The Brewers Journal March 2019, iss 2 vol 5

The magazine for the professional brewing industry

Brewers J o u r n a l

March 2019 | Volume 5, issue 2 ISSN 2059-6669

track brewing co

canning, collaborations and creating a modern classic

21 | Dear john: fuller’s, asahi and the future

36 | Beavertown: logan plant on beaverworld

40 | branding: how it can elevate your brewery

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B

eer fatigue? We've all felt it in some capacity, I'm sure. That point where you hit the wall.

That time when, despite the amazing beer out there, you're not as enthused as before.

If that was the case then, in my humble opinion, the most effective way to rectify that is to get back out there and meet up with, mingle, and enjoy the company of the people making these beers. It can be too easy to end up in a bubble and removed from the amazing individuals this industry boasts.

It seems like there are more every time you look (probably because there are). We Are Beer held a wealth of triumphant events in Bristol, Edinburgh and London last year, returning once again in 2019 with the addition of Digbeth, too.

A new craft beer festival kid on the block also comes to Brighton in June and by the time this issue lands, Cloudwater will have held its inaugural Family & Friends & Beer festival in Manchester.

But I'm writing this the week after the latest Craft Beer Rising event which, once again, took place in the Old Truman Brewery in London's Brick Lane.

And it was bloody good, too.

It's an event that has the ability to divide opinion.

But after visiting in both a trade and, latterly, consumer capacity, it was fantastic to see so many breweries enjoying successful sessions. You hope that the dialogues engaged in, and the beer they served, would help catalyse long-standing relationships between brewery and consumer.

There was a lot of excellent beer on display from a diverse, cross-section of breweries.

You had London's Gorgeous Brewery, Wild Weather Ales from Reading, Laine Brew Co, Big Smoke, Solvay Society, Cocksure and London Beer Factory.

Then there was Jeffersons Brewery, By The Horns, Mondo, Brick Brewery, Salt Beer Factory, Padstow Brewing Company, London Fields, Beatnik Republic and Infinite Session.

And from overseas there was the New Zealand

n the tap. program.

editor's choice Beavertown founder Logan Plant gives us an insight into Beaverworld and the journey up until this point - page 36

Beer Collective family, Wicklow Wolf, Lickinghole Creek and a frankly ridiculous range of US beer on behalf of the Brewers Association.

You make a rod for your own back mentioning names as there's a 100% chance you miss people out.

I'm certain of that. But what's key here is that there is a lot of very, very good beer being produced. The drinker has never had it better.

And the people behind these beers, whether in brewing, branding, sales, events, dispense, packaging and beyond, clearly really care about what they're doing. I consider it a privilege to be able to speak to them for a living. We all also know that any beer festival is a labour of love. It takes a lot of time, effort and coffee to get through them. The hard work doesn't start and end during those few days, after all.

So yeah, festival season is evidently among us once again but it's in bloomin' great hands. u

Own It. Brand It. Ship It.

brewersjournal.info

Tim Sheahan Editor

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contents 31

40

20

22

36

Cover story 24 - How Sam Dyson and the team at Track Brewing Co in Manchester have diversified the beers they make, and the way they sell them, to great effect.

Brewers Lectures 18 - The full lowdown on Brewers Lectures Birmingham, taking place on 14 March, 2019

the big interview | logan plant 36 - Logan Plant, founder of London-basedBeavertown, talks everything from brewing to Beaverworld and beyond

Dear John 20 - John Keeling encourages Asahi to use its acquisition of Fuller's to take it to the next level

COMMENT

focus | labelling & branding 40 - With the market more competitive than ever, it's imperative your branding does the heavy lifting to elevate your brewery

22 - Malt and experimentation in beer

science | toxic chemicals show preview | cbc & brewexpo 31 - The exhibitors not to miss at this year's Craft Brewers Conference and BrewExpo taking place in Denver, Colorado

52 - Detecting toxic chemicals in beer and why all malt used in the brewing process must be analysed for nitrosamine content

series | back to basics 2 Sector | filtration 34 - How filter blockages can be timeconsuming and detrimental to beer production

6

March 2019

57 - Tim O' Rourke takes us on a journey all the way from barley to bright beer in a revision of his Back to Basics series

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Fuller’s to sell to Asahi Europe for £250m C

hiswick, London-based Fuller’s is selling to Asahi Europe for £250m. Through the move, the Japanese

firm enters new categories, adding cask ale and cider to its portfolio.

The two businesses have also agreed to arrangements that will see beers from across the Asahi portfolio sold in Fuller’s-owned pubs and tenanted outlets.

Fuller’s will carry its former brands, alongside the existing Asahi Europe portfolio across its pubs and hotels.

Asahi Europe said it will use its established global footprint to build the newly-acquired brands across the world.

The company will acquire the operations at the Chiswick-based Griffin Brewery where it will continue to brew.

Ownership of Dark Star and Cornish Orchards brands, brewing and cider-making operations, as well as wholesale operation Nectar Imports will also transfer to Asahi Europe.

The agreement remains subject to the conditions of the deal, including approvals by Fuller, Smith & Turner’s shareholders and the UK Competitions and Markets Authority.

Assuming that the conditions are met, the transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2019.

Hector Gorosabel, CEO at Asahi Europe explained: “Asahi Europe has already established a lead-ing presence in the premium beer category.

“Welcoming these brands and operations to our business will further consolidate that position, enabling us to even better serve our customers and consumers.”

“At the same time, our global footprint will enable us to unlock the potential in these brands internationally to significantly enhance their scale and value.

brewery – allowing the team to operate a functioning bar for future events.

James Cuthbertson, managing director of Dark Star, explained: “It’s fantastic to have a customised canning solution installed at the brewery.

“The new line allows us to be as fanatical over the

“It is another step towards realising Asahi Europe’s

quality of our canning process as we are over the brewing

vision of becoming a global brewing powerhouse built

process. We will also have the freedom to can many more

on our commitment to brewing excellence and quality.”

of our beers throughout the year and there are already

Elsewhere Sussex-based brewery Dark Star, which

plans in place to work alongside key retailers to produce

is owned by Fuller’s, has outlined some of the recent

some bespoke products.

investments made at its Partridge Green site.

A new canning line, fitted at the brewery in December,

“The installation of a new canning line is further evidence of Fuller’s commitment to working along-side

features a seven-head, in-line can filler that fills up to 35

the team at Dark Star to improve the brewery and ensure

cans per minute. Currently undergoing testing to ensure

great quality beer, in a variety of packaging, continues to

all quality parameters are being met, 440ml and 330ml of

flow from Partridge Green for years to come”

Dark Star’s beers will be on sale in the near future.

This follows a new cold store and bar area at the

brewersjournal.info

John Keeling, ex-head brewer at Fuller’s, provided his thoughts on the sale of the London brewery on page 20

March 2019

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Beavertown outlines plans for Beaverworld facility

B

eavertown will be able to output up to 500,000hl

visitor centre that houses the main taproom, kitchen, store

per year from its new Beaverworld brewery and

and scope for tours.

distribution in April 2020.

Hale home, 4.5 miles from the new facility. This will be

expects the first beers from the new London facility to hit London-based Beavertown has revealed the specifications of its new brewery, which will be housed in a 129,000sqft building on a six acre plot in Ponders End. The Beaverworld build, which commenced in January 2019, comprises space for a brewhouse, packaging, warehouse, logistics hub, offices and visitor centre.

The company said it expects its new brewhouse will

Beavertown will also be retaining its current Tottenham repurposed to expand the brewery’s Tempus Project barrel ageing programme.

With both taprooms open on a Saturday, the brewery has also outlined possible plans to operate a “Beaver Boat” that travels between both sites on the River Lea. Logan Plant, founder of Beavertown, explained: “Beaverworld is the culmination of 7 years of blood,

be installed, commissioned and tested from Autumn 2019

sweat and tears by all of Team Beaver over the ages. I am

with beers rolling out to the public from April 2020.

so proud of what we have all achieved and immensely

Beavertown has opted for a Krones Steinecker Brewhouse that will be able to deliver a maximum

excited about what we are about to create in Enfield.

“Our aim has always been driven by our excitement

capacity of 500,000hl per annum and allow the team to

and passion for making more than just a beer. We’ve

brew in 150hl batches.

always wanted to give our beers a personality and a

The five vessel brewhouse features a Variomill, Mash Conversion vessel, Lauter Tun, Wort Kettle, Whirlpool and

heartbeat, make them tactile and real.

“What we are going to create at Beaverworld is

an Equitherm energy recovery system. The manufacturer

going to be exactly that. We are going to build the most

is supplying 38 fermentation maturation tanks ranging

sophisticated, quality driven brewery, with the heartbeat

from 150hl – 600hl in size along with centrifuge, filtration

of an amazing visitors centre and ex-perience.

and an automated dry hopping dosing system.

On the canning front, an automated KHS can line

“The brewery will take people on a journey of the senses. Visiting the brewery will be an unforget-table

offers capacity to fill up to 30,000 cans per hour (330ml).

experience! Beaverworld will help us on the way to

Palletised cans go in, get depalletized, rinsed with ionised

achieving our mission of getting great beer on to every

air, filled, sealed, coded and packed (in cartons or in trays)

street corner for the thirsty masses! I can’t wait to sink a

prior to palletisation.

few pints with you all in March 2020 when we open the

A KHS keg line can fill up to 160 kegs per hour (30l) offering the ability to be expanded in the future to a maximum capacity of 240 kegs per hour.

The Beaverworld site will also feature a 12,000sqft

10

March 2019

doors and let you into our dream!!”

Listen to Logan Plant talk all things Beavertown, Beaverworld and beyond on the Brewers Journal podcast at: brewerspodcast.reby.media

Brewers Journal

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n e ws

Mondo Brewing Company undertakes brand refresh logo, while protecting what our customers love about our core beers,” said Todd Matteson, co-founder of Mondo Brewing Company. “Once we went down that road, a wider evolution of Mondo, and a refinement of our voice, made more and more sense.”

The brewery will transition into the new look over the next three to six months, with all new beers out of the brewery as of 1st March 2019 featuring the new logo. The logo was designed by Camberwell-based studio Hello Seamus while the new artwork was il-lustrated by Luke Drozd.

Mondo’s brand refresh follows a significant brewhouse expansion of 33% fermenter capacity, to meet year-onyear on growth and demand for Mondo beer.

“In late 2017 we replaced our original 1000 litre (10 hectolitre) system with a 2000 litre brewhouse. This meant double brewing into our two sets of new 40 and 60 hectolitre fermenters,” said Thomas Palmer, co-founder and head brewer.

M

ondo Brewing Company has undertaken a brand refresh and increased capacity at its Battersea-

based brewery.

The London business has rebranded and in doing so, taken a bold approach in what is an “ever-more competitive visual landscape for craft beer”.

“We first started looking at how we could refresh the

Pan-European collaboration project to showcase 24 breweries

He added: “We’ve now traded up some of the remaining 20 hectolitre fermenters for two more of each of the 40 and 60 hectolitre fermenters, while adding a 60 hectolitre bright beer tank.

“This recent expansion allows Mondo to meet growing demand, both locally, internationally and with our esteemed restaurant partners.”

was such a shame that the positive messages of EU membership were largely drowned out.

“Back in the autumn, I saw an opportunity to remind everyone of the huge benefits we enjoy across Europe

A

pan-European collaboration, organised by Moor Beer

thanks to this unprecedented exercise in collaboration

and Thirsty Cambridge, has launched, designed to

between nations.”

showcase 24 of Europe’s great breweries.

