The Brewers Journal September 2018, iss 7 vol 4

The magazine for the professional brewing industry

Brewers J o u r n a l

September 2018 | Volume 5, issue 7 ISSN 2059-6669

WYLAM

The Northern powerhouse going from strength to strength

20 | dear john: why cask is the choice for hot weather

38 | merchandise: the branding opportunity

46 | water management: essential to your brewery

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le ad e r

beer with character

I

was very fortunate to be recently invited by John Keeling, global ambassador at Fuller's, to join him and his colleague Lesley on a visit to Leeds and Castleford. John wanted to visit Thomas Fawcett & Sons, a fantastic malting that combines the old and the new, much like Fuller's itself.

John, who retires in the coming weeks, wanted to show Lesley, the marketing manager for Fuller's, the intricacies of the malting process. James Fawcett, the managing director of the business, was the perfect host and it was both endearing and rewarding to be guided around by someone that clearly has an insatiable enthusiasm for what they do.

We are very fortunate to have fantastic maltsters in the UK, and I implore anyone that has the opportunity to visit one to absolutely do so.

The visit to Thomas Fawcett & Sons was John's responsibility, so he left it to me to organise where to have a few beers the previous evening.

Leeds, as many know, has an embarrassment of riches when it comes to good beer. But visits to Whitelock's Ale House and neighbouring hostelry The Turk's Head are musts. As is a visit to North Bar on New Briggate. Each of these venues have their own distinct characteristics but bonded by having quality in abundance. You're greeted by the comforting aroma of fish and chips while enjoying a Kirkstall Pale Ale in Whitelock's while the potent scent of a De Molen Barleywine allures at North Bar. Both great, both different, both with their own characters.

Speaking of characters, no visit to Leeds is complete without a beer or two at the Northern Monk Refectory. The brewery is making some of the UK's best beers and head brewer Brian Dickson is always awash with excitement over the team's upcoming brews. Special mention to Morag, the Refectory's beautiful dog and a real bundle of energy.

Returning to London on the train the next day, John rolled-out an anecdote about the infamous journeys he and other Heriot-Watt alumni would make back to Edinburgh for the university's annual dinner.

"There'd be eight of us and we'd all agree to bring

brewersjournal.info

a pack of beer for the train from London to Edinburgh.

The problem is Tim, we were normally done by Newcastle," he recalls.

"Hmmmn, sounds about right for a six-pack," I reply.

He looks confused: "What? No, a 24-pack!" he laughs. "In fairness,we'd have to give the odd bottle away to other passengers to keep them sweet."

As we approached London, John made another point that stuck with me. It may surprise you that he was talking about the subtle nuances found in cask beer at the time.

"If you don't have characters making beer, you are less likely to be making beer with character," he said.

I pondered it for the rest of the day and, in my humble opinion, he's right.

You could look at the beer Fuller's make, the subtle, understated beauty of a Kernel Pale Ale and its rotating hop additions, or the frequent, but always excellent, cask output from Thornbridge. Beers from Lost and Grounded Brewers, too. They're rarely shouted about from the rooftops and I feel that reflects a semblance of the characters behind them.

Then you have the bombastic output from BrewDog, and overseas, Evil Twin and Stillwater Artisanal. Beers that, to me, represent their owners from the flavour to the branding and beyond.

We're fortunate to have so many characters in beer, and the industry is all the better for it.

Tim Sheahan Editor

September 2018

3

co ntac t s

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September 2018

The content of The Brewers Journal is subject to copyright. However, if you would like to obtain copies of an article for marketing purposes high-quality reprints can be supplied to your specification. Please contact the advertising team for full details of this service. The Brewers Journal is printed at Stephens & George Print Group, Merthyr Tydfil, UK.

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

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co nte nt s

contents 20

34

46

56

38

Cover story 22 - The Wylam Brewery of 2018 is very different to the one founded in 2000. But one thing has never changed.

That you live or die by the quality of liquid you put out.

COMMENTS 16 - Wynne-Jones IP discuss why it's more important than ever to protect your brand 18 - Latimer Ales on the need to be flexible

DEAR JOHN 20 - John Keeling, ambassador at Fuller's, recalls how cask played such an important part of his formative years in the world of beer

focus | lOGISTICS 34 - Advice from the experts on managing container assets, dispense assets and beer quality when you beer is out in the market

fOCUS | WATER 46 - We speak to the leading businesses to analyse the importance of environmental compliance and devising a water strategy

STARTING A BREWERY 52 - Why training is essential to your brewery 54 - The need to develop your packaging

CROSSING CONTINENTS | TRANS CANADA BREWING CO 56 - Manitoba's finest putting quality first

White paper | WEIGHING 63 - Why trade approved scales are key

sECTOR | MERCHANDISE 38 - Why giving customers something that is useful to them reinforces their passion for your brand, values and products

6

September 2018

science 67 - Fermenting with dry yeast 70 - Results from a forced diacetyl test

Brewers Journal

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n e ws

AUSTRALIAN LION buys fourpure F

ourpure has been sold to Australian-headquartered food and drink business Lion, owned by Kirin

Holdings Company, for an undisclosed sum.

