularly remember the chats with Steve

The list of craft beers was substantial, including many

Wilkinson, the operations director, and many ideas first

of their beers brewed on site. They are never short of

drew breath at those lunches.

endless requests from brewers asking to do collabs with

Nowadays, people don’t really get a lunch break. They

them. When I arrived, I was greeted with a warm welcome

eat at their desk or a hurried sandwich in the canteen.

and the bar staff talked about the beers on offer and gave

I would go even further and say most people at work

me samples to try.

rarely get the chance to think. It is the doers who like

After a while, I introduced myself and then she called

working all hours as long as they are busy, and they frown

the manager to meet me who then took me around

at the thinkers who they think are lazy. That is why so

the brewery. I sadly only had time to visit once, but it is

many businesses lack vision and a decent strategy. So,

definitely a place I felt really at home in.

to have a pub lunch helps a person be more productive

Their passion was clearly evident, the next time I am in

and is therefore good for business. If pub lunches were

Australia, I am going to blag myself a collaboration with

compulsory, then absolutely the world would be a better

them.

place. But what is the role of the pint in those lunches? The

The second pub is the Bell and Crown, Kew. This is the closest of, my choices, to my home, so I view it as my

beer I think helps the discussion; it emboldens the junior

local and is the pub I use most often. It ticks many boxes

to speak to the director. It is the social lubricant that

for me.

helps bring people of different view points and out of this

It offers a great location by The Thames, perfectly kept

comes the best ideas and more importantly the best buys

cask beer and good food. This is the pub I choose for

in of the idea because nobody can remember who said it

family celebrations, pub lunches and even just a cup of

first. Sometimes I think even Brexit could be solved over a

coffee.

pint or maybe two. I would like now to discuss what makes a great pub.

Fiona, the manager, always makes an effort to have a chat, despite being rushed off her feet most times. Her

Of course, I can only give you my opinion and to do this

staff are amongst the very best I have come across in the

I want to explain why I like the following three pubs, The

trade.

Wheatsheaf in Adelaide, The Bell and Crown in Strand on the Green and lastly the Red Lion Barnes. The common denominator in all these three is the manager or landlord. They all have vision, understand

Lastly is the Red Lion in Barnes, where my friend Angus, who makes a mean Pina Colada Rice Pudding, inspires his team to greatness. Angus & Claire really know how to look after their

their markets and, above all, have absolute passion for

customers. This is evident, because if you ever try to rock

what they do. They literally live, sleep, and breathe the

up on a Sunday for a roast and haven’t booked, you will

pub. They also know how to look after cask beer (very

have a long wait. Angus keeps his cellar spick span clean

important to me). It is a job I would hate to do, however.

and has won Master Cellarman Awards from Fullers for

Imagine running a party every night, and being nice to everyone.… No that’s not me! The people that run pubs, serve

doing just that. He keeps a close eye on his chefs and is always mentoring them. If you do decide to go there for lunch, the time will fly

behind the bar and look after the cellar are my heroes

by. You would have thought you had been there for only

and heroines.

an hour, but it would have actually been three!

Ok the first pub I want to talk about is the The Wheatsheaf in Australia or “The Wheaty”, as it is known. This was recommended to me by Stu McKinlay, of Yeastie Boys and I was not disappointed. The building

brewersjournal.info

So overall, and I think all of you must agree with me that, there isn’t a situation or a problem that can’t be solved or improved by a pint in a great pub. Cheers! u

July~August 2019

2019 Choice Brewers

A w a rd s Deadline: 31st August 2019 Winners announced 28 November 2019 Full terms and conditions available at awards.brewersjournal.info

Brewers CHOICE AWARDS THE CLOCK IS TICKING Time is running out to get your entries in for the Brewers Choice Awards 2019. So whether youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re a young brewer or have a beer you want to shout about, your time is now. We also want to recognise the role youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re playing in the industry as part of an exciting new brewery and, of course, we want to acknowledge the best brewery in the UK & Ireland.

B r e w e rs

C ho i c e

Awar d s

ou have until 31st August 2019 to get your

These beers are being produced by brilliant breweries

entries in for the Brewers Choice Awards!

of all shapes and sizes, some new and some older. Some

Designed to recognise the very best in

UK brewing, we want to put the best of the best in the spotlight.

The Brewers Choice Awards are split into five

employ an individual and others offer employment to dozens, or more. So, if you think you’re doing something worth shouting about, tell us. You can enter one, or all of the

categories: Brewery Of The Year, New Brewery of The

categories on offer. Though when it comes to the Lifetime

Year, Young Brewer of The Year, Beer of the Year and

Achievement Award, we’ll do our best to take care of that

Lifetime Achievement Award.

one ourselves.

And to do this, we need you.

These awards will be presented during a dinner

There is a wealth of incredible beer being produced in

reception at The Institution of Civil Engineers that follows

the UK. The best beers deliver fantastic flavour and awe-

this year’s Brewers Congress and also announced online

inspiring aroma, they’re consistent and leave a lasting

and in the print edition of The Brewers Journal.

impression whether it’s a one-off brew or a year-round number that offers up that sought after reliability.

For more information on the 2019 Brewers Choice Awards, visit: awards.brewersjournal.info

New Brewery of the Year

he UK has seen some truly excellent new breweries open in the last 18 months. Diverse outfits each treading a different path in the industry

of brewing. So tell us, what have been those early landmark points for the business. Maybe you’ve offered employment to local people, it could be the investments you’ve made, securing deals for your first beers with pubs, bars or restaurants. Maybe it’s all of the above.

2019 Choice Brewers

Supported by

As before, tell us about your brewery’s approach to facets of business such as its work in the community, commitment to training and developing its staff,

New B rewery of the Year

relationships with the broader industry and your approach to issues such as sustainability. This award is sponsored by industry leading supplier of corks and closures Rankin

Brewery of the Year

e want to see a detailed overview of the

2019 Choice Brewers

business success you’ve had in the last 12 months. This will include full financials or your

trading figures for the last year and your predicted future year figures. Showcase any key moments for the business such as new investments you’ve made, perhaps new distribution deals you’ve struck or successes you’ve had in exporting your beer to other countries. Tell us about your brewery’s approach to facets of business such as its work in the community, and its

Bre wery f t he year o

commitment to training and developing its staff. What investment have you made in the laboratory side of the brewery, and tell us about your relationships with the wider industry and approach to sustainability.

brewersjournal.info

July~August 2019

Awar d s

br e w e rs

cho i c e

Beer of The Year

eer is a thing of beauty. That’s something we can

2019 Choice Brewers

all agree on, as we wouldn’t be here otherwise.

We want to celebrate the very best the UK has to offer.

We’re not looking at dozens of different categories here, instead recognising one beer: The Brewers Choice Beer of The Year. It could be a new beer you’re super proud of, or an existing beer that is its finest form to date following months or years of working on the recipe and dialling it right in.

Beer of the year

With a panel of industry experts, we’ll be judging the beer on Aroma, Taste, Appearance and Marketing.

Lifetime Achievement

2019 Choice Brewers

he UK brewing landscape remains in a state of transition. We’ve seen brewing operations spun off, sold or closed.

We’ve seen fantastic brewers retire and move on.

We’ve seen brewers do what they’ve always done and that’s play their part in producing excellent, reliable beer that forms such an important part in many people’s lives. The inaugural Brewers Choice Lifetime Achievement Award will recognise a brewer that has played an

Lifetime A c h i e v e me n t

incredibly important part in the UK brewing industry.

Young Brewer of the Year

here are some incredibly talented young brewers working in the UK brewing industry. Some are running their own operations, others

are cutting their teeth working at established outfits. Regardless, these brewers are making their mark on the industry and are certain to have a long, successful career in the field. Young is, also, a subjective term. You are only as old as you feel, of course. But for the purpose of this category, a young brewer is anyone under the age of 28. Tell us about your responsibilities and successes

2019 Choice Brewers

in last 12 months. Maybe a recipe you developed, or the impact you’ve had on the company’s packaging operations, or improvements to quality and consistency thanks to the work you carry out in the lab.

July~August 2019

Yo u n g B

r rewer of the Yea

Brewers Journal

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E v e nt s

B r e w e rs

C ongr e ss

Brewers Congress:

Line-up continues to grow The line-up for this year’s Brewers Congress continues to grow with experts from across the brewing industry taking part in the November 28 event.

t Austell’s Roger Ryman, Yvan de Baets from Brasserie de la Senne and the University of Nottingham’s Rod White are among the latest figures to join the line-up of the

Confirmed speakers and panellists

Brewers Congress 2019.

Taking place in London this November 28th, the event

Yvan de Baets | Brasserie de la Senne

will be hosted by award-winning writer Melissa Cole and former Fuller’s head brewer John Keeling. It promises a

Gabe Barry | Brooklyn Brewery

content-rich programme of engaging talks from experts in their field, panel discussions that will tackle the indus-

Theo Freyne | Deya

try’s hottest issues, leading network opportunities, a carefully curated tradeshow and, of course, a wealth of

Kamilla Hannibal | Yeastie Boys

excellent hospitality featuring incredible beer. Look at anyone’s desert island beers and there’s a

Belinda Jennings | Redwell

strong chance you’ll find the dry and bitter Taras Boulba and the masterclass in balance that is Zinnebir. Beers

Anders Kissmeyer | Kissmeyer

produced by the venerable Brasserie de la Senne in Brussels, Belgium. Yvan de Baets, head brewer and co-

Dr Dawn Maskell | Heriot-Watt

founder of ever-popular outfit, continues to play a role in the production of best-in-class beers that cannot be

Derek Prentice | Wimbledon Brewery

understated. We’re also proud to welcome Roger Ryman. Roger

Adam Robertson | Verdant

Ryman wrote his name into UK brewing history when he created St Austell ‘Tribute’ nearly 20 years ago. Much has

James Rylance | Harbour

changed since he first produced that ale in 1999 but with the subsequent, popular creation of numbers like ‘Proper

Roger Ryman | St Austell

Job’, ‘Bad Habit’, ‘Gem’ and ‘Black Square’, beers that have picked up awards across the globe, Ryman, brewing

Nigel Sadler | Learn2Brew

director at St Austell, has helped guarantee ongoing success for the historic Cornish brewery. His expertise in

Yvan Seth | Jolly Good Beer

brewing is difficult to rival. This year’s Brewers Congress also benefits from the

Dave Stone | Wylam Brewery

wealth of expertise boasted by Rod White, the assistant professor at the International Centre for Brewing Science

Christian Townsley | North Brewing Co

at the University of Nottingham, UK. A Master Brewer and Brewing Academic, he now runs the Global Filtration

Mark Tranter | Burning Sky

User Group at the International Centre for Brewing Science at Nottingham University. Rod was formerly a

Rod White | University of Nottingham

senior technical brewer with Bass / Molson Coors with experience in troubleshooting problems globally.

Jaega Wise | Wild Card Brewery

Keep an eye on congress.brewersjournal.info for the latest updates on what will be an event not to be missed.