Citizens of Everywhere brings together 12 breweries

Justin Hawke added: “As someone who chose to move to Europe and start my brewery in the UK, this topic is

from the UK with 12 outfits from countries such as Italy,

hugely personal. It was crucial for us to avoid a negative,

the Republic of Ireland, Belgium, Estonia and Sweden.

antagonistic tone in what we’re doing.

The beers will be officially launched at a series of

“Sure, we believe strongly that it’s a bad idea to leave

events across the UK and the continent on 22 March, as

the EU, but we don’t want to be political. At the heart of

well as being distributed to nearly 100,000 subscribers via

everything we’re doing is a positive message celebrating

Beer 52.

all the great things that can be achieved by working

Sam Owens, owner of Thirsty, explained: “The

together. This project uses beer as a medium for people

referendum campaign of 2016 was characterised by

to really internalise how we must continue building

so much negativity on both sides. I always thought it

bridges as people, as businesses and as nations.”

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March 2019

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Wild Beer Co add Millionaire to core can lineup, launches blended stout Fresh, Nebula, Sleeping Limes and Yokai.

Millionaire is brewed using speciality Munich Malt for its base, something the brewer said results in a fullmouthfeel despite the beer’s relatively low ABV. They add: “We use Valrhona Cacao Nibs to bring the chocolate element to the beer. These are re-nowned to be the highest quality available and because of this are used by chocolatiers and pastry chefs around the world.

“We source Cornish sea salt for the salty kick at the end of the beer that brings the salted caramel delight and finishes off the beer.

“Using lactose brings the milk in the milk-stout, sorry nope this beer isn’t vegan but it is one of the few of ours

W

ild Beer Co has added Millionaire, its 4.7% Salted

that isn’t. The lactose gives a silky smooth mouthfeel and

Caramel, Chocolate and Milk Stout to its range of

lush velvety sweetness in the beer.”

Wild beer Co has also launched B.A.B.S, or ‘Barrel-

core canned beers.

The Somerset-based business has broadened its

Aged Blended Stout’. The blend is made from four

family of 330ml canned beers with the addition of

different beers that have been aged over 12 months

Millionaire.

using four barrel types: Single Malt Whis-key, Bourbon,

The stout joins a portfolio that includes Bibble, Pogo,

Olorosso & Palo Catado Sherry, and Red Wine Barrels.

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WO R LD

Brewing in New Zealand now a $2.3bn industry Zealand mean there more breweries per capita (4.56 per 100,000) than the United Kingdom (3.04 per 100,000), Australia (2.10 per 100,000) and the United States (1.96 per 100,000). The brewing industry contributed $646 million to government last year in GST and Excise Tax, according to new research from the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research (NZIER). The institute said the brewing sector employed around 22,000 people with $242 million being spent on beer by international visitors.

Dylan Firth, executive director of The Brewers Association of New Zealand, explained: "It’s great to recognise how the brewing industry in New Zealand contributes to our economy. In the past few years we have seen a lot more excitement about beer and the growing range of styles and taste experiences it offers consumers; but to acknowledge what the industry contributes in an economic sense is important too.

“We boast 218 different breweries in this country, which is more per capita (4.56) than other similar beer markets such as the United Kingdom (3.04), Australia (2.10) and the

B

rewing in New Zealand is now a $2.3bn (£1.2bn)

United States (1.96). The opportunities for visitors to enjoy

industry with more breweries per capita than

the vast range of quality beers on offer certainly reflects in

both the UK and the USA. The 218 breweries in New

Tree House Brewing Co invests in farm and fermentation facility

how much is being spent.”

not limited to apples, peaches, pears, plums, cherries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, gooseberries, jostaberries, black currants, and more to service both fresh farm stand sales and our eclectic fermentation

M

assachusetts-based Tree House Brewing Co is set to undertake the latest stage of its expansion

program.

"In addition to pursuing a barrel room for the

with the opening of its Tree House Orchard & Farm

fermentation, conditioning, and fruiting of various

Fermentory.

beverages, we will be pressing fresh cider to be set aside

The operation will be housed on land south of

for fermentation and for fresh unpasteurized consumption

its Charlton, Massachusetts home. The 100 acres of

this fall in an exquisitely maintained, 1898 Boomer and

farmland in Woodstock, boats more than sixty acres

Boschert manual apple press, one of the few of its kind and

of agriculturally prime soil, grazing pasture for grass

beauty remaining in the world from an era long gone by.

fed cattle, an existing produce and flower program, an

“The Tree House Orchard & Farm Fermentory will

appreciable number of heirloom apple trees, and vast

give our passionate and experienced caretakers the

expanses of land to be cultivated and planted for many

opportunity to carry the legacy of an exceptional, long-

years to come, the company said.

working farm well into the future with the intent to protect

Nathan Lanier, co-founder of Tree House Brewing

& preserve the land - and pay homage to its long legacy

Co, explained in a blog post: “A major portion of the farm

through careful stewardship - while supplying our native

will be set aside for a long term orchard project and

fermentation related efforts with fresh, estate fruit grown

planted with fruit bearing bushes and trees, including, but

full of character and irreplicable terroir into the future.”

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Brewers Journal

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Carlsberg calls on Krones for PET filling system

C

arlsberg has commissioned Krones to supply a keg-filling system for its Fredericia facility, a site that

outputs more than 60 percent of the beer it brews for the Danish market.

The manufacturer has produced a line that enables Carlsberg to fill 20l disposable PET kegs for use with the brewery’s Draught Master system.

The Draught Master allows consumers to pour beers from PET kegs, which remain fresh for up to 30 days after tapping.

Capable of filling up to 500 containers an hour, PET preforms are moulded in the line by a stretch blowmoulding machine into 20-litre containers, and fed to the filler via AirCo conveyors.

The filler is a special machine from the Modulfill VFS series, with 18 specially modified large-size filling valves.

Since PET containers cannot be pre-evacuated, a blowing starwheel is inserted, through which the air in the containers is flushed out by means of carbon dioxide, thus preventing the filled beer from coming into contact

with high-precision filling accuracy, fully automatically, and very reliably.”

After being filled, the containers are transported in carriers suspended on belts.

A Variocart carton erector feeds in the cartons, and after the beverage kegs have been date-coded and

with oxygen.

Jeppe Holm-Jørgensen, senior line manager at the facility, said: “I’m very satisfied with the line. It operates

labelled, the Linapac II packer inserts four containers at a time in a carton before it continues through the process.

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birmingham

Brewers Lectures | birmingham Some of the industry’s finest brewers, brewery owners, events organisers and bottle shop innovators will be sharing their expertise and experiences at The Brewers Lectures in Birmingham this month.

T

KEY INFORMATION The Old Library Gibb Street, Birmingham B9 4AT

he Brewers Lectures take place in Birmingham on the 14th March and with it, talks from leading lights in the fields of

14 March 2019 15.30pm to 9pm

brewing, brewery ownership, retail and events planning.

Kicking off at 15:30 at The Old Library, the afternoon

will feature insightful and engaging lectures from Russell Bisset, founder of Leeds-based Northern Monk, Earth Station founder Jenn Merrick and Adnam’s brewer Ed Razzall.

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.

The event also involves excellent talks from Jen Ferguson, co-founder of London’s Hop Burns & Black,

Go to lectures.brewersjournal.info

Elusive Brewing owner Andy Parker and Sam Millard, the brand and communications manager at Beavertown.

proudly sponsored by

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March 2019

Brewers Journal

birmingham

b r e w e r s

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speakers Russell Bisset | Northern Monk Russell Bisset is the founder of Leeds-based Northern Monk. In five short years, the business has grown into one of the top 100 breweries in the world according to Ratebeer, and exports to 23 countries worldwide. Northern Monk has recently revamped its branding, broadened its core range of beers and in 2018, opened its second refectory bar, this time in Manchester.

Sam Millard | Beavertown Brewery Sam Millard is the brand and communications manager at Beavertown Brewery. Celebrating his fourth year with the North London business this April, Sam has helped develop Beavertown’s brand identities, as well as establish the brewery’s hugely successful Extravaganza event. Attracting the best part of 20,000 drinkers over the 2017 and 2018 events?

Not bad, not bad at all…

Jen Ferguson | Hop Burns & Black Jen Ferguson is the co-founder of London’s Hop Burns & Black. Priding itself of being home to “the world's greatest obsessions in one place”, the business specialises in craft beer, hot sauce and records, the business is one of the most respected in its field.

Andy Parker | Elusive Brewing Andy Parker is an award-winning home brewer, author and the owner of Berkshire-based Elusive Brewing. The brewery has made waves across the UK, producing beers that have one eye on tradition and the other on taking things to the next level. He's a bloomin' nice chap, too.

Jenn Merrick | Earth Station Jenn Merrick is an industry consultant to new and expanding craft breweries around the UK. She’s also a brewer and business manager with over 20 years’ experience running and growing innovative SME. Jenn, who has previously worked at Meantime, Dark Star and as director of operations at Beavertown, is also the founder of the Earth Station Brewery in East London’s Royal Docks, which will launch later this year.

Ed Razall | Adnam’s

brewersjournal.info

Ed Razzall is a brewer at Southwold-based Adnam’s. Ed, who holds a degree in Molecular Biology & Biochemistry from UCL, carries out most aspects of brewing, as well as being in charge of its barrel-aged beer project. With his team, Ed has helped ensure Adnam’s beers remain popular with drinkers new and old.

March 2019

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Co m m e nt

dear

john

Fuller’s and Asahi – An inside outside view The news of Asahi’s proposed acquisition of London-based Fuller’s sent shockwaves through the beer industry.

John Keeling, former head brewer at Fuller’s, says a great deal of uncertainty lies ahead but implores the new owners to make use of a great asset, a great team and to make Fuller’s better than ever.

the slow shift of Brewing margin into Retail margin. It had forced breweries to choose between pubs and breweries, they chose pubs.

That is where the power lay when it became a competitive market. Slowly the brewing margin ebbed away in an attempt to maintain volumes. It is an old adage which says don’t chase volume, chase margin or put it another way don’t be busy fools. Well Fuller’s did not want to be busy fools so lacking the distribution they took the sensible rational business decision to sell the brewery.

The only problem is that beer is not like that. Drinking

by john keeling

Fuller’s for some people is like supporting your local football team. Working for them you put your heart and

I

soul into because it’s doing something that isn’t just

London Pride, ESB and Chiswick.

marketplace and not from their brewery and the

joined Fuller’s in January 1981. At that time, Fuller’s

business, it is also putting your character into the team

produced about 70,000 barrels per year and it

which then directly influences the character of the beer. It

owned 90 pubs. Around 80% of the brewery’s beer

is a brewery not a factory as my old boss would say. The

went to their pubs while the rest went to free trade.

pubs now have lost their soul too, where will that business

Bottling mainly produced bottled Guinness, the

now go. Some pub managers feel that they have lost a

kegger mainly handled lager bought in under contract and the cask line, by far the biggest volume, produced I wondered why my phone was ringing at 7.15am. I

loved one.

They need to find their inspiration now from the marketplace can be a pretty soulless place. I wish them

was just about to switch the TV on to watch the news.

well and I hope the management can find that soul so

Who could that be? If I had not retired I would have

that they don’t become just another high street brand.

immediately thought something had gone wrong at the

Like the brewery, the pubs are a people business, where

brewery and I would be required onsite ASAP. Something

Fuller’s pubs are successful it’s because they put a

like that had periodically happened ever since I joined

characterful manager in the right pub. The examples are

Fuller’s in 1981 and indeed I had occasionally been the

many, The Churchill and The Red Lion, Barnes leap into

person making the phone call with the news that we had

my mind.

a power cut or something equally serious.