Commenting on the sale, brothers Dan and Tom Lowe who co-founded the business, explained: “It has been a lengthy process to get us to this point, we’ve spoken to a broad range of investors and been transparent about our ambition to our team and the industry.

“Private equity, bank debt, and crowdfunding are all things we worked really hard on exploring, always knowing Tom and I could not take this journey alone. We wanted the transition to be unambiguous and we both worked to be authentic throughout.”

Discussing the decision to sell to Lion, Lowe said it was because it is a “great business with fantastic people, strong sustainability credentials and a lot of expertise we can learn from”.

They added: “We also think there’s a very good cultural

Lowe said: “The focus in the short to medium term is to continue to enhance our spiritual home, through

fit and we see a fantastic opportunity to work together to

improvements to safety, operating capacity and our

grow both Fourpure and Lion’s suite of craft beers, ciders

broader sales, marketing and hospitality experience.

and fine wines.”

The company added that immediate focus is to remain in London, for as long as capacity permits.

Crisp Malting unveils £6.7m facility investment

C

“In the event that the brand grows beyond the capacity in our current site, we will look at alternatives to enable the business to continue to expand.”

nuances of colour, flavour and texture than ever. Brewers seem just as excited as we are about the possibilities it opens up,” he said.

risp Malting has unveiled its investment in a new

The new bagging line is designed to support Crisp in

bagging line and innovative speciality malt plant.

packaging the increasing number and varieties of malt –

The speciality plant is the first of its kind to be built on

a commercial scale in the UK. The facility was originally developed for processing seeds and nuts for the food industry, but the installation has been developed for the even and consistent roasting of cereals.

The operation uses vibration to mix and transport the grains as they pass through phased conditioning and heating zones. It also has the facility for water injection, which is vital for the stewing-stages of some speciality malts.

Crisp director Rob Moody explained: “It will be used for processing both malted and un-malted grains, including wheat, rye and oats as well as the more usual barley.”

Moody added that the roasting and colouring of each

both in whole and crushed grain versions.

Its capacity of 800 bags per hour anticipates continued development of the craft sector - and demand for a wide variety of quality malts.

Brewhouse & Kitchen launches Hoxton berwpub

B

rewhouse & Kitchen has opened its latest brewpub site in Hoxton. The latest addition, which is located

underwear the arches of Hoxton Station on the former site of The Beagle, features a 50 capacity restaurant as well as two seated bar-spaces both inside and outside.

Simon Bunn, co-founder, said: “We are very excited to open a Brewpub in Hoxton and look forward to making

individual grain will be extremely even, and the exactness

lots of local friends, providing a service to the ever

of control means there will be true consistency across

growing community of Hoxton. Being situated right next

batches.

to the Hoxton Overground station, we are a convenient

“We’ll be able to create speciality malts with more

brewersjournal.info

stop off for everyone using the station next door.”

September 2018

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GOOSE ISLAND APPOINTS BREWMASTER FOR UK BREWPUB G

oose Island has appointed Andrew Walton as the brewmaster for its London-based brewpub

operation. Andrew Walton, formerly of Bermondseybased Fourpure, will head up brewing operations at Goose Island’s Shoreditch-based facility.

Walton, who is Siebel Institute certified, will be responsible for the operation of the London brewery and the development of unique recipes for beers made on site. In his role as brewmaster, he will also be the first in Europe to manage the Rack AeriAle system.

The Rack AeriAle system is a nitrogen draft-dispensing setup that connects barrel-aged beers directly to the pub’s tap system without the risk of oxidization.

Walton will also be able to call upon a draught infusion tower and a small barrel aging area.

Ken Stout, president of Goose Island Beer Co. International, said: “London has always held a special

beer drinkers and music lovers alike can join together in

place in Goose Island’s history.

appreciation of a good time – and great beer.”

“Our next chapter in Shoreditch represents a work of

Commenting on his new role, Andrew Watson said: “I

love and dedication that has been 30 years in the making,

am thrilled to be joining Goose Island at such an exciting

and we’re excited to have the brewpub in Andrew’s

time. I’ve had an incredibly warm welcome in Chicago

capable hands.

and as I continue to learn about the Goose Island family,

“As we continue to contribute to, and learn from,

I’m eager to do them proud as Brewmaster in our new

British beer culture, we are excited to be creating a new

Shoreditch location. It’ll certainly be an adventure, and

experience in the heart of east London, where foodies,

one I can’t wait to get cracking on.”