July~August 2019

Brewers Journal

don't miss out on early bird tickets super early bird | £65* (ends 31 August 2019)

Early bird | £95* (ends 30 September 2019)

Full price | £125* Tickets include: Access to industry leading talks access to the trade hall hot food and drink thoughout the day extensive choice of beer

congress.brewersjournal.info *Ticket prices exclude VAT

PROUDLY SPONSORED BY:

Keeping things pure

P ur i ty

Starting out in 2005, Purity Brewing Co has become one of the UK’s most respected breweries. Founded by Paul Halsey and Jim Minkin, the company’s countless brewing successes have been driven by director of brewing Flo Vialan. His journey has led him from The Alps to Warwickshire, via Swindon and Kent, but one thing has stayed constant and that’s the desire to brew the best beer possible.

B r e w i ng

M e e t

Th e

B r e w e r

up with several so far this year, including one for the aforementioned Longhorn IPA. And that award, ‘Keg Champion’ at the International Brewing Awards, is one Vialan is particularly proud of. “Winning that was an amazing feeling,” he explains. “To make beer that people enjoy is incredible and that award is a real highlight in my brewing career.” Vialan’s brewing journey started at a brewing operation in The Alps. A wondrous environment to start learning his trade. It was here he had his first experience of Englishstyle beers, albeit ones dispensed via keg. “It was a great experience, but I was still young and wanted to see what the world had to offer. So I called a friend and asked if they knew of any roles,” he says. “They

WORDS by Tim Sheahan Photography by Jake NASH

mentioned a brewery called Archer’s, in somewhere called Swindon. So that was it, it was time to leave The Alps for Swindon.”

Such a move enabled Vialan to achieve many of his

iming is everything.

goals. He wanted to work in the UK and improve his

Early last month, this very writer was

English. It also allowed him to spend more time with “his

enjoying a pint at The Owl & The Pussycat,

second love behind brewing” by playing rugby regularly.

an excellent microbrewery and pub located

Something he did with Wootton Bassett.

in Ealing, West London.

When it was time for another, a local patron enquired

as to what I was drinking and the types of beer I enjoyed. Barely a word had left these lips before he starting

Living in Swindon would give him those experiences. It would also help introduce the budding brewer to world of cask beer. “Call it a cliché but I’ll never forget that first pint of

regaling me with his love of the beers from Warwickshire’s

Timothy Taylor’s Landlord. It truly changed my career,”

Purity Brewing.

he recalls. “I would be out with the fellow rugby players

“Longhorn IPA is one of my favourites, but on cask...

who were all drinking Carling. I opted for the Landlord and

have you had it on cask? It’s a thing of beauty!” he

knew, at that moment, I wanted to strive to brew beer like

enthused.

that.”

“Funny you say that, I’m actually visiting the brewery tomorrow,” was my reply. Wide-eyed, and amused by the coincidence, he tells, nay orders, me to try it on cask. By all means necessary. That drinker, a Scot, was imbibing in West London

Vialan would soon go on to work at Larkins Brewery in Kent but his ongoing desire for new challenges led him to reach back out to his friend in the hope new opportunities lay head. “He told me two guys up near the M5 and Birmingham

while extolling the virtues of an unfiltered Rye IPA brewed

were setting up a brewery. I said: ‘M5? Birmingham?’ and

by a Lyon native in Warwickshire. They often say beer is a

hung up,” he laughs. “But he called me back and said not

social lubricant but surely it’s a geographical one, too.

to be so hasty with my decision. He encouraged me to

The architect of that much-loved beer is Flo Vialan, who has been the head brewer at Purity Brewing since 2006. Hailing from Lyon, France, it’s nearly two years to the day since Vialan was named ‘Brewer of the Year’ at the All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group Beer Awards. The highly-prized and prestigious award is one of only a small number handed out annually by the government-

Listen to the interview with Purity co-founder Paul Halsey on the Brewers Journal Podcast

related All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group. The accolade for a brewer who has a meticulous attention to detail, projected in the consistency of the beers he makes, was no fluke.

Find it on Apple Podcasts, Google, Spotify, Stitcher or wherever your get your podcasts

A cursory glance at the awards section of brewery’s website showcases an uninterrupted chronological list

Go to: brewerspodcast.reby.media

of recognition from 2006 to the present day. 12 awards under their belt in 2018 have already been followed

brewersjournal.info

July~August 2019

visit the site, chat to the team and see how things went.” 13 years later, and Vialan has never looked back. The picturesque rurality of the Warwickshire countryside, coupled with the ambition of brewery founders Paul Halsey and Jim Minkin, was enough to convince him to make the leap. And in the years since, Purity Brewing has gone on to become one of the UK’s most well-respected independent breweries. What started as sales of 80 firkins, in a good week, at the start of Vialan’s tenure has become 2000 in the same timeframe. That's in addition to the keg, can and bottled produce it also offers. “It’s incredibly rewarding for things grow like that but it was all part of our plan, too. Those early discussions outlined the plans Paul and Jim had for the business and the ambitious growth they were targeting. So I’m not surprised to be in this position now,” he explains. The brewery started out with two beers in the form of Pure Gold and Pure UBU. The former is a 3.8% zesty Golden Ale while UBU is a 4.5% Amber Ale brewed with English Maris Otter, Crystal, Black and Wheat malts, with Pilgrim and Cascade hops with an IBU 36. Two years after Vialan joined, a Pale Ale would be added to the ranks. The 4.2% Mad Goose is a zesty pale ale with a smooth and citrusy finish that is brewed with English Maris Otter, Caragold and Wheat malts, with

“

I’m more concerned with using the best hops, yeast, malt and water at my disposal. I don’t believe in messing with the brewing process. Flo Vialan, Purity Brewing

“I like the idea of brewing in a pure way,” says Vialan.

I’m not interested in the use of flavourings, hop oils or any of that crap. I’m more concerned with using the best hops, yeast, malt and water at my disposal. I don’t believe in messing with the brewing process.” He adds: “My dad is a butcher and he always told me

that you should do your best to get the finest ingredients and then to produce something to the very best of your abilities. That’s how I approach brewing.” Beers at Purity are brewed on company’s Braukon

system. The 60HL two vessel brewhouse is backed up by

Pilgrim bittering hops and Cascade and Willamette aroma

a wealth of FVs ranging from five 60HL capacities up to

hops with an IBU 48.

the ever-growing fleet of 240HL fermenters.

Beers like Saddle Black, Bunny Hop, Longhorn IPA

The option to brew up to five times over a 24 hour day

and Lawless Lager have all followed. A variety of styles all

is there if needed. The addition of new 240HL tanks will

underpinned with the same approach.

hopefully alleviate the issue where the brewery’s current

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fleet of tanks are full at all times. Vialan says he was “seduced” by the level of

B r e w i ng

Last year, the brewery received a £7.5m capital investment from the Business Growth Fund to help

automation offered by the Braukon system, which was

support its organic growth strategy. The investment is

installed six years ago.

helping support Purity’s plans to expand across the UK,

“It’s a reliable, efficient, well-designed machine. The support offered has been excellent and you genuinely get what you pay for,” he adds. Procuring such a brewhouse was something of a step

grow export sales, and to develop new products. Speaking at the time Paul Halsey, said: “We’ve made big strides for a growing company. Our vision has always been to create brilliant brands, value our people and put

change for the business, enabling it to boost its output

sustainability at the heart of everything we do, and we’re

but also diversify it, too.

delighted to have the support of BGF to help us take our

“It changed a lot for us,” says Vialan. “We still do more cask than keg as cask beer is very much our DNA but a

offering to the next level. “We have an amazing team who know the secret

good few years back, Paul knew we also needed to offer

to making great beer with real character, and our new

keg beer to the consumer, or we would be missing a trick.”

partnership with BGF will allow us to access their

Such a focus paid off, with beers like Saddle Black, Longhorn IPA and Lawless Lager all proving incredibly popular. Newer numbers, such as its excellent gluten free Session IPA, are sure to make a lasting impression, too. While Purity is dedicated to producing quality, consistent beers, this is matched by its fierce commitment

expertise in helping businesses like ours to scale, as well as their extensive network.” Purity’s beers are reaching far and wide. With that, director of brewing Vialan will frequently visit customers in cities such as London. “After brewing in places like The Alps and here, I’m not

to the company’s sustainability and its impact on the

sure how well I’d cope brewing in a built-up city. It works

environment.

both ways, of course. I love visiting London but I enjoy

It uses the latest heat-and-steam technology to reduce energy consumption at its 90,000 hectolitres brewery. Elsewhere, a natural ‘wetland’ system cleanses the

coming back here,” he explains. “It’s the ying and yang.” And when you take in the expansive farming landscape Purity Brewing calls home, it’s hard to argue. “I’ve got a good life here,” says Vialan. “I have my family,

waste water, and the spent hops are used as fertiliser on

I like this part of the world and I get to brew beer for a

the local farm.

living. What could be better than that?” U

July~August 2019

Brewers Journal

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I nte rv i e w

J i m

K och

Innovate for the right reasons In times of trouble and strife, you should always remember why you got into the business of brewing. And hopefully that’s a passion for making people happy with great beer, Jim Koch, founder of The Boston Beer Company tells Tim Sheahan. by TIM SHEAHAN

im Koch recently celebrated his 70th birthday,

“Statistically, mergers fail due to cultural reasons. You bring together two different cultures and often, they simply do not work. With Dogfish Head and Boston Beer Company, we share the same culture and the same values. Global conglomerates may well be good brewers but they rarely share the same values.” The deal with Dogfish Head is expected to close late in the second quarter of 2019, but in the more immediate future, Koch’s attentions have turned to the launch of its Sam ’76 into the Canadian market. Available for a limited time in LCBO and year-round

a date clearly so important that public holidays

at The Beer Store for Ontario drinkers, the 4.7% beer will

were observed either side of the pond. But

also be sold at local retailers in Alberta, BC, Manitoba,

don't be fool, he was hardly taking it easy in

Saskatchewan, New Brunswick and Quebec.

the weeks and months leading up to such an

important anniversary. For starters, his Sam ’76 beer, a new addition to Boston

Beer Company’s Sam Adams brand, has just been launched into the Canadian market. Then there’s the small matter of the merger with Delaware-based Dogfish Head Brewery in a $300m deal. Koch says the combination is the “right fit” with both

Initially launched into the North American market last year, Sam ’76 started life in Samuel Adams’ experimental nano brewery in Boston. The culmination of more than a year of testing and 60 different brews, brewers began with two active fermentations – a base lager and a base ale – each with their own respective yeast strains. The base beers were brewed, then combined during

Boston Beer and Dogfish Head holding a passion for

a final maturation step when both yeast depend on each

brewing and innovation.

other during a “tag-team fermentation”.

