the magazine for the professional brewing industry
Brewers T H E
J O U R N A L
NOVEMBER~December 2015 ISSN 2059-6669
howling hops hOW THEY TOOK BREWING FROM UNDERNEATH A PUB TO THE uk'S FIRST TANK BAR CONCEPT
P.37
TRUMAN'S TALK BRewing IN 2015
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the story behind beavertown's art
P.58
the burgeoning popularity of keg
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l e a d er
seeds of change
O
ctober has been a busy month for AB lnBev, with the last brew taking place at its Stag Brewery site in Mortlake, London. If you're not familiar with the area, the Lower Richmond Road facility is located in a leafy, affluent, part of West London and positioned, enviably, slap bang on the banks of the River Thames. The brewery, which was responsible for the production of Budweiser, had already jettisoned most of its equipment, and employees, to other sites in the UK but the closure at the end of this month (November) is a true shame for all involved. But money talks, and AB lnBev is a successful business. The land, according to local reports, is expected to be sold for a figure close to £100 million, with the development value estimated to be in excess of £1 billion. Unsurpising, considering the brewery site comprises nearly 35,000sqm of prime space in London in 2015. And while AB InBev is busy divesting that particular element of its operation, it has also made considerable inroads in its quest to become the world's largest brewer. Having reached an agreement in principle with SABMiller, the mooted takeover deal is worth £44 a share, or more pertinently, around £68bn. If the deal goes through, it will will create the world’s largest brewer, responsible for the production of around a third of all beer consumed across the globe. “Under the terms of the Possible Offer, SABMiller shareholders would be entitled to receive GBP 44w.00 per share in cash, with a partial share alternative (“PSA”) available for approximately 41% of the SABMiller shares,” both companies said in a statement. The all-cash offer represents a premium of around 50% to Meantime Brewing Company's new owners SABMiller’s closing share price of £29.34 on 14 September 2015, which was the last business day prior to renewed speculation of an approach from AB InBev. The sheer impact of this merger on the brewing industry in the UK and Ireland remains to be seen but, following the closure of the Stag Brewery, it's exciting, and hearterning, to see new businesses such as Kew Brewery and Wimbledon Brewery picking up the West London brewing baton. The latter's esteemed head brewer, Derek Prentice, started his career at Truman's Brewery in 1968. In 2015, Truman's is back with a solid keg offering to
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Editor's choice Pig & Porter are influenced and inspired, but not defined, by their Kent heritage. Sean Ayling and Robin Wright from the Tunbridge Wells-based brewery talk to us about the company’s whirlwind journey, their love of English hops, and where collaborations will take them next.- Page 28
complement its cask range, and grand plans to cement its reputation, once more, as one of London's great breweries. They welcomed us to their Hackney Wick brewery last month, which you can read about in this issue on p35. We also paid Kent's Pig and Porter a visit to discuss their plans, as demand for the Tunbridge Wells' brewery's beers has seen export opportunities enter the equation. As well as looking at the changing trends in supply of cask and kegs, we spoke to Tim O'Rourke, brewer at Howling Hops about their exciting new tank bar and brewery concept. Until next time, a special thank you for all of the feedback following our launch issue. It's much appreciated, and if you have any recommendations or comments, good or bad, please direct them to tim@ brewersjournal.info Tim Sheahan Editor
November~December 2015 | The Brewers Journal 3
C o n tac t s
Brewing Services
& Consultancy Ltd
contacts Tim Sheahan Editor tim@brewersjournal.info +44 (0)7815 574 830 Jim Robertson Head of sales jim@rebymedia.com +44 (0)1442 780 593 Tom Williams Business development tom@rebymedia.com +44 (0)1442 780 594
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c o n t en t s
c ontent s
48
37
40
58
30
Cover story
24 - Howling Hops' Tim O'Rourke reveals the efforts the brewery has gone to with its new tank bar concept
news 9- Industry news 14 - Beer news Comments 18 - Lorien Engineering Solutions talk projects 19 - Brewers Association Pease on the USA 22 - Law firm RPC outline beer trademarks 23- Crisp Malting discuss the 2015 harvest
Packaging: design 42 - Beavertown creative director Nick Dwyer talks inspiration and the process behind his designs fOREign Focus: Speakeasy 48 - San Francisco’s Speakeasy Ales & Lagers look to the future following their recent expansion SHOW PREVIEW 52 - Key products on show at BrauBeviale
meet the brewer 30 - Pig & Porter duo Sean Ayling and Robin Wright talk about their love of English hops and where collaborations will take them next
technology: cask and keg 58- The trends and developments taking place across the cask and keg sectors, according to those that manufacture and supply them
Brewery tour 37 - Truman's discuss brewing back in London and how the its best days are well-andtruly ahead of it
sCIENCE 62 - Brewlab on qualifying quality in beer 66 - BDAS talk flavour origins and descriptors 70 - Totally Natural Solutions discuss dry hopping
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November~December 2015 | The Brewers Journal 5
C o mp e t i t i o n
se l f ie
and the winner is.....
L
eighton Buzzard Brewery is the first winner of our iPad giveaway with an early morning selfie featured in the launch issue of The Brewers Journal. The compeition is running again this month, so we have another iPad to giveaway to one lucky reader. The rules are simple, take a picture of yourself with this issue of TBJ, tweet that to @BrewJournal and we will put you in the prize draw. There is one winner each time. LB Brewing Co In a blatant attempt to win an iPad here's early morning selfie with @BrewJournal
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Moor Beer makes foray into cans
M
oor Beer has made its foray into canned beer after investing in a new canning line from German manufacturers Leibinger, Hantelmann and Lubeca. The six-figure spend has enabled the brewery to start canning its beers in 330ml vessels. This range comprises Revival (3.8%), Nor’Hop (4.1%), So’Hop (4.1%), Radiance (5%), Illusion (4.5%), Confidence (4.6%), Return of the Empire (5.7%), and Hoppiness (6.5%). According to Justin Hawke, founder and head brewer at Moor Beer, the decision to move into canning followed months of research
and development. He explained: “People know about craft beer, but the next thing is quality. That’s the message we need to get out there. “Breweries can buy a cheap canning line or use mobile equipment but there’s not enough quality control on the beer or the can.” Hawke added that while the investment was considerable, the company has the confidence that the move will pay off in the long run. He said: “Beer has to be able to shake off the cheap tinned lager image or those investing in putting their beer in cans are going to suffer.
“We’ve spent a lot but I think we’ve got equipment that enables us to put world class beer in a world class package – and drinkers should be able to tell the difference. “We went down this long and expensive route to can our beer because, despite general perception, the humble can is the best package for preserving beer freshness. It keeps out light and oxygen, is more environmentally friendly, and safer.” Moor Beer launched the eight different beers in 330ml cans across London in participating venues that included Bottle Dog, Kings Cross, We Brought Beer, Balham, Hop Burns & Black, East Dulwich, and The Black Heart Camden.
Fuller’s moves Frontier into 330ml cans
F
uller’s has broadened the availability of its Frontier lager after launching the beer in 330ml cans. The beer, which is the brewery’s secondbest selling brand behind London Pride, has been available in keg and bottle for more than two years. The company launched the beer in can in September at events in London and Portsmouth, where it also debuted its ‘Wild River’ pale ale and ‘Black Cab’ stout. Fuller’s is yet to decide on how it will distribute these beers however, with filtered, unfiltered and seeded keg alternatives of ‘Wild River’ and an unfiltered version of ‘Black Cab’
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also trialled. John Keeling, brewing director at Fuller’s explained: “It has always been my aim to produce the
most natural beer possible in every format. We want to deliver consistently exciting flavours and cans are no exception.”
November~December 2015 | The Brewers Journal 9
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Acorn Brewery rebrands and expands
A
corn Brewery has rebranded and has committed to a £60,000 spend on new brewing equipment and office space. The Barnsley brewery, which produces Barnsley Bitter, Barnsley Gold, Yorkshire Pride, Blonde, Gorlovka and Old Moor Porter, commissioned design agency DMSQD for the project. They were briefed with “drawing on aspects of its former image, including colour scheme and the acorn logo” but to develop a stronger connection and sense of identity across all its products. Dave Hughes, owner of Acorn Brewery explained: “We have been trading for 12 years now and have not changed our branding over that time, but feel the time is right for a refresh now. “The brewing industry has changed a lot since we started in the summer of 2003 and, particularly in the last six years or so. There are now many more independent brewers out there and it is much more important to have a clear stand-out identity at the pumps and on the supermarket shelf. “It was very important to us that our new look reflects our ‘brewery spirit’ of tradition and innovation. The integrity of the business and our signature ales remain largely the same as we are committed to traditional brewing techniques, but we have extended our range and evolved our flavours a little over time, plus we regularly innovate with new IPAs and have introduced kegged beer products. The company’s new look is present on pump clips, bar mats and bottle labels, and comes at a time where the business is investing in new conditioning tanks, an extended cold room store and new office space at its Aldham House industrial estate premises in Wombwell. Hughes added: “Our three new conditioning tanks will mean an extra 15,000 litres of real ale can undergo the week-long conditioning process at any one time. This is when we monitor the beer’s de-
velopment before we judge it to be perfectly full-bodied, flavoursome and ready to cask. “The extra capacity at this stage will loosen up the whole production process and mean we can brew more beer to meet growing demand.” Acorn’s larger cold store will allow it to keep more hops on the one hand and bottled beers ready for collection on the other, while its new office area is being created to give the brewery’s expanding sales
team its own dedicated space for the first time. The development at the £1.2m turnover brewery, which employs 12 staff, has been supported through Enterprising Barnsley, a Europeanfunded programme delivered by Barnsley Council. “With our latest investment and new image we are prepared to go on increasing production and sales. Our aim is to increase trade again by at least 20 per cent this year,” he added.
Stewart Brewing secures beer accolade
Timothy Taylor head brewer Peter Eells departs
Stewart Brewing has scooped two awards for its Radical Road beer. The 6.4% beer, which features Centennial, Junga, Magnum, and Cascade Hops, was awarded the International Beer Challenge Gold Medal Winner and World Beer Award for Best Pale Ale in the greater than 5% category.
Peter Eells, head brewer at Timothy Taylor’s, has left his role at the West Yorkshire brewery ahead of his planned retirement next year. He takes up the role of production director until his departure in 2016. Andrew Leman has been promoted from his post of second brewer.
10 | The Brewers Journal | November~December 2015
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Asda expands with new beer additions
A
sda is expanding the beers it sells from Williams Bros, Broughton Ales, and Belhaven. Although Broughton Ales and Belhaven have worked with Asda previously, it will be the first time Williams Bros beers are sold in the supermarket. The current agreement, worth more than £300,000 in total, comprises 16 beer lines that will be sold across more than 50 Asda stores in
Scotland. Beers include Williams Bros’ 4.3% Birds and Bees Ale, its 4.1% Caesar Augustus, the 8.3% Joker IPA and its Pavlovs Dog Ale. Broughton Ales’ offering includes its 5.2% Black Douglas and Proper IPA, while Belhaven will supply, among others, its Scottish Ale, Craft Pilsner, Speyside Oak Aged Blonde and Twisted Thistle IPA. Brian O’Shea, Asda’s regional buying manager for Scotland,
explained: “Broughton, Belhaven and Williams Brothers beer products are premium quality and will give customers a new and local choice, particularly with the beer trend continuing to boom and new flavours on offer. “Feedback from everyone who has tried the new lines has been incredibly positive so we look forward to working with the businesses closely and hopefully increasing the range of products in due course.”
Charles Wells promotes MD Phillimore as part of board reshuffle
C
harles Wells has confirmed that Justin Phillimore, its current managing director of the brewing and brands division, had taken the role of CEO of the business. The board reshuffle means current CEO, Paul Wells, will now focus his attentions on his position of chairman while Peter Wells, managing director of Charles Wells UK pubs, will become the commercial director of the group. Phillimore said he has valued Paul Well’s “wise counsel and pragmatic
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approach” and will continue to draw on this in his role as chairman. He added: “I’m excited about taking the chief executive role for our combined business operations and looking forward to working with the outstanding teams we have here. “We have a well-developed strategy which includes driving our managed house operations in the UK and France, working with our partners to continue development of our excellent beer portfolio and providing a commitment to the highest
quality service for our customers.” Paul Wells explained: “I’ve had the pleasure of working with a tremendous group of people at Charles Wells and seen them work together to build the business we have today. “I am delighted to be able to hand over the chief executive role to Justin Phillimore to drive the next chapter of development of Charles Wells." He added: "As chairman I will remain closely involved but also focus on new initiatives for our family companies.”
November~December 2015 | The Brewers Journal 11
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We Brought Beer to open its second shop
W
e Brought Beer is to open a second London shop. The new store will open its doors little more than a year since the team moved into Balham, South London with its first shop, one that has been recognised by both Time out and CAMRA. Its new store will sell a variety of beers, as well as offering growler fills, home-brew kits, ingredients, private tasting room and a beer garden. James Hickson, from We Brought Beer, explained: “Being able to open a site within a year of opening the first is incredible and shows just how much people are embracing the craft beer movement. “The days of mass produced bland beers seem very much numbered, as they are replaced by an avalanche of exciting new brewers offering a mind-blowing choice of beers. We love being able to help people onto their craft beer journey and we can’t wait to get stuck into a new area of South London. We’ve got ambitious plans to grow the business too, so watch this space.”
Northern Monk starts canning following investmenT
N
orthern Monk has started canning its beers after taking delivery of the UK's first Wild Goose static line. The Leeds-based brewery is now able to output up to 1,400 cans an hour with the new machine, which was supplied by MD Engineering Solutions. According to Northern Monk’s head brewer Brian Dickson, the canning process is “so easy” with the new machine, and is delighted with the results. The modular system features patented “world class” double seaming technology and can be upgraded to a higher output model, if required. Matthew Horse, technical director
at MD Engineering Solutions added: “We are extremely delighted with the new CE certified range of machines which, have been produced specifically for the UK and European
12 | The Brewers Journal | November~December 2015
Markets. “Northern Monk have been canning their new limited edition range and been surprised by how simple the machine is to set up and use”.
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Bradford Brewery bottles IT
B
radford Brewery is broadening the supply of its beers after moving into bottle production. The company has rolled out 1,500 bottles of its ‘Hockney Pale Ale’, which is named after acclaimed Bradford artist David Hockney. Its 3.6% session beer, which features Pacific Jade and Admiral Hops, is being made available in 500ml bottles.
The decision to move into bottles was expedited by an approach from Marks & Spencer, with the brewery also supplying the beers to local outlets such as Bradford’s National Media Museum. Managing Director Matthew Halliday explained: “People had been asking for a while when Bradford beers would be available in bottles. “We weren’t planning on bottling until later this year, but we were
approached by Marks & Spencer for samples of our bottled beers so we’ve sped up the process. “It was the obvious next step and we’re now in discussions with restaurants across the city who want to get Bradford Brewery beers to serve with some of the best food out there. It’s also another chance to get people further afield recognising the Bradford brand and talking about our great city.”