Greene King’s youngest master brewer

R

oss O’Hara, new product development brewer at Greene King has qualified as a Master Brewer from

Master Brewer is the highest level of brewing qualification offered by the IBD and is a measure of

the Institute of Brewing and Distilling (IBD), making him

the level of a candidate’s competence in the technical

the youngest to hold the title globally.

management of the brewing processes.

O’Hara, 28, joined Greene King in 2016 and has been

The qualification is made up of five modules including

studying for the IBD qualification for four years alongside

‘Raw Materials and Wort Production’, ‘Fermentation and

his day job developing new products at the Westgate

Beer Processing’, ‘Packaging of Beer’, ‘Management and

Brewery.

Regulatory Compliance’ and a ‘Practical Project’.

He has also been overseeing Greene King’s apprentice brewers at its London microbrewery, Craft Academy.

There are currently 578 Master Brewers globally, with O’Hara the youngest to hold the qualification.

Since joining Greene King, he has been responsible

Greene King, head of Operations David Carr, said: “This is a fantastic achievement and we are all proud at Greene King of Ross’ dedication and commitment to reaching master brewer level. He is passionate about brewing and has exceptional technical ability as well as flair and

for the development of new brands including the award

innovation. His enthusiasm shines through particularly

winning Heritage range, Yardbird Pale Ale, Gluten Free

when he is training our apprentice brewers, developing a

Old Speckled Hen, Greene King’s Craft Academy range

new recipe or driving industry initiatives such as the new

and all the brewery’s seasonal beers.

Brewing Apprenticeship.”

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September 2018

Brewers Journal

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UTOPIAN BREWING Commissions DEVON brewery

U

topian Brewing has commissioned Vigo to build its 35HL brewery in Devon.

The company, which was founded last year, is

currently crowdfunding and has called on Vigo to supply and install the equipment that will form the centrepiece of its new brewery.

Utopian Brewing has settled on a three vessel brew house from American Beer Equipment (ABE) with 12 fermentation and conditioning tanks and all associated equipment.

The design has scope for the addition of further conditioning vessels in the future to support annual production of over 16,000 hectolitres.

Richard Archer co-founder and managing director of Utopian explained: “Working with the Vigo team has been a very enjoyable process to date and I am very much looking forward to working closely with them over the next few months, and on into the future, as we embark on this next crucial stage of our development”.

Archer was ably-assisted by David and Rob Smith of Brewing Services when opting for the manufacturing crowdfunding campaign to add its growth. It is currently

partner.

He added: “The decision was not a straightforward one as we received a wide range of very strong responses, another positive sign of the strength of the independent

50% funded and is offering 19.07% equity to those taking part.

Commenting on the commission, Richard Charlton,

craft brewing sector, with so many high-quality UK

technical sales advisor at Vigo, explained: “We are

manufacturers and suppliers to choose from.

delighted to have been chosen to partner with Utopian

“In the end though we had to make a choice and the

on this exciting new project. When meeting with Richard

main factors that contributed to our selection were; the

originally, we immediately bought into his concept of a

quality of the equipment, the long history of the company

craft supplier of premium lager to the market.

in beverage production, the flexibility and understanding

“Utopian’s site is fantastic, and will allow them the

demonstrated by the team and the quality of the

space to expand as demand inevitably increases. Devon

reference visits during the selection process.

in particular, although having some top quality craft

“Having the services and experience of David and Rob alongside me also proved to be a very valuable asset.

As a Devon based brewery we are keen to use local

breweries, has very little of this scale so it’s great for the region to have Utopian choosing to locate here.

“Utopian’s decision to work with us, from a very

suppliers wherever possible and so Vigo’s Devon base

competitive group of equipment suppliers, further

provided another bonus tick in the box.”

demonstrates our growing reputation as an established

Utopian Brewing is currently undertaking a

New eco-friendly can holders launched

producing cans of beer or a consumer drinking them, it surely makes sense to stop using plastic can holders.

“Why add needlessly to the planet’s mounting plastic

N

icheSolutions has unveiled the UK’s first completely

waste problem, and create a long-term threat to the

eco-friendly 6- and 4-pack can holders, which fit

environment, to birds and sealife? Even beyond the

both 500cl and 330cl cans.

They’re made from 100% recycled material, and in turn the cardboard used is 100% biodegradable.

The company explained: “Whether you’re a brewer

12

supplier of equipment to the craft market.”