“We share the same values and we will learn a lot from

The combination of multiple yeast strains and dry-

each other as we continue to invest in the high-end beer

hopping during a late stage of fermentation creates

category,” he says.

an impressive array of flavours not possible in a typical

Speaking to Brewers Journal, Koch says consumers are allowed to be “rightfully suspicious” during the

brewing process. The beer showcases the impact hop compound

takeover of their favourite breweries by multinational

biotransformation can have on a beer. Biotransformation

brewing giants but was proud to say the move with

can be described as something of a complex chemical

Dogfish Head sits at the opposite end of the spectrum.

process. Yeast cells transform hop components into new

“Sam (Calagione, founder and brewer of Dogfish Head) had more financially attractive options from those types

aromatic compounds. The combination of American Cascade, Citra, Mosaic

of businesses, but he was determined not to do that,”

and Simcoe hops in Sam ’76 imparts a tropical citrus

explains Koch.

aroma that gives way to a bright, juicy citrus hop flavor

He adds: “Instead, we spoke about the possibility of doing something. Things gelled and by coming together

without overpowering the palate with a strong hop bitterness.

we knew it would enable their business to remain an

“We’re very proud of it,” he tells us. “Look, you’ve got

independent craft brewery, which was so important.

something along the lines of 8000 breweries in the US, so

“Sam and I have been friends for many years, working on brewing beers and also industry initiatives. We’ve fought shoulder to shoulder. There was a comfort in knowing there was a cultural fit.

July~August 2019

it’s hard to do something exceptional that nobody else is doing. “It took us 18 months of experimentation to produce something that starts as a fruity, juicy IPA in terms

Brewers Journal

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“

Statistically, mergers fail due to cultural reasons. You bring together two different cultures and often, they simply do not work Jim Koch, The Boston Beer Company

of aroma and flavour, then becomes something so immaculately clean.” He adds: “I suppose you could say it’s something people nowadays call a ‘crushable’ beer. Something you could enjoy three of rather than two of your normal beer. And I think we got there.” Despite co-founding The Boston Beer Company in 1984, Koch still has an insatiable appetite for the new, interesting and innovative. “I feel like we’re the perfect size for a brewery. We’re large enough to have high-end technical capabilities and incredible brewers, something smaller brewers often don’t,” he explains. Koch adds: “But we are at the size where we can still do crazy things and continue to be innovative. And we are. “Don’t get me wrong, we won’t be silly by putting glitter

and innovation taking place across the global brewing industry.

But he also knows how tough it can be, too. “When things are challenging, remember why you

got into this business,” he says. “For most of us, hopefully that’s a passion for making people happy with great beer.” He explains: “Have pride in your brewing and the

work you do. As brewers, we have a responsibility to consumers to give them a great product on a reliable basis and, you know, hopefully delight them with something unique from time-to-time, too. “When I started in ’84, my business plan had goals I hoped would take five years to achieve. If I hit these, I could grow to 5000 barrels and hit $1m in sales. That would enable me and pay myself $75k a year. “I’m grateful I’ve been able to grow this brewery

in our beers, or launching French Toast IPAs or Milkshake

beyond that. But I know that had I simply accomplished

IPAs. That’s novelty for novelty’s sake and it doesn’t

that, I’d be just as happy as I am now.

interest me. “If one of our brewer wants to make a really spicy beer

“I’d have probably undertaken a lot less work, travel and who knows, maybe I’d be even happier! So be sure

here at our brewery? I tell them ‘Sure, go for it. But it’s not

to think about what you set out to do and don’t get

leaving these walls and you’re going to have to drink it!’”

distracted.

While Koch has his own values of what The Boston

“Brewing is hard work, much harder than you think.

Beer Company stands for, and the type of beer it

It’s never meant to be easy. But the great thing is there’s

produces, he has great admiration for the hard work

more of us these days and we’re all in it together.” u

brewersjournal.info

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Staying true to yourself When Bowness Bay Brewing founder Richard Husbands left a career as an armed response officer to build on his love of homebrewing in a bid to go professional, it was a decision that was met with, let’s say, mixed reactions. But seven years on, with a brand new four vessel brewhouse just installed, Husbands’ move was vindicated and he’s ready to press on with his next plans for the business.

by TIM SHEAHAN

Here you’ll find Bowness Bay. A modest, though only in size, bay, that attracts tourists and locals alike thanks to its

marina, boat tours and views of Belle Isle.

ome eight miles separate the eastern side

Though if you head east from the bay, continuing your

of Windermere and Kendal, a market village

journey upon entering Kendal, you’ll soon find Bowness

and civil parish in the South Lakeland District

Bay Brewing. Ok, assuming you’re not familiar with the

of Cumbria,

location, you’ll probably need the following assistance

The former, a large lake in Cumbria’s

too:

Lake District National Park, is a thing of natural beauty surrounded by mountain peaks and villages, which

LA9 7DE

include Bowness-on-Windermere.

54.3257° N, 2.7432° W

July~August 2019

Brewers Journal

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Kendal has been home to Richard Husbands and his team at Bowness Bay Brewing since 2015. Like many breweries before them, and soon to follow, growth and the need to expand forced their proverbial

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But where do you go when you want a new challenge? You become an Armed Response Officer for Police Scotland, of course. And it was around this time when Husbands began to dabble in making his own brews.

hand, and a move from Windermere made sense for all

“Working six days on, you’d get four days off, so I used

parties. It is only 10 miles, give or take, from the bay said

that time to start making by own beer,” he recalls. “These

brewery is inspired by, after all.

would be well received and before long, someone told

Brewing was not always in Husbands’ blood, however. He got his kicks in different way. Nearly a decade working

me I should buy a microbrewery.” So off he went. Scouring the classifieds brought

on respected publication Motorcycle News was a suitable

Husbands to kit from the now defunct Northcote

home for someone with a passion for two wheels.

Brewery in Norfolk. Some parts of the 4.5 barrel setup

brewersjournal.info

July~August 2019

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were rudimentary, at best, but they had done the job for

from Brewology, which will help increase output to over

Northcote and they’d soon do the job for Bowness Bay

1000 kegs per month and new sterile filter equipment. Husbands explains: “When we set out, we wanted to

Brewing. Husbands would have to put those days off work to

ensure that anything we produced was of high quality

effective use. But life would find a way, as it often does at

and had a consistent taste – it’s not ground breaking but

breweries in their formative years.

it’s common sense. It’s a mantra that has paid dividends

“I ended up with kit that featured two tanks welded into one, a number of grundy tanks, and a load of casks. But it came at a fair price and with lots of good will,” he says. Brewing in Windermere was up and running by 2012.

because we’ve developed an enviable reputation for brewing great quality beer. “What this has resulted in is a significant increase in demand for our core range, and to ensure this level

The small hurdle of sourcing a suitable premises was

of quality is maintained we needed new equipment.

navigated with ease, culminating in the move into a farm

Our new fermenters will enhance production, but the

building that was modern in the build but in need of

high specification keg machine will create so many

some TLC. Husbands tended to that, sorting utilities, and

new opportunities for us as a business. It’ll increase

brewing commenced in June 2012.

productivity and enhance quality control as it will filter and

Seeing brewing command Husbands’ undivided attention, colleagues at Police Scotland were both

carbonate beer. “It also means we can now keg anything from steel to

bemused and somewhat jealous in equal measure.

plastic and therefore our beers will be available in more

Surprised he wanted to try another career, but

formats to meet consumer demands. Historically we’ve

acknowledging of the way it made him happy.

outsourced kegging which added time and costs, so

“When it can to fully leaving the profession, my wife Kim was….sceptical, but she was supportive nonetheless,”

these will now be reduced to a minimum. “It also means we don’t need undertake frequent and

he says. “She saw the way the brewery was growing, that

lengthy journeys to deliver and then collect kegged beer

people enjoyed the beers I was making, and that there

from the contract kegging company, which again will help

was potential for it to be something bigger.”

reduce costs but has important environmental benefits

So upon leaving Police Scotland in late 2014, it was time for another move, too. The 5m x 15m unit in

too.” Having undertaken the funding project, Husbands has

Windermere was no longer fit for purpose. The days of

some words of advice for others that may want to take

transporting 1000l IBCs of water to the brewing for boiling

advantage.

and brewing with were over. They had to be. But it would swiftly become evident that Windermere

“We were always aware of the funding, but it is something of a minefield,” he says. “When you’re running

was unable to offer the type of facility, and room for

a business, the idea of all of the hoops to jump through

growth, that Bowness Bay Brewing wanted. Husbands

can easily put you off.”

didn’t just want somewhere for today, but for years to come. And with that, Kendal came calling. Since a move to Castle Mills, Husbands has hit the accelerator on his brewing operation. The company has

He adds: “Knowing what I do now, using a specialist makes life a lot easier. There’s a lot of bureaucracy and leaning on an expert was a great help. “We’re extremely grateful for the funding as it will also

just become the first brewery to take delivery of a 4 vessel

enable us to look at the brewery’s estate and how we

25HL Brewbloc brewhouse from SSV Limited, offering

can best use that. We’re now putting finishing touches to

the company the flexibility it required to brew a wealth

our new Tap House but safe to say we have some very

of different beers, or higher volumes of its flagship, Swan

exciting plans for the brewery, not solely as a place which

Blonde.

produces great beer but as a destination venue too.”

The beer is a 4% number that features light malts,

Going forward, Husbands expects the company’s keg

Pioneer, Aurora and Citra hops. Other beers in its core

offering to grow but he’s clear in his commitment to cask.

range include Swan Black, a 4.6% Black IPA, 3.8% Swift

And when it comes to beer styles, he’s firm in his desire to

Best, the 5% Tern IPA and Amazon Amber.

stick to the company’s popular core.

The investment in the new brewhouse has been complemented by a spend on other kit including new FVs and a kegging machine. Funding from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural

It’s these beers that will be front and centre at the company’s new taproom when it opens this year. “When we moved to this site, we were one building of many in this courtyard. We now account for all of those.

Development of £60,000 enabled the brewery to buy

We’ve been fortunate, in that respect, and we’re going to

six state-of-the-art 5000 litre FVs that increase capacity

put our all into it,” he explains. “It’s been a fun journey but

by four-fold. In addition, the funding saw Bowness Bay

it’s a lot of work, too. There's only so many plates I can

Brewing acquiring a new fully automatic keg machine

spin at once, and I don’t want to drop any of them.”

July~August 2019

Brewers Journal

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Changing with the times The state of Colorado boasts some of the best breweries in the world. Its capital, Denver, is home to a sector that continues to flourish with close to 20 new operations in construction or planning. The landscape is changing, sure, but the demand for quality beer remains insatiable in the Mile High City, and its brewers are more than up to the task. words by Tim Sheahan Photography by JaKub Mulik

One brewery that has been a mainstay in Colorado for three decades is Odell Brewing. Founded in the outskirts of Fort Collins by Doug, Wynne, and Corkie Odell in 1989, the brewery has gone from strength-to-strength with its beers distributed in 19 US states and overseas, too. In its 30th year, the business was was ranked the 23rd largest U.S. craft brewing company by the aforementioned Brewers Association and ranked the 33rd largest overall U.S. brewing company. Last month, the brewery was also celebrating the first anniversary of its River North Art District (RiNo) brewery and taproom. Offering the brewery’s staple beers brewed in Fort Collins, it also offers 10 barrel small batch numbers brewed on the facility’s own kit.

Changing lanes

f you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be? Or perhaps, listen to only one album, drink one beer or have one movie to fall back on. If you could take it with you, I’m pretty sure the state of Colorado would be many drinkers’

Desert Island Disc, no question. In the world of modern beer few other states, perhaps

ure, Odell is something of a household name for many but for Matt Jaspers, who heads up the RiNo operation, that’s not something to dwell on.