Not this time. It was Michael Turner and he had

But what of the people left in the brewery? Some of them will be made redundant and some will keep their

something important to tell me. The news washed over

jobs but now have new masters with a new vision. Does

me, I didn’t feel shocked or gutted, it just felt weird. I knew

that vision include a place for them or will they be lost

that the Board had been looking at options but I knew

in a corporate wilderness? This does mean unplanned

nothing about a deal from Asahi. I thought that something

change and this leads to worry and stress. Change is OK

like this would have to happen for the brewery to move

when it is you instigating it, but when it is unforeseen,

forward because investment and change was needed. I

then it can be a problem. Sure – it is a problem that can

had hoped, of course, that this investment would come

be managed, but still a problem.

from Fuller’s but in my heart, I knew that this was really wishful thinking.

If anything, the writing had been on the wall for some

Redundancy is not all bad. For some this comes at the right time and they are the lucky as for others the worry and stress will be unbearable. I feel for them all. I

time. The roots of this decision can be traced back to the

have spoken directly to a number and they all feel the

Monopolies and Mergers Act of 1989. This had started

same. They belonged to The Fuller’s family, now that has

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Brewers Journal

dear

changed. It is no longer the family they knew. That change has already happened and there is no going back.

Now what of the drinker? Some feel let down because they view everything that Fuller’s said about its independence as a lie. I can assure them that at the time everybody believed in what we were doing with the beer and with the brewery. This was not Fuller’s fattening up the business for a sale. It was Fuller’s trying to make a success of its business. The brewery was between a rock and a hard place.

Fuller’s was too big and not big enough. Others will bide their time looking for any change in the beer. To them I say beer cannot ever be 100% consistent, nor would it be a good thing if it were because then it would be boring. Instead, if it continues as it has and changes are at the brewers’ and yeasts’ commands rather than at the accountants then it will be fine. Good breweries should be brewer led.

In the short term the beer will definitely not change, but after that who knows because Asahi have yet to state its vision. If I was Asahi I would still brew all the interesting beers that give the brewers something to get their teeth into – I suspect they will prove very popular in Asahi’s home market, as are boutique Scotch whiskies. That inspires them and inspires them to make London Pride better too. It must remain a living brewery not a soulless factory. I am hopeful. People say Asahi has been good for

brewersjournal.info

john

co m m e nt

“

In the short term the beer will definitely not change but after that, who knows?

Pilsner Urquell – including people I respect greatly. They will want to drive the business forward and this can only be a good thing.

Lastly, I hope that Asahi realises that Fuller’s is a

unique business as most independent breweries are. This means that it is hard to apply formulas to it. Sure, Fuller’s has plenty to learn from Asahi but Asahi has things to learn from Fuller’s too. Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. Listen to the Fuller’s team and then form a strategy – rather than have a preconceived strategy.

Make use of a great asset and make Fuller’s better

than ever. u

Do you have a problem at your brewery you want John to help solve? Or a thought on the state of the industry?

Write to John: john@brewersjournal.info

March 2019

21

malt

Co m m e nt

Playing Tunes with Malt British maltsters provide an incredible palette of colours, flavours and aromas for craft brewers all over the world. The craft beer scene has never been so diverse, and brewers are experimenting with new or underutilised ingredients to make interesting tasty beers that will delight drinkers. Malt is at the forefront of this experimentation, argues Carl Heron, craft brewing sales manager at Crisp Malting Group.

by Carl Heron

M

alting is nothing new - the process has been around for thousands of years, with historical documents showing malted grains used to make beer in ancient Egypt and China. That

said, maltsters are still, millennia later, creating new and exciting malts, which in turn make for unique and interesting beers.

The process begins with steeping. Barley grains are

most flavoursome. Maris Otter is a prime example of this

soaked in water to increase the moisture content from

- unique tasting, and turning 52 years old this year – most

around 12% to around 46%, taking two days.

barley varieties last just five.

The barley is then moved to a germination floor or

Vienna & Munich Malt

vessel. Here the conditions are optimised for growth – with both air temperature and humidity under careful control to maximise enzymic activity. If left too long, the precious extractable sugars will be lost to the roots and shoots of the grain, so timing is imperative.

The grains are then transferred to the kiln, where they are suspended above streams of warm air to drive off the moisture and dry the malted barley until it is stable. The

I

f the malt is left on the kiln a little longer, deeper, more biscuity flavours can be developed. Used in golden lagers, pale ales, and milds, Vienna and Munich malts

have relatively low colours but much richer flavour.

Other speciality malts are produced in one of two

drying process determines the malt’s potential to produce

ways. Following germination, either the grains are stewed,

sugars in the brewhouse. It also controls the colour and

or roasted fully-malted from the kiln.

flavour of the finished malt.

Stewing Malt

Pale Malt

T

he majority of the malt in beers is pale malt. This has a sweet, slightly biscuity smell - think of Horlicks and you’re there! These can be made

from different varieties of barley, with each variety having its own subtle distinctions. Historic varieties tend to be the

22

S

tewing creates cara and crystal malts, bringing

March 2019

sweet caramelised and toffee flavours in varying degrees. The process activates the enzymes that

break down starches into sugar within the grains. These are then heated to cause the sugar to caramelise.

Cara malts are light crystal malts - adding body and

Brewers Journal

malt

co m m e nt

depth to beers. Lower colour crystals give lovely orange/

Perfect Tanks Perfect Beer Perfect Partners.

red hues to beer and bring toffee sweetness. Medium crystals become more complex and can impart flavours and aromas of forest fruits, as well as a caramel like flavour. As they effectively balance out the bitterness of hops, no bitter should be without them!

The darkest crystal malts begin to approach the realms of roasted coffee and treacle toffee. They are fabulous for porters, bringing deep ruby hues of colour to these wonderful beers.

Roasted Malt

T

he second process involves the roasting of fully malted grains in a drum. Browning reactions create warm toasty flavours and aromas, which increase

alongside colour with the roast.

Amber malt, the lowest coloured of this group of malts, has a warm, toast like aroma and flavour, working great in milds, best bitters, and light porters.

Brown malt begins to taste more roasted and has a dryness on the palate. This malt brings burnt biscuit aromas and flavours, making it perfect for traditional

Brett Ellis, The Wild Beer Co, Somerset, England

bitters, and of course brown ales.

Chocolate malt brings delicious dark bitter chocolate aspects to milds, porters and stouts.

Black malt is like a strong cup of black coffee, bringing a dryness and astringency along with deep roasted notes. When it comes to grains for brewing, the only thing stronger in flavour is roasted barley, used in the darkest stouts to bring burnt roast flavours and astringency.

ABUK is instrumental in helping many of today’s successful brewers progress and grow their businesses.

We supply New, Used or Bespoke STAES FERMENTATION & BEER TANKS

Play more tunes with you malt

T

hat’s a brief overview of barley malt, but that’s only scratching the surface of what’s possible. Brewers are now exploring other cereals varieties; wheat,

rye and oats can all be malted, and each bring their own unique qualities.

British maltsters provide an incredible palette of

THE BEER ENGINEERS

T (44) 01427 890099 E info@advancedbrewing.co.uk www.advancedbrewing.co.uk

UK Agents for:

colours, flavours and aromas for craft brewers all over the world. The craft beer scene has never been so diverse, and brewers are experimenting with new or underutilised ingredients to make interesting tasty beers that will delight drinkers. Malt is at the forefront of this experimentation. u

brewersjournal.info

NEW & USED TANKS BREWING EQUIPMENT BREWERY SPARES BREWERY DESIGN & SET-UP l

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l

March 2019

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track

The right side of the track Track Brewing Co drew upon global influences and in doing so, created a modern classic in the form of Sonoma.

And with the imminent arrival of a canning line, it’s about to take the next step in its journey.

by TIM SHEAHAN

T

he world of beer is one that refuses to be

explains. “You’d be camping at the side of the road, or be staying in a little motel, after a day’s cycling and travel into town looking for something to eat and a cold beer. Trust me, you really want a cold beer after all that cycling.”

He adds: “Each and every time you’d encounter a brewery. Some small, some not so small. Once I started seeing these places, I found myself actively seeking them out at each stage of my trip. There would be beer styles I have never seen or drank before, breweries that were new to me such as New Belgium and Russian River.

“But what was also just as engaging was the type of

restrained by geographical boundaries. It’s

people you’d find in these places. There were people

a rich tapestry of inspiration, influence and

from all across the spectrum drinking together. It inspired

imagination that’s as likely to bear witness

me and made me question why more places like this

to a US brewer looking lovingly at well-

didn’t exist back home in the UK.”

conditioned cask from the UK as it is a Northerner putting their own stamp on traditional German styles.

It’s improbable though that a North American expat brewing hoppy pales on a makeshift kit just outside San

A friend's wedding drew him back to the UK but instead of stopping there, Dyson was unable to shake the cycling bug.

“I should have thrown my bike into the sea at that point

Carlos de Bariloche, a town in Argentina’s Patagonia

and started brewing. But with none of my friends or family

region, is aware they played their own small part in

involved in that industry, I parked the idea and ended up

inspiring a visiting Brit to return home and start their own

spending another two and a half years cycling around the

brewery. But here we are, and such life experiences

world. New Zealand, Australia, Turkey, South America, the

would end up motivating Sam Dyson to throw himself

lot,” he recalls.

into the brewing industry and found his own outfit, Track Brewing Co, in 2014.

“When I was growing up, and through my time at

Just as breweries across North America captured his imagination, Dyson found inspiration in places he didn’t expect. Peru and Bolivia were home to microbreweries

university, I can’t say the drinking culture really sat well

producing a number of styles. As was the aforementioned

with me. The homogeneity of the beer available, and

town outside Bariloche.

the way people would consume it, didn’t really appeal,” explains Dyson.

But the combination of leaving a job that didn’t interest

But eventually, it was time for Dyson to return to the UK. His passion for beer remained but the landscape had started to change. BrewDog had since started business as

him, coupled with the ability to visit an uncle living on the

did Evin at The Kernel in London. Potential sites for what

West Coast of North America, would end up being the

would become Track Brewing Co fell through while the

catalyst that changed Dyson’s outlook on beer. He just

cost of starting a brewing business in London continued

didn’t know it yet.

to escalate. So Dyson ended up joining Camden Town

Dyson opted to traverse North America not by car or motorbike, but by cycling. 4,700 miles from the coast of Virginia through Washington state then eventually the Rockies and the coast down to San Francisco. A fairly circuitous route, as he recalls.

“In every state there were breweries in cities, towns," he

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March 2019

Brewery, becoming one of the first members of the brewing team in the process.

However, he just couldn’t shake the desire to have his own operation.

“It became obvious quite early on that London wasn’t going to be a viable location for the brewery. I’m from

Brewers Journal

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For a brewery like Track, and the wide variety of beers that we make, small pack is very important to us Sam Dyson, Track Brewing Co.

brewersjournal.info

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track

Chester originally and was up visiting my sister when it

from Track arrived in the February of 2015. Ozark, named

dawned on me. Manchester is such a big city.

after the Ozark Mountains that span a good 47,000 square

"It’s a cultural centre and somewhere I’m familiar with. So I made the decision to start Track there,” he remembers.

A year was spent putting together a business plan,

miles across Arkansas and Missouri, offered up a blueprint and direction of where Dyson wanted his beers to take.

“I wanted a beer to replicate some of my experiences in the States. Something that was light, drinkable but with

raising finance and securing the property in an area that

an eye on UK ABV sensibilities. At 4.4% it would be an

would become synoymous with brewing in Manchester.

easy drinking pale ale and a good starting point for Track

Brewing started on a Pureweld brewhouse, two 1,200 litre

Brewing Co,” he explains.

fermenters and a firm focus on cask beers.