September 2018

problem of landfill sites and oceans filling up with plastic, the regular plastic 6-pack holders pose an extra hazard to birds and animals. That’s why many consumers now snip them with scissors before disposal.”

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brewery cuts costs with LED lighting install G

reene King has saved nearly £15,000 per annum following the installation of LED lighting at its

Abingdon distribution centre.

The company tasked SaveMoneyCutCarbon to find a solution for an LED lighting retrofit at the, Oxfordshire centre that would deliver much improved lighting in all areas together with measurable energy savings and reduced maintenance costs.

The large distribution centre had inefficient and aging lighting across all areas and the constantly shifting volumes of product being stored meant that the quality and coverage of light needed to be at the highest standard.

The SaveMoneyCutCarbon Consultancy Sales team conducted an extensive technical survey and produced a detailed lighting design with comprehensive costings as

savings. LED panels were also fitted in other offices

part of an investment-ready proposal to provide the solid

and the reception area with LED tubes installed in the

business case for LED upgrade.

distribution areas.

With the detailed report, Greene King was confident of meeting its goals and commissioned the LED project.

The experienced SaveMoneyCutCarbon team installed 97 Thorn HiPak Pro LED high bay fittings (104W) in the warehouse and chilled room areas. At the same time, it

A major benefit of quality LED lighting is their long working life with a decade or more of sustained use that further reduces operational costs through less need for maintenance.

The lighting in the warehouse areas was complex to

fixed energy monitoring equipment to provide accurate

design as the stacks of kegs continually varied in height,

data on electricity savings.

meaning that light distribution changed as the overall

It worked closely with the distribution centre management to carry out any adjustments needed to ensure the optimum quality of light with extra high bays and repositioning.

The installation team also fitted LED panels with Lutron smart controls in the main office to maximise energy

positioning of products shifted.

The team modified the design and positioning to optimise the light quality after initial installation.

The install at Greene King resulted in energy costs being reduced by 72.3%, a ROI in 2.29 years and savings of £14,797 p.a.

Brewing Services & Consultancy rebrands

B

rewing Services & Consultancy has rebranded

at opposite ends of a spectrum and I look forward

as Brewing Services, as it celebrates its 30th

to assisting brewers in raising quality standards and

anniversary.

The company, which was started in July 1988 by David Smith, has also welcomed Sam Russell to the team.

Russell, who was most recently quality brewer at Thornbridge, has also worked at York Brewery and joins a team that also includes Rob Smith.

He said: “I am passionate about high-quality, flavourful beer. I believe hat craft and consistency needn't lie

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September 2018

improving their beers”.

According to David Smith, following the name change, the company ethos will remain very much the same, promoting quality, efficiency and consistency at every stage of the brewing process.

He said: “The industry is still expanding at an incredible rate and Brewing Services is committed to training brewers to thrive in the competitive market place.”

Brewers Journal

integrity BEER of thE

malt Chris Garratt, head Maltster . tel: 01985 212014 Chris.Garratt@warMinster-Malt.Co.uk

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C o mm e n t

B ra n d

protectio n

Act before it’s too late With craft beer sales up by 48 per cent in the past 12 months, there has never been a more vital time to protect your brand, says Don Pennant, intellectual property attorney at Wynne-Jones IP.

by DON PENNANT

C

the shelf of the pub, bar or bottle shop..

indulging in their favourite tipple, you need to protect your

identity, it is essential that brewers carry out thorough

brand.

trade mark clearance searches from the start. This will

raft brewers, creating beer at a value of over £136 million in sales, need to safeguard their trademarks, brand names, trade secrets, and designs due to increasing competition in the marketplace.

With craft beer sales up by 48 per cent in the past

12 months and 4.6 million homes across the UK now

The surge in popularity of craft beers and ales has

As a result of their clear value in relation to the brand’s

ensure they are not infringing an existing brand. Once this

created a highly competitive marketplace for new

is ascertained, they can then protect themselves by filing

brewers. Alongside the threat of copycats, the brewing

a trade mark application.

boom could spark a rise in brands accidentally copying or infringing an existing label.

New brewers need to carry out thorough research into

By doing so, the brewer has confirmed they are free to use the mark as well as creating a monopoly in a lucrative marketplace. Filing a trademark will strengthen their

existing brands from the start, to prevent them facing a

position against any challenging competitors seeking to

disastrous rebrand and product recall at a later stage.

create similar beers, which if unprotected, could damage

Now, more than ever, it is essential that craft brewers take action to protect the intellectual property of their

their profit potential and reputation.

Filing an application will also help to secure the

unique brand. With such a vast investment made to

owners’ ability to freely use the name without the fear of

create and bring the product to the marketplace, you

having to rebrand, as well as preventing third parties from

simply cannot afford to take