“I feel like there is nothing given, or to be assumed,

no other, can boast that so many seminal breweries call

these days,” he tells us. “You sold beer last year? Cool,

this western US state home.

that’s great. But there are no guarantees you’ll repeat that

In 2018, Brewers Association figures note that 396 craft

this time out. You need to produce quality, consistent

breweries operate out of Colorado, ranking it second

beers but also be fluid and show you’re able to react to

only behind California. With that, there are 9.2 breweries

market demands."

per Capita and an impressive 1,522,834 barrels of beer produced per annum. And to date in 2019, some 15 breweries have

Jaspers would know. Starting out with Odell in Fort Collins, he was working 12 hours a week and determined to “see how it goes”. He soon became a full time member

opened their doors in Colorado and close to 50 new

of the team and before long, was manager of the

businesses are under construction. 20% of these will be

brewery’s venerable taproom.

proudly brewing out of the state’s capital Denver in the foreseeable future. The Mile High City is steeped in the tradition of beer. Be it the opening of the Rocky Mountain Brewery back

So when the opportunity arose to lead the team in RiNo, following nearly a decade in Fort Collins, it was one that made sense. “So much of the beer culture in the US has become

in 1859 or fast forward to the tens of thousands that

focused around the taproom experience. It is central to it,”

descend upon the city’s Convention Center for the

he muses. “People, whether they’re drinks enthusiasts or

annual Great American Beer Festival. Great, as the name

not, want to enjoy fresh beer. They want to speak to the

suggests, if you’re there. But more likely the reason for

folk behind the beers and learn more about them.”

you muting/blocking your friends and family on social media if they’re in attendance living it up and you’re….not.

brewersjournal.info

Although only 60 miles separate Odell’s RiNo and Fort Collins taprooms, according to Jaspers, there are some

July~August 2019

Matt Jaspers: Leading the line at Odell Brewing's taproom and brewery in RiNo

marked differences in the cultural landscape. He explains: “The advent of the taproom in Fort Collins was a very organic process. It wasn’t forced, we just wanted to offer a comfortable environment where people could enjoy quality beer served by a knowledgable team. “It became something of a third space for people. If home was the first space and work was the second, then our taproom for many people was that third environment. “But when it comes to beer, you’d offer someone a beer that was below 6% ABV and they’d often politely refuse. It wasn’t what they were there for. In Denver, however, people are in the market for beers closer to 4% ABV.” For Jaspers, there are a number of factors behind this shift. “People drive to this neighbourhood, or come to the taproom for a quick drink after work. Then come the weekend, there are so many choices available to the consumer and they might be visiting anything up to 10 breweries so moderation is key,” he explains. The lower ABV beers continue to prove popular in RiNo, as do certain beer styles. “Fruit beers and New England-style IPAs,” he says. “People appreciate choice but anything hazy will sell. That’s still the case.” Speaking ahead of the launch of the Larimer Street

“

You need to produce quality, consistent beers but also be fluid and show you’re able to react to market demands Matt Jaspers, Odell Brewing

ourselves to create new and innovative beer,” he said. “The RiNo brewery will be solely focused on that exploration, and we’re excited to share that with Denver, one of the most educated and passionate craft beer communities in the world.”

And within the first year, the ability to experiment on a

small scale in RiNo has already bore fruit. A Guava Gose was an instant hit with drinkers resulting in the production of repeat batches and eventually, scaled up on the main kit at Odell’s main brewhouse in Fort Collins. Christened Sippin’ Pretty, the beer is pitched as a

Fruited Sour Ale, which is loaded with a blend of açai,

facility, Odell COO Brendan McGivney said the brewery

guava, and elderberry, balanced with a delicate addition

has always placed a great level of importance on its pilot

of Himalayan pink sea salt.

system. “It’s been our proving ground, where we push

brewersjournal.info

With its position in RiNo established and success on the beer front so early on, Jaspers is already looking

July~August 2019

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Denver Beer Co: Calling the city home since 2011

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Brewers Journal

“

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ahead. “I’m feeling pretty damn good,” he laughs. “We see lots of happy faces, and the beers are selling well. The first year was a learning curve and there were a lot of unknowns. “We geared up for a big Christmas Eve in 2018, always one of the busiest days in Fort Collins, and it was completely dead. The demographic is different so it’s valuable to learn from those experiences. “But now the mystery has gone, we have lots of plans and I’m confident about the future.”

Community role

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Growth for us has meant continuing to take calculated risks Charlie Berger, Denver Beer Co

since starting out eight years ago.

xit Odell’s Larimer Street brewery and within minutes, and in certain cases, seconds, you have Epic Brewing Company, Ratio Beerworks, Our

Mutual Friend Brewing, and Great Divide Brewing, among others, all plying their trade. Continue west and you’ll eventually reach Denver Beer Co’s Platte Street taproom, some 30 minutes from its larger Canworks production facility. Denver Beer Co was founded in 2011 by Charlie Berger and Patrick Crawford. Two friends that graduated from the same university and individuals that Berger says “reconnected” years later while pursuing different paths. Born and raised in Denver, Berger is proud of his heritage as a fifth generation Coloradoan. He has worked

“I suppose you could say we on the early side of the

boom,” says Berger. “It went up a notch in 2012/2013 and since we opened, some 250 breweries have opened in the 50 miles around us.”

Echoing what Odell’s Jaspers said earlier, Berger

knows that years in operation and the ability to sell beer the year previous, stands for little in such a competitive marketplace.

“It’s important to reward customers with a unique

experience and great beer,” he says. “There are a lot of breweries out there. We ourselves are promiscuous beer drinkers, so why shouldn’t your customers be, too? If they are loyal to you, you have to ensure are living up to, and exceeding, their expectations each and every time." What started as an outfit producing 1,200 barrels in its

in the craft beer industry since 2004 with several craft

first year has grown to 20,000 in 2019, employing 75 staff

breweries across the US. He attended the Siebel Institute

across its three sites.

of Technology and the Doemans Brewing Academy in

“Growth for us has meant continuing to take calculated

Munich, where he was trained by some of the world’s

risks,” explains Berger. “We had a popular taproom and

most acclaimed brewing professionals and earned his

brewery in Platte Street, but wanted more of a challenge

International Diploma in Brewing Technology.

and that meant kegging and canning our beers for

Crawford is an award winning home-brewer with a great passion for beer and the brewing process. In his past life, he was a physicist and engineer extraordinaire for Lockheed Martin. When they started out in an old Auto body shop

distribution. It meant moving out of our comfort zone and with it, increasing the visibility of our beers.” The company’s Canworks brewery facility was the answer to that particular question. Beers are produced in 30bbl batches on its DME brewhouse before being

back in 2011, the duo’s ethos was to embrace the idea of

transferred into 120bbl FVs. This is all overseen by head

community. To experience beer with friends old and new,

brewer Jason Buehler, who joined Denver Beer Co from

to appreciate the process behind beer production and to

his role as head brewer at Oskar Blues Brewery.

enjoy fresh beer “whether it’s one or seven,” Berger says. “Our brewery was founded on passion for high quality,

“For me, Jason is the best brewer in Denver,” says Berger. “We’re fortunate that we have such a great

flavorfully crafted beer, and the belief that the best pints

team here. And if you don’t have a great brewing team

are those shared with good company,” he explains. “We

producing fantastic beer, we wouldn’t be growing, simple

love the Denver lifestyle and wanted to create a brewery

as that.”

that matches our city’s personality. Denverites work hard,

The brewery’s taproom locations fulfil a number

and play even harder. And after a long slog at the office

of purposes. One key role being the valuable market

or a gnarly mountain bike ride there is nothing better than

research insights it offers on what beers are selling well

a friendly place to sit and relax with friends and a pint.”

and which ones less so.

In such a buoyant, burgeoning landscape, much has changed at Denver Beer Co, and the landscape around it,

brewersjournal.info

“It’s a very democratic process. We don’t vote on beers, our customers do. And that means it’s a diverse range

July~August 2019

Berger: “We don’t vote on beers, our customers do.”

“

d e nv e r

C ro s s i n g

the same culture, supporting each other and, of course, having fun.” Having fun is something Ayana Coker, Chantel Columna, and Tamir Danon have had since opening the doors to Novel Strand Brewing Co, the brewery they opened in July 2018. It’s finding the time to do so that may be the problem.

Beer is an adhesive for social interaction. That’s how it should be Tamir Danon, Novel Strand Brewing Co

indeed,” he adds. “When we say we’re from Denver, it

Co nti n e nt s

Doing things your way

rewing, always focused on brewing," says head brewer Danon reflecting on that first year. “I’m still making the beer I want to drink but the main thing

gives us a great freedom to make every style of beer.

is the beer is better now than it was then. And it was good

Be that a hoppy IPA, German-style Lager or a Wild Sour.

then.”

What defines our beer is our Denverness. We don’t have one track or one niche, and it’s all the better for it.”

Importance of diversification

he brewery hasn’t stopped at beer, either. Last month Denver Beer Co rolled out its O&A

Colorado Craft Hard Seltzer. Developed by head

brewer Buehler, the drinks launched with Lime and Black Cherry flavours. “When crafting O&A it was very important to us to

Danon co-founded Baker neighbourhood brewery alongside general manager Columna and comptroller Coker. Three individuals that met as undergraduates at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York. Utilising a 5bbl system from Nebraska’s Alpha Brewing Operations, Danon brews into nine tanks of varying capacities, dedicating the larger FVs to the styles he knows will prove popular with drinkers at the W 1st Avenue taproom. “If I’m making a Pilsner, that will get the relevant tank space. But when it comes to the more experimental stuff, I’ll do a much smaller batch,” he says. “If we like it, it’ll

make sure we created great flavours that are both

disappear immediately. If we don’t then it’ll also disappear

refreshing and satisfying,” says Buehler. “We went through

immediately!”

many rounds of development and testing and landed on

Having the flexibility to brew diverse styles in differing

recipes that we believe deliver seltzers that are fun and

batch sizes fits in with Danon’s brewing ethos and the one

easy to enjoy.”

he, along with Columna and Coker, wanted from their

Both the Lime and the Black Cherry O&A craft hard seltzers are made with carbonated water, alcohol from

brewing operation. “Each time you come here, there’s always going to be

cane sugar, and natural flavours. Each can of O&A is 5%

something new on. We think of ourselves as a boutique

ABV, gluten free, and contains 0 grams of carbohydrates,

brewery and strive to offer the drinker something

0 grams of sugar, and 100 calories.

different,” he says. “That’s what drives the process. I’m not

“O&A is was made for when you are ‘out and about’

interested in Instagram, or things like that, to see what’s

with friends,” adds Berger. “We hope this craft hard seltzer

popular. We do what we want to do. For better or worse.”

finds its way into skiers backpacks for après, in coolers for

Thankfully, as Danon says, a lot of what he enjoys

afternoons at the park or a friend’s backyard BBQ, in the

brewing and drinking are the styles that resonate with

back of a Subaru when heading to the mountains to bike

consumers. Hoppy beers that are full of flavour and

or hike with friends, or for tailgating at Red Rocks before

complexity, defined by its “house beer” Green Showers,

a show. It’s light, refreshing, health-conscious, and a lot of

which is an IPA featuring Amarillo, Huell Melon, Idaho #7,

fun.”

and Mosaic.