“Operating in the North West, I believed that the best

Ozark was well received by local drinkers and Dyson was happy with the outcome but he already knew he

way to get into bars and pubs was through cask beer,”

wanted a beer that the brewery could “hang its hat on”.

says Dyson. “In my opinion, if you could make really good

This beer would come in at 3.8%, it would be a super

cask beer that would get you listed and then eventually,

drinkable, zesty pale that could work on cask as well as

people would allow you to make whatever you like

keg. That beer would become known as Sonoma.

because you’ve proven that you can make good beer. So that’s what I set out to do.”

Setting up in December 2014 saw Dyson visited by the

“I’m grateful that we could produce a beer that resonated with drinkers, especially locally. And to this day that beer accounts for around 50% of our production.

team at Cloudwater who were busy setting up their own

We sell it in cask, keg and also in bottle,” says Dyson. “But

operation just around the corner.

if you look at rating sites it’s probably one of our worst

“I’ll be honest, I wasn’t familiar with anyone apart from

performing beers on those platforms. It’s a crossover beer.

James Campbell (formerly of Marble, Cloudwater and

It’s something appreciated by brewers and also an older

now SSV Limited),” he says. “But before I knew it, they

drinker that has spent their life drinking cask.”

were helping me build the cold store!”

With that done and dusted, the first beer to emerge

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March 2019

Dyson says Sonoma has allowed Track Brewing Co to grow as a business. What started out as an operation with

Brewers Journal

“ track

two FVs is now one with 16. And yet, they still can’t make enough beer. But they’re doing their level best to do so.

Team Track in 2019 includes Dyson who says his role is “Chief panicker, painter, driller and everything inbetween”. Head brewer Matt Dutton has just celebrated his second year at the brewery while Will Harris joined in 2018, leading the brewery’s sour and barrel-aged output.

Lewis Horne joined from Northern Monk and heads up the cellaring side of the brewery while Harry Clouston recently graduated from Heriot-Watt University handling packaging and a myriad of other roles. The team is completed by Stefan Melbourne, who heads up sales and marketing.

While cask and keg continue to play an integral role for the brewery, it’s small pack where Dyson and the team see the major growth opportunity.

“For a brewery like Track, and the wide variety of beers that we make, small pack is very important to us.

It’s the reason we bought a Meheen bottling line from Cloudwater 18 months ago. Something that has been very good for us,” says Dyson. “But going forward, canning will play a much larger part of what we do here.”

Dyson highlights his observations and experiences working with breweries such as Deya, Left Handed Giant, North Brewing Co, Verdant, Cloudwater and Wylam.

“You speak amongst yourselves and learn from others. We’ve not seen a drop off of bottle sales as we

brewersjournal.info

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Sooner or later you'll come back around, square the circle, and realise self distribution is the way to go Sam Dyson, Track Brewing Co.

never produced that many to begin with. But we know we can do far more by canning our beer,” he explains.

“As a brewery we like keeping things in-house. We like the control that gives. In my opinion, you can't run the risk of the potential problems and issues that can arise when you’re allowing others to do it for you. If you can shout about your successes, then you should be able to pinpoint your problems, too.”

Before settling on the upcoming canning line

investment, Dyson did his due diligence on what would work best for Track. And he identified some parallels in the brewing world that also exist in his other passion, the

March 2019

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world of cycling.

“There are a lot of strange and interesting people in beer. I see that in cycling, too. For a long time in cycling, you’d also have entry level bikes and the stupidly expensive ones,” he says. “There was a floating middle that was under-serviced and suddenly manufacturers

Track opted for a machine from Micro Can in Bolton.

It has a rated speed of 1,500 cans an hour but Dyson anticipates the brewery will run it closer to the 1,000 mark.

“We are sensitive and cautious like that. That’s just how we are,” he laughs.

Once the line is up and running, the business expects

saw the opportunity and started building and selling bikes

to sell much more of its beer directly. From the brewery

with components and specifications that came from the

itself and through its online shop. Either way, it's fresh

much higher-end models to that middle ground. Bikes

beer into more people’s hands and increased revenues

that are incredibly popular.”

directly back into the brewery.

It’s something he also sees in the world of canning

Dyson adds: “Track was built on local distribution and

lines. Dyson feels that the cheapest available were often

we have a loyal following. So if we can serve the local

not worth the investment while the top end ones were

market with fresh beer then we're doing what we set out

in-line with buying a house.

to do. Using distribution has many purposes but I feel

“Manufacturers started to see that breweries frequently

that you get to the point where you realise that there are

reinvested into the business and that there was an

better margins and levels of control through doing things

appetite for canning lines in that mid-range, much like in

yourself.

cycling,” he explains.

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“Even if it doesn't strike you when you first start out,

Brewers Journal

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driving around with those few casks hoping someone

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And many of those beers are collaborations.

will support you and take your beer, sooner or later you'll

Collaborations between UK breweries and also those

come back around, square the circle, and realise self

further beyond. Long may it continue, according to Dyson,

distribution is the way to go.”

but only if they’re done for the right reasons.

The investment in a canning line is arguably one of,

He explains: “There’s no point putting out one of your

if not the biggest, step change in Track’s four years in

normal beers with a new label on. I’ve learnt untold

business. What is currently a split of 30% cask production

amount of things. You don’t work with breweries such as

and 70% keg is expected to transit to 50% canned output

Wylam, Garage Beer Co, Deya, Cloudwater, Admundsen

and a 25/25 split between cask and keg.

or Verdant and not learn something. And hopefully

Cans will become the new go-to for many of Track’s beers, which include the burgeoning number of collaborations it takes part in.

“It’s important to learn from those you admire, those

they’ve learnt something from us, too.

“It might not be something regarding hops, malt and yeast, but instead water chemistry and other process expertise. For a lot of breweries it's about making new

around you. It’s understandable to have a sense of beer

friends and contacts, drilling down to ask what you get

fatigue every so often, but what reassures me is that at

from each project and challenging yourself to create the

the heart of it all, there is a lot of very, very good beer

types of beer that people will enjoy.

out there. There are breweries across the UK producing genuinely excellent beer.”

brewersjournal.info

“And if you’re a brewery that’s making beer people enjoy, then you’re doing something right in my opinion.” u

March 2019

29

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Heading to CBC in Denver? Come and find out more about our new range of products at booth no 5143 www.aroxa.com

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Craft Brewers Conference 2019 The Craft Brewers Conference and BrewExpo America return in 2019 and this year the event comes to Denver. 13,000 brewing professionals are expected to descend on Colorado for more than 70 educational seminars, 800 exhibitors and much more.

BeerEx

B

eerEx is Czech company, which supply the complex ingredients for the brewers. Among core activities are deliveries of the hops and malts to

the customers from the brewing industry. We offer to the customers many different varieties of the flavour, aroma and bitter hops from Czech Republic, Germany and

by tim sheahan

others EU countries. To meet growing customers demand we are constantly widening the range with the high

F

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ollowing successful events in Washington

BrauKon

DC, Nashville and Philadelphia in recent years, the latest iteration of the Craft Brewers Conference and BrewExpo America comes to Denver, Colorado in 2019.

Organised by the Brewers Association, the event is

designed to connect small and independent craft with

Here are some of the exhibitors not to miss at this year’s event.

brewersjournal.info

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rauKon delivers turnkey brewery systems dedicated to craft breweries worldwide. Our 30 master brewers and engineers plan, design

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March 2019

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risp supply a diverse range of high quality malts

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rewNinja is the all-in-one brewery management software dedicated for craft breweries of all sizes.

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We strongly believe that to supply the best malt to our

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feature rich platform, accountants alike enjoy our deep

Five x 5

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Cara Technology

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ince 2014, FIVE x 5 Solutions has been working with brewers to reduce the headaches of running a brewery. BREW x 5 keeps track of everything

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Kegspeed

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Crisp Malt 32

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Brewers Journal

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faucet, and how often it is being pulled. This new product for handles takes advantage of KegSpeed's existing remote monitoring system for kegs. The KegSpeed system is wireless, automatic and real-time. For breweries that own their kegs, KegSpeed costs less to deploy and operate than what is typically spent replacing lost kegs.

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Simpsons Malt

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impsons Malt is the most sought-after malt, and used by the world’s finest Brewers. Exceptionally high quality malt made from a superior grade of

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onejet is a powerful digital print technology designed to meet the needs of the metal decorating industry. Using our patented state of

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brewersjournal.info

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

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f i ltrat i on

Is the filter really to blame?

Filter blockages can be frustrating, time-consuming and have a detrimental impact on beer production. Dr Carolyn Heslop, technical support team leader at Parker Bioscience Filtration, puts a blockage issue under the microscope. by dr carolyn heslop

I

f you are employing sterile filtration technology, do

waterways and soils), the hard shells of which are rich in

you find your beer line filters block regularly? Are

silica.

you spending valuable time and money replacing filters, only to see them block again and stall your beer production process?

It may not be the fault of the filters you are using. The

problem can often lie elsewhere.

And in one case recently addressed by Parker

It was the high level of this substance which was causing the filters to block.

We discovered that due to increased demand for its beer products during the summer, the brewery had switched the line over to a beer line which was not being filtered by the Prepor NG products and instead was being

Bioscience Filtration’s Technical Support Group (TSG) the

passed straight through the Bevpor BR filters. This beer

problem had its origins millions of years ago…

contained a high level of diatomaceous earth – but the

We were working with a European brewery which was using technology supplied by Parker Bioscience Filtration

process was not being protected from this substance by the Prepor NG filters.

to perform sterile filtration of its beer products.

What is the lesson here?

The brewery was using 126 30-inch Parker Bioscience Filtration Bevpor BR filters to remove yeast and other spoilage organisms to ensure microbial stability of its products – and was also employing our Prepor NG filters upstream for pre-stabilization. These provide fully validated yeast removal and bacterial reduction for the brewery.

The filters had been successfully trialled and had been operating without any issues for a considerable period of time. However, the brewery then alerted us to the fact

B

reweries need to be aware that process changes can have an impact on the effectiveness and lifespan of the filters that they are using – with

the subsequent impact being increased downtime (while filters are removed and replaced) and increased operational costs.

If you are planning to change your process fluid, before

that the BEVPOR BR filters were starting to block much

commencing sterile filtration of a beer product, you

earlier than they would have normally expected.

should consider the consequences of this for its current

We removed the affected Bevpor BR filters from the brewery and performed an in-depth blockage analysis.

This process included dissecting the filters to examine the filter membrane and media in more detail.

By using a scanning electron microscope, we could

filtration system and the level of protection that should be provided by upstream filtration systems.

It could help you avoid a great deal of frustration in the long run…

Dr Carolyn Heslop is a BSc Hons qualified Chemist

see that there was a high level of diatomaceous earth

with a PhD in Analytical Chemistry. She has more than 18

present on the membrane. Diatomaceous earth consists

years’ experience working in the food & beverage industry

of fossilized remains of diatoms (algae found in oceans,

in technical and scientific roles. u

34

March 2019

Brewers Journal

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Th e

B i g

I nte rv i e w

L ogan

P lant

Beavertown Beaverworld and Beyond Beavertown will throw open the doors to its new brewery, Beaverworld, early next year. Capable of producing up to a mind-bending 500,000hl per annum, the facility is the culmination of a journey seven years in the making. Here, Logan Plant, founder of Beavertown, tells all.

otherworldly. It has been years in the making and the goal has been to do something that I feel is unique to the industry here in the UK,” he explains. “The scale is beyond my dreams as a humble homebrewer back in the day. We wanted to work with the best in the business, and we’ve been able to do that. It’s a fortunate position to be in.”