Peerless Brewing rebrands
P
eerless Brewing Company has rebranded its beer range on the back of 30% year-on-year growth at the Wirral brewery. Peerless can also now produce more than 34,000 pints a week after doubling brewing capacity at the Birkenhead-based business. Peerless founder and managing director Steve Briscoe explained: “After six years successfully building business and our recent major
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investment in a new plant we now have this distinctive new identity. “It gives a nod to the town’s history and should deliver stronger bar presence to boost business in an ever tougher market, where new brewers start up every month and more than 20 pubs close each week. Beer drinkers often choose their beer in seconds and wish to know the type and strength. “This means instant brand recognition is essential for healthy sales
and we have bolstered this by making the style and strength very clear. “We have also broadened our core range with the new Gold cask ale and Storr keg lager to make our brand portfolio even more appealing to both publicans and their customers. The company has also rolled out a new 4.4% beer ‘Peerless Gold’, which replaces its Viking Gold and is brewed with Admiral, Cascade and Columbus hops for good hop bitterness and citrus notes."
November~December 2015 | The Brewers Journal 13
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Thornbridge ‘Rhubarbe De Saison’
T
hornbridge Brewery, Waitrose and Brew UK have crowned ‘Rhubarbe De Saison’ Britain’s best homebrewed beer. The 5% saison is the creation of Will Alston, an astrophysicist at Cambridge University’s Institute Of Astronomy, who scooped top prize at the Great British Home Brew Challenge 2015. Alston’s beer, a pale ale that features rhubarb grown in his allotment, is being brewed at Thornbridge and sold in selected Waitrose stores from last month (October). Commenting on the accolade, Alston said: “My approach to brewing is to try and match a style as closely as possible, then add my
own twists. I have a very basic all grain set up which means you have to work harder to get good results but also allows you to be more involved in the process.” Rob Lovatt, Thornbridge’s head brewer and a judge in this year’s competition, added: “Will’s beer was a very worthy winner – a refreshing easy-drinking beer with complex flavours that came together well, showing great skill in the brewing process. “We’ve never brewed anything like this before so we’ve been really excited at the brewery to be involved in making this winning recipe.” Kate Prall, beer buyer at Waitrose that will retail the beer in
500ml bottles, said: “The competition mirrors the increasing interest in beer in the UK. Customers are increasingly becoming more confident and experimental in their beer choices. “In recent years, they are now more likely to have six or seven beers in their repertoire rather than just one or two old favourites. "This is reflected in our speciality beer sales which are up 34% over the past year."
Magic Rock Brewing unveils two new collaborations
“And it’s absolutely delicious! (even if we do say so ourselves) lots of floral sweet honey on the nose, big juicy/ fruity hops in the mouth and a really balanced finish.” Its Rhubarb Braggot, brewed with Louisville, Kentucky’s Against The Grain Brewery uses more than 600Kg of honey in production, as well as more than 300kg of tart local rhubarb. “We’ve high hopes for ‘Rhubarbarella’ which promises to be a pretty original flavour. At the moment the beer is still fermenting away but should be out and about in a couple of weeks,” they explained.
The 4.8% beer is a straw-coloured, Munich style lager brewed with Saaz and Perle hops and the lager yeast strain from Weihenstephan. ‘Storr’ (above) is slow fermented and undergoes cold maturation for several weeks to deliver floral and fruity aromas with a “slightly grassy herbal note and a dry biscuit profile”. The beer is lightly carbonated, but not filtered or pasteurised, before being packaged into keg. Peerless founder and managing director Steve Briscoe said: “Storr in cask was something very new in craft brewing and quickly won a strong following. With today’s craft beer revolution lager drinkers are expecting more from their tipple. “Storr is real lager produced to true brewing tradition and we expect the keg version to become very popular as an easy on the palate, thirst quenching,
Magic Rock has launched two new collaborations, in the form of ‘CrossPollination’ and a rhubarb braggot they have christened ‘Rhubarbarella’. The former is a 7.4% heather honey IPA produced with Arizona Wilderness from Gilbert, Arizona. They explained in their blog: “In keeping with AZW’s local/foraged ingredient ethos we decided to brew something that would in parts utilise the Heather that has been (even more noticeably than usual) in bloom in these parts recently. "The recipe we settled on is a ‘Heather Honey IPA’ utilising local Heather Honey, lots of big a beautiful US Hops and a mixed yeast culture incorporating local West Yorkshire ale yeast.
Peerless makes keg debut Peerless Brewing Co has launched made its debut into keg beers with ‘Storr’, five years after introducing it as a caskconditioned lager in 2010.
14 | The Brewers Journal | November~December 2015
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Truman’s introduces trio of keg beers
T
ruman’s has marked its first proper push into keg with the launch of a trio of new beers. The East London brewery, which has supplied its pale in keg for several months, is now offering three beers following a significant investment in the kegging setup at its Stour Road facility. Its new beers are ‘Truman’s Pale’, ‘Skylark’ and ‘Roller IPA’. The pale is a hop-forward 4.1% beer brewed with New Zealand hops offering citrus flavours and bold hop aromas. ‘Skylark’ is a 3.9% golden ale that is “packed with flavours of tangerine and orange zest’ while Truman’s ‘Roller IPA’ packs a punch with US and Australian hops and
has a bittersweet grapefruit finish. James Morgan, re-founder of the Hackney Wick brewer, said Truman’s was “so excited to get these three new beers in drinkers’ hands”. He added: “They combine bold hop flavours with classic Truman’s drinkability and are brewed with passion in the heart of East London. “We wanted to bring the same quality to keg that we do to cask and have invested in the very best equipment to ensure that we preserve all the flavours and aromas of the top quality malt and hops we use in every brew. “With drinkers across the UK looking to experiment outside the usual bland beer brands, our new range provides them with exciting,
modern flavours all backed with the Truman’s promise of drinkability, quality and consistency.” To celebrate the arrival of the new range, Truman’s has teamed up with Louis Lejeune, who is the only surviving maker of custom car mascots, to produce a striking new bespoke beer dispense font. This features a hand-cast bronze eagle, which has been the symbol of Truman’s since the company was founded in 1666. Each eagle has been individually cast in bronze, before it is finished in chrome with the eagle design based on a traditional car mascot – the Alvis crested eagle. For more on Truman’s, see this issue’s Brewery Tour feature (page 34).
thirst-quencher. He added: “We realise 'Brown Ale' sounds quite old fashioned and despite its literal nature doesn't sound too appetising, that's why - like with all our beers - the design is clean, eye-catching and contemporary. “Like out ethos with the entire brewery; a new take an old tradition, Equinox is a modern brown ale full of flavour without any of the flab.”
The brewery is using the beer to help celebrate a recent agreement to grow Maris Otter with farmers around St Helens and Preston, ensuring Moorhouse’s has suitable supplies for its ‘Pendle Witches’ ales. David Grant, managing director of Moorhouse’s explained: “We have always used Maris Otter in our award winning beers, but First Cut celebrates its revival in the North West in its milestone 50th year. Now the farmers know they have a market and we know we have a supply. We would like to expand the cultivation and build a ‘terroir’ – quality cask ales with real provenance brewed in Lancashire from the area’s best malt.. “This initiative is good for our future and the industry at large. So with our First Cut pouring, we want cask enthusiasts to raise a glass to the future of this king of barleys.”
Equinox English Brown Ale
X.X%
beer with real taste." Briscoe hopes the new beer will enable Peerless to build on its recent growth that involved a doubling of brewing capacity at the Pool Street, Wirral brewery.
Tweed Brew unleashes Equinox Hyde-based Tweed Brew Co (above) has made the latest addition to its growing range of beers with ‘Equinox (English Brown Ale). Sam Ward, director of Tweed, said the beer is a “celestial mix of fruits of the forest combined within a silky smooth and moreish body; Equinox is as equally rich as it is easy-drinking, a heavenly combination”. Deliveries of the new beer started in October, is described as rich, dark and full of fruit - perfect for this time of year but it's also light enough to be a
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Moorhouse’s celebrates Maris Otter with new 4.2% beer Moorhouse's (above) has launched a new cask ale, First Cut, to celebrate the ongoing success of Maris Otter barley. The 4.2% beer features East Kent Goldings and Fuggles hops delivering ‘spice and honey notes with an earthy, minty balance’ alongside a sweet biscuit taste from the malt.
November~December 2015 | The Brewers Journal 15
a d v er t o r i a l
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Crop Summary 2015
As promised in the last issue of The Brewers Journal, here is a brief roundup on the crop report. Typically, the weather continued to play havoc with the harvest which meant further delays but it was complete by the end of September.
T
he same goes for those farmers who are watching the fields, monitoring the crops, assessing the quality and yield hoping for good weather to finish the harvest, explains Joanna Perry, marketing and creative manager at Muntons. The Scottish Barley crop, unfortunately has been the smallest since 2010 or even 2007, not helped by the growing conditions and skinning* problems which were reported to be around 5-15%. Pre-germ and split grains had also become visible in post rain samples in the South of England too. The good news is that on the whole the spring barley crop hasn’t been too badly affected and achieving malting barley specifications. In addition the average moisture reading is approx. 18% and Nitrogen results are being reported at between 1.4 – 1.6% *What is skinning?? Barley grains have an outer coat called a husk. Loss of husk around the endosperm of the grain that can cause problems with malting as the grain is smaller. It can affect the brewing process as it makes the grain more susceptible to colour uptake so can affect the final product.
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Also the embryo can be dislodged from the grain itself. It is a result of wet and dry weather, wet weather and certain varieties can be prone to this. It is also seasonal, so one year it could be fine and the next year could cause major problems.
securing agreements
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nother point we touched on before a is about considering a forward contract and securing the price of your barley malt midlong term. Whilst long term agreements have historically been for the nationals and multi-national breweries, there is nothing to say that other breweries can’t benefit from similar pricing, especially now, you just need to ask! For the breweries that prefer to minimise the stock they hold on site, there is another solution which may suit you. Often there are times when you want a certain malt variety, perhaps within 24hrs, that you need to be delivered or collect and sometimes you’ve had to wait…we can help change that. We have partnered with Staffordshire Brewery and
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m u n to n s
Total Brewing Supplies to provide a more convenient solution. When ordering directly from us we have a standard pallet, or tonne delivery. Now those who wish to have smaller volumes can order directly via our partners and have it delivered next day, furthermore, there is no minimum order, thus allowing you to focus on brewing what you want, when you want it. Our technical support is available to all our customers as well as the use of Centre for Excellence where you can come and trail various malts or just come along and experiment with our Head Brewer, Sophie DeRonde. The Centre has a bespoke one hectolitre capacity brewery, blending, preparation and fermentation facilities. Our brewery and winery provide the ideal facilities to test brew a vast range of beers, wines, ciders and non-alcoholic beverages.
seminars & Innovation
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e will be hosting a series of seminars in 2016 covering aspects of brewing from the raw materials, yeast management, stability, quality control and the chance to see new ideas and innovations. Key industry speakers have been invited to share their knowledge providing a technical knowhow to help with new and experienced brewers. For more information regarding these seminars, see page 73).
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a d v er t o r i a l
About Muntons Muntons Malt is a division within Muntons plc currently selling over 180,000 tonnes of malt annually to the world’s brewing, distilling and food industries. One of five major maltsters located in the UK, Muntons are a family owned, independent company. Our two maltings, located in the prime malting barley growing areas of the UK enable us to buy our barley from local suppliers within a 50 mile radius of our maltings. Earlier this year, Muntons were awarded the RMI Malster of the Year. The award was presented to Muntons, in the opinion of the judges, best demonstrated exceptional financial returns, strong growth and innovation strategies plus market leadership in its sector. In addition, Judges looked for evidence of inventiveness, ethical credentials, good stakeholder relationships and long term planning balanced by the flexibility to deliver consistent results in dynamic market conditions. For more information regarding Muntons Malt visit the company at BrauBeviale, Hall 1, Stand 329
November~December 2015 | The Brewers Journal 17
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C apita l
P rojects
The Capital Challenge Ian Cartwright, Business Development Manager at Lorien Engineering Solutions, considers the challenges established brewers face when embarking on capital projects, and how they are having to become increasingly nimble when it comes to long-term planning and countering the ‘Craft explosion’.
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lmost continual change has been the order of the day in the brewing industry for as long as most of us care to remember and competition for market share is as fierce as ever. While some brewers have excess capacity, others are anticipating growth, but the thing that unites them, regardless of size or location, is the challenge of forecasting sales volumes with any real precision. Forecasts can change quickly, which in turn can mean a potential project development goes through significant swings. Initial feasibility works are an essential starting point, and it is vital that they explore wide-ranging options and spell out as many implications as possible. A project may also change course due to socioeconomic issues, often in other parts of the world. Things such as political tensions, changes in drinking or business culture, can halt a project in its tracks. International brewing has seen more or less continual change throughout its history and this has continued into the 21st century. We’ve seen major brewing operations amalgamate in the past and they will in the future; situations such as these always have an influence on the global picture, and things never stand still for long periods of time. Taking so many unknowns into account, it is incredibly difficult to forecast the future, and as a result, five and ten-year plans are much less commonplace than in the past. Our brewing clients are being forced to become more nimble in the way they operate, and it goes without saying that financial performance is a number one priority, so reduced production costs are a necessity. The popularity of craft beers shows no signs of slowing, which doesn’t necessarily fit with the drive for reduced costs; long production runs and few changeovers are the preserve of the larger operators. That said, the craft explosion brings brave new operators into the industry and their contribution not only increases consumer choice and awareness, it throws down more challenges to the established operators. Recent years have also seen a distinct change in thinking towards utilities, as energy costs are monitored more intensely. In years gone by there was
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a tendency to build in spare capacity and duty-standby capability, whereas the latest thinking is to achieve the best operating efficiency and to ‘sweat the assets’. Many of the projects we undertake focus on achieving reductions in utilities consumptions against very short pay-backs. These projects are effectively self-funding and through real focus, significant results are possible. Usually once the process starts then more and more opportunities can be identified, including heat recovery, waste reduction, improvements in efficiency and applying some good old fashioned common-sense. Tradition remains a great thing in the brewing industry and thankfully it isn’t being lost. There are many challenges for the modern brewing organisation to contend with, but there remains a great level of passion and a real enthusiasm to succeed, which cannot be said of all industries. The ability of brewers to cope with everything that is thrown at them equips them to continue evolving, and allied to the fact that beer is such a great product, it means that the industry will not only survive, but continue to thrive. That said, it would be difficult to forecast just how it will look – at global, UK and regional level - in another fifteen years. Traditionally associated with the brewing industry and located at the heart of UK brewing in Burton-onTrent, Lorien Engineering Solutions remains very much at the centre of the industry, and also operates in the food, life sciences and sustainability sectors.
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Protect the brand The number of trade marks registered in the UK relating to beer has risen by 12% over the past year, from 1,331 in 2013 to 1,485 in 2014, explains City law firm RPC.