Berger is excited about the brewery’s diversification,

Beers such as Green Showers epitomise what Novel

and if the popularity of the seltzers with its brewers are

Strand Brewing Co is about, according to Danon. Beers

anything to go by, it’ll be a hit. But regardless of what

that are accessible but also full of flavour.

beverage they’re producing, one thing stays constant. “I spend an inordinate amount of time in my day

“Beer is an adhesive for social interaction. That’s how it should be, and that’s how it has always been,” he explains.

working with people to believe in the same thing and

“There are breweries out there doing exceptional things

push in the same direction,” he says, “If we work towards

with fruit, or in the world of Pastry Stouts and beers that

the same goal, then we’ll succeed. It’s about sharing

taste like cocktails. The innovation is incredible.

brewersjournal.info

July~August 2019

Team Novel Strand: (Top to Bottom) Ayana Coker, Chantel Columna, and Tamir Danon and the wolf pack

d e nv e r

“But for me, beer doesn’t need to be that crazy. I’m more interested in how can I squeeze so much flavour into this Pilsner or IPA that makes it a fascinating beer to

C ro s s i n g

Co nti n e nt s

the consumer likes it, then it’s unsurprising to see other brewers wanting to put their own stamp on it, too." Danon adds: “I don’t know if you can call it arrogant, but

drink, but also one you can drink a lot of. So, I want the

we love the beer that we make. So when it hits the taps,

6.2% Green Showers to be as smooth as our Pilsner. I’m

we know it’s going to be good.

less concerned with the idea of having one beer and done. I prefer it more as something to stick with.” Danon looks to Europe where beer is intrinsically linked

“So when someone tries a beer, looks up and tells us it’s great, we like to think we knew that already. Surely that’s the point? We go through a painstaking process to

with the culture of many countries, citing its unifying

make sure each beer we make is good enough to sell. We

qualities whether out with friends or family and speaking

wouldn’t bother otherwise.

politics, sport, travel or otherwise. He explains: “In the USA, we seem to have lost a lot of

“I’ve dumped beers that demonstrated off flavours. But I’ve done the same for beers that didn’t fit the flavour

that over time. The advent of craft beer has been great for

profile I wanted, too. I’m a chef, but I brew. So if I think a

a lot of people really into the scene. Bearded white dudes

beer isn’t in line with what I had in mind, then it’s not of the

wearing flanneled shirts, you know what I mean?

quality I’d expect the consumer to pay for, either.”

“But it should be more than that. There shouldn’t solely

It’s an admirable approach, especially in an age

be a type that can enjoy, or try, modern beer. There

where a brewer’s drain pour of a faulty batch can still be

shouldn’t be a need for approval or attention. If you like

celebrated on social media. And it’s that commitment to

beer, great. Then we hope you’ll enjoy drinking with us. If

quality that puts Novel Strand Brewing Co in good stead

you don’t, then maybe give it a go anyway."

as it celebrates its first birthday.

Calling Denver its brewing home, Danon believes that

“Well, we’re still open, we got that down, so I consider

there’s a more rapid proliferation in the uptake of beer

that a success,” smiles Danon. “I obviously look at our

styles owing to fact that it’s a city, and one that some

business plan and our financials, and as long as I see

680,000 people reside in.

growth and progression, then I’m happy."

“With such a larger number of breweries, ideas

He concludes: “For the team here, the goal is to

certainly progress faster than if you were in the

continue making great beer, but to have it disappear

countryside,” he says. “The market evolves quickly and

faster each time. The joke we have is that we make beers

it tells you where to go. So if someone adds milk sugar

that we want to drink, and trick people into wanting to

to their IPA and starts producing a Milkshake IPA, and

drink them too. And it’s working!” u

brewersjournal.info

July~August 2019

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July~August 2019

Brewers Journal

FL AVO R

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94.87

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brewersjournal.info

July~August 2019

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S usta i nab i l i ty

Why Brewers Are Moving to Corrugated Cardboard Packaging Solutions A growing emphasis on the environment, and a global drive towards using sustainable packaging, has seen an increase in the number of businesses seeking alternative packaging solutions in replacement for their current use of plastics, says Suzy Harrold, marketing executive at Saxon Packaging. by suzy harrold

global drive towards using sustainable packaging, has certainly seen an increase in the number of businesses who are seeking alternative packaging solutions in replacement for their current use of plastics. Having stood the test of time as one of the champions of sustainable packaging and receiving a huge growth in positive affirmation from today’s modern consumer, corrugated packaging has certainly gained notoriety from businesses seeking to make eco-friendly alterations to their current commercial practices. Continual developments and technological

advancements in the corrugated packaging industry

018 was a very interesting year for the drinks

has produced some outstanding examples of attractive

industry. Whilst there were some shortfalls

finished pieces of packaging. Corrugated cardboard

in some areas of the market (owing to

packaging is no longer limited to solely producing a plain

widespread efforts to kerb alcoholic intake

brown box.

and a decline in alcoholic advertisement

There are many different packaging solutions readily

spending), there were some nice surprises too, with the

available to brewers who wish to use corrugated

FIFA World Cup and the summer heatwave providing

packaging as a sustainable alternative to plastics. From

a much needed boost to beer volume sales and an

standard FEFCO designs to intricate bespoke pieces of

increase in alcohol consumption in general (Mintel). It’s

packaging, at Saxon Packaging, we are able to produce

safe to say that it wasn’t all doom and gloom.

boxes, cases and cartons to any required quantity and to

Differing to what the market has previously been

an exceptionally high quality. All of which can be visually

accustomed to, most businesses today (if not all),

enhanced through a variety of print processes that can

recognise that climate change is a problem. This has

produce standard mono-colour print finishes to HD high-

been accentuated by the newly implemented EU strategy

gloss photo quality print, comparable to the pages that

for ‘Plastics in a Circular Economy’, which has set the

we see in today’s magazines.

target of making all plastic packaging placed on the EU

Proven to be prevalent with a lot of beer customers,

market either reusable or cost-effectively recyclable by

Shelf Ready Packaging (otherwise known as SRP,) is still

2030.

very much growing in popularity. SRP is a multipurpose

Consumers are ever more conscious of their

packaging solution designed to meet logistical and

environmental impact and are beginning to choose

product housing requirements, which, upon its placement

brands accordingly. According to Mintel, 78% of

on to the commercial points of sale, can convert into a

consumers agree that “brands should work to make

tray or dispenser that facilitates functionality and can

packaging more environmentally friendly”. In addition,

be used as an attractive, visually-disruptive piece of

59% of millennial shoppers say that “environmental

packaging that will enhance your product(s) and branding.

responsibility is an important factor in product choice”. We

Using this type of packaging also eliminates the use of

see this information as a valuable opportunity for brewers

plastic shrink-wrap that is traditionally used with open

to take advantage on.

trays.

This growing emphasis on the environment and a

July~August 2019

Aside from boxes and trays, many breweries have

Brewers Journal

S usta i nab i l i ty

s e c to r

chosen to invest in corrugated gift packaging solutions as a way to further premiumise their products. With unique, intricate designs available and bespoke fittings to suit all shapes and sizes, Brewers have recognised the fact

Eight facts about Corrugated Cardboard

that, packaging really is what encourages consumers to lift the products off the shelves over its competitors. And if today’s consumer can identify that purchasing your products is going to leave as little environmental footprint as possible, current market trends tell us that they will select your products over the other choices available to them. For the emerging ‘micros’ and the established ‘veterans’ out there, there’s a lot for brewers to reflect on. We recommend that you listen to what your customers are asking from you. Are there any patterns emerging from your new enquiries? Don’t be afraid to ask your existing customers for feedback and act upon it. Do your current methods of packaging align with your businesses values and ethos? And most importantly… Invest in moving over to sustainable packaging. Trust us. It pays to be environmentally friendly. Finding the right company to deliver your packaging needs for your products is something every brewery should give some sincere thought to. After investing a lot of time and effort into producing your product(s), you want to avoid falling at the last hurdle. Along with all the other key challenges to consider, your packaging still needs to be reliable, cost effective, of sound quality, aesthetically pleasing and of course… sustainable. We encourage all brewers, regardless age and experience within the industry, to reach out and seek advice from their packaging manufacturers. Their suggestions and possible

1. 100% renewable, recyclable & reusable 2. Corrugated fibres can be reused up to 8 times 3. The majority of our boxes are made from 75% recycled cardboard; some are made using 100% recycled materials 4. Cardboard boxes have one of the best recycling rates for any packaging material and only a small percentage ends up in landfill 5. Can be recovered through composting and biodegradation 6. May be incinerated for energy recovery 7. Virgin papers are sourced from FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) or PEFC (Program of Endorsement of Forest Certification) certified plants 8. Cardboard is disproportionately strong! With so many factors to consider it’s difficult to put a number on how much weight a cardboard box can take. Generally speaking, singlewall cardboard boxes are likely to hold anywhere between 14 & 36 Kg’s, depending on their quality and size. Double-walled cardboard boxes can hold up to a whopping 68Kg’s in weight

solutions for you may be key to your continued success throughout 2019. u

brewersjournal.info

July~August 2019

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Improving beer quality with less energy consumption There are a number of reasons why breweries should invest in energy saving measures. Energy prices will rise in the medium term, which will further reduce the amortization period. And even if climate change is, according to some, a natural phenomenon, it cannot hurt to be more economical with our resources, explains Alexander Hinds, process specialist engineer at Krones. by Alexander Hinds

company. In order to reduce energy consumption,

breweries have two options: to reduce demand by

process. The energy consumption of beer production is

the mashing process and wort boiling. The simplest form

comparable high.

of energy recovery is already realized by all breweries in

here is no doubt about it that beer is

technological measures or to recover the energy already

energizing mind and body of those who

used in the best possible way.

are enjoying this masterpiece of natural

There is no question that a modification of the

beverage production. But before this can

technology inevitably changes the beer character. So the

happen a lot of technological knowledge

recovery remains as the only real alternative.

and energy is required to accomplish the brewing

The thermal energy in the brewhouse is needed for

Heat in the brew house and refrigeration for the

wort cooling. The cooling water is heated up by the wort

cellar are the major consumptions which are defining

to about 80 - 85 Â°C and reused for mashing in, sparging

the CO2 foot print of the brewery. But furthermore, the

and for cleaning. However, far more warm brewing water

production costs and not least the quality of the beer are

is gained than is needed. Not infrequently, the hot water

linked to the energy consumption. With the reduction of

tank overflows already in the middle of the production

energy consumption, each brewery can realize several

week and water and energy disappear into the drain.

advantages at the same time and commercialize this commitment successfully. Because the awareness of consumers for healthy