The notion of expansion, of growth, has been on Plant’s agenda since starting the business back in 2011.

From a home brewer, to kit at Duke’s Brew and Que,

by Tim Sheahan & velo mitrovich

Hackney Wick and then Tottenham Hale, Beavertown has been defined by growth. And the latest chapter of that

B

story has involved the addition of another character in the

And in 2019, Beavertown will have a second place to call

given ourselves with this wonderful brewery and brand

home, too.

has allowed us to work with the best,” he says. “You look

y next year, the evolving, mutating

form of Heineken. The brewing giant took a minority stake

landscape that is the UK brewing industry

in the London business last year and with it, has helped

will have transformed once more. In

inform the way Plant, his wife Bridget and Beavertown

London in particular, where there were a

approach the future.

handful of breweries when Beavertown

“The world has become a small place. We’ve all

opened back in 2011, is now home to in excess of 100.

worked hard in this business so the opportunity we’ve

Beaverworld will be able to output up to 500,000hl

back around two, two and a half years ago when we were

per annum from its new brewery, which will be housed in

expanding in Tottenham. We would be putting all the

a 129,000sqft building on a six acre plot in Ponders End.

money back into Stainless Steel but we were faced with

The build, which commenced earlier this year, comprises

the unavoidable issue of running out of space. We were

space for a brewhouse, packaging, warehouse, logistics

limited by where to go next.”

hub, offices and visitor centre.

It’s a major project and one that will mark yet

At that juncture, it became clear that further expansion at the Tottenham Hale site was a no-go. A hurdle that

another milestone in the evolution of London’s brewing

many breweries face when that adjacent unit is no longer

landscape. Only 500 metres down the road from Camden

available, or the idea of just squeezing in just one more

Town Brewery’s facility, Enfield will be home to two

FV is shot down. So several years ago, Plant and Bridget

brewing powerhouses. And for Logan Plant, founder of

looked at the options available. But the plans that would

Beavertown, he can’t wait to get started.

have cost £10m became £20m and then £30m, and then

“The dream has always been to create something

36

March 2019

£40m…..

Brewers Journal

They asked themselves what can they do and how can they do it. Plant says It was very clear to Bridget and he that they would maintain control, regardless of who they worked with. They wanted the support but to be allowed to crack on, too.

He adds: “We spoke to seven or eight different groups.

We had close to a year of conversations, understandings red lines, limits and opportunities. And we arrived at a partner in Heineken that ticked all of those boxes that we wanted.

“They were very clear about the red lines. Their expertise and routes to market were there for all to see. On a human level there was a connection, too. We needed to work with like-minded individuals, people with a good heart.”

So with these positive conversations and the opportunity there to take, Plant had to make the decision of a lifetime.

“I didn't want to stand still I didn't want our team to stand still. I believed we had a once in a lifetime opportunity,” he says. “So why would I, in my right mind, sit still and stagnate. I can’t be content with that, I’m not that kind of guy. I'm driven by making a difference every day

brewersjournal.info

“

Why would I, in my right mind, sit still and stagnate? I can’t be content with that, I’m not that kind of guy Logan Plant, Beavertown

and what we do, how we do it, and who we do it with.”

Plant adds: “The aspirations of what we wanted those

few years back could probably have been raised through the bank or asset finance. But when the scope of the project grew, we knew we needed to look bigger.

“My blood is Gamma Ray blue and Lupuloid pink. To

stay in control, but benefit from the expertise Heineken offered was a no-brainer.”

Such support manifests itself in the ability to brew

March 2019

37

something close to 88 million pints a year. Something that

He explains: “Have I stayed sane? Some would have

Plant finds daunting, but exciting. Just don’t ask him to

their doubts. I have an amazing wife in Bridget. She

think of those volumes in Olympic-sized swimming pools,

is everything, and I have amazing kids who are the

that’s when the panic sets it.

backbone of everything we do. That is so important.

“My saying over the last three or four years is that

“I was in two bands before opening the brewery. Being

our mission is to get great beer on every street corner,

a musician is not too dissimilar to being in beer. You have

working with the best people that we can, and to bring as

to give everything to be a musician as it’s your art, and I

many people on that journey as possible,” he says, “We

classify brewing as an art. Music taught be how far I could

want to elevate the reputation of brewing in London, in

push myself mentally, and also how far I could push

the UK. The penetration of craft beer in the UK is still five

Bridget and the family unit. Sure, I’ve got more grey hairs

or six percent. Then you look to the US and it’s maybe 15.

now, and there were sleepless nights and anxiety. I feel

There is still a long, long way to go.”

like we’ve held it together, but it’s been touch and go at

Beavertown has changed a lot since 2011. Both in

times.”

bricks and mortar and the people that make up its team.

Plant’s realisation that during his first four years of

A starting budget of £300,000 allowed Plant to invest in

Beavertown, he was away from home more than when

kit and kitchen equipment for its Duke’s Brew and Que

he was in the music industry was a turning point. As a

brewpub in London. But for Plant, it’s the people that have

singer, a dedication to keeping his voice in top condition

played the biggest part in his journey.

meant a moderate alcohol consumption, something that's

“Starting out with people like Nick Dwyer, our creative director, and James Rylance on the brewing side made all the difference,” he explains. “If you can bring in people

easier said then done when representing the brewery at countless festivals, takeovers and other events.

“In one year of Beavertown I was on the road for

that share your drive and determination, people that want

nearly 200 days so I had to dial that back in. It was a true

to make a difference, people that have that skill set. It

crossroads. I’m still Mr Beaver, just singing from a different

changes everything.

hymn sheet now!” he laughs. “You have to be very

It hasn’t always been plain sailing, though. Like any growing business, it can take its toll on the human side of the equation.

38

March 2019

conscious of your surroundings, the people, and I'm very lucky to have a strong family around me.”

And the future is bright.

Brewers Journal

“

L ogan

From a technical perspective, Beaverworld will house some of the leading brewing technology on the planet.

A Krones Steinecker Brewhouse will deliver a maximum capacity of 500,000hl per annum and allow the team to brew in 150hl batches. The five vessel brewhouse features a Variomill, Mash Conversion vessel, Lauter Tun, Wort Kettle, Whirlpool and an Equitherm energy recovery system. The manufacturer is supplying 38 fermentation maturation tanks ranging from 150hl – 600hl in size along with centrifuge, filtration and an automated dry hopping dosing system.

On the canning front, an automated KHS can line offers capacity to fill up to 30,000 cans per hour (330ml). This increased firepower will enable Beavertown to brew more beer and more beers, than ever before.

Plant explains: “Gamma Ray, Neck Oil and Lupuloid will be the heroes for forever and a day. These are the beers that built the house, but we will of course be looking a new beers expanding both the core and the seasonals, too.

“There’s a lot of beer styles we haven’t brewed before such as low and no-alcohol numbers. As I get older, the hangovers get worse so I try not to drink too much during the week. If I can find a good low ABV beer then I like to sit on those as much as possible!”

Although Beaverworld will be capable of production that many, many breweries can only dream of, Plant still

P lant

Th e

B i g

I nte rv i e w

You need to approach what you do with absolute conviction and determination Logan Plant, Beavertown

considers himself, and the business, very much part of the burgeoning UK brewing scene.

“Whether you’re starting a brewery tomorrow, or been in the game for years, you need to approach what you do with absolute conviction, determination and to ask yourself how you can differentiate yourself from those around you,” says Plant. “You don’t need to start out wanting to make a Gamma Ray, a Jaipur or a Punk IPA. You need to ask how you can apply yourself and convey your inner personality in the beer you make. Because it’s an expression of your personality, after all.”

He adds: “Look for that freedom and flexibility to express yourself. Don’t feel like there are boundaries, break down those boundaries and look beyond them!” u

Listen to the full interview on the Brewers Journal Podcast Find it on Apple Podcasts, Google, Spotify, Stitcher or wherever your get your podcasts Go to: brewerspodcast.reby.media

brewersjournal.info

March 2019

39

Fo cu s

brand i ng

Take your brand in the right direction

The beer marketplace is more competitive than ever. So it’s imperative that your branding does all it can to help elevate your brewery, beer and values to the potential drinker. Because for all we know, they could become your next biggest fan.

it was apparent that the brewery’s name played no part in that buying decision, it was one that was actually unbeknownst to the drinker. But the branding of their beer helped shift that can from the shelf and out the door.

Via the till, of course.

Equally, there is no silver bullet when it comes to branding. For the understated class of every label from The Kernel or Little Earth Project, you have the chaotic brilliance of Wild Weather Ales or the ethereal beauty

by TIM SHEAHAN

of Siren Craft Brew. What works for one brewery doesn’t work for the other. You could apply the same to many

I

drinkers’ aesthetic leanings, too.

nor the style of beer they had in their hand.

that takes.

was in a bottle shop a couple of weeks back. A few

Breweries continue to invest to bring bottling and more

customers came in looking for a few beers to take

commonly, canning, in-house. Contract operations also

out. Within about 30 seconds, one of the group

continue to play an essential role in enabling breweries

swiftly gravitated towards one of the many fridges

to supply small pack far and wide. These opportunities

and made a beeline for one of the various beers

are complemented by a wealth of labelling, printing and

available.

At this point they didn’t know the brewery in question, “Look at how great the artwork is!” they asked their friends. An opinion they validated.

In that moment, how great the beer was, who made it, or the ABV of the beverage was irrelevant.

The artwork had won the sale and you could argue,

embellishment technologies that help promote your message, brand and identity. Regardless of what tone “When a potential customer is browsing through different products, considering their purchase, your label is your opportunity to speak to the individual and convince them to buy your product instead of one of your competitors,” explains CS Labels. “This means that

had done its job. Granted, it just so happened that the

you want to explain all the reasons why you are different

beer style also appealed to the consumer that day. But

and unique, what could be more unique than your brand

40

March 2019

Brewers Journal

AFTER THE STORM

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immediately draw us to a bottle.

story?"

CS Labels has enjoyed great success supplying

We live in a visual society. Beer, is a product that

breweries, especially with its peel and reveal products

appeals principally to the senses of smell and taste,

utilised so effectively by Leeds-based Northern Monk.

however it relies on its one purely visual component—the

These digitally-printed labels that can be peeled to reveal

label—to attract consumers.

additional information. This makes it an ideal choice for

First and foremost, a label must meet strict legal

businesses that want to include information regarding

standards, the name must appear, then details about

the ingredients used in their product, information about

alcohol content, warning messages, and ingredients. After

the business, or perhaps information for a competition or

that criteria is met, labels are all about the messaging,

other promotional event.

stated and understated, that the brewery wants to convey.

For Ben Stokes, MD at Bristol Labels, what remains at

As a supplier of printed labels, I’m no different to any

the core for many breweries is a high quality label that is

other potential customer, I stand in front of shelf of beer

cost effective and delivered on time. But one particular

looking for something that catches my attention. A label

finish he’s seen regular requests for is the sandpaper

that makes me want to grab the bottle for a closer look.

varnish on the labels it prints that are then applied to cans.

But as a printer of labels, I have to study every millimetre of a bottle’s label, front and back, for the visual appeal, originality of decoration and overall quality that the label

The importance of great labelling

represents.

Qualitative data confirm labels impact purchase

A

ccording to OPM Group, brewers have unique

decisions The product label does attract consumer attention

stories of how their recipes, breweries and

and drive purchase intent, according to a new study

processes bring their best product consumers.

conducted by Package InSight at Clemson University and

By using eye-catching labels, branding and graphics, brewers can tell the story and connect with consumers and influence purchase decisions.