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he rise in unregistered beer trade marks of 12% in one year has, in part, been caused by supermarkets registering home brand craft beers as they look to take a market share of the increasingly popular and high margin craft beer sales. The increase in the number of independent breweries throughout the UK is also a contributing factor to the jump in the number of trade mark registrations for beer. Recent research shows that the number of new breweries has nearly trebled in five years, increasing from 101 in 2009-10 to 291 in 2013-14, as more and more people are setting up their own craft breweries. Jeremy Drew, head of retail at RPC adds: “The craft beer industry in the UK has really taken off in the last few years with a surge in new independent breweries. Supermarkets are now looking to increase their sales from what is one of the fastest growing food and beverage categories. “Within the supermarkets there has been a sharp growth in own brand craft beers, which are often white labelled products from independent brewers. “As different retailers and brewers begin to bump up against each other more frequently the need to protect their intellectual property in this lucrative beverage market becomes more obvious.” According to RPC, the craft beer market throws up its own IP challenges as consumers particularly favour the choice offered by a wide proliferation of brands and sub brands rather than preferring a small number of flagship products. The jump in the number of beer trade marks being registered, RPC
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says, is likely to lead to an increase in trade mark disputes as retailers battle for competitive advantage in the market. Henry Priestley, senior associate at RPC adds: “As the craft beer market continues to grow there is more chance of similar brands clashing. It’s a matter of sheer numbers, with the number of new breweries on the rise and new beer names making disputes likely. “Businesses need to ensure that they are correctly protecting themselves from potential legal issues in the future, which can be both costly and disruptive to business.” RPC explains that the craft beer market in the US, which underwent its renaissance several years before the UK market, has already seen an increase in trade mark disputes- with these disputes fought out both through the courts and social media. If growth of the craft beer industry continues in the UK, then the UK market could well follow a similar path. In on example, London based brewers, Camden Town Brewery, accused Norwich based brewers, Redwell Brewery, of passing off its product ‘Hells Lager’. The brand had first been used by Camden Town Brewery, which sent a cease and desist letter to Redwell Brewery to stop it using the brand name ‘Hells Lager’ earlier this year. Camden Town Brewery also applied to register ‘Hells Lager’ as a trade mark.
November~December 2015 | The Brewers Journal 19
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brewers
associatio n
Help across the pond As the beer movement in the UK and Ireland continues its rapid upward trajectory, Bob Pease, chief executive officer of the Brewers Association, talks through the resources available to our counterparts across the Atlantic and how British brewers may benefit from them.
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merican craft brewers are represented by the Brewers Association, a not-for-profit trade association dedicated to small and independent brewers that exists to promote and protect American craft brewers, their beers and the community of brewing enthusiasts
in the USA. Craft beer sales in the States account for 11% by sales volume and are expected to reach 20% by 2020 with no sign of abating. While the craft beer sector in the UK may be some way off this figure, it is growing rapidly with potential for more expansion. Nor is the popularity of American craft beer confined to the States as the latest export figures show a global rise of 35.7% in 2014 with the UK accounting for a 10.7% share (up from 7.9% in 2013) making it the third largest export market behind Canada and Sweden. There are 4,000 craft breweries operating in the USA with 1,755 in planning, up from approximately 700 this time last year.
quality product
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he reputation and success of the craft brewer, and indeed of the industry as a whole, depends on the ability to consistently deliver a quality product that satisfies the beer drinker. Most craft beer is not pasteurised making it highly perishable. One of the biggest challenges that we face in exporting craft beer is the lack of cold-chain infrastructure. Temperature fluctuations, sunlight, oxygen levels and time are all enemies of craft beer. We look to work collaboratively with our brewers to capture and harness their energy and expertise to deliver quality craft beer to a global audience in the best possible condition. The BA’s Export Development Program helps match breweries with importers and distributors to ensure the beer is always in the right condition when it crosses the Atlantic. The supply chain needs to be a unified and coherent partnership –brewer, distributor or importer, wholesaler, retailer and finally barstaff all
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need be singing from the same songsheet.
international trade
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raft beer can be successfully exported but it takes the commitment of our international trade partners to understand proper storage and handling techniques, shelf life and the importance of delivering high quality beer to the market. The craft beer revolution is being driven by the beer drinker, not the brewer or the importer, and it is absolutely imperative that he or she enjoys a positive drinking experience every time he or she picks up a glass. The Brewers Association publishes a wealth of resources to help brewers, retailers, distributors, wholesalers and consumers understand and enjoy craft beer. These materials are available to UK brewers and retailers as printed leaflets or may be downloaded via the Brewers Association website and include: Draught Beer Quality for Retailers - to help retailers pour great beer and preserve profits through industry accepted best practices http://www.draughtquality. org/wp-content/uploads/Draught-Beer-Quality-forRetailers.pdf Draught Beer Quality Manual - how to improve the quality of draught beer http://www.draughtquality. org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/DQM_Full_Final.pdf Best Practices Guide to Quality Craft Beer – how to maintain craft beer in the best possible condition overall https://www.brewersassociation.org/ educational-publications/best-practices-guide/ The Brewers Association Guide to American Craft Beer - how to understand and appreciate great beer looking at ingredients, terminology, best approaches for presenting and enjoying craft beer and the many different styles of craft beer https://www. brewersassociation.org/educational-publications/ american-craft-beer-guide/ American Craft Beer and Food: Perfect Companions - a handy 12 page booklet detailing the basics of beer and food pairings including a chart with 28 different beer styles showing pairing guidelines for main dishes, cheese and deserts https://www.brewersassociation. org/educational-publications/craft-beer-food-guide/
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An additional resource tied to beer pairing and presentation is the Craftbeer.com Beer & Food Course available at http://www.CraftBeer.com/culinary A new 10-part video training course focusing on specific tasks performed at a brewery has recently been launched by the Brewers Association and is available free on-line. The Brewery Safety Training course addresses the need for occupational safety and health training in the craft brewing industry. https://www. brewersassociation.org/best-practices/safety/freeonline-brewery-safety-training/ Beer style guidelines are updated annually and provide descriptions as a reference for brewers and beer competition organisers. You can see this year’s guidelines here: https://www.brewersassociation. org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/2015-brewersassociation-beer-style-guidelines.pdf With the rapid growth of the craft brewing industry on both sides of the Atlantic and the plethora of new entrants onto the market I have three words of advice – quality, quality and quality. This means working in the lab to understand microbiology at your brewery and ensuring quality control in all areas of production and distribution. Do not take short cuts, one slip will affect the drinking enjoyment of many and create negative experiences in the long term. As part of our commitment towards consistent quality this year the Brewers Association appointed a Quality Ambassador – Dick Cantwell – to instil the culture of quality in beer and business and achieve the vision of a membership that consistently produces beer of the highest quality. We have also appointed a new Craft Beer Ambassador for Europe – Sylvia Kopp – who will support export growth to the region by promoting and educating about the diverse and innovative craft beers produced by small and independent American brewers. A good example of the Brewers Association’s focus on quality is our recommendations for how draught beer should be delivered to beer drinkers, ie: Stored cold from brewery to bar Tapped fresh with well-rotated stock Maintained with clean beer lines Served in the right glass that’s clean (see www. craftBeer.com, a dedicated resource to help you find
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Brewers Association
brewers
Bob Pease, chief executive officer of the Brewers Association
the right glass Remember the four golden rules: cold beer, clean lines, beer-clean glassware, properly poured by knowledgeable barstaff. The Brewers Association works to educate and inform international trade and media about the quality and diversity of U.S. craft beers through events, seminars, trade shows, exhibitions, publications and much more. Much is being made about the definition of a craft beer in the UK. We define the craft brewer in the United States, as the following: Small: Annual production of 6 million barrels of beer or less (approximately 3% of U.S. annual sales). Beer production is attributed to the rules of alternating proprietorships. Independent: Less than 25% of the craft brewery is owned or controlled (or equivalent economic interest) by an alcoholic beverage industry member that is not itself a craft brewer. Traditional: A brewer that has a majority of its total beverage alcohol volume in beers whose flavour derives from traditional or innovative brewing ingredients and their fermentation. Flavoured malt beverages (FMBs) are not considered beers. We welcome UK breweries as members of the Brewers Association and can offer a wealth of resources. Go to www.brewersassociation.org for more details.
November~December 2015 | The Brewers Journal 21
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ma l ti n g
malting barley Growth With the 2015 harvest complete across the country it would seem a suitable time to take a look at the malting barley grown in the UK, says Dr David Griggs, technical director at Crisp Malting Group
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he barley varieties grown in the UK for malting are split into those varieties that are sown in the Autumn, emerge from the soil, over-winter and then re-commence growing in the warm spring weather (‘winter varieties’) and those varieties that are sown in the Spring (‘spring varieties’). Although the winter varieties are sown a number of months before the spring varieties there is typically only a couple of weeks gap between the harvesting of the winter varieties and the harvesting of the spring varieties. The longevity of Maris Otter (which celebrates its 50th crop in 2015) is unique within today’s portfolio of malting barley varieties with most varieties having only a limited commercial life span before being superseded by newer introductions which provide the farmer with a higher yield of grain at harvest. In order for new barley varieties to be commercially grown in the UK they must first undergo a statutory testing process to ensure improved agronomic performance before evaluation through the Institute of Brewing and Distilling (IBD) approval system to determine suitability for malting, brewing and distilling. This approval process rigorously tests new varieties firstly through laboratory-scale malting (‘micromalting’) and analysis followed by commercial scale malting trials with the malt produced going forward for commercial brewing or distilling trials before the IBD stamp of approval can be finally given. The entire process from the plant breeder selecting the parents for making the initial cross to produce the new variety through to commercial availability of
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barley to the malting industry can take around 10-12 years. The current IBD approved malting barleys include the established winter varieties Flagon and Venture along with newer introductions such as Talisman. For the spring varieties for brewing Propino is now the biggest variety with Concerto filling the same niche for distilling. Newer spring varieties include KWS Irina and RAGT Planet. So how is the 2015 crop malting barley? The farmer can control many aspects of the crop, but ultimately the quantity and quality of every harvest is very much dependent on the weather during the growing season and at time of harvest. With the majority of the winter malting barley crop grown in the east of England, there were concerns about the effect of the dry spring. However, higher than expected yields on the farm have been accompanied by better than expected quality results. A big surprise was the grain nitrogen content, where the expectation was for levels higher than 2014 crop and with more possible variation, however, the actual situation is grain nitrogen levels equal to and lower than 2014 crop. The English spring barley crop yielded well and in most cases with very good grain quality. The majority of the crop was harvested in good weather conditions with only small quantities harvested late after heavy early September rain most of which, however, was rejected for malting use. After the extremely low grain nitrogen of the 2014 crop, the 2015 crop has a more typical level. So it would seem that we are destined for another year of great British malt for discerning brewers to turn into great beers!
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7/2015
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Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority www.brewersjournal.info November~December 2015 | The Brewers Journal 23
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hops
All images: George fisher
Hop Forward
24 | The Brewers Journal | November~December 2015
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Howling Hops made a statement of intent earlier this year with the launch of the UK’s first dedicated tank bar. It sent tongues wagging and drinkers suddenly had a new establishment at the top of their go-to lists. Tim O’Rourke, brewer at the Hackney Wick company, talks to us about the plans for the brewery, and how giving people an exciting, new, place to drink was far from a straight-forward process. www.brewersjournal.info
November~December 2015 | The Brewers Journal 25
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hops
im O’ Rourke is a pensive individual. The former general manager of East London’s The Cock Tavern is modest and introspective in his approach to the brewing landscape that surround him, and his influence on it, but he’s both direct and honest, too. A well-known figure for several years at the Mare Street-based pub , O’Rourke now finds himself at Howling Hops, the newly-opened brewery and bar concern that itself, started life back at his old pub. And although O’Rourke ran the aforementioned tavern for three years, the Brisbane native’s journey in beer started long before then. “I was into brewing and beer but I was much more into drinking them, than making them. Back in Australia I was bar manager at a craft beer bar and having spent a few years there was one of the key things that really got me into the whole beer scene,” he explains. “Being around a lot of people that were very passionate about it, it’s infectious, and led into what I was about, as well. From doing that, it dawned on me that I didn’t want to do the whole university thing and subsequently dropped out of an engineering degree, flew over here and tried to get into beer. That
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was four and a half years ago.” “My wife and I are both into beer,” he puts it lightly. While O’Rourke manages the brewing ship at Howling Hops, she runs the successful BrewDog bar on Bethnal Green Road in Shoreditch, London “It is a great industry to be in as this city is so small, and insular, so once you are in the crew, it is an amazing place to be, as everyone is so nice because once one person wins, we all win,” he says. “Yes, sometimes you make really amazing beers, and sometimes you make really rubbish ones, but when that happens, people are there to help, and to reassure you. And when they are great, people are there to tell you how good they are, too.”
modest foundations
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t’s this sense of community and camaraderie that has led O’Rourke through several successful years running The Cock Tavern and now, as a key figure at the brewery and tank bar in Hackney Wick that Howling Hops calls home. In his own words, the whole Howling Hops story started as a “bit of a laugh”. “Pete (Holt) who is the director of the company that owns the Southampton Arms and
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The Cock Tavern, loves beer and has a real passion for it. But he saw these breweries popping up left, right and centre, and thought we could do the same. So we did, and started brewing on a kit the Camden Town Brewery used to use.” Demand for their beer near enough immediately outstripped supply, and the team couldn’t brew enough so they upscaled to two extra FVs, halving the brew length in the process. “We sold too much and I was struggling to keep the beer on the bar at the tavern, so we upscaled again,” says O’Rourke. Brewing underneath The Cock Tavern was hard work, in a tough workplace that was hot and unforgiving, but the beers that make up Howling Hops’ comprehensive range, bar its pilsner, were all borne out of those gruelling sessions. And while the brewery’s new premises are a far cry from the small confines that Howling Hops started in several years ago, there are still challenges to overcome. “The management of the tanks can be a bit frustrating, admits O’Rourke. “As the time spent with them, and thinking about them, is pretty all consuming, as it takes nearly a full day to run beer from the fermentors into those things. You also need to take into account the removing of the beer with
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November~December 2015 | The Brewers Journal 27
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what’s left going into kegs or bottles. Add to that the sanitising and cleaning, as of of this obviously has to be done, and done the right way. You have to respect it, it can’t be rushed.” The brewery’s impressive bespoke set up has been supplied by Bavarian Brewery Technologies, and enables Howling Hops to offer its full complement of core beers, all 10 of them, direct from the bar. Its biggest seller is the 4.7 ‘Howling Pils’ followed by the 3.8% ’Pale Ale’ and the higher percentage 5.0% ‘Pale XX’, an order of popularity that comes as no surprise to the resident Queenslander. Its FVs are double the size of the serving tanks so they tend to run half the FV into a serving tank and the rest into bottles. And when the serving tank gets to a certain age, normally around two weeks, they will keg the remainder and the process starts again.
challenging installation
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hough you wouldn’t know it to look at them, the team encountered some “issues” as O’Rourke puts it, during installation. “We had some war wounds for sure.” A 4mm tolerance, 2mm either side, was given for each of the tanks, and it took around five hours to get them through the door. “It was a big challenge, very stressful and took a whole month to get everything in, with multiple deliveries in that time,” explains O’Rourke, pointing to a tear-inducing dent on one of the tanks caused by a wayward fork. Though the task could have been even more challenging, if it weren’t for the installation team. “We had two Polish guys, and I tell you, the sheer amount of stuff they were able to move with a 2x4 was insane, nothing was a problem. One bit of 2x4, I still can’t believe it. Incredible.” O’Rourke exudes a clear sense of pride at the enviable setup at Howling Hops HQ. “We have good equipment here and that’s obviously a massive help as a brewer. One part of this equation is how dry hopping is often carried out using its hop gun, which will pass the beer through the hops, infuse it, then a filtration element in the middle with the now infused beer runs back into the FV,” he says. “Sometimes it works amazingly, and sometimes not a all, however.”
innovative concept
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verything Howling Hops produce takes place at its Queens Yard, E8, facility. Its bottle range has, to date, been handled on an ad hoc basis and is proving popular in the wild. Though with around 10,000 litres sent out in bottle form, it’s clear where the brewery’s priorities lie, for now at least. And the spotlight bestowed on Howling Hops since the opening of its brewery and tank bar earlier in the
28 | The Brewers Journal | November~December 2015
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summer has come from all corners. So it remains a surprise that the concept hadn’t been rolled out by more companies until now. “I’m not sure why it hasn’t be done before, I’ll be honest,” says O’Rourke. “I think up until now, people haven’t had to worry, from the brewery side of the things, about the public. The focus has been more on the commercial front, bringing in raw ingredients, spitting out a product and you get feedback from the punters. "But now, there is a big focus on brewpubs, open days, and an increased interaction with the public. For me, I think that this scenario we have here is perfect for that.” But while the tank bar concept takes considerable investment, O’Rourke points out that there is a great deal of names around the beer industry that aren’t making the most of what they have. “It’s frustrating because making beer is a relatively
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easy process and making really great beer is difficult, but making a product that has alcohol in and is drinkable is one thing. But I’ve seen a great deal of people that underutilise the space they have, which is a shame. There is so much potential just being wasted.” But while others may be resting on their laurels, Howling Hops in 2015 is a different beast to the one that stared in that small room under a pub three years ago, but it’s qualities have remained the same. “One friend said the setup we have here, with long benches and groups of people interacting with each other is just like a school trip where you end up mingling with people you know, and people you don’t,” explains O’Rourke. “I prefer to think of like a classic German beer hall, but if people are enjoying themselves in a place that we have put together, with the beers we are brewing, then that’s all that matters.” It’s hard to argue otherwise.