This can be avoided by the EquiTherm system. It recovers the surplus energy of the wort at a separate stage of the wort cooler and supplies the mash kettle with

and sustainably produced products is becoming an

this energy. Depending on the mashing program up to

increasingly important aspect for the success of a

100 % of the required thermal energy can be covered by

July~August 2019

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the recuperated energy. In addition, the hot water surplus

with the vapor condenser, only 4,0 kWh/hl of cold

is eliminated and neither energy nor water will be lost in

wort is required. At current energy prices, the return on

the future.

investment of retrofitting is in the range of 3 to 6 years. In

EquiTherm can be retrofitted into existing brewhouses. For this purpose, the heating surfaces of the mash kettle are replaced by pillow plates, which allow a high

addition to the financial aspect, there are also a number of technological advantages through retrofitting. When mashing, the thermal load is significantly

heating capacity at low heating medium temperature.

reduced in the heating processes, since instead of steam

Furthermore, the wort cooler is supplemented with a

with temperatures of 130 - 150 °C hot water of maximum

separate stage. The recovered energy is buffered in the

96 °C is used. This causes a significant decrease in the

form of hot water at 96 °C in an energy storage tank.

fouling of the heating surfaces, which is why the heating

From here, the kettle is then supplied during mashing.

power remains constant over the entire week. The heating

Since an energy storage tank is required for EquiTherm,

of the lauter wort with reduced temperature in the heating

the energy of the vapors of the wort boiling can now also

medium improves the wort quality significantly. Lighter

be recuperated. For this purpose, a vapor condenser is

beer colors, longer flavor stability and more stable foam

needed, which condenses the vapor with water from

(of course only in countries where beer is also tapped

the energy storage tank. This water is also heated to

with foam) are mentioned here in the first place. These

96 °C and is stored in the energy storage tank. With

were just three examples of how energy in the brewing

this energy, the lauter wort is preheated to about 92 °C

process can be recycled. But there are certainly in each

before the boiling process. A holding vessel is needed at

brewery far more individual ways to reduce consumption.

a high brewing rate, but is not absolutely necessary. The

Energy consultants specializing in breweries can help

following figure shows the combination of both systems

find these potentials and develop solutions for their

in a brewhouse.

implementation.

Based on a standard brewing process with mashing

So there are a number of reasons why breweries

in temperature of 50 °C, a total evaporation of 4 % and

should invest in energy saving measures. Energy prices

a cast gravity of 15 °P the thermal energy consumption

will rise in the medium term, which will further reduce

in the brewhouse is around 8,0 kWh/hl cold wort. With

the amortization period. And even if climate change is,

EquiTherm, the demand can already be significantly

according to some, a natural phenomenon, it cannot hurt

reduced to 6,0 kWh/hl of cold wort. In combination

to be more economical with our resources. u

brewersjournal.info

July~August 2019

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Water, brewing and the sustainability agenda Driven primarily by product quality, sustainability appears embedded into operational activities delivering efficiencies and improving the bottom line. While there is strong evidence that the industry is environmentally aware and active, it might begin to present this to its drinking customers, more than its investors, as sustainability becomes a differentiator in the eyes of the consumer, explains John Kyle, managing director at Culligan UK.

differentiator for beer, an interest in sustainability is increasing and some independent brewers are keen to differentiate their products around this with promotion of carbon neutral and carbon negative beers. So how environmentally-friendly is brewing and where does environment sit in the brewing agenda? Effective reduction of a businessâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; environmental footprint starts with an audit of resources. Water is one of the most important resources in the brewing process. It makes up 90 percent of the product and is used extensively to produce steam to heat mash tuns, kettles and for pasteurisation in the packaging process. We help brewers treat this critical resource, not only to purify water to help deliver a predictable flavour profile, but to reduce maintenance costs and reduce fuel bills.

by JOHN KYLE

his March, the Society of Independent

of our clients recognise that being environmentally-

Brewers published its British Craft Beer

friendly makes good business sense and are using

report. It highlighted a number of interesting

Culligan filtration and softener products to reduce water

consumer trends including the changing

consumption, re-use water and make important energy

consumption patterns of Millennials and

savings.

Generation Z. While quality and flavour will always be a key

We see the industry responding to the challenge of reducing their environmental impact year on year. Many

July~August 2019

They all recognise that looking after water quality improves the bottom line, not only by producing a high

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quality product, but also doing it more cost-effectively.

“Producing modern hoppy pale ales and lagers we need

Water recovery and innovative re-use are all examples

high quality water to enhance flavour, but also we can

of how brewers are resource savvy and environmentally-

feed the treated softened water through a heat exchanger

friendly. We see environment is high on the agenda.

to reduce our energy requirements further. Brewing twice

The larger breweries produce sustainability plans and

a day we can heat the treated water for the second batch

targets, but some independent and craft brewers simply

while simultaneously cooling the wort.”

recognise its importance and appear less vocal about

On average 70% of the fresh water intake in a brewery

environmental issues though they are integral to their

becomes effluent. Water reclamation makes great

business model.

business and environmental sense. Reusing process

The British Beer & Pub Association estimates there

water is a trend already seen in soft drink production and

are 2,500 breweries within the UK and the sector looks

beginning to gain traction in craft brewing. The British

buoyant. While market conditions remain challenging, the

Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) benchmarking data on

changing demographics and tastes of the beer drinker in

beer shows a significant number of companies have water

the UK presents opportunities to differentiate product in

intensity close to current best practice.

different ways. Culligan has seen a rise in the requirement

“British independent brewers are some of the most

for reverse osmosis units to purify water from both

innovative, environmentally-conscious business owners

mains and alternative water sources. The Rebellion Beer

around,” says James Calder, head of public affairs at the

Company are using our filtration and softening to produce

Society of Independent Brewers.

quality beer with an eye on their environmental impact.

Waste water from malting and lautering is often sent directly to municipal sewage systems, but more

A brewing perspective

breweries are beginning to treat and reuse their water for non-potable operations such as cleaning.

An increasing interest in microbeads in water is also

he growth in demand for lager was very apparent

raising concerns for our customers and generating

in 2018 and demand continues to grow in 2019.

interest in water filtration. The Guardian newspaper

We use a tailored Culligan reverse osmosis

reported recently on the testing of UK tap water that

(RO) system to treat our feed water, so we can deliver

found 83% of the samples were contaminated with

a predictable flavour profile to our product,” says Paul

plastic fibres. In a global study USA had the highest

Gloyens, The Rebellion Beer Company’s engineering

contamination rates with European nations, including the

manager. “The water specification for lager is precise

UK, being lowest, but still at 72%.

and the RO is able to deliver this efficiently. Also any

The average number of fibres found in each 500ml

wastewater from the process is recovered and used for

sample ranged from 4.8 in the US to 1.9 in Europe. The

clean in place (CIP).”

scale of global micro-plastic contamination is only starting

He adds: “The RO system includes an upstream water softener ensuring all feed water is softened. This minimises scaling in the heat exchangers used for

to become clear, with studies in Germany finding fibres and fragments in all of the 24 beer brands they tested. Breweries are recognising that filtration can provide

process heating and cooling, further reducing the volume

assurances about the quality of water in their product, not

of water and chemicals required for descaling and

only from a flavour perspective, but also a contaminant

ensuring the equipment works efficiently.”

perspective. Commercial microbeads range in size from

With lager demand on the increase, the demand for

10 micrometres to 1 millimetre. Our media filters will treat

low ABV products that are packed full of flavour and

these easily, but reverse osmosis filters particles out at

complexity is growing too. Capturing consumer attention

a much smaller size ensuring filtrate is micro-bead free.

in this competitive market is important and promoting

Breweries using our filtration systems can be confident

sustainably produced product may become a viable USP.

that customers are drinking quality product and not plastic.

Goodness Brewing Company is another customer

Sustainability appears to be high on the agenda

using a tailored softener and reverse osmosis water

of breweries that we provide filtration and softening

treatment system to produce pure water for their product

technology to. Driven primarily by product quality,

range including Yes!, an IPA packed with tropical flavours.

sustainability appears embedded into operational

Mike Stirling, Brewer and co-owner, is being innovative about operating sustainably and cost-effectively. “We use Culligan’s technology to achieve a high quality

activities delivering efficiencies and improving the bottom line. While there is strong evidence that the industry is environmentally aware and active, it may begin to present

product primarily, but enjoy all the advantages that the

this to its drinking customers, more than its investors, as

system brings in reducing scale, associated energy cost

sustainability becomes a differentiator in the eyes of the

and the potential to recycle our wastewater,” he explains.

consumer. u

brewersjournal.info

July~August 2019

s c i e n c e

sh e lf

stab i l i ty

Getting microbial control for small brewers in high-volume markets With more people choosing to buy their beer from supermarkets rather than pubs, there’s never been a better time for craft breweries to enter this market. However, competition is fierce and brewers’ choice of microbial control method could be key to their success. Oliver Rudman, application engineering specialist for the Separation and Purification Sciences Division at 3M, the science-based technology company, explains.

customers expect every time. Key to achieving these goals is microbiological control, and brewers now have a choice of options. Traditionally, breweries have relied on pasteurisation techniques, but developments in filtration technology offer a credible alternative in the form of cold stabilisation, which also brings some additional benefits. Pasteurisation involves heating beer to a temperature at which microbial life can no longer exist. There are two common variants of the process. The first, and more traditional, is tunnel pasteurisation, where cans or bottles of beer are moved on an enclosed conveyor before being immersed in, or sprayed by, hot water.

by Oliver Rudman

he popularity of craft beer with consumers shows few signs of abating. According to SIBA's British Craft Beer Report 2019, 24 per cent of consumers would be more likely to visit a pub or restaurant if it had a good

Flash pasteurisation

owever, this method has recently been superseded by flash pasteurisation, often referred to as high-temperature, short time

(HTST) processing. In HTST processes, beer is heated

selection of craft beer.1 Yet increasingly, they are drinking

to high temperatures for just a matter of seconds, or

at home. Indeed, 16 per cent would consider switching

the beer is sent through a thermal bypass system to kill

where they do their shopping based on the range of craft

off any bacterial life. Through the process, the room-

beer a supermarket offers.2 Supermarkets have jumped

temperature shelf-life of a beer can be increased by more

on these trends, reporting sales growth of up to 40 per

than 120 days and, provided the line pressure is tightly

cent, and are doing their utmost to stock a wide variety of

regulated, it preserves all the flavours and gasses created

such beers, with some offering selections of up to 90 craft

during the brewing process.

and speciality beers.3 It is welcome to see routes to market widen for craft

But many breweries choose not to use flash pasteurisation. While it preserves the makeup of the beer,

beer but seizing this opportunity will require the stringent

the process can cause early oxidation4, and sometimes

requirements set out by supermarkets to be met by

the denaturing of flavours, leading to staleness. According

breweries, and this can present significant production and

to Henry’s Law, by heating the beer, its gas saturation

cost challenges - particularly for smaller, independent

index is lowered, reducing its ability to retain dissolved

operations.

gasses such as carbon dioxide - which can result in flat

While a perfectly balanced flavour profile attracts the connoisseurs, moving into wholesale selling means

beer. Further, the equipment required for pasteurisation can

brewers need to ensure batch consistency and longer,

constitute a significant capital investment and the process

more reliable shelf lives. Beer sold in supermarkets needs

is hugely expensive at large scales owing to rising energy

to be microbiologically stable, so stray bacteria can’t turn

costs and the large amounts of water needed.

the product cloudy or encourage ongoing fermentation

Therefore, many breweries – especially the smaller

(which can have explosive results). Breweries need

ones – are turning to sterile filtration. This process,

to account not just for how long a beer sits on the

also known as cold stabilisation, relies on the use of

supermarket shelf, but also time spent in transit and even

filter membranes that are capable of catching even

in the customer’s home as it waits to be drunk.

the smallest of microbial life - down to 0.2µm in size, if

And the beer must taste the same, batch after

necessary (although most beer can be considered sterile

batch, to preserve the flavour profiles that brewers have

if it is filtered down to the 0.45μm). Using the process, a

perfected as part of their unique brand and that their

brewery could expect to extend the shelf life of its beer

July~August 2019

Brewers Journal .

sh e lf

by 120-180 days when it is stored at room temperature.

stab i l i ty

s c i e n c e

direction of the best filter for its process.