Before even tasting a beer, labels are what

brewersjournal.info

sponsored by a leading material manufacturer.

Participants were asked the following question: How important is the label during your purchasing decision and why?

March 2019

41

Fo cu s

brand i ng

and also within the range of products offered under the same brand, yet stands out in a sea of competing bottles on a retail shelf.

Decoration comes in a number of forms – Screen is effective on clear labels for a raised appear-ance. Cold and hot foiling offer metallic distinction in a number of colours. Embossing and deboss-ing are affective in offering a more traditional appeal.

Relevant Information Look for this on the back label. Most breweries don’t update the details every year, because it’s extra work and requires further government approval. But if you love beer, isn’t it interesting to learn the details that went in to produce the taste? How and who brewed it, where the Some of the responses follow: “Label can be the aesthetic quality that engages you to pick up or interact with a product – definitely important."

“It’s very important to me – unless it’s a brand that I’ve

ingredients came from, organic credentials, recipes that could use the beer?

The list of relevant changeable information is almost inexhaustible. But has it been carefully curat-ed and

had before and I know what I’m getting. I won’t purchase

clearly displayed? This can be done by adding a peel

another brand unless the packaging attracts me."

able part to the label that provides additional information,

"The label catches my eye when I’m in the store so I’m more inclined to buy it."

“Very. There are so many options that I tend to stick

underneath or offers a detachable coupon. Imagination, that’s what sepa-rates great labels from average ones.

Differentiation is driven by substrate materials

with my favourite type of beer and labels that catch my

providing a distinctive look that captures customer

eye or else I’m stuck looking there forever.”

awareness.

“Very important because I know I’m guilty of 'judging a

A wide variety of papers, films and specialised

book by its cover.' I either buy beer that I’ve had and know

materials are available to accommodate the most

is good or I try something because it intrigues me."

innovative craft beer label ideas. These choices are

The vast majority of labels are adequate, some

available for both beer can labels and beer bottle labels

however fall into one of three categories—the good, the

include clear-on clear films, metallised papers and

bad and the ugly. These are subjective impressions and I,

films, glossy bright white materi-als, laminated foils and

of course, don’t let the label impact the initial evaluation

traditional uncoated papers – all in a vast range of colours

of the beer.

and textures.

So what makes a label stand out, let’s start with ugly.

This shelf impact study white paper mentioned earlier

Is the branding clear, is it printed well - Are the images

showcased the head-turning impact of sub-strates in

blurred? Is the label colour mismatched to the rest of the

helping craft beer brands stand out - gauging which

packaging across the range?

substrate held a customer’s attention the most the results

The label material looks cheap? It doesn’t have

were 1st high gloss finish, then wood veneer effect with

additional decoration for a premium feel – em-bossing

third place customers taking a shine to metallised film.

or foiling? If there are too many “yes” answers to those

46% thought metallised labels were the most expensive

questions, it’s an ugly label.

option. The study found a strong correlation between

Bad labels fail in other ways. They are often ugly, but

fixation duration and product selection

also fail to convey any useful information other than the

Summary

bare requirements. The bottle should explain as much as possible about the beer inside.

What constitutes a great label

S

helf impact is a major concern for all brand owners – especially within a growing and crowded

W

industry like craft beer. Brewers have unique

e all have our own tastes, but as far as

stories of how their recipes, breweries and processes

Beer labels go, I’d bet that there’s a lot of

bring their best product consumers. By using eye-

agreement. When purchasing a beer for the

catching labels, branding and graphics, brewers can tell

first time or choosing to try a different brand what do we

the story and connect with consumers and influence

consider? A decorative front label that’s attractive by itself

purchase decisions. u

42

March 2019

Brewers Journal

ON DEMAND CAN APPLICATORS

brand i ng

fo cu s

Don’t rush your brand identity Great brand design is subjective and means different things to different people. But the marketing landscape is challenging and when your identity is right, it will be a much more enjoyable place to navigate, explains Lisa Desforges, Strategy Director, B&B Studio.

the trust of marketing-savvy audiences who are quick to dismiss irrelevant or inauthentic brands, or simply those they find irritating.

For a brand to make an impact, its story and mission need to be clearly defined. What is your brand’s reason for being – why does it matter? Does it solve a challenge or offer something entirely unique? Is there a social or ethical mission? Or do you simply create a delicious, refreshing and authentic craft beer?

by LISA Desforges

C

onsumer desire within the thriving beer

Only once this purpose is defined can you begin to build the core brand identity. It is the foundation upon which the complete brand world will be designed.

For example, with alcohol-free beer brand Infinite

market continues to be strong, especially

Session we created the brand’s philosophy – that beer is

for craft and small batch breweries. And

bigger than booze – along with a name that focuses on the

whilst there is a wealth of opportunities for

social experience, with or without alcohol. This unapologetic

both new and existing brands in the face

attitude is combined with bold, confident branding for a

of growing demand, this heightened competition means

refreshing take on the standard category codes.

that brands are having to work harder than ever to stand out.

Engage in two-way conversation

As new brand creation specialists, every craft brewer we meet is ‘passionate about beer’ and ‘dedicated to their craft’. But when your consumer is faced with a wellstacked bar or supermarket aisle full of options, how can you make sure this passion and commitment cuts through the noise?

O

ver the past few years there has been a dramatic shift in the power balance between brands and consumers. People are no longer passive

recipients of a brand’s product and message. They

Be clear about your brand purpose

I

n today’s fragmented, two-way marketing landscape, brand identity has never been so important. It is the way a brand communicates, both visually and verbally,

and needs to have the power to sustain lifelong growth and ambitions.

As a category, beer has become so saturated that many of the traditional design codes and conventions have now disappeared. And this presents challenges as well as opportunities.

Modern brands must work harder than ever to gain

brewersjournal.info

Seek to understand the emotional drivers that unite your consumer groups Lisa Desforges, B&B Studio

March 2019

45

Fo cu s

brand i ng

are active collaborators and seek out brands that both understand them and listen to them.

Many brands are embracing this with gusto. Some rely on consumer feedback to shape their products and services. For others, crowdfunding enables consumers to become stakeholders themselves. BrewDog is, of course, a great example of this model, with its Equity for Punks programme having generated in excess of £50 million funding to date.

This two-way conversation means that brands now need to connect with their consumers on a higher emotional level. As public mistrust in traditional institutions continues to rise, services such as entertainment and social responsibility are falling within the domain of brands.

This presents a fantastic opportunity as consumers increasingly align themselves with brands that they feel

Authenticity isn’t an aesthetic

reflect their own values.

Gone are the days of looking at your consumers as a demographic. Seek to understand the emotional drivers that unite your consumer groups so that you can craft an engaging, relevant brand identity that connects on a higher level. This is the basis of a long-standing consumer-brand relationship.

Your brand identity should empower you to be free

W

alk down your local supermarket aisle and you’ll see a mass of duplicate products from unremarkable brands. But there is a role for

the right sort of brand. One that has a true purpose and reason for being. Brands that matter. And there’s a real appetite from consumers for authentic brands – those they can trust.

The thing to remember is that great brand design is subjective and means different things to different people.

But the marketing landscape is challenging and when

I

n such a competitive category, start-up brands are

your identity is right, it will be a much more enjoyable

having to think about their long-term goals from day

place to navigate. u

one. Are you happy sitting behind the bar at your

consumers’ local pub or is national – or international – expansion on the cards? By setting strong foundations for your visual and verbal identity, you will keep the door open to greater levels of growth in time.

Points to consider

Brands are living, breathing entities. Your visual identity needs to have the power to flex depending on who

u Define the story and mission of your

you are talking to and when. Although grounded in an

brand u Ask why does your brand matter? u Connect with consumers on an emotional level u Set strong foundations for your visual and verbal identity u Great brand design is subjective and means different things to different people

overarching positioning, you will likely need the ability to be spontaneous and creative – especially when limited editions and collaborations come calling.

This spontaneity will be empowered by the optimum brand positioning and identity. A strong visual identity will set you free to showcase the individuality of new brews, collaborations and different elements of your personality.

Just make sure that everything points back to that core brand purpose.

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March 2019

Brewers Journal

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brand i ng

fo cu s

Get things right the first time out If someone could offer you a free service that helped keep your marketing creative and compliant, allowing your sales to flourish, you’d take it? That’s exactly what the Portman Group is offering to help the craft sector grow, explains Alistair Taylor from the group’s Advisory Service.

beers. They tell us that it’s not just a beer, it’s a passion project which reflects the character of the company.

It’s why, when a complaint gets upheld by the Independent Complaints Panel (ICP), it’s impact can hurt.

It’s important to say clearly and loudly that we don’t want to see complaints come in about craft beer. We want craft beer to be a part of a diverse, innovative and dynamic industry. The Portman Group Code is designed to enable producers to be creative without causing

by Alistair taylor

W

confusion or harm to the public.

To achieve this, beers must stay on shelves and to stay on shelves they need to be compliant with all the

ith the popularity of craft beer

rules, not just the Portman Group codes but the Food

exploding, there are now

Information Regulations and the CAP Code, to name but

thousands of new brands on

a few.

shelves. Like with any sector, the more brands pop up in

supermarkets and corner shops, the more people see them. If the designs are bright, colourful and idiosyncratic, they’ll grab shoppers’ attention.

But if those shoppers think that designs appeal to

Get the designs right and not only can a brand flourish but the brewer will avoid contesting a complaint and redesigning the name or label.

And we are doing everything we can to help, for free.

We’ve been speaking at events like the Brewers Congress and Craft Beer Rising, giving brewers an insight

children or look too much like soft drinks, they’ll complain

into how we can help them balance compliance with

to us.

creativity.

While most brands have been getting it right, a few

Our key offer to brewers of all sizes is our free, fast and

haven’t, and complaints have been upheld and the drinks

confidential Advisory Service. If brewers send us their

have had to be redesigned – often at great cost.

packaging, our team can check it against the rules and

We recognise that craft labels are often bolder,

past ICP decisions and, within 48 hours, tell them whether

brighter and more risk taking. New brewers don’t have

it is likely to comply with the Code or not. All being well,

large marketing budgets so their names and labels have

we can give them that reassurance that, even if someone

to work harder to stand out on shelf. They also don’t have

does complain about their drink, it would be unlikely to be

the legal teams that can scrutinise every word and image

upheld.

and advise them on how to comply with the rules and regulations.

We also recognise that new brewers put their heart and soul – and sometimes their life savings – into their

brewersjournal.info

They can email their names, labels and promotions to advice@portmangroup.org.uk or call us on 020 7290 1460. We also have useful guidance notes on each Code rule that can be downloaded from our website. And, if the

March 2019

49

Fo cu s

brand i ng

groups are large enough, we can offer free training on the Codes.

Ahead of approaching our Advisory team, what are the major areas to be aware of?

Alcoholic nature

O

ur Advisory Service can tell brewers whether the ABV and alcohol descriptors are prominent enough on cans and bottles. Designs which use

elements commonly seen on soft drink cans or which use childish names, cartoons or flavourings could all be problematic. So we’re here to give clarity.

Illustrations

W

e recognise that bold, edgy illustrations are a useful way of grabbing people’s attention.

Just as above, brewers need to take care to

make sure their designs don’t have a particular appeal to under-18s. Yes, they can use illustrations, bright colours and humour because all those elements are enjoyed across generations. It’s when brands use elements which have a disproportionate appeal to children that problems arise.