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The Kent Connection Pig & Porter are influenced and inspired, but not defined, by their Kent heritage. Sean Ayling and Robin Wright from the Tunbridge Wells-based brewery talk to The Brewers Journal about the company’s whirlwind journey, their love of English hops, and where collaborations could take them next.
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t’s the first day of the rest of their lives, or in real terms, it’s the first day of Pig & Porter’s fourth year in business. The Tunbridge Wells-based brewery, like many of its contemporaries, has come a long way in a relatively short time, and the team, which comprises Sean Ayling and Robin Wright, have grand plans for their business. “We would struggle for space, and despite taking another unit, it just wouldn’t work. But this setup will allow us to work for another several years before we have to think about moving,” explains Wright, who is one half of the team Pig & Porter. Wright and his co-founder, Ayling, have just taken over a second unit in the industrial estate that is home to Kent-based brewery. But that aside, the duo are already looking to the future. “We would like to be an position where we have in-house bottling but until we move from here, that just won’t happen. For some breweries, bottling is the most profitable way to get their beer out but for us, it’s the least.” So until bottling does come in-house, the brewery looks upon its small-pack sales as a way to increase brand awareness, and to enable its beer to get to places that it wouldn’t be in otherwise.
perfect pairing
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ig and Porter was conceived as a small scale brewing and event catering business in 2012, the culmination of discussions between friends bonded by mutual hobbies, namely a love for cricket that spanned back 20 years.
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“We brewed our first beer on New Year’s Eve 2012 and thereafter brewed as often as we could at several microbreweries in Sussex and Kent. In the spring, we began the event catering side of our business for which the beer had originally been intended, and this also took off with bookings every weekend in the summer,” says Wright. He adds: “With both sides of our young business showing huge potential we had to make a decision, and when the opportunity arose to take on a former brewery in Tunbridge Wells we knew we had to take it.” The first beer, Wright mentions, was Red Spider Rye, a red rye ale featuring an American clean tasting yeast to showcase the Centennial and Columbus hops. Brewed initially by Ayling using the facilities at West Sussex-based Downlands Brewery, the beer is dry hopped with both of them to enhance the aroma, while a small amount of rye malt lends a spiciness to balance the beer. A beer, Pig & Porter is still selling, successfully, in 2015.
catering catalyst
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ut taking a step back to the start of 2013, the team were brewing once a month as without advertising, the brewing and catering duo were booked for pretty much every weekend for Spring/ Summer/Autumn and “didn’t say no to anything” according to Wright. “We had this manic cycle having not done anything like that before to putting together high-end BBQs charging £30 a head, to hog roasts at festivals and similar.”
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“Then in Autumn, we were made aware of a unit lying idle, which was used by the former Royal Tunbridge Wells Brewery, so we sat down and as catering season was finishing, we looked at renting it. And as the commitments on the brewing front took hold, we realised that the catering side was not going to be sustainable use of our resources, in that sense,” explains Wright. Ayling and his counterpart took a lease for a year, brewing once a week each, but sharing the brewery with another brewing concern meant that toes were well and truly being stepped on from both sides. However, 12 months later, in October 2014, it came to the point where the duo decided that they needed to brew more and the sharing arrangement simply wasn’t working. In the subsequent months, the other brewing outfit moved its beers to a contract concern and finally, in February of this year, they had the unit to themselves. “It was a massive step both both of us. We are both 50/50 owners of the business and it’s something I suppose we’ve done on a shoestring until now, but it’s enabled us to build a strong relationship with those around us and give us a solid grounding,” adds Wright.
additional capacity
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he brewery is currently at capacity operating three fermentors and that capacity it sold flat out. However, the advent of a second unit that will provide additional storage, means they will be able to install two more fermentors, moving from brewing three times a fortnight, to three a week. “Unless we move into lager,” says an eager Ayling. “But it’s very much a step by step approach,” he adds. Pig & Porter’s cause has been helped by distribution across the UK through companies such as Pig’s Ears in the South East, Glassworks in Manchester, as well as Shiny Brewery and Jolly Good Beer, among others. “Initially, we would build relationships through beer events and when Sean came on full time, it was knocking on doors across the country, but the fact that we worked with Glassworks helped a lot. The name helped, there, that’s for sure,” adds Wright. The brewery’s core output in 2015 comprises four beers. The aforementioned ‘Red Spider Rye’, ‘Ashburnham Pale Ale’ which is a classic English Pale Ale brewed with Fuggles and East Kent Golding hops late in the boil and then dry hopped with EKG’s to add a spicy finish. Another part of the core range is ‘Fatal Flaw – American Amber’ which features an aromatic malt and American ale yeast, coupled with the “most interesting hops” available at the time as Ayling says it is the malt backbone of biscuit and toffee that makes this beer. Fatal Flaw comes from one of Wright’s favourite American novels, Secret History by Donna Tartt. The final element of its core output is a dark beer, most recently ‘Summer Stout’. “It’s always good to
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have a dark beer on, especially in the summer as so many are only producing pales. In winter, it’ll become Slow, Black, and the first brew will be Sloe Black, which features Sloe berries in the mix. “Everything we did to start with is because we were told to do, rather than what we knew would necessarily work. Seasonal beer allows you to build up a following if it’s a good beer, and then could move it into your so-called core range,” adds Wright. He explains: “We started with the beer, get that right, and it went well, then we have a business. We recognised that our branding isn’t right though, so we’ve recently rebranded and we are looking at the younger market with our beers."
export opportunities
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he team is also looking at export opportunities in the future, with opportunities in Italy, France, China, as well as the US. But closer to home, Ayling and Wright have used their presence across the UK to collaborate with breweries such as West London’s Weird Beard and Manchester’s Runaway Brewery, the former taking the form of a steam-style beer that used EXP341 hops in its first commercial use in the UK. And while Wright adopts an envious look at the space some of their counterparts in cities such as Manchester have at their disposal, the Pig & Porter team are keen to ensure that when the time does come to move, it’ll be somewhere with good transport links, suitable office space and accessible from the duo’s Whitstable and Hastings bases. “On an personal basis, we deliver to quite a broad geography. It gives you time to think, and what better way to meet your customers. A new location will improve our office setup too, as we are getting to the point where at least half our beer is not sold locally, so there are all things to take into account,” says Ayling. And in terms of the brewery’s output, Pig & Porter sells in both cask and keg, as well as in bottles. Wright explains: “But we are having a rethink as kegs are fundamentally a real pain in the neck as so many pubs don’t know how to serve them, and to be fair, so many breweries don’t know how to fill them properly, either. “The market is growing but it’s still very early days, and nowhere near advanced as I thought it was, to be honest. The ideal split for us is somewhere like Glassworks Manchester, where they want 75/25% split in favour of cask. “You can produce a perfect beer, in perfect conditions, with perfect carbonation levels and there is a good chance that a decent number of people could end up with a fobbing mess that they don’t know how to serve.” The problem, says Wright, is people have been educated for many years in serving cask beer and management, and the acceleration of keg has suprised people, “so they don’t all know how to do it properly”.
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lupulin threshold shift
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ut it’s this point in the conversation that the focus turns to a figure that Ayling and Wright have no fear whatsoever of doings things improperly, their so-called “Hop God” Dr Peter Darby. Darby is a hop researcher, and the public figurehead behind Wye Hops. While they hold Darby, and his work, in high regard, its what the future holds that has Ayling and Wright particularly excited. “There’s probably a dozen or so hops regularly grown in the UK but the variety we have runs far deeper. There is one variety, a Kentish Hop, Kentish soil, Kentish climate, but you’d swear is from the US West Coast. OZ97a,” enthuses Wright. He adds: “Field notes from the 1950’s showed that it passed its field trial, but failed its commercial trial as it was deemed to ‘flavoursome’ as they only wanted a hop for bittering purposes. But thanks to efforts from Darby, among others, planting took place last year and recently, 15kg was harvested. And we have it, so watch this space! So while Ayling’s latest efforts with OZ97a are pending with baited breath, what other beers are on the horizon for Pig & Porter? It’s collaboration with Runaway Brewery, ‘Runaway Pig’, was well-received, as was the Weird Beard link-up ‘Weird Pig’. Wright explains: “Whenever we collaborate, we follow the naming format of the other brewery first, and the name ending in Pig. ‘Runaway Pig’, ‘Weird Pig’, so who knows, maybe Cameron’s Brewery are up for it.” Don’t hold your breath….
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Taking Flight Truman’s Brewery will celebrate its 350th anniversary in 2016, but for a respected name, immersed in history and tradition, it’s clear that the best pages of this particular brewing story are yet to be written.
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here is a sense of pride that exudes from the team that make up Truman’s Brewery. And after a period in the wilderness, there is also a strong sense of belonging, too. Operating a stones throw from the Olympic Stadium in London, Truman’s has adopted the mentality that it’s a marathon, not a sprint, when it comes to the brewing business. However, it would be unfair to solely dwell on the past, because, as commercial director Jack Hibberd points out, “We want to look forward, as well as back”. And it’s that attitude that ensures there is a positive
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buzz emanating from its Hackney Wick brewery, 'The Eyrie', named after an eagle’s nest. Because following a sting of brewing its ‘Pale’ beer for keg at Robinson’s Brewery in Cheshire, the company has brought kegging in-house and with it, the launch of two new beers. In addition to the popular ‘Truman’s Pale’, ‘Skylark’ and ‘Roller IPA’ have all been brought to market. The pale is a hop-forward 4.1% beer brewed with New Zealand hops offering citrus flavours and bold hop aromas. ‘Skylark’ is a 3.9% golden ale that is “packed with flavours of tangerine and orange zest’ while Truman’s ‘Roller IPA’ packs a punch with US and Australian
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hops and has a bittersweet grapefruit finish. “They combine bold hop flavours with classic Truman’s drinkability and are brewed with passion in the heart of East London. We wanted to bring the same quality to keg that we do to cask and have invested in the very best equipment to ensure that we preserve all the flavours and aromas of the top quality malt and hops we use in every brew,” says James Morgan, who, along with Michael-George Hemus, helped bring Truman’s back into the modern age.
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ruman’s has committed £500,000 to its new equipment setup, housed in an adjacent unit that Beavertown briefly called home towards the end of 2013 into 2014. It comprises new conditioning equipment and a keg filling and cleaning system from Gruber, which is known as ‘The Beast’ thanks to its ability to output up to 45 barrels an hour. Hibberd explains: “We are trying to build a following on keg, not detracting from cask. I think it’s recognition that now great beer isn’t limited by format, whether that is cask, keg, bottle or can, there is great beer to be had and we want to be part of that movement and we want to offer our customers choice. “We have always wanted to be in keg, but with that comes the need for investment. We wanted to offer keg in the best way possible and not rush into it, as that’s simply not the way we do things here. So when the time came, we invested heavily in equipment, and the fruits of this are there for all to try now.” And with Truman’s new kegging capabilities come plans to extend its brewing schedule that currently run to up six times a week, to double brewing patterns that will enable the 20-staff firm to broaden its reach, with beers such as its ‘Skylark’ already hitting drinker’s hands in bottle form. Many of these beers are distributed through direct delivery within the M25 via its fleet of five vehicles, but Hibberd and the team are looking further afield as the latest iteration of Truman’s continues to grow. “We have some distribution partners that help across the South of England, and next year we are looking national and into export. We are pleased that we have the demand, but we want to be able to serve those customers before expanding. But thankfully we are at the point, following the recent investments that we have made, that we can spread our wings and fly further,” he says with a wry smile.
changing scene
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he London brewing scene, however, is a different beast to the one that existed only a few years ago, when the latest chapter of the Truman’s journey was being penned. Hibberd explains: “It started with James Morgan,
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who was working in Brick Lane at the time, running a beer import business called Milestone Beers, working in and around the Trumans’s Brewery. He asked what had happened to this great old brand. as it was the brand of East London, and one that many people had respect and fondness for. “He asked simply, where is it? And after, from checking on the IPO office, he found that it was owned by Scottish & Newcastle. He told them he wanted to bring it back, and their response? “‘We don’t own Truman’s’. “It took them being sent the registration papers for them to believe they owned it!” So, Morgan carried on sending them letters every week until they were “thoroughly fed up” and agreed to license to brand to Morgan and Michael-George Hemus. “This allowed the Truman’s brand to test the market, and prove the concept, to ensure it resonated with drinkers. Beer was brewed at Everards and Nethergate, where a recipe that took a long time to
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develop, ‘Runner’, was produced, which was massively successful and people got excited about it, which was very encouraging as you may imagine.” he explains. Fast forward, and Scottish & Newcastle are bought by Heineken and so at that point, it became feasible for Morgan to buy the brand, which included everything that existed of Truman’s, bar the old brewery itself. In 2011 this completed and following that, the team got busy raising the funds to bring Truman’s “back home” to London and in 2013, they opened the brewery in Hackney Wick. “When James started the journey to bring Truman’s back, there were around 10 breweries in London and now, that figure is closer to 100. For us, that is only a positive as we really believe that a rising tide raises all ships and we are proud to be part of a vibrant scene,” says Hibberd. “We are slightly different to a lot of startups, and while we have similarities, we have the heritage too. We also have a duty to that, so we make beers for everyone everywhere, a commitment
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to consistency and quality, and a respect for our peers old, and new.” He adds: “Our beers are modern, authentic, but also well made with a strong character. We are a small brewer with a big name and we have a small, craft ethos in the way we bring recipes to market, sourcing the best ingredients we possibly can, but we have a big ethos too, in the way we look after our customers, and responding to them.”
rich heritage
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ibberd is clearly passionate about the Truman’s name, and its position in the modern landscape, but also the rich heritage that comes with the brand. So while the team has put its money where its mouth is, when it comes to investing in new equipment, this also extends to the way Truman’s is seen in the wild. A point in question is that to celebrate the arrival
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of the new range, Truman’s has teamed up with Louis Lejeune, who is the only surviving maker of custom car mascots, to produce a striking new bespoke beer dispense font. This features a hand-cast bronze eagle, which has been the symbol of Truman’s since the company was founded in 1666. Each eagle has been individually cast in bronze, before it is finished in chrome with the eagle design based on a traditional car mascot – the Alvis crested eagle. “We are proud of what we do, and who we are, so that’s why we do it? It’s indicative of our quality and heritage,” he says. But that, as Hibberd explains, is only part of the latest Truman’s journey, with plans well underway for its landmark next year, and beyond. “The time will come where we need a purpose built home for the next 100 years. 2016 marks the 350th of Truman’s, and we want to stay relevant, producing great beers, from a great brewery, for a very long time. “We fought tooth and nail to bring Truman’s back to London, so we’re not planning to let that go anytime soon”.