Because sterile filtration takes place at ambient

Perhaps the only drawback to cold stabilisation in

temperatures, there is less chance of oxidation or the

comparison with pasteurisation is the increased spend

denaturing of the flavour components in the beer

on consumables it requires. Blocked filters need to be

occurring, thus maintaining its profile. By choosing the

replaced at the end of their working lives. However,

correct membrane for the specific beer being produced

through recent advances in membrane technology, the

(and the relevant spoilage bacteria to be filtered) the

rate at which this blockage occurs has been reduced

process can be highly optimised.

and they are now more easily cleanedâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;making the cold

Sterile filtration doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t require the application of heat to work, so there is no need for heat exchangers

stabilisation process far more economical. Filters often become blocked by a build-up of

or cooling systems, saving energy costs. Further, the

colloidal material such as protein and agglomerations of

optimum line pressure required for sterile filtration is

carbohydrates, rather than micro-organisms. By tweaking

around one barg, whereas pasteurisation plants are

the base chemistry of the filter membranes, the likelihood

regulated at approximately 10-14 barg.

of these substances binding to them can be reduced, lowering the rate of blockage, and by modifying the

Cold stabilisation

construction of the filters to, for instance, increase their filtration areas, a further extension to their working lives

herefore, the need for booster pumps, and the

can be achieved. As we have seen, cold stabilisation possesses

energy costs associated with running them against

a number of advantages over more traditional

a high differential pressure, can be avoided.

pasteurisation processes to achieve microbiological

Moreover, unlike pasteurisation plants, these filters and

stability. As breweries, particularly smaller ones, become

their housings require very little floorspace and are easy

more aware of these benefits, they will be able to

to fit and maintain.

compete confidently and cost effectively for space on

Some breweries claim that membranes can strip

supermarket shelves. u

flavour from the beer by trapping flavour components,

References

but as sterile filtration is much gentler on the product,

1&2 www.siba.co.uk/2019/03/14/siba-british-craft-beer-

it typically results in a fresher, more natural flavour than

report-2019-industry-growth-new-jobs-fresh-challenges/

that achieved with flash pasteurisation. Rare cases where

3.www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2017/05/are-craft-brewers-

there is an impact on taste can often be caused by the

selling-out-the-indies-in-supermarket-move/

use of an unsuitable filter, and test work carried out by

4. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/j.2050-0416.2011.

application engineering teams can point the brewer in the

tb00508.x

brewersjournal.info

July~August 2019

61 .

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Norwegian Kveik: Old Yeast New Tricks The use of Norwegian kveik yeasts is very on trend in 2019. Here, Richard Preiss, from Escarpment Laboratories, aims to provide more information for the converts to expand the types of beers they produce with kveik, and also provide a convincing argument for the kveikskeptics to also learn a bit more and give these fascinating yeasts a try. by Richard Preiss

t seems like everyone these days is talking about Norwegian kveik yeasts, due to the promise of fast, clean, and hot fermentations beyond what we thought was possible for beer production. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve found that people tend to fall into two camps

when it comes to kveik: the converts, and the skeptics. The aims of this article are to provide more

information to the converts to expand the types of beers they produce with kveik, and also provide a convincing argument for the kveik-skeptics to also learn a bit more and give these fascinating yeasts a try. Kveik yeasts are now available through several

S c i e n c e

K vei k

Once we got kveik into the lab, what we found astounded us - the dry yeast, when rehydrated, began fermenting within an hour. What was more, the yeast seemed to produce clean, fruity beers. We were immediately captivated, and were able to start to conduct some proper scientific research in collaboration with colleagues at the University of Guelph (George van der Merwe, Caroline Tyrawa) as well as VTT in Finland (Kristoffer Krogerus). It’s important to distinguish between kveik isolates and the original cultures. The original cultures typically contain multiple strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and some original kveik cultures contain a large strain diversity.

Kveik tradition: Brewing regions of Norway

Some kveik cultures do contain bacteria, mostly lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillus) and acetic acid bacteria (Gluconobacter). In the lab and commercially, we work with kveik isolates, pure cultures originating from the original yeast material. Some of our products are blends of high-performing isolates from the original cultures, and all are bacteria-free. This appears to be true of most commerically available kveik cultures. In the lab, we were able to confirm some of the interesting qualities of kveik: they do indeed perform very well under high temperature (40ºC) and high alcohol (16%) environments, they ferment faster than several industrial beer strains, they produce less fusel alcohol at high temperature, they are non-phenolic, and they can produce noticeable amounts of fruity esters (pineapple,

The dry yeast, when rehydrated, began fermenting within

apple, floral). That was really fascinating, because it

an hour

suggested these yeasts could be used to replace English or American strains in beer styles typically employing those yeasts.

different yeast companies, who have been intrigued

We also got to dive deep into the genetics of kveik

by the surprising characteristics of these yeasts. Back

yeasts, and made another surprising finding. The kveik

in 2016, we sourced some original kveik cultures from

yeast family appears to be a hybrid of a distant ancestor

Lars Marius Garshol, the beer writer who has been

of the main brewing yeast group (think German Ale,

critical in highlighting and preserving surviving European

English Ale, and American Ale strains) along with a

farmhouse brewing traditions.

mysterious ancestor, that may have roots as far back as

Kveik are used to produce traditional Norwegian

Asia. So in addition to having unique fermentation traits,

farmhouse beers, mostly centring on two brewing regions

kveik also appears to be genetically distinct from other

south and north of the Jostedal glacier in the fjords of

brewing yeasts as well.

western Norway. In the south, centred on Voss, the

It is still unclear what genetic mutations give rise to the

beers are a caramel-brown with deep citrus and caramel

behaviour of kveik, but this is something we are actively

flavour, from both the use of long boils as well as the

pursuing now. We did find several mutations in kveik that

regional kveik.

were not found in any other beer yeasts, some of which

In the north, centred on Hornindal, the beers are often ‘raw ales’, not boiled at all. These beers are lighter and brighter in flavour, and some acidity is not necessarily

may be related to temperature tolerance or fermentation rate. That’s all well and good, but as a brewer, how do I use

considered an off-flavour. The kveik in this region can

kveik? Do the usual rules apply to a yeast that breaks a lot

contribute tropical fruit and orchard aromas. Everywhere,

of rules?

juniper persists, infused in all of the brewing water and

In general, kveik can be used like regular yeast. It can

lending a decidedly boreal edge to the regional beers. I

ferment anywhere from 15 to 40 ºC. Underpitching has

am radically simplifying things of course, since farmhouse

been reported to result in fruitier flavours, but slightly

brewing is quite family-dependent too.

slower fermentations. Increasing temperature also has

July~August 2019

Brewers Journal

K vei k

S c i e n c e

Kveik: Can be used for a wide range of styles

Kveik yeast is not a panacea and will not solve every brewing problem, but we do think these yeasts will settle into a role as another tool in our ever-expanding beer flavour toolset. To date, very few of the known kveik yeasts have been commercialized, and fewer still have been studied in detail in research laboratories. We think there is still lots to learn from these surprising landrace yeasts, and that they will expand our brewing flavour toolset and also help us understand more about yeast domestication and stress adaptation. Through the continued drive of craft brewers to explore new ideas, we

Kveik phylogeny

will be able to teach these old yeasts new tricks.

A plea been reported to produce a fruitier beer. Repitching is typically problem-free as this yeast has adapted to being dormant for long periods of time. These process controls are now being explored in the lab and we are hoping to be able to help brewers dial in precise flavour profiles with kveik in the future. Since kveik are non-phenolic and range in character from neutral to fruity (depending on strain and handling), they can be used for a wide range of styles. While we encourage brewers to experiment with reproducing the

f you are using kveik, please make mention of the original source of the kveik. Many of the farmhouse brewers have graciously offered these yeasts for

science and commercialization, and it is important to give credit where it is due to the farmers who kept traditional yeast alive. u For more information: Garshol, L. M., and Preiss, R. (2018). How to Brew with Kveik. Tech. Q. 55, 76â&#x20AC;&#x201C;83. doi:10.1094/TQ-55-4-1211-01.

traditional styles to understand the traditional context for

Preiss, R., Tyrawa, C., Krogerus, K., Garshol, L. M., and

kveik, we recognize these yeasts are also catching on in

Van Der Merwe, G. (2018). Traditional Norwegian Kveik are a

more popular and trendy beer styles, like NEIPAs. The

Genetically Distinct Group of Domesticated Saccharomyces

enhanced fruitiness of kveik and low potential for fusel

cerevisiae Brewing Yeasts. Front. Microbiol. 9, 2137.

alcohols and diacetyl can help to produce heavily dry

doi:10.3389/FMICB.2018.02137.

hopped beers with less worry.

brewersjournal.info

Kveik registry

July~August 2019

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K ombucha

s c i e n c e

Producing kombucha at your brewery As kombucha volumes continue to rise, and growth rate in craft beer sales slows down, brewers are looking for new ways to profitably grow. One option to consider is producing kombucha. Kombucha shares some of the process steps of beer making such as brewing, fermentation and packaging, although with some major differences, explains Hannah Crum at First Key Consulting. by hannah crum

bacteria (Acetobacter or Gluconacetobacter) and the yeasts (Brettanomyces bruxellensis and Saccharomyces species). These live in the pellicle and also hang from the bottom of it. A “starter liquid” from a previously fermented kombucha, also known as “backslop”, is then added to the sweet tea mixture. Alternatively, a SCOBY can be procured from commercial laboratories: different SCOBYs will result in different flavour profiles in the final product. The yeast in kombucha prefer simple sugars. Sucrose (“table sugar”), which is made up of glucose and fructose, is ideal. If more complex sugars are used, this can lead to oversouring and off flavours. Fermentation temperature is key to the health of the organisms and to flavour development. Compared to

lager yeasts which work best around 48 to 58 oF (9 to 14

he brewing of the unfermented “liquid” is

oC), or ale yeasts which produce good results around 68

significantly different in beer vs kombucha

to 72 oF (20 to 22 oC), kombucha fermentations are often

brewing. The need for milling of the grains,

warmer around 75 to 85 oF (24 to 29 oC).

mashing and lautering in beer brewing does not exist in kombucha brewing. For

These warmer temperatures speed the formation of ethanol which spikes early in the fermentation process.

kombucha, the base ingredients are water, sugar and tea.