To give a few recent cases as examples, while Beavertown’s Gamma Ray was found to comply with the Code because the graphic novel style illustrations were dark, adult and retro, brands like Tiny Rebel’s Cwtch fell foul of the rule because the Panel considered a teddy

Alistair Taylor speaking at the 2017 Brewers Congress

bear in a hoody on a primary-coloured background appealed to children.

Likewise, Drygate’s Disco Fork Lift Mango Pale Ale,

there is language or imagery present which alludes to

was found in breach because the Panel ruled that the

drunkenness, the word could contribute to an overall

combination of colours, language, and the nature and

impression of drunkenness.

behaviour of the cartoon illustrations, on a 330ml can,

The new code - March 2019

meant that the product did have, however unintentionally, a particular appeal to under-18s.

Session

T

he Portman Group continues to ensure that it is adapting with the industry and taking account of

W

changes in society. This means that innovation isn’t

hereas the term ‘session’ has historically

at the cost of consumer confidence. After an extensive

referred to a lower strength IPA that can be

consultation last year, we are launching the new updated

consumed over a ‘drinking session’ due to its

6th edition of the Code of Practice in March.

lower alcoholic strength, its also be used to mean ‘a night

For the first time, the Code will feature a rule on serious

of heavy drinking’. The Panel has ruled that ‘session’ is

or widespread offence, allowing consumers to object to

permissible if it’s a factual reference to a beer that is lower

names, packaging and promotions if they consider them

in strength than the category average.

demeaning, derogatory or discriminatory. The new Code

However, as an example, in the case of Easy IPA,

will also feature tweaks to existing rules and guidance.

which featured ‘session’ alongside a red-nosed monster

Please sign up to info@portmangroup.org.uk to get the

balancing along a line to demonstrate sobriety, if

full story in the coming weeks. u

50

March 2019

Brewers Journal

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to x ic

s c i e n c e

chemicals

Detecting Toxic Chemicals in Beer N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) is a toxic chemical that can be produced when nitrogen oxide and amines in germinated barley react in the brewing process. Many recently used techniques minimise the formation of nitrosamines, which catalyse the production of NDMA, however, low levels of these carcinogenic compounds still remain. Therefore, all malt used in the brewing process must be analysed for its nitrosamine content, argues Andrew James, the marketing director at Ellutia. by aNDREW jAMES

T

the UK alone increased by 10.6% to 7.4 million tonnes in 2017 (1).

Once the barley has been sourced, it is then taken to the malting lines to be processed to malt. Malted barley is the source of the sugars (principally maltose) which are fermented into beer. The malting process allows the grain to partially germinate, making the seed's resources available to the brewer.

The malting process from barley to malt is completed in one week. Once tested and approved the malt is then exported breweries, where the malted barley can be fermented into beer.

The need for testing

O

ne challenge brewing laboratories are faced with is the risk of the production of NDMA during the malting process. NDMA is a potentially

he vast majority of beers around the world

dangerous compound which is formed in malt when

are made from three natural ingredients –

nitrogen oxide from pollution in the air reacts with certain

water, malted barley, and hops. Together

amines in germinated barley when it is kilned. High levels

with yeast these ingredients are used in a

of NDMA can pose a number of risks to human health

centuries-old brewing process, to create

including, liver damage. NDMA is, therefore, now part of

high-quality beer. Although wheat, rye, oats, millet,

the malt specification for many brewing labs, meaning it

sorghum, rice and corn have all been used for brewing,

is compulsory to test malt for any remnant of the harmful

barley is the preferred grain for beer. Malted barley

chemical.

gives beer its colour, malty sweet flavour, dextrins to

Malting operations fully meeting the requirements

give the beer body, protein to form a good head, and

of this specification will be able to demonstrate to

perhaps most importantly, the natural sugars needed for

customers and other interested parties that best practice

fermentation. The provisional barley production figure for

in malting operations have been followed and food safety

52

March 2019

Brewers Journal

to x ic

chemicals

s c i e n c e

GC Conditions Injector temperature

250oC

Line type

Focus liner with wool

Carrier gas type

Helium

Carrier gas control method

Constant flow

Spitless time

0.8min

Column flow

1.0ml min-1

Injection volume

1Îźl

Column

EL WAX 30m x 0.25mm x 0.25Îźm Column temperature program

Initial temperature

45oC/hold 1min

Temperature ramp 1

20oC min

Column temperature 1

130oC/0 min hold ime

Temperature ramp 2

200oC min (10oC min-1)

Column temperature

230oC/1 min hold ime

and quality hazards are effectively controlled.

The use of a Gas Chromatography (GC) in combination with the Thermal Energy Analyser (TEA) detector is

The malting process

commonly used for the determination of NDMA. Large breweries have long used GC for quality control and quality assurance, but it has not been financially viable for craft breweries, until recently due to easy-touse and affordable equipment.

The testing process

S

amples are taken from production batches and are tested for the presence of NDMA. The malt sample, in figure 1, showed no observable

response for NDMA or any other nitrosamines. The 200 Series Gas Chromatograph (Ellutia) with an EL-WAX column was utilised alongside the 800 series TEA (Ellutia).

GC conditions are included in Table 1.

Samples were extracted in duplicate. Each replicate had 50 grams of malt ground up and had 100 ml deionised water added.

The extract was filtered through a Whatman Grade 1 filter paper and 1 ml of 10 ppm NDPA (n-nitroso di propylamine) internal standard was added to one extract (this generates a 100 ppb NDPA spiked sample). The samples were then made up to 100 ml with deionized water volumetrically.

To a vial, 10 ml of extract, 3 grams of sodium chloride

Stage 1: The first step is steeping, where the barley is submerged in water for up to two hours in order to increase its moisture content. During this process the natural germination process of barley kernels will commence.

Stage 2: The steeped barley is then transferred to a germination room, where more moisture is added and ventilation takes place to allow the kernels to germinate properly. The germination process takes around five days and within this time the necessary enzymes are formed that the brewery will need to produce the beer. To prevent production loss the process must be stopped, and the third phase commences.

Stage 3: This final step is called the kilning phase. A kiln, described as a big drying oven, dries the germinated barley from a moisture content of around 45% to a moisture content of about 4.5%. At this rate a microbiologically stable product is formed with characteristics of pale malt that is advantageous for use.

and 10 ml of dichloromethane (DCM) was added and

brewersjournal.info

March 2019

53

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chemicals

Figure 1. Blue - 100 ppb 8 component mix, Green – 100 ppb NDPA (internal standard) spiked malt sample and Red - unspiked malt sample.

shaken for 5 minutes. Then the layers were left to

selectivity for nitrogen containing compounds. Within the

separate for 15 minutes. The lower layer containing DCM

brewing sector, complex mixes of compounds uniquely

was pipetted out into a clean vessel. 10 ml of DCM was

characterise each alcoholic beverage, creating the

added to the extract and the liquid/liquid extraction

individual aromas and flavours consumers enjoy.

step was repeated. After this step, the DCM (final volume

Whilst the majority of added compounds enhance the

approx. 20 ml) was dried using 1 gram of sodium sulphate

desired aroma and flavour aspects of a beverage, trace

and then pre-concentrated to 1 ml under a nitrogen flow

components can contribute off-flavours and odours, such

of approx.1 l min-1. A 1 Îźl injection of the concentrated

as nitrosamines within the kilning process.

DCM was directly analysed.

The identity of the internal standard was confirmed

TEA detectors are used widely in the brewing industry, particularly since the craft brewing sector has been

against the 8 component nitrosamine mix standard. This

experiencing significant growth due to soaring consumer

shows that the NDPA internal standard used has the same

demand around the world.

retention time as the NDPA contained within the standard

Andrew James is Marketing Director at Ellutia. Andrew has worked at Ellutia for over 20 years, during this time

(figure 1).

The peak areas for the spiked sample compared with the standard for NDPA showed good correlation, indicating a good recovery of the internal standard, and

he has been involved with many aspects of the business from product development to strategic planning.

This wide range involvement has developed an

thusly, indicating very limited losses of any potential

extensive wealth of knowledge and experience in the

nitrosamines from within the sample during the

chromatography industry. u

preparation steps. The unspiked sample showed no peaks within the retention times of any of the nitrosamines

References

in this standard mix.

Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs, 2017.

Farming Statistics – First estimates of 2017 UK wheat and

TEA Technology

(Internet) https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/

T 54

barley production.

he TEA has been an industry standard for

government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/

nitrosamine analysis since its introduction, thanks

file/649531/structure_jun17_wheatandbarleyUK_05oct17.

to its incredible sensitivity and almost infinite

pdf [Accessed 21/01/2019]

March 2019

Brewers Journal

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back

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s e r i a l

The Magic of Beer

In the first instalment of his revised series, Back to Basics 2, Tim O’ Rourke, director of the Brilliant Beer Company, is covering the whole brewing process starting from barley, right up to bright beer. It is aimed at anyone with an interest in practical brewing and brewing science, but it has a particular focus for students preparing to sit exams.

by TIM O' ROURKE

M

organisms, which are not alcohol tolerant2.

Yeasts ability to produce alcohol has been exploited by some plants who use it to produce odours which attracted pollinators. The best documented case is the Malaysian Pentailed Tree Shrew, which is attracted by fermented sap of palm trees to aid pollination. The shrew drinks large qualities of alcohol but this does not appear to affect its mobility. Alcohol is a rich source of energy and there are many other examples of animals imbibing alcohol with limited psychotropic consequences.

Around 10 million years ago there was a base change in the enzyme ADH4 (alcohol dehydrogenase – essential for alcohol metabolism) in the ancestors of Great Apes giving them a 50 times increase in the rate of alcohol

an has had an association with alcohol

metabolism. This represented a huge step change in the

throughout his evolution. Even before

ability to use alcohol and was inherited by all subsequent

man walked the earth, animals were

species of Hominids.4 This resulted in an increase in

adapting to take advantage of naturally

the quantity of alcohol consumed, which came at first

produced alcohol.

from naturally fermenting fruit or sap, and then Homo

It is believed that yeast, Saccharomyces sp, probably

evolved some 250 million years ago in China along with the development of flowering plants, growing on bark, fruit and plant sap1.

Even in the wild, in an atmosphere of air (oxygen), yeast

Sapiens developed the ability to ferment fruit and cereals themselves.

Fermenting yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae happily grows on simple sugars available in fruit and sap but as it moved away from the equator into the Northern

produces ethanol. This is believed to give it a competitive

Hemisphere fruit became more limited and was generally

advantage by inhibiting the growth of other micro-

only available in the autumn when it ripens leading

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57

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B ack

to

basics

to yeast become more specialized and adapted to its food source. Yeast growth tends to flourish locally adjacent to its sugar source and is not readily dispersed.

Most distribution of yeast occurs in the guts of insects, particularly wasps.

Yeast growth is more prolific during the warmer weather of summer and autumn which coincides with the high availability of fruit which is convenient for wine and cider fermentations. Yeast has also had to adapt to metabolise the more complex sugars found in brewers wort.

Traditionally brewing, using cereals, was restricted to the winter months after harvest and occurred when the temperature is cooler. Brewing materials, such as cereal and hops, are not the ideal environment to support yeast growth and the malting process using higher temperatures for kilning will kill off yeast cells on the surface of the grain. If brewing relied on the distribution of yeast in the stomachs of insects winter is the season when insect activity is at its lowest.