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Striking a Chord If you have seen a Beavertown beer in 2015, you’ve most likely seen the work of Nick Dwyer. The London company’s creative director talks to The Brewers Journal about the marriage of flavour and design, and how his love for the film Mars Attacks is to thank for the inspiration behind his work on the brewery’s flagship beer, ‘Gamma Ray’.
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t has been a predictably manic couple of weeks at Beavertown towers. The brewery has held the successful southern launch party for this year’s Rainbow Project, a full-scale website redesign is in its final stages, and they've scooped a number of awards for their beer in the process. Among all this, creative director Nick Dwyer took time out of Beavertown’s preparations for this year’s Indy Man Beer Con to discuss his journey within the business, designing for cans, and what elements he identifies are needed for great beer packaging. TBJ - How did you into get into illustration and how did your relationship with Beavertown come about?
ND - I got into illustration to win over girls… (Why does anybody do anything?!?) I was the sort of young guy that would focus my attention on one particular lady, bombarding her with mix tapes and little drawings. It was kind of an edge over the captain of the football team sort of guy as a captain of the jaffa cakes sort of a guy. Then a few days later I would claim to be in love or maybe text them a few too many times a second and would have to spend a week or so listening to Fall Out Boy in my room wondering why I couldn’t catch a break. But at least I could work on my drawing ready for the next doomed-to-fail-over-intense skirmish, even if Mum and Dad didn’t understand me. White winkle pickers are cool. Add some spray on jeans to the hefty teenager and you got yourself a sexy stew going. A few years of that sort of thing, then I studied graphic design in London, specializing in Illustration. One of my closest mates from university, James Rylance, got really into home brewing, and within months had landed the job of joining Logan in the kitchen of Duke’s Brew and Que in Haggerston, the primordial soup place of Beavertown Brewery. James sent me a message saying he would love
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me to have a crack at both 'Black Betty', and a then unnamed and totally foreign, unnamed Pale Ale – now 'Gamma Ray'. I knew nothing of craft beer, but jumped at an opportunity so soon after graduating. Logan and James would brew early in the morning to make room for the chefs coming in for dinner service, and I would join them mid morning to show what I had come up with. A couple of times I came a bit later and saw how much fun it looked working in the restaurant. I was miserable trying to keep up silver service standards where I was waiting at the time so asked for a job. A trial shift led to a job, which led to more time to sneakily coerce Logan into looking at my portfolio (“Oh sorry I was just on my way back from a meeting with a major agent for amazing illustrators, so sorry I left this open on your bed.”) I bagged a couple more designs, designed and put together the most basic of basic websites, worked almost two years in the restaurant, and eventually ended up in house as a designer. Soon after that we made the decision to go cans, at which point a rebrand was deemed appropriate. And here we are. TBJ - You clearly draw inspiration from a number of different fields. What was the driving force behind your initial Beavertown designs? ND - It felt like such a strange first brief, doing a beer label. I had been ingrained with aspirations to do editorials for trendy magazines but obviously, as an art graduate, would have knocked up a parish newsletter for my nan (and I did, she’s a saint) for any sort of press. What really struck a chord was how much passion and thought was going into the beer that was being brewed, and I managed to channel that into what I'm passionate about in the way I saw the guys doing – Space and skeletons. I read a lot of graphic novels and comics and drew massively from the likes of Grant Morrison, Warren Ellis and Dave McKean’s writing and
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the subsequent illustrations. Logan talks a lot (too much) about ”breaking boundaries,” and this was no different. It was a case of going in with something I thought was amazing, and being told all the ways it could be better and more in line with everyone’s ideas and not just my own. It paved the way for all subsequent designs – 'Gamma Ray' specifically. I would bring what I was into to the table and then Logan and anybody else working / hanging around at the time could have input, then I would draw it and it would look like I was really clever and had all the ideas in the world. Result. The skeleton heads on Gamma Ray actually cover up human heads and were a direct result of late night “Mars Attacks” sessions. TBJ - When did the decision come about to move away from the original designs and to adopt your work? ND - As mentioned, going into cans sparked a huge rebrand. Before I designed the core Beavertown range, it was the fantastic illustrator, Jonah Schultz, who works at the Kernel as a brewer. The inspiration and direction there was taken from illuminati symbols and various other emblems, ending up with the dollar billlike labels. The artwork for cans brings a huge number of obstacles to the table when using a massive amount of detail and really thin line work. We did a lot of mocking up cans with the current art and played around with it but Logan kept coming back to the idea of the original space men from the original 'Gamma Ray' design. All of a sudden he just decided we needed to rebrand and that was that. I spent a couple of months strapped to a desk with my pens and at the end of it we had the five designs that would be our five core canned beers. It was really intense but so unbelievably satisfying. TBJ - The designs for many of Beavertown’s beers have changed and developed over time. Is this organic or has there been a concerted effort to reboot these? ND - I cant think of a word that better describes any of our processes really. Most beers have been part of the alpha series at some point – our way of transparently trialling beers that we need some
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feedback on. It used to be a longer process but we have really honed the parameters of what great beer is to us so it takes a lot less time for everyone here to agree we need to get it out to people as soon as possible. Initial designs may not suit how the beer has been carefully tweaked and cared for, meaning its time for a change in design too. The whole point of having me at Beavertown is to carefully create designs that match how carefully designed the beer is. I mean for funk’s sake we work a microscopic level on the yeast and bacteria, why wouldn’t you want to represent that sort of care in packaging! So essentially the developments come about either based on the beer reaching a standard it can be considered a core beer, and brought in line branding wise, or simply because we are canning it, and it doesn’t allow for as much detail in the artwork as may have been on the bottle label. TBJ - Do you work with Logan and the team when new beers are being developed to formulate ideas for the design, or is that something you work on once the name and style of beer are settled on? ND - It’s 100% collaborative across the whole of the business and that’s what makes it great. The beer is conceived, a recipe is developed, something tasty is brewed, and then we all drink it and come up with some questionable names. Following that, somebody sensible walks in and gets it in one. I mean, the original core beers were all based on concepts and ideas and then carefully thought out – like 'Neck Oil', what Logan’s Grandfather used to call his after work beer. I call it “necessary to stop the shakes” now but each to their own. TBJ - Has the migration from bottles to cans for the brewery’s small pack sales influenced your approach at all? ND - I suppose I kind of covered this, but coming from working in pen and watercolour / Promarkers, not being able to use textures effectively had a massive impact on the designs. It has definitely made the designs more character focused.
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Labelling our cans really helps actually because we can get the matte texture we originally started using on the bottle labels (and has become incredibly prevalent amongst a lot of other craft breweries since!) and play with gloss in addition. Short answer, yes, but I'm kind of grateful for the opportunity to rethink things. TBJ - What has been the greatest challenge in working at Beavertown and equally, what has been the area in which you've got the greatest satisfaction from? ND - They are one in the same really. When the team was small I had a lot of jobs on top of the design like ordering boxes / dealing with the canning factory. As we have grown more appropriate people have taken on those roles but there are a few I have kept a tight grasp on. Working with the guys that do our labels – Label Express – is one, but “Social media” is another. Its not only fun massively satisfying once your realize even the most gripey twitter troll can be calmed if you treat them like your drunk confused grandpa. Usually it is my drunk confused grandpa. I used to get told off for engaging twitter trolls, but I found a way. Love always finds a way. TBJ - On a broader beer packaging note, what do you think makes an effective, standout design in 2015? What qualities do you identify as means to help the brand in question stand out? ND - Its less about doing things for effect and more about reflecting what’s in the can/bottle/pint. People will instantly forget a product that lured them in with crazy packaging but failed to deliver. There are no absolutes though, and the most minimal design can shine brighter than a thousand space wizards on fire. Its about being true to the product and the person behind the products intentions. Nothing needs crazy packaging, but it can be a great way to have a certain type of person gravitate towards it. We were recently crowned best UK brewery in a blind tasting (along with Supreme champion brewer) so I'm fully entitled to tell you how the beer will always be king! I just get to have the best job in the world because of it. TBJ - For a brewery looking into its first label designs, or looking to rebrand them, what advice would you give them? Where do you start and what are the key elements should they focus on? ND - Almost the same as above really. What are you looking to achieve overall? Its in any breweries interest to only put out beer they would drink so ensure it fits that criteria above all else then put it to some sort of panel, give yourself time to go back and change things and never rush through a design. My biggest mistake has consistently been thinking my first idea is my best and I can stop there.
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The Western
This year, San Francisco’s Speakeasy Ales & Lagers has put its money where its mouth is. It has installed a new 60 barrel brewhouse, as well as a malt handling system, new fermentors, centrifuge, and a canning line. So what’s next?
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Influence
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ith new production capabilities producing up to 90,000 barrels per year, the launch of its Session 47 Series, as well as a foray into canned beer, 2015 has been something of a hectic one for West
Coast-based Speakeasy. Alongside its new beers that include the 'Baby Daddy IPA', and its 'Suds Session Ale', the Evans Avenue business exudes an effortless cool that, arguably, so many breweries in the UK and Ireland would kill for. Production capacity has increased 500% in 2015 which, Speakeasy explains, has been a pivotal moment in the company’s history. “The journey to become a larger company is just beginning. Our expansion will allow us to reach a lot more beer fans, not only in the U.S., but internationally as well. This was the vision of
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Speakeasy’s owner, Forest Gray, who has guided the company since it was founded in 1997, Brian Stechschulte, public relations & media director at Speakeasy Ales & Lagers, tells The Brewers Journal.
transitional period
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e says: “The potential for growth is enormous, and all our equipment upgrades, including a new canning line, brewhouse, and centrifuge, will not only allow us to make more beer, but at a consistent higher quality, working also with Prospero to source our new brewhouse and canning line.” While the last months have been transitional for the West Coast brewery, tastes have certainly changed since its formation in 1997 when its first beer, the amber/red 'Prohibition Ale', was created. Stechschulte explains: “Back then it was popular among beer fans, and drove the company, but only
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achieved critical success on a national scale in 2013, when it received a gold medal at the Great American Beer Festival. So sometimes beers are before their time, and some drinkers adapt their tastes to the beer. “On the other hand, our Big Daddy IPA, a classic West Coast IPA, has been eclipsed by beers that are far more hoppier today. When Big Daddy IPA was created, it was considered very bitter and hoppy. Now some consumers want more hops and more bitterness. “As a result, we’ve made some minor changes to Big Daddy IPA, but we don’t want to change it into a new beer. We’ve created other IPAs that conform better to modern tastes.” While Speakeasy has a strong idea of its position in the San Franciscan landscape, it sees its strongest sales from its 'Prohibition Ale' and 'Big Daddy IPA' and outside of the local area, it distributes to AZ, CA, CO, DE, IL, MA, NH, NY, NJ, NV, OR, RI, VA, and WA. It also exports to Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Brazil, New Zealand, Netherlands, Alberta (CA), AAFES, Germany, and Italy, with plans to broaden this reach further in the near future.
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t’s located a fair distance from the UK, and Stechschulte explains the local drinkers get very little beer from these isles, “which is a shame,” he says. “I personally love classic English styles, but they
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f o r e i g n
f o c u s
probably wouldn’t keep very well over such a long distance. Wild Beer Co is one of the few English breweries that I’ve seen on the shelves in San Francisco. Their experimental barrel-aged approach probably resonates with the interest of beer drinkers in the U.S.,” he adds. While the US is seeing an increased presence of beers from the UK and Ireland, Stechschulte believes that the explosion of creativity, experimentation, and beer quality is why the US is influencing breweries around the world. He explains: “In the early days of U.S. craft, brewers were inspired by European brewing traditions and styles, who then put their own spin on them. Now it’s nice to see our trends and styles playing a role in European beer development. “In reality, we’re just one big global community of brewers, and it’s wonderful to see how ideas, information, and techniques are being shared and used everywhere. That being said, I also think it’s important for brewing communities, cultures, and countries, to maintain their own traditions and what makes them unique. “In the U.S. there’s a growing focus on sessionable beer, something that the UK brewing culture has been built around for centuries. Beer fans want big flavors with less alcohol, that they can consume over a long afternoon or evening." Speakeasy Ales & Lagers just released a series of new beers focused on this interest, which include Baby Daddy IPA, Suds Session Ale, and Pop Gun Pilsner.
November~December 2015 | The Brewers Journal 51
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B ra u B e v ia l e
Ones to Watch Nearly 40,000 visitors will descend upon the NĂźrnberg Messe for BrauBeviale 2015 this November. Our preview highlights some the key products and services on show.
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rauBeviale has much to live up to following a massively successful showing in 2014. 37,200 visitors flocked to take in the latest developments from across the supply chain of beverage production. However, the team behind the BrauBeviale aren’t ones to rest on their laurels and
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around 1,150 exhibitors are expected to take part in the three-day event this November, which features a raft of new programmes, seminars and sessions to help you improve your business. The NĂźrnberg Messe will play host to visitors from across the globe from 10-12 November with the focus firmly placed on the process chain of beverages production: high-quality raw materials, effective technologies, efficient logistics solutions and a raft of
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marketing ideas.
innovative concept
B
rauBeviale is expecting around 37,000 attendees at this year’s event. This figure includes a cross-section of brewers, as well as also specialists and experts from the plant and engineering sector, packaging industry and from malt houses, the retail trade and catering industries. Visitors to the show came from 128 countries, with a total of over 8,100 international guests attending from the Czech Republic, Italy, Switzerland, Austria and Russia. 87 percent of those in attendance were decision-makers or were involved in the purchasing and procurement decision-making processes of their respective companies. Following a survey of this audience, the main focus of interest was towards the beverage production technology, filling and packaging, as well by raw materials, logistics solutions and marketing ideas. Director exhibitions Andrea Kalrait explains: “Last year BrauBeviale was impressive for all those involved. Our new concept has really proved itself and that is why we will of course be sticking to it. Here and there we will still be making a few minor adjustments in order to obtain the best for all those involved.” Exhibitors at last year’s event came from 47 nations, including Germany, Italy, Great Britain, the Czech Republic, Netherlands, Austria, Belgium and Switzerland.