Then, when exposed to oxygen, some of the ethanol is

Tea can come in its raw solid form or in the form of tea

converted into organic acids which lower the pH of the

extract. All that is needed is to ensure the tea flavour is

kombucha. This lower pH gives kombucha is signature

adequately extracted (somewhat similar to what is done

tang, and it is not conducive to some of the microbial

for hops), and that the sugar is well dissolved, and the

growth, including mold growth.

sweet tea is rendered sterile through boiling. This can

Another point of difference between beer and

take place in the same kettle where beer brews are made.

kombucha fermentations is oxygen exposure, which for

From there, this sweet tea (kombucha’s “wort”) is then

beer fermentations only takes place at the very start of

chilled before fermentation.

fermentation to enable yeast growth. Beer fermentations are most often (although not always) done in closed

Fermentation

fermenters. Open fermenters increase the chances of microbial contamination from the ambient air, which

can compete with the pure yeast culture and create

ther than in the case of sour beer production,

offflavours. An exception to this would be the production

a pure yeast culture is used in most beer

of some sour beers, which similarly to kombucha, have a

fermentations. The yeast culture is chosen

higher acidity and lower pH.

on the basis of the desired flavours and its process

In addition to fostering yeast growth, oxygen exposure

performance. In kombucha, a mixed culture is used. The

can also drastically change the beer flavour stability. In

yeast cells live in symbiosis with bacterial cells in a mixed

the case of kombucha, the presence of oxygen during

culture called a SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and

fermentation is desirable and important. Fermenters are

yeast).

open, with just a tightly woven cloth above them, which

A pellicle of cellulose is grown by the dominant

brewersjournal.info

allows CO2 to escape and oxygen and microorganisms

July~August 2019

s c i e n c e

K ombucha

to enter. Oxygen is a vital ingredient for kombucha

kombucha. For instance, the presence of Brettanomyces

because it helps in the conversion of some of the ethanol

yeast is considered a spoilage organism for most

produced by the yeast into various compounds including

beers (an exception being a Lambic style beer, for

organic acids previously mentioned.

instance) as it can cause a “barnyard” flavour. Microbial

Beer’s sensitivity to potential microbial spoilage from other organisms requires good cleaning and sanitation procedures. These requirements also apply to kombucha

crosscontamination can easily happen through ambient air, and any crevices in the tanks, hoses, seals, etc. A way to mitigate this risk is to designate a totally

production. Microbial contamination from other

separate area (ideally a separate building) for kombucha

nonintended microorganisms can alter the flavour of a

production. When this is not possible, dedicated tanks,

kombucha batch.

hoses, lines, valves and CIP system will also help

Scaleup in kombucha production can be tricky. Just

reduce the risk. However, the challenge remains when

as adjustments in yeast pitch rate, wort oxygenation

equipment is shared between the two product streams

and fermentation temperature are needed to match

(e.g. tanks or fillers). Because of these risks, some beer

the desired beer flavour at different fermenter volumes,

breweries opt not to produce or handle kombucha in their

process adjustments may be needed when scaling up

breweries.

kombucha fermentations.

Culture Management

Producing kombucha at a brewery

represent a risk to the production of “regular” (i.e. nonsour beers), it is likewise for the production of

COBYs are famous for being highly reproductive

ust as the production of some sour beers

July~August 2019

and a sign of a good quality batch is that the SCOBY will grow when left at room temperature.

Every batch of kombucha, when brewed with the right

Brewers Journal

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be repitched). The SCOBY also will grow to the size of

From single vessels to turnkey brew houses.

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essentially creating a “lid” (which also helps create a more anaerobic fermentation condition underneath the SCOBY).

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One of the best practices for kombucha breweries is to

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keep some extra cultures on hand in a “SCOBY Hotel”. This stock needs to be carefully maintained (e.g. with added kombucha or sweet tea) so as to maintain its viability. SCOBYs are more resilient than lager or ale yeasts (which lose viability more rapidly and need to be stored at colder temperatures). The stored SCOBYs are like an “insurance policy” in case of microbial contamination, poor SCOBY performance, or when volume scale up is needed. Often SCOBY pieces or disks will be used to start a largersized batch, but given time, the new layers can get quite large and unwieldy. They also continue to thicken if left for extended periods of time. When brewing kombucha in large tanks, the vessels need to have a manway that operators can safely go into the tank and physically remove the excess culture for cleaning by pushing it out the opening. It is quite heavy as it is hydrophilic and can absorb over 100x its weight in liquid! Excess culture has a variety of uses and can be offered as compost or animal feed to local farms, used to make SCOBYbased food products (e.g. SCOBY fruit leather) or even used for beauty treatments. While SCOBYs could potentially be sold as a byproduct, most companies don’t have a way to monetize it at this time and usually give it

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away to anyone who will use it. In addition to sensory evaluation of every batch, the kombucha brewer pays close attention to the product’s final gravity, pH, titratable acidity, carbonation and alcohol by volume (ABV). Not unlike for beer, close ABV control is needed, and this is particularly critical if the product will be sold as a nonalcohol beverage (i.e. with an alcohol content of <0.5% by volume). Other parameters might become critical depending on the brand (e.g. color). There has been increased activity in the kombucha field by some highvolume and craft beer brewers. Examples include: KomBREWcha, which is a 3% ABV Kombucha owned by AnheuserBusch InBev; MolsonCoors’ Clearly Kombucha (which produces a line of beverages with an ABV of <0.5%), Boston Beer Company (e.g. Wild Ginger Blueberry Kombucha with 4% ABV), and Deschutes Brewing Co. (e.g. Humm Zinger Kombucha Radler with 4.3% ABV). Leveraging the knowhow and creativity of beer and kombucha brewers alike, more offerings and further volume growth is expected. u

brewersjournal.info

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www.brewingservices.co.uk +44 (0)7970 629552

conTRACT BREWING

www.contractcraftbrewing.co.uk info@contractcraftbrewing.co.uk Customer-specific brewery solutions www.hikingbev.com info@hikingbev.com

Fermentation monitoring

Cask & Keg Closures

Realtime fermentation gravity and temperature monitoring with graphing, optional remote temperature control and our new CO2 purge device. Since 1774, Rankin continues to supply reliable closures that help seal, protect and add value to your brands.

www.dotmatix.net 020 3475 1420

www.rankincork.co.uk sales@rankincork.co.uk + 44 (0)1844 203100

July~August 2019

c l a s s i f i e d

hygiene

malt Cont'd

Packaging HANDLES

PakTechâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easy to apply, carry and remove packaging handles are the smart choice for your packaging needs. They are made with 100% Post-Consumer Recycled (PCR) resin and are recyclable. In 2018, 102,592,428 milk jugs were kept out of landfills and repurposed as PakTech handles.

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the Craft Brewer! Suppliers of speciality cleaning & hygiene chemicals for breweries, cider makers & beverage manufacturers

insurance info@cclpentasol.co.uk

Call 01942 722 000 www.cclpentasol.co.uk Detergents, Disinfectants, Conveyor Lubrication, Water & Effluent Treatment CCL Pentasol are a division of Zenith Hygiene Group Plc

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Free survey and risk assessments undertaken. Cover includes Legal Expenses and Loss of Licence. Health cover available for Key Staff. Liability and stock covered at Events & Festivals

requirementswww.cbi-insurance.com +44 (0)1492 534524 pblundell@cbi-insurance.com sments included nses and Tax Investigations the Keymalt Brewer and Festivals

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Packaging

www.paktech-opi.com +1.541461.5000

quality assurance

We supply the finest quality kegs & casks in the world, manufactured to the highest industry specifications. We provide 50 litre kegs, 30 litre kegs, 4.5 gallon Pins & 9 gallon Casks.

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www.keglogistics.com/united-kingdom

+44 (0)7734 035562 SHorrox@keglogistics.com

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Packaging Automation

Conduct Authority

Bringing Quality Control to the Brewery Suppliers of analytical testing products and services www.qclscientific.com +44 (0)1342 820820

skafabricating.com +1 (970) 403-8562

1809

UALITY M

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July~August 2019

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recruitment

CETT S

www.crispmalt.co +44 (0)1328 829 391 info@crispmalt.com

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Brewers Journal

c l a s s i f i e d

TRAINING

www.cicerone.org +1 (773) 549 4800

yeast

www.lallemandbrewing.com +44 (0)7930 451687

YOUR ADVERT HERE FOR A WHOLE YEAR

yeast Cont'd

Fermentis is an expert in the art of fermentation. Our active dry yeasts and yeast derivatives cover almost all professional requirements: from safeguarding production to expressing sensory characteristics. Discover our products on www.fermentis.com Contact us at fermentis@lesaffre.com

vessels

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brewersjournal.info

July~August 2019

date s

e v e nt s

events 6 August - 10 August 2019

great british beer festival Olympia, London gbbf.org.uk 16 August - 18 August 2019

Thornbridge Peakender Bakewell Showground, Derbyshire peakender.co.uk 17 August 2019

Vibrant Forest Beer Festival Peakender is back and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bigger and better than ever. The

Vibrant Forest Brewery, Hythe vibrantforest.co.uk

three day festival returns from 16th-18th August, showcasing the very best UK Breweries, a range of outstanding Street

29 August 2019 - 1 September 2019

Food, Live Music and Entertainment in the breathtakingly

New Union Festival

beautiful surroundings of the Peak District.

New Union, Kendal thenewunion.co.uk

10 July 2019 - 13 July 2019

ealing beer festival Walpole Park, Ealing ebf.camra.org.uk 18 July 2019 - 20 July 2019

hawkshead brewery summer festival The Beer Hall, Hawkshead Brewery hawksheadbrewery.co.uk

Windosr & Eton Beer Festival Windsor & Eton Brewery webrew.co.uk 31 August 2019

Summer Brewhouse Sessions Lost and Grounded Brewery, Bristol lostandgrounded.co.uk

18 July 2019 - 20 July 2019

31 August 2019 - 1 September 2019

kent beer festival

Faversham Hop Festival

Canterbury RFU, Canterbury www.kentbeerfestival.com 19 July - 28 July 2019

Birmingham Beer Week Various venues, Birmingham birminghambeerweek.uk 25 July 2019

Various venues, Faversham favershamhopfestival.org 3 October 2019 - 6 October 2019

indy man beer con Victoria Baths, Manchester www.indymanbeercon.co.uk 10 October 2019

Brewers Lectures glasgow

Brewers Lectures Bristol

The Lighthouse, 11 Mitchell Ln, Glasgow lectures.brewersjournal.info

Watershed, Bristol lectures.brewersjournal.info

25 July 2019

Siren Tap Takeover Tate Modern, London tate.org.uk

30 August 2019 - 31 August 2019

July~August 2019

28 November 2019

brewers congress One Great George Street, Westminster, London congress.brewersjournal.info

Brewers Journal

ON DEMAND CAN APPLICATORS