The brewing process involves a boiling stage which sterilises the wort, so it seems likely that much of the yeast inoculation had to come from the equipment such as earthenware pots and barrels (which were not sterile), or from the addition of other materials such as fruit or honey, after wort boiling, which carry an inoculum of yeast. It would also actively discourage brewers from

Figure 1 a visual interpretation of the yeast cell described

by Wohler in 19th Century ridiculing the idea that yeast was involved in fermentation 6

cleaning their premises and equipment to ensure the yeast which remained behind was available to inoculate the next brew.

Yeast cannot be seen with the naked eye, and it was only the invention of the microscope by Antonie van Leeuwenhoek (1632 – 1723) who first observed and drew yeast cells in a fermentation. At this stage he did not recognize them as living organisms or associate their presence with fermentation. Yeast was the invisible brewing aid essential for alcohol production In the 1830’s three observers arrived almost simultaneously upon the secret of fermentation and declared that yeast was a living organism, Charles Cagniard-Latour (1777 -1859), Theodor Schwann (1810 – 1882) and Friedrich Traugott Kutzing (1807 – 1893).

However, this view was opposed by two eminent German chemists Friedrich Wohler (1800 – 1882) and Justus von Liebig (1803 – 1873) who refused to accept this theory

Figure 2 an electron micrograph showing several young yeast cells

and produced a “spoof” description of yeast to ridicule the theory of a biological basis of fermentation. Although

Louis Pasteur's experiment

Figure 1 is much more entertaining picture of the yeast cell than Figure 2, the actual structure, sadly it is not true5.

Despite the influence of the German Chemists many people continued to believe the biological basis of fermentation it took an elegant experiment by Louis

L

ouis Pasteur boiled two flasks of wort. One remained sealed where there was no growth while the neck of the other was broken allowing spoilage

Pasteur in 1857 to finally show that yeast was central to

hence showing spoilage and fermentation was a result of

the fermentation process.5

the activity of micro-organisms.

58

March 2019

Brewers Journal

back

Control

to

basics

s e r i a l

combined glucose and fructose molecules), it cannot ferment starch which has to be broken down to simple sugars before being fermented. The derivative sugars from the breakdown of starch, maltose and maltotriose, are not normally found in nature, and hence yeast had to evolve the ability to utilise these sugars, part of its domestication. Yeast cannot ferment more complex sugars (greater than 3 glucose units) which forms the

Wait

maltodextrins or unfermentable residue in beer.

This still left the considerable problem of accessing and releasing the energy stored as starch in the cereal grain. When it came producing beer (an alcoholic

Boil/Sterilise

No microbial growth

beverage produced from cereal) a way had to be found to break down the starch and convert it to simple sugars making it available for yeast growth.

Trial

Several methods have been developed to break down starch into sugar, including the use of salivary enzymes Phytase to break down starch in boiled cereal, or the use of different fungal species, such as Aspergillus oryzae

Break neck, expose to air

and Amylomyces rouxii, which also contain enzymes

Wait

which can break down starch. Both methods bypass the traditional brewhouse procedures which requires malting and mashing to release and break down the starch granules in the cereal.

Whichever method is selected, brewing did not happen by accident.

Looking at current practices cereals, in particular

Boil/Sterilise

Microbial growth

barley and wheat, must be processed in order to break down the starch before fermentation.

The first stage is malting, a process of growing the

This experiment illustrates the fact that the spoilage

grain under controlled conditions to break down the

was caused by particles in the air rather than chemical

endosperm cell structure. The breakdown of the cell wall

breakdown of the substrate and forms an important basis

structure can be easily seen in electron micrographs of

in supporting the germ theory of disease.

the endosperm of barley and malt Figures 3 and 4.

Fortunately, the scientific arguments did not influence

During the malting process, the natural enzymes

the Brewers and Brewsters of the day, who found

(alpha and beta amylase) are produced, which will act in

empirically that collecting the foam (yeast) off a finishing

the mash conversion vessel to break the accessible starch

fermentation and adding into a new fermentation greatly

granules from the malt into fermentable sugars. However,

improved the new fermentation, in a process called “back

before the enzymes can work the starch granules have to

slopping”, a method of pitching we still practice today.

be made accessible and are “gelatinised”, which requires

For them fermentation was “magic” and they described

a temperature of above 600C in barley malt.

the components in the foam as “God is Good”, because

Malt containing accessible starch with developed

it gave so much pleasure to what was otherwise a very

enzymes is delivered to the brewery and during the mash

austere life.

conversion process the accessible starch is hydrated

Saving the yeast from one brew to another started the

(gelatinised), allowing the starch degrading enzymes

process of selection or “domestication” of the yeast, as

to break the starches to simple sugar. To perform this

it adapts to the conditions in the fermentation and leads

reaction (breakdown of starch to sugar) in an acceptable

to a difference between brewing strains away from the

time (one to one and a half hours) the substrate (starch)

original wild strains. Also, since in later years, brewing was

has to be made readily accessible to enzyme attack.

practiced all year-round, unlike wine and cider production

Starch granules from different cereals all have different

which followed the harvest, it made it easier to keep the

gelatinisation temperatures.

chosen yeast strains alive.

It can be seen that the starch is contained as starch

Yeast had naturally evolved to ferment simple

granules in the ground malt before it is mashed (mixed

fruit sugars such as glucose, fructose and sucrose (a

with water). Once the starch granules are hydrated and

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There are two principal starch degrading enzymes u Alpha amylase which is a liquifying

Above Figure 3: Barley endosperm before cell wall breakdown

enzyme which breaks the starch chains in the middle leading to a rapid drop in viscosity but still leaving reasonably long chains of sugars u Beta amylase which is a saccharifying enzyme acting like a “pacman� attacking the starch from the non-reducing end splitting the sugars off into pairs of fermentable maltose units.

gelatinised above 600C they swell and unwind, making them easily accessible to the malt degrading enzymes (amylases).

The two starch hydrolysing enzymes act in tandem, complementing each other, and under normal mashing conditions will quite rapidly reduce the starch molecules to sugars. Some starch molecules are branched (amylopectin) and these branches cannot be broken down by either amylase and result in residual complex sugars remaining in the wort which cannot be fermented

Above Figure 4: Malt showing the breakdown of the endosperm cell wall; Below Figure 5 Showing the stages of starch breakdown during mashing (Modified drawing from Kunze, 2007)

60

March 2019

by yeast and contribute to the final gravity and mouthfeel of the beer.

In the field, barley corns germinate and grow at ambient temperature (around 8 – 150 C) using the

Brewers Journal

back

to

basics

s e r i a l

Above Figure 6 The mashing temperature window shows that rapid starch breakdown does not occur until it has been gelatinised above 60 – 620C, but must occur below the deactivation temperature of the starch degrading enzymes at 68 – 700C same biochemical processes to release sugars from

Brewing is a complex process requiring several biochemical changes

starch but completes this process in around an hour at much higher temperatures.

Starch from malted barley has a gelatinisation temperature between 60 and 620C and so the mash stand temperature is typically above 620C, while those

u Breakdown of the barley corn

of other cereals such as rice and maize gelatenises at

(endosperm) structure to make the starch granules accessible, achieved during malting. u Producing hydrolysing enzymes required to modify the grain structure and break down proteins and starch. u The enzymes act to hydrolyse the gelatinised starch in the mash to produce simple sugars u Yeast metabolises the simple sugars into alcohol, carbon dioxide and energy under an-aerobic conditions.

temperatures between 76 and 850 C The other requirement in mashing is to have the malt enzymes available to break the starch down to simple sugars, typically alpha and beta amylase, which have a maximum operating temperature of less than 70 to 720C. As a result, modern mashing occurs in a temperature window between 62 to 700C called the “Brewing Window”, this is once the substrate, the starch, has become accessible to the enzymes but is below the deactivation temperature of the enzymes which is generally above 720C. In Figure 6 above, the mashing temperature window shows that rapid starch breakdown does not occur until it has been gelatinised above 60 – 620C, but must occur below the deactivation temperature of the starch

energy (starch) stored in the endosperm to grow. The barley produces the natural enzymes necessary to

degrading enzymes at 68 – 700C The rest of the brewing process principally depends

disaggregate the endosperm and to break down the

on physical activities of liquid and solid separation,

starch granules over several weeks. Brewing uses the

removing the unwanted solids from the spent malt (spent

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Above Figure 7 A typical temperature profile for a brewery provided by Paul Kidger7

Further reading u Shou-Fu Duan et al “The origin and

grains), the vegetative material from the hops, yeast on completion of fermentation and suspended solids particularly precipitated proteins. The other main physical process involves heating and cooling the wort, shown in Figure 7.

Summary

T

hese complex biochemical reactions require a set of essential steps and are highly unlikely to have occurred by accident. They required clever and

careful organisation by our human ancestors who enjoyed the rewards of beer.

Acknowledgement: I would like to thank Dr. David Rider from Miller Brewing & Mr. Ray Anderson Fellow of the Institute of Brewing and Distilling with help with the history of yeast classification, Professor Matthew Carrigan, Sante Fe College, with the evolutionary alcohol genetics and Mr Paul Kidger for the temperature profile of the

adaptive evolution of domesticated populations of yeast from Far East Asia” pub Nature Communication 2018 u Nicholas P Money “The Rise of Yeast” pub Oxford University Press 2018 u James & Linda Barnett “Yeast Research” pub AMS Press 2011 u Matthew A Carrigan “Why do we drink alcohol” presented at British Academy London 2018 u R. G. Anderson “Yeast and the Victorian Brewers” J Inst Brew Vol 95 1989 u Anonymous (thought to be Wohler) “The demystified secret of alcoholic fermentation” published in an article defending yeast as responsible for fermentation by Turpin (1838) in Annalen der Pharmacie u Tim O’Rourke “Enzymes in Brewing” Brewer and Distiller International 2015 u Paul Kidger Personal Communication from IBD lecture notes 2010.

brewing process. u

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Brewers Journal

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Brewers Journal

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brewersjournal.info

March 2019

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date s

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Brewers Lectures glasgow Drygate Brewery, Glasgow lectures.brewersjournal.info 31 May 2019 - 2 June 2019

Marlow beer festival Marlow Football Club www.marlowbeerfest.co.uk 31 May 2019 - 3 June 2019

FyneFest Cairndow, Argyll fynefest.com 12 June 2019

Brewers Lectures Nottingham Canalhouse, Nottingham lectures.brewersjournal.info

FyneFest, organised by Fyne Ales, returns to Argyll at the end of May

14 March 2019

Brewers Lectures Birmingham The Old Library, Birmingham lectures.brewersjournal.info 4 April 2019 - 7 April 2019

We Are Lager Festival Upper Campfield Market Hall, Manchester wearelager.com 10 may 2019

Stewart Brewing Mayfest Loanhead, Midlothian stewartbrewing.co.uk 17 may 2019

Various venues, Birmingham birminghambeerweek.uk 18 July 2019 - 20 July 2019

hawkshead brewery summer festival The Beer Hall, Hawkshead Brewery www.hawksheadbrewery.co.uk 6 August - 10 August 2019

great british beer festival Olympia, London gbbf.org.uk October 2019

Brewers Lectures Bristol

Castle Rock Brewery, Nottingham castlerockbrewery.co.uk

Watershed, Bristol lectures.brewersjournal.info

Cambridge Beer Festival Jesus Green, Cambridge cambridgebeerfestival.com 24 May 2019 - 25 May 2019

Edinburgh Craft Beer Festival Leith, Edinburgh edinburghcraftbeerfestival.co.uk

March 2019

Birmingham Beer Week

Castle Rock Yard Party

20 may 2019 - 25 may 2019

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19 July 2019

26 September 2019 - 29 September 2019

falcon beer festival The Falcon, Huntingdon falconhuntingdon.co.uk 28 November 2019

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

Brewers Journal

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