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Essential information Venue and date Exhibition Centre Nuremberg Tuesday, 10 to Thursday, 12 November 2015 Opening times Tuesday and Wednesday from 9.00 to 18.00 Thursday from 9.00 to 17.00 Online Ticket Shop Order tickets from October onwards online at: www.braubeviale.de/ticketshop Box office 1-day ticket: EUR 26; Full event: EUR 36 Online exhibitor platform All exhibitors and their latest product information available at: www.braubeviale.de/exhibitors-products Entrances and floor plan Entrance is via Eingang Mitte entrance to Halls 1, 9 and tour of the halls via Eingang Ost entrance to Halls 4, 4A, 5, 6, 7, 7A and tour of the halls Exhibitors Approximately: 1,150 Trade visitors 2014: 37,200, 40% international share
prominent markets
F
rom speaking to those involved, 93 percent of the exhibitors were “satisfied” with the overall success of their trade fair participation, 96 percent of the exhibitors reached their most important target groups and almost just as many exhibitors, 94 percent, made new business contacts. This year, BrauBeviale is once again placing a focus on the prominent markets and trends in the brewing sector with its European MicroBrew Symposium. The training event for managing directors, company owners, proprietors, technical managers and master brewers from European micro and craft breweries, as well as representatives from the supplying industry, will be held as usual on the day before the fair opens. This is being staged by NürnbergMesse in cooperation with the Versuchs- und Lehranstalt für Brauerei (Research and Teaching Institute for Brewing, VLB), Berlin. Another popular facet of the show’s programme returns in 2015 in the form of the BrauBeviale Forum. The event comprises top-ranking lectures, workshops and panel discussions, with more than 3,000 guests in attendance throughout during last year’s seminars.
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Extras Trend theme 2015 Because drinking pleasure is at home here! “Creative Beer Culture meets Premium Spirits”, Hall 9 PET@BrauBeviale BrauBeviale and PETnology present PET in the beverages industry, Hall 4A BrauBeviale Forum Top-ranking presentations on top themes in the sector in Hall 1 Presentation of the European Beer Star Europe’s largest beer competition, Hall 9 European MicroBrew Symposium A look at the markets and trends for microbrewers Tasting bar in Hall 9 Beverage Innovation Award in Hall 1
November~December 2015 | The Brewers Journal 53
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B ra u B e v ia l e
GEN-IAL Hall 4 / 4-102 The new First-Beer yeast and bacteria PCR-differentiation kit is designed to detect and identify the following species: Lactobacillus, Pediococcus, Acetic acid bacteria, Enterobacteriaceae, Bottom-fermented yeasts, Top-fermented yeasts and Wild yeasts. It is ready-to-use, which means all relevant primers and probes, including inhibitionand positive control DNA are freeze-dried with only sample-DNA and Premix have to be added. “Therefore the contamination risk is reduced and the handling is very easy. The evaluation is done in 4 detection channels (FAM,HEX,ROX,CY5) and the kit has an open platform for several real-time PCR machines,” explains the manufacturer.
GEA Group Hall 7 / 7-602 GEA’s centrifugal pump TPS is a self-priming pump for viscosities of up to 500 mPas and is mostly used for CIP return applications, for emptying tanks as well as for conveying products containing gas. It explains that the TPS permits evacuation of pipes on the suction side – so that just one pump is required for CIP return and product conveying. Suitable for beer, wort, yeast, water, CIP Solutions, the TPS is said to be no louder than a non self-priming centrifugal pump and less sensitive to particles in the product flow with larger gap dimensions than liquid ring pumps.
P.E. Labellers Hall 7 / 7-338 P.E. Labellers presents its new automatic sleeve applicator for the application of sleeve labels on containers, empty or full, of any material, shape and size, with shrinkage percentage up to 80%. The advantage of the label sleeve, P.E. Labellers explains, is that it allows the use of the entire surface of the container to present the features of the product, in addition to making the packaging thoroughly modern and appealing. The automatic sleeve applicators are available in different versions to meet diverse packaging needs while In order to guarantee the best production performance, the shrinking tunnel of the sleeve is available in two versions: hot air and steam.
Imake Hall 1 / 1-635 The Grainfather, is an “all in one brewing system” to make beer from grain and is pitched as a companion for both experienced and beginner all grain brewers. It includes a 304 grade stainless steel superior body, tempered glass lid, magnetic drive pump (6 watt, 1800 RPM), expandable grain basket to suit a variety of grain bills and a bottom mesh for grain basket, among others.
54 | The Brewers Journal | November~December 2015
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IWAKI Europe Hall 5 / 5-433 IWAKI will be on hand to demonstrate the latest developments to its dosing pump range, namely the new IX-D series (max. 300 l/h). The IX series is equipped with a brushless DC motor, allowing a wide spreaded drive speed, which offers a setting range of 1:750. The pump operates by a microprocessor controlled suction, discharge stroke at a fixed stroke length of 100 %. Changing the flow rate is only done by stroke rate and a variable stroke speed. “A steady dead spot volume over the complete dosing range is guaranteed by the fixed stroke length adjustment. Rapid dosing acts without air lock can be as easily realised by the controlled suction, discharge stroke as e.g. dosing of viscous or shear sensitive liquids. The employed drive technology of the IX series offers a low pulsating, smooth and continuous metering without pressure peaks and a repeatability of +/- 1 % over the complete performance range,” explains IWAKI. It adds: “Even for tough applications with outgassing or viscous liquids no further accessory is needed. By a user friendly multi language LCD, the selection of the drive modes manual, batch, pulse, time, analogue and prime is set. “All main operating data can be triggered by the menu at any time. With only a few keystrokes, saving manual calibration, the pump will be set to the equipment conditions.” The IX series is featured with a sensor, detecting abnormal operating conditions and prevents the pump from damages caused by over pressure.
Pertainer Hall 4 / 4-137 Petainer will showcase its new pertainerKeg Linestar, which it describes as a “gamechanger” keg system, at the show. The manufacturer said the improved one-way PET keg features a solid and robust external casing that is designed to run on most steel keg filling lines. According to Petainer, the new product introduce benefits such as increased resilience throughout the supply chain, lightweight, an ergonomic design and a 2,800cm² surface area for branding opportunities. Annemieke Hartman-Jemmett, commercial director at Petainer Group, said: “Linestar is a gamechanger; Petainer has endeavoured to provide our customers with a seamless transition from steel to PET kegs. “For brewers petainerKeg Linestar fits on most existing steel keg filling lines and is strong enough for robotic handling and palletisation. “For on trade Linestar fits easily on existing dispensing equipment, and for distributers the product is easy to stack, store, and handle and with no keg returns required.” The product will initially be available in 30 litre format, while an active oxygen scavenger ingredient is incorporated within the PET material which keeps the contents fresher and prolongs shelf life.
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Hall layout Raw materials (Hall 1) Raw materials and beverages as a raw material Technologies (Halls 4, 4A, 5, 6, 7, 7A) Machinery, plant and installations for the production, filling and packaging of beverages Packaging materials, packaging aids, closing and sealing materials Automation and IT Operating and laboratory equipment, process and auxiliary materials, beer refinement Plant and installations for energy, compressed air/ gases, industrial safety, environmental protection Logistics (Hall 7A) Vehicles, loading equipment, material flow, warehousing and storage systems, transport equipment Marketing (Halls 1 and 9) Beverages marketing, catering equipment and facilities Services, institutes, research, media
November~December 2015 | The Brewers Journal 55
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Liese Hall 7A / 7A-502 Domino Hall 7 / 7-429 Domino’s A520i Continuous Ink Jet Printer is suitable for a range of applications from simple expiration date coding to high speed serialisation or traceability requirements. The machine has been particularly designed for washdown environments owing to its 316 grade stainless steel construction, while a plenum airflow cooling system keeps the printer cool and the electronics sealed (IP66). This, the manufacturer explained, makes it ideal for beverage production environments. The A520i CIJ printer and User Interface (UI) can be mounted separately for “seamless line integration” while an optional XS print head will optimise the system for high speed printing.
Liese will present systems that include its flying swing-topbottle processing machines: swing-top bottle opener and swing-top device inspection. Its systems are optimised for cleaning and designed specifically for swing-top bottles, capable of outputting up to 40,000 bottles/hour The manufacturer explains: “The bottles are aligned by means of a contactless method using a high-performance camera/ servo system, ensuring that the mouths of the bottles and the bottle fittings are not touched or damaged by machine parts throughout the handling process in the machines. This is excellent from a hygiene and microbiological perspective. “There is no longer a machine table in the conventional sense - all functional and processing assemblies are suspended from the roof of the machine. If nothing is there, nothing can be left lying around. Access to the machine is also easier, and there is no barrier impeding cleaning of the floor beneath the machine.”
Lambrechts Hall 6 / 6-235 “In their effort to present a first quality product, the brewer spares no effort to brew the best beer they can. Presentation of a clean, spotless keg is part of the general impression the customer gets when receiving a fresh keg from the brewery,” says Lambrechts. The manufacturer, which has completed hundreds of installations worldwide, will showcase systems with the capacity up to 1500 kegs/h and a complete stainless steel construction, It adds: “Some of the production lines are fed and discharged by robots and when depalletizing, the robots tool, single or double head, uses a vision system to detect the position of the keg on the pallet. Any foreign, damaged or overweighed keg will be placed on a reject conveyor. “The acceptable kegs are turned, de-capped and placed onto a conveyor or directly onto a racking machine. Full kegs are picked up from the racking line, turned, weighed, capped, labelled and code read before they are placed on the pallet. Depending on size, speed and weight the robot can also stack kegs on pallets up to 2 or 3 high.”
56 | The Brewers Journal | November~December 2015
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November~December 2015 | The Brewers Journal 57
t e c hn o l o gy
cask
&
keg
To Cask or to Keg Variety, they say, is the spice of life, and consumers are demanding more choice from their beer than ever before. With the number of brewery openings in the UK and Ireland showing no sign of abating, nor is the amount of beer styles these breweries, both old and new, are experimenting with. We speak to manufacturers and suppliers in the cask and keg sectors and explore how consumers are driving the winds of change in these fields.
T
he beginning of Autumn marked the start of a new era for East London-based Truman’s. The Hackney brewery, which we speak to in detail elsewhere in this issue, made its foray into bringing three of its beers to the market in keg. The reasoning, was simple. To offer drinkers more choice, and to broaden the brewery’s route to market. For a respected brewing name that celebrates its 350th anniversary next year, it marks a considerable step in the latest Truman’s journey. Is the brewery’s decision to move into keg indicative of the market as a whole, though, or perhaps more pertinently, what does it matter? As an increased choice for the beer drinker is surely only a good thing. “There is big trend, one we cannot ignore, and that is the consumer driven move from cask to craft keg,” explains David Beswick, sales director at Close Brewery Rentals, which has had involvement in around 650 UK breweries during the last 12 months. “Around 15 months ago, we launched a 30l eurokeg for small brewers wanting to move into keg. Uptake was initially slow, but in the last six months though, the demand has gone through the roof, we are talking increases in 100% multiples.”
58 | The Brewers Journal | November~December 2015
keg uplift
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or Close Brewery Rentals (CBR), the numbers speak for themselves. While you can’t simply take a broach brush approach to the figures, CBR operates a fleet of 130,000 9 gallon casks, while it has 30,000 kegs in the field. However it took CBR nine years to accumulate its cask fleet while demand for keg has resulted in that number being hit in little over a year. It's a trajectory also witnessed by Justin Raines, sales director at Crusader Cask & Keg, who says that while the business split is 60/40 in favour of cask, there has been a considerable uplift in keg, driven by new breweries. “We should really be leaders but often, we look at the US and run with that. What we have seen are microbreweries trying to get into keg when they were traditionally cask, namely looking at 30 or 50l kegs. Cask isn’t dropping off though by any means but I can see growth in keg though for another year or two, at least, before it starts to level out,” he explains. CBR’s Beswick adds that, from speaking to a considerable number breweries, he is seeing people move away from cask to keg. “In my opinion, and
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cask
I hate to admit it, it feels as if we are following the North American route. “However, I am frequently told, and informed that full bodied hops, and, often, high ABV is something that new breweries in the UK and Ireland are increasingly trying to reproduce. This, in my eyes, ties in with the premiumisation of beer with people drinking lower amounts but looking at quality over quantity. People are becoming more considerate about what they drink and keg has obviously come a long way in recent decades.” According to Beswick, he suggests that if you are getting in the critical school of though of beer husbandary, there is the longstanding, established point that suggests cask is harder to look after and with that, you run a bigger risk of having a ‘bad’ cellar manager ruining your beer, which was a big rationale for big breweries back in the 60s and as a result, we ended up with "big sterile beer, from big chemical factories". “So, I think we are seeing more keg beers as a result from the consumer wanting more flavour and that is something keg is affording them. but the dispense is of course incredibly important, too. They are not mutually exclusive,” explains Beswick. While an increasing number of breweries are
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looking to keg as a vessel to get their beers to market, the recent 2015 Cask Report from the excellent Pete Brown revealed that cask ale drinkers visit the pub twice as often as the average pub-goer and are responsible for an annual spend on food and drink amounts of £967. Brown explains: “But the benefits of focussing on cask are not limited to income brought in directly by real ale drinkers. There are friends to take into account! Our research shows that 70% of cask ale drinkers take the lead when deciding which pub to go to with a group of friends. Till receipts may show cask to be a relatively small proportion of takings – but indirectly it significantly drives sales of other drinks. “This means that cask-drinkers are more ‘regular’ than other drinkers, 50% of them going to the pub once a week or more, helping to fill the venue and create atmosphere. They are a quintessential part of ‘pubiness’, helping differentiate the pub from other food and drink outlets.” The report showed that cask outperformed ontrade total beer by 1.3% and grew by 0.2% in 2014, against a decline in total on-trade beer of -1.1% with cask therefore outperforming total beer by 1.3%. It currently represents 17% of all beer sold in the ontrade, a figure that is growing, and will reach 20% by
November~December 2015 | The Brewers Journal 59
t e c hn o l o gy
cask
&
keg
the year 2020. Also of note is that cask accounts for 57% of all on-trade draught ale, versus 43% keg. “This increase is significant not only for pubs, but also for breweries,” says Pete. “Almost four new breweries are opening every week. There are now 1,700 of them, most brewing cask-conditioned ale and most supplying pubs whose sales are increasing – despite all the market challenges. What a great success story for British industry.” Ged Carabini, business development manager a Kammac Keg & Cask believes that a lot of real ale manufacturers are looking to move into keg to get a longer shelf life on their beer, and while volumes in real ale are still positive, as Brown backs up, it’s “obvious” that more are moving over. “There are lots of microbreweries around and ultimately, the client is king. End users want seven weeks, not seven days, from their beer and in my opinion, it’s also a brighter end format, that is what the end user is also looking for. As a result, I can see the ratio between keg and cask flipping over the next few years,” says Carabini. Since Kammac introduced its tailor-made production equipment last year, it has seen its client base in the UK and USA has double over the past twelve months. According to Carabini, it is providing customers with personalised 9G Casks, 4.5G Pins and 30 and 50 litre Kegs. The production equipment facilitates embossed top chimes, serial numbers and colour banding all within the seven-day time frame, and its lease-to-own option, over three to five years, allows its clients to adopt branding, ease of traceability via serial numbers, embossed top chimes and at the end of the term, an additional asset. He says: “The growth in the business over
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the past year has been phenomenal; we have had to increase our sales team by fifty per cent to keep up with the ever-increasing demand. As our customers’ needs are changing, and with the increase of craft brewers, particularly in the UK, our business has aligned itself to those demands and we can offer a highly flexible approach in both volume and lead times. “We don’t differentiate on service whether you are ordering 10 units or 10,000. We have enabled microbreweries to be able to afford to build their Cask and Keg stock holding at a rate that suits their budgets and business growth plans and are in a position to offer even the smallest brewery a personalised grade ‘A’ stainless steel container. We are very proud that a large percentage of our client base is repeat business.”
market challenges
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n the manufacturing front, the Cask Force Cask Washer brand from Hugh Crane has enjoyed nearly 90 sales in the UK and US since its creation five years ago. Steve Titterington, who handles marketing at the business, says traditionally the key demand over the past few years has been its standard cask washers aimed at the small to medium sized cask breweries. One such example being Lacons Brewery in Great Yarmouth. (Pictured, right) “However over the past two years we have seen a significant increase in enquires for our dual wash machines which can do both casks and kegs. This led to us launching our K-series machines and due to further demand we are now developing a keg washer filler for breweries that are now fully embracing the ‘craft beer’ movement,” he says. Despite the advent of its keg machines, Titterington is keen to point out that demand isn’t swinging one way, but adds that he is seeing a growing level of enquiries for its keg washing equipment
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against the standard cask washers. He explains: “I would say traditional cask breweries are certainly experimenting with keg and a good proportion of them are having success with it. I think its an extension of the movement towards the diversification and specialisation of the beer industry."
keeping clean
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n terms of washing, casks due to the way they are filled and emptied, means they are much easier to clean and sterilise. However we have developed an effective cleaning process for the kegs which involves purging with compressed air to speed up the cycle, still maintaining a steam sterilisation and CO2 filling at the conclusion of the wash programme. They just take a little longer to clean compared to casks,” adds Titterington. Elsewhere, Kirsty Midgley from automation and controls systems manufacturer Brewology suggests demand for its products, which include cask, and keg, washers has been split. She adds: “We see a lot of cask brewers have started to produce keg beer and are spending money developing their offering. The market for both cask and keg ale sales seems to be growing and developing and as the market grows brewers are investing in machinery to help save them time and money and ensure they have a quality product that can compete not only locally but internationally.
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“Although there are a lot of enquiries for kegging equipment at the moment from traditional cask producers, we see the majority of breweries sales and profits are still generated from their cask ales. While we don't expect keg sales will replace cask sales for the majority of craft breweries any time soon it certainly does open up another market for them in terms of growth.”
November~December 2015 | The Brewers Journal 61
s c ien c e
q u a l it y
co n tro l
Brewing with Adjectives Qualifying quality in beer is a complex issue. Dr Keith Thomas, managing director at training and analysis services provider Brewlab takes up the baton.
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raditional dry hopping regimes most probably had the simple aim to add additional shelf life to the beer being made in 17th and 18th century England, where the technique seems to have evolved. A plug of cone hops was added direct to cask and the bung resealed. Brewers noted that the beers stored well, and (perhaps as an initial aside) had additional pleasant, hop aroma. In turn the hoppier aromas differentiated the beers, and added great flavour, so the technique became adopted by many regional brewers, particularly for pale ales and IPA beer styles. Quality is an unusual term. Ostensibly an adjective we use it regularly to indicate an enhanced value to products. “Quality foods” “Quality holidays” when in fact we should be saying “Good quality food” “Superior quality dining” to avoid possible confusion with lower quality products which, of course we would not proclaim. This clearly applies to beers. A simple survey of 50 beers advertised online indicates 38% qualified their “Quality” acclaim while 62% left you to assume the best. This is a little better than the same survey of restaurants which indicated that 70% would serve you with some sort of quality but not necessarily the one you might expect. Using the term quality has a clear marketing benefit. A quality ale attracts more attention and greater sales than an ordinary description. Qualifying quality with evidence is another matter. However, to do this we should surely have some grounds for judgement. Is our high quality due to quality ingredients, quality production or some other measure – balance of flavour perhaps or a historic recipe? What makes it distinct or outstanding? What makes it purchasable?
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acute judgement
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s brewers it befalls our position to provide marketing departments, label designers and particularly our customers with this evidence. In turn we use analyses to provide the evidence and figures. Much of these analyses are based on our own acute judgment through tastings – ourselves and ideally impartial others - whilst also relying on laboratory assessments. All can collate together to provide an impression which has additional use than a simple beer descriptor. For the brewer they also provide the history of the brew and a reference for future comparisons. Two relevant and commonly used but distinct terms are Quality Assurance and Quality Control. Both are involved in amassing the data about our production and are typically involved in any serious system to maintain and support sales. A further term relevant to quality is consistency, although there is debate as to whether this is as critical as we might imagine. Quality wines for example not only depend on consistency to demonstrate their generic character but also create vintage differences to elevate prices from year to year. Its quality with a tang of superiority.
ingredients and processes
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alk to brewers producing mainstream brands and consistency is in danger of being the only element of quality. Vary the product by 2% and quality is out of the window. Vary by more than 10% and your job flies out the door. Ingredients and processes are fine tuned to achieve a target specification, often defined
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q u a l it y
chemically and involving blending and amending to ensure that variations are not detectable. In part this may be because mainstream beers tend to be drunk by dedicated regulars who become very sensitive to minute differences. They drink in the same bar and become highly attuned to a beer’s character. This is, of course, very different from the vintage wine ethos where difference is reservedly applauded. And also at an extreme from the artisan brewer also producing vintage products, intentionally different by the batch. Today’s brew is unique, in numbered bottles and sold with the artisan’s signature on every bottle – and, inevitably, sold at extravagant price. In truth the latter is a fine ambition but rarely achieved to support a viable business model. Nevertheless, it could be argued that drinkers dedicated to craft ales will experience much greater variety in their pursuit of microbrewery beers and, perhaps, be more forgiving to subtle changes. Quite a few years ago we first produced Evolution ale from the Darwin Brewery at the University of
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s c ien c e
Sunderland. Ostensibly a training exercise for Brewlab it would evolve with every course, differ by the month and excite attention by its changes. Of course this never happened. After three brews the recipe settled to a character preferred by customers. Once a beer is accepted it takes courage to make speculative changes – just witness the outrage when a national beer alters its abv or, for example, when a well-known brand of chocolate removed their commitment to pour pints of pure milk into every bar.
quality and consistency
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his tension between quality and consistency is by no means a conflict but a dynamic whereby a brewery can develop a reputation for reliability but also originality. Originality is needed to develop a product, consistency to ensure continual acclaim. In some cases mainstream brands are supplemented with seasonal
November~December 2015 | The Brewers Journal 63
Consumptio
Per capita mea
30 20
s 10 0
c ien c e 1980
1985
q u a l it y 1990
1995
co n tro l
2000
2005
2010
2015
2020
Year
trend analysis
40 20 0
Beef
Pork
Chicken
Turkey
10 2012 2011 2010 2005
6
2000 1995
4
1990
n Ja
p
g
t No v De c
Oc
Se
l
Au
Ju
n Ju
r M ay
Ap
b M ar
Fe
n
2
Ja
Value
8
Month Final gravity
pH
ABV
Example trend analysis showing monthly variations with the effects of poor temperature control in May and June.
selections and celebratory ales. Crossovers occur and a successful seasonal is included in the mainstream. In other cases blends allow common characters to be recognised in different beers. So considering the importance of achieving quality beers what are the factors for a diligent brewer to address? It would be easy to make a list starting with liquor and ending with labels and perhaps we can address these at future dates. In general terms let’s consider quality as the two elements of assurance and control so there is a framework into which data can be placed and assessed. Assurance has two time points – assuring ourselves as brewers that the beer about to be produced will achieve the quality and character we intend. In addition though we need to assure customers that a fault which has occurred won’t happen again. While the first of these assurances is a matter of planning the second is one which requires action based on records and data, not just hopeful promises. Quality assurance is the structure we need to achieve these and provides the evidence to demonstrate consistency – and, where necessary, to inform improvements where inconsistency crept in. In many industries legions of quality professionals engage in accredited systems to measure all manner of specifications, input volumes of data and collect swathes of signatures. Even toilets are now awash with such assurances. In brewing we typically keep a brew log with the details of each gyle brewed. Started on the day of brew it is an easy document to leave half-finished omitting an assessment of the final result. Easy because each day typically sees the start of a new gyle and a fresh sheet to complete.
64 | The Brewers Journal | November~December 2015
1985 Given a problem it is often this second half which contains the information to limit1980 a repeat of the same 1975 – finishing gravity, yeast count at rack, contamination assessment, taste profile – or just a taste impression. 0 50 100 In some cases more detailed results from the laboratory are appended but not always integrated into a track record or trend analysis. Quality assessment is needed to advise your quality assurance and to instigate how quality can be controlled in the future. Integration is key here so that key indicators are tracked and variations noted. A common example is to plot the final gravity of each brew and note whether there is a progressive difference against the expected for each brand. If your yeast changes progressively with each re-pitching or if wort conditions such as oxygenation alter then you can make changes – a new culture of yeast or an increase in oxygenation – before your beer becomes hard to handle. It isn’t difficult to monitor key indices which can anticipate when your specifications may be breached but does require a longer term structure than clipping each brew sheet into a file. A trend analysis programme with an alert warning is ideal but a graph to show if changes are progressing to be out of true will do. Anticipating problems is one major step to managing consistency. It also provides a basis for creating novel products. Once the variables are in control selected conditions may be altered without disturbing the whole character of a beer. As an example it would be interesting to develop a speciality beer with well-balanced levels of malt and bitterness and then use a different hop every month to impart novel characters. Promoted on a small scale this would allow customers to apply natural selection through their feedback and direct a true Evolution Ale as well as contributing to a long term PR story. In summary though the quality we seek in our beers has to be defined to ourselves, has to be demonstrable to our drinkers and be used to direct our development. How this quality depends on the various ingredients and processes of our brewing is part of the increasing body of brewing knowledge. Developing and applying this knowledge is a further part of maintaining and evolving our quality and our beers.
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150
Year
s c ien c e
F l av o ur
origi n s
Brewing with Flavour
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly In his last piece, Gary Spedding, Ph.D. Brewing and Distilling Analytical Services, LLC. Lexington, KY. USA, briefly introduced the origins of flavours and flavour complexity of brewing and of the final beer. He now turns his expertise to flavour descriptors.
T
en compounds were introduced with pictorial flavour descriptors by way of a quick visual key to such important flavour notes. We now turn our attention to a little more detail on the origins, the concentrations of such components in beer and to the flavour descriptors and control points for a representative set of eleven compounds found in beer. For a little more detail on the origin of the fermentation-derived flavours refer back to Figure 2 in our article in the first issue of this magazine. As a reminder flavours originate from: Raw materials [malted barley – degree of roast/ kilning and specialty malts – crystal (caramel) biscuit, chocolate and black patent malts etc., corn (maize), oats, wheat, adjunct sugars and hops and sometimes fruits herbs and vegetables.] Flavour production is also affected via the mineral composition of the brewing liquor used. Mashing, sweet wort- and hopped wort-production (hop boiling removing dimethyl sulfide - DMS for example and enhancing further caramelization reactions). Over extraction of husk phenols during mashing and sparging/lautering may also occur and other reactions heaviliy influence final beer flavour. The extraction of acids such as ferulic acid being important for the clove-like flavour of guaiacols in wheat beers providing another interesting example. Fermentation. The key volatiles in beer and some non-volatiles are produced via yeast metabolism. Secondary fermentation and/or maturation leads to flavour changes. The diacetyl rest and the manipulation of excreted acetaldehyde forming two complex processes influencing final beer stability and flavour. Filtration, Bottling/Canning, Pasteurization and Aging. Filtration may strip flavours out of beer, oxygen ingress during packaging leads to early onset oxidation-flavours in beer leading to papery/cardboard notes. Pasteurization can lead to stale, bready flavours if not done correctly. Regardless as to care and attention beer will become old, stale and oxidized over time. Beer is also prone to light-induced damage with
66 | The Brewers Journal | November~December 2015
a caution to those using clear glass or green bottles – beer imported into the US in green bottles has this character called lightstruck (in polite circles) and skunky (known better as “tom cat” in the UK) in less polite parlance. It also became known as the “import flavour” in the US. Cask-conditioned (bottle conditioned) beers and the new era of barrel aged beers provide another layer of flavour complexity just now becoming better understood. Some of the flavours associated with the steps listed above are presented in Table 1. Some of these flavours may be obtained in pure “food-grade” and safe to ingest form from companies such as FlavourActiv and Aroxa. They can be used for sensory training to better appreciate how they impact your beer – both positive and negative flavour impact compounds are available. Within table 1 will be found structural information, flavour descriptors and origins and controls for eleven flavour notes that can be found in beer. Future articles will include other compounds of interest. As presented in our first article we note again that all classes of chemical are to be found in alcoholic beverages – several class examples included in the table. Aldehydes are represented by acetaldehyde and the staling aldehyde trans-2-nonenal. Ketones are represented by the important compound diacetyl (2,3-butanedione). The key sulfur compound, all brewers need to control, is dimethyl sulfide (DMS) and another sulfur note - a thiol - will be seen under the term lightstruck. Several esters with solvent-like or fruity notes are covered: ethyl acetate, ethyl hexanoate (or caproate) and isoamyl acetate. Phenolic compounds are represented by eugenol which does not actually exist in beer in appreciable levels but is representative of the clove/spicy flavour associated with wheat beers; it is often used as a training compound in flavour evaluation. Finally acids are represented here by a short chain fatty acid – isovaleric acid which is associated with old stale hops and certain special style beers including certain Belgian beer styles which make use of old
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F l av o ur Flavor Note
s c ien c e
Descriptors
Typical levels in beer
Typical threshold levels in beer*
Apples, emulsion paint, grassy (Green/bruised apple), avocado, green leaves, melon and pumpkin. Ethereal (“takes the breath away”)
2-15 ppm.
5-15 ppm.
Sometimes associated with overly fresh “green beer”. From stressed fermentations. Also from oxidation of beer. Associated with Acetomonas/ Gluconobacter and Zymomonas bacteria.
Butter, butterscotch, movie popcorn. May also give an oily slickness on the palate.
0.080.6 ppm.
0.08 ppm.
CH3COCOCH3
Associated with “Sarcina sickness” (killed-off several early breweries in the US)
(80600 ppb.)
Yeast strain dependent and diacetyl rest issues (yeast mutation - petites). Associated with Wild yeast and Lactobacillus/ Pediococcus infections.
DMS [Dimethyl sulfide] [methyl sulfanyl methane]
Sweetcorn/creamed corn, asparagus, parsnip, tomato juice/ketchup, tinned beans, oysters and the sea (seaspray). [Moves through the range with concentration.]
0.050.15 ppm.
0.030.08 ppm.
(50150 ppb.)
(30-80 ppb.)
Acetone, (nail varnish remover), estery, fruity, paint thinner
10-50 ppm.
30-50 ppm.
A typical component of all beer - can be elevated due to microbial contamination (incl. Brettanomyces) Increases seen with high gravity fermentation or hot fermentations too!
Estery, apple (ripe-fresh, red), aniseed, spicy
0.070.5 ppm.
0.2 ppm.
As all esters yeast strain dependent production. Higher temp. fermentation > more ester. High yeast pitch rates - less growth > more esters. Other yeast stressors affect levels.
ACETALDEHYDE [Ethanal] CH3CHO
Diacetyl [2,-3 Butanedione]
Structure
origi n s
CH3SCH3 Ethyl Acetate [The most common Ester in All Beers From Condensation of Ethanol and Acetic Acid]
(80 ppb.)
CH3COOC2H5 Ethyl Hexanoate [Caproate] CH3Ch2OCO(CH2)4CH3
EUGENOL [4-allyl-2-methoxyphenol]
isoamyl acetate [3-methylbutylacetate - Banana oil or Pear essence] CH3COOCH2CH2CH(CH3)2
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[70500 ppb.] Spicy, clove-like, nutmeg, allspice
zero to v. low
[200 ppb.]
0.013? ppm. (13? ppb.)
Aromatic, fruity, banana also pear drops. US: circus peanuts (candy).
0.5-1.5 ppm.
ca. 2 ppm.
[5001500 ppb.]
[200 ppb.]
Notes: origins, controls
From malt precursors. Maybe high in beer in cases of poor wort boiling/ slow whirlpooling/wort chilling. Wort spoiling bacteria: Hafnia protea (aka. Obesumbacterium proteus).
Actually not found in beer very much.Eugenol used as a training compound for other phenolic notes such as 4-vinyl guaiacol which is the “wheat beer phenol character”. Typical ester component of certain beers at detectable levels (Wheat beers) - can be elevated in other beers due to wild yeast.
November~December 2015 | The Brewers Journal 67
s c ien c e
F l av o ur
Flavor Note
origi n s
Structure
isovaleric acid [3-methyl butanoic acid - may be confused with butyric acid flavor]
Descriptors
Typical threshold levels in beer*
Cheesy, old hop-like, sweaty, sweat socks. [Rancid, putrid, stale cheese]
0.1-4.4 ppm.
1.5 ppm. Usually from old/aged hops. May be produced [150 by Brettanomyces and ppb.] Megasphaera - bacterial contaminations]. Staling of highly dry-hopped beers? An off-flavor in lager beers!
Skunk-like aroma (US), tom cat (UK). [Freshly brewed coffee!]
--
[100440 ppb.]
(CH3)2CHCH2CO2H Lightstruck [Skunky] [3-methyl-2-butene1-thiol] [Skunky regarded as an offensive term the term lightstruck preferred] Phenethyl Alcohol [2-phenyl-ethanol]
Associated with a lightinduced chemical reaction on hop alpha acids and with sulfur compounds to produce the thiol of very low flavor detection level. Brown glass - some protection, green and clear glass poor!
40-70 ppm.
Said to be a base component of lagers and can mask DMS. Yeast strain and fermentation condition dependent production. Has an aromatic type ring structure. Other fusel oils are aliphatic chain-like.
[40007000 ppb.]
[A higher alcohol fusel oil component]
ch3(Ch2)5CH=CHCHO
4-30 ppt! Parts per trillion!
[See notes: Only 1 in a million alpha acid molecules needed to react to cause the note!] Rose-honey like odor and taste.
trans-2-nonenal [oxidation]
Notes: origins, controls
Typical levels in beer
Papery, wet-cardboard, fresh linen and a particular mouthfeel and drying sensation. Not to be confused with bready or stale notes. [Lipstick, fatty acid like also sometimes described.] [Complex chemistry involved]
Fresh Beer should have less than 0.05 ppb.
50-250 ppt! Parts per trillion!
Occurs in all forms of packaged beer - more so if not handled correctly a natural aging reaction - time, temperature and exposure to air dependent. [High oxygen levels especially at packaging can cause issues!]
* Threshold values form a complex topic and detection concentrations will vary with beer and by individual sensitivity. Concentrations present in beer are also subject to complex variables. The notes above represent just a few key facts about the flavors presented in this article. We would be more than happy to address any questions regarding this set of notes. www.alcbevtesting.com. info@alcbevtesting.com.
hops for their protective bitter acid properties rather than fresh aroma. Other classes and representative compounds will be discussed in future articles.
conclusions
A
gain this article has been kept short and to the point. The table forming the focus of the article – with key notes covered there. Further details are to be found in a voluminous literature on brewing, flavour chemistry and beyond. The companies listed above providing pure flavours for addition to aroma bottles or to beer for tasting also provide in-depth information. Finally the author may be consulted for details. For a discussion on flavours associated with microbes (yeast, wild
68 | The Brewers Journal | November~December 2015
yeast and bacteria) both a specific chapter by the author (along with Tony Aiken) and other chapters on microbiology might be consulted: Brewing Microbiology: Managing Microbes, Ensuring Quality and Valorising Waste. (2015) Annie, E. Hill (Ed). Woodhead Publishing (Elsevier). ISBN: 978-1-78242331-7. A full table on flavours similar to the one presented here, though more extensive, is presented in the chapter by Spedding and Aiken. Also the Best practices guide to quality craft beer: Delivering optimal flavour to the consumer (G. Spedding, 2013) from Brewers Association Publications in the US covers more on beer aging, quality and flavour. Finally we again encourage you to look up terms in your favourite search engine and explore a little more about each flavour note mentioned above.
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s c ien c e
d ry
hoppi n g
An Alternative Solution Colin Wilson, MD of hop products company Totally Natural Solutions, gives us his insight into innovative developments offering dry hop aroma for beer. Given the varietal hop shortages he ponders if hop products can convince some brewers to make the necessary trials with hop oils and make the short crop go that distance further.
T
raditional dry hopping regimes most probably had the simple aim to add additional shelf life to the beer being made in 17th and 18th century England, where the technique seems to have evolved. A plug of cone hops was added direct to cask and the bung resealed. Brewers noted that the beers stored well, and (perhaps as an initial aside) had additional pleasant, hop aroma. In turn the hoppier aromas differentiated the beers, and added great flavour, so the technique became adopted by many regional brewers, particularly for pale ales and IPA beer styles. Dry hopping continued to be in vogue in the UK, prevailing in the Styrian Golding additions to Scottish and Newcastle’s range of the 1970s, amongst others, but fell away in the US after prohibition in the early 1930s. It was essentially an additional process cost for industrialised beer production, and the end result of hoppy character wasn’t desired in the mass produced lagers and ales that came to dominate the beer
70 | The Brewers Journal | November~December 2015
marketplace. However, with the craft beer explosion of the last decade, dry hopping has seen a major resurgence, with almost all breweries now offering dry hopped beers in their portfolio. So what exactly is dry hopping? Essentially it is the cold side extraction of hop cones or pellets or even hop plugs. At this stage in the brewing process, post fermentation, alcohol is present to solublise specific compounds, and the low temperatures ensure volatile compounds are present and not boiled off, as in late hop or kettle additions. This dry hop step extracts the hop essential oils, adding additional hop aroma and flavour to the beer matrix. The extraction conditions are variable from brewery to brewery, with no single method of dry hopping existing in the industry, although the general constant is a post fermentation addition of hop cones or pellets, addition at low temperature, steeping for 5-15 days. Brewers may do multiple additions, and use several hop varieties, with some using hardware such as hop cannons and torpedos to reduce process steep
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d ry
hoppi n g
s c ien c e
Hop Cone and Pellet Addition +ve
-ve
Increased Hop Aroma addition
Haze effect can increase
Complexity of flavours from whole hop
Possible nitrates and pesticides build up
Biotransformation by yeast adds to complexity
Oxygen pick up
Cold process means no loss of hop volatiles
Risk of Infection Clogging of dip pipe/removal of spent Steep time-vessel occupied for >7 days Beer losses on adsorption (~10%)
Hop Product Addition +ve
-ve
Increased Hop Aroma addition
There is no biotransformation by yeast
Consistency of aroma and flavour
No flavour contribution from glycosides or polyphenols
Economics
Requires trials in individual base beers
No clogging of dip pipe/removal of spent Utilisation improvement No vessel steep time, gentle mixing No beer losses
times. But the results, when carried out with the necessary care, are spectacular with many craft beers being created such as Brew Dogs Punk IPA, Adnams Jack Brand, Sierra Nevada Torpedo, and Stone Brewing Delicious IPA amongst many others. Cullercoats Brewery in Tyne and Wear are even conducting a dry hop project using British Hops. Even the big guys are in on the dry hopping act, with hoppier developments now on offer from Mahou, Carlsberg, ABI and SAB. So in short dry hopping is now an established, essential step for most brewers, delivering complex hop aroma and flavour to their beer. Although relatively simple to carry out, it has many associated issues, especially beer losses, long vessel occupancy times and most importantly inconsistency. For the public, willing to shell out their hard earned cash for the favourite pint (or schooner) reproducibility within the brand is vital. This brings us to discuss beer flavour and aroma, which is complex, and relatively poorly understood
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when compared to the alpha chemistry that’s dominated the hop industry for most of the last century. These dry hop aromas are variable and the interactions often unpredictable, and easily lost. Many hop compounds interact, some synergistically, others masking specific flavours. Contributions from polyphenols and beta-glycosides are realised by using hop cones or pellets. Low beer pH (usually 4.2-4.5 units) can hydrolyse linalool and geraniol and release these into the beer giving greater flavour contributions. Perceived bitterness changes can also be noted, but these aren’t coming from the addition of any alpha acids as these are insoluble, and the cool temperatures used for dry hopping (60-70oF) don’t cause any isomerisation. More likely the complex flavour interactions of hop oils in the beer flavour matrix, or from compounds extracted from the beta acids (humulinones) in the cold extraction alter the harshness of the bitterness. Hop polyphenols, which can also be extracted cold side can act synergistically with the bittering
November~December 2015 | The Brewers Journal 71
s c ien c e
d ry
hoppi n g
Hop product additions
compounds present, further altering the perceived bitterness of the beer. Hence the use of hop cones or pellets imparts a complex, rich flavour and aroma to the end beer but can a Hop Product offer the same complexity? Given the current hop shortage now is perhaps a good time to address this question and consider using hop products for dry hopping? After all, hop pellets are strictly speaking already a hop product so why should hop oils be such an emotional hurdle to cross? A hop oil product is made from the hop cones or pellets with the essential oils usually distilled off. These are then further processed to solubilse the oil and standardise its main components. Many brewers are currently using hop products for dry and late hop additions, such as the HopBurst TM or HopSensation products from Totally Natural Solutions, Kalsecs Hop Rival, or the PHA Topnotes from Barth. These are extracts of the hop essential oil from the luplin glands, usually then offered in a soluble form with a food grade carrier. They are added post fermentation, usually to the bright beer or even direct to cask. As such the hop aromas added are not lost through any yeast interactions or filtrations, but some of the complex flavour matrix isn’t present (from the polyphenols or the glycosides). The balance to be decided by an individual brewer is are the compromises in flavour and aroma worth the
72 | The Brewers Journal | November~December 2015
benefits. Soluble hop oils can provide an alternative that is easy to use, reproducible and most importantly efficient in the brewing process. Hence in a shortage the equivalent hops may be able to dry hop 2 or 3 equivalents compared with if the hop cones or pellets were added conventionally. Given the stark choice between ceasing to offer some dry hopped beers, isnt it time to trial the use of a dry hop product? Of course, dosage trials are essential, given the complexity we mentioned earlier of any individual beer matrix. On a bench top, base beer can be dosed by pipette and new flavour combinations developed in an afternoon, reducing innovation times for the fast moving marketplace, but also offering diversity and adding another tool to the brewers toolkit. A further benefit of hop products lies with their solubility. Hence Low Alcohol beers benefit from “dry hopping� with hop products, a clearly impossible step with hop pellets or cones. In conclusion, hop oil based products offered to impart dry hop character as widely available. They have a many benefits such as easy of use, reproducibility, and economics. In a hop shortage such as that seen at present they can offer the varietal profile that might otherwise into be available and extend the brewlength. However brewers need to complete trials to evaluate the products in their own base beer.
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Muntons Seminars and Innovation 2016 During 2016, Muntons will be hosting a series of seminars aimed at breweries who wish to gain a greater understanding of brewing. We have teamed up with industry specialists to ensure delegates are given a complete overview providing technical insights and of course we encourage delegate participation. You may attend one seminar or all of them, the choice is yours. There are limited spaces on the day. You can register your interest to the seminars via www.muntons.com/seminars
The topics include: 1: Raw Materials with Sophie DeRonde of Muntons andguest speakers from Simply Hops and Openfield Friday 29th Janurary 2016 Raw materials covered will include: • Brewing liquour • Malt - Overview of malting and malt for the brewing process • Hops - Overview of hops with a technical insight to their use in the brew house
For those who seek perfection, we can help. Where? Muntons Centre for Excellence, Cedars Maltings, Stowmarket, Suffolk, IP14 2AG When? dates as listed above What’s included? Tour of the Maltings, Lunch, Goody Bag How much? £50 + VAT per person
If you would like to attend please email events@muntons.com or register online via www.muntons.com/seminars Closing dates per seminar will be listed on our website or call Joanna Perry on 01449 618300 for more information.
2: Fermentation and Yeast Management with Sophie DeRonde of Muntons and guest speaker from Lallemand Friday 11th March 2016 • Cover yeast management • Styles/types of yeast • Fermentation and metabolic pathways • Flavour influences 3: Beer stability, consistency and packaging with Sophie DeRonde of Muntons and guest speaker John Bexon (ex-head brewer of Green King, Freelance Consultant). Friday 10th June 2016 • Beer stability • Consistency within a final product • Packaging types and techniques 4: Compliance and Quality Control with David Mugglestone of Muntons and guest speaker Nigel Sadler 9th September 2016 • Food compliances for the brewing/food industry including HACCP • Waste and auditing and any other relevant regulations 5: Innovation Day with Dr Nigel Davies and Andrew Fuller of Muntons 14th October 2016 • Product Innovation • Ingredient Innovation • Products currently in use within the food and beer industry • Product Crossover 2015 | GOLDEN CATEGORY : MALTSTERS
Muntons, Cedars Maltings, Stowmarket, Suffolk, IP14 2AG 01449 618300 info@muntons.com www.muntons.com
dat e s
&
e v en t s
e v ent s
Exclusive to the Alltech Craft Brews & Food Fair in 2016 is U Brew - a challenge for groups of up to 10 people to make their own beer with the help of their own master brewer.
2015
2016
10 - 12 November BrauBeviale: Trade Fair for Production and Marketing of Drinks Messezentrum, 90471 Nuremberg, Germany www.braubeviale.de
5 - 7 February Alltech Craft Brews and Food Fair The Convention Centre Dublin, Spencer Dock, North Wall Quay, Dublin www.eu.alltechbrewsandfood.com
10 - 12 November InPrint: The Exhibition for Industrial Print Technology Munich Trade Fair Centre, 81829 Munich, Germany www.inprintshow.com
26 - 27 February Craft Beer Rising London The Old Truman Brewery, Brick Lane, London www.craftbeerrising.co.uk
19 - 21 November 2015 Belfast Beer & Cider Festival Ulster Hall, Belfast, County Antrim BT2 7FF www.belfastbeerfestival.co.uk
74 | The Brewers Journal | November~December 2015
3 - 6 May Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America Philadelphia Convention Center, Philadelphia, PA 19107 www.craftbrewersconference.com
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- ANDREW LEMAN, TIMOTHY TAYLOR’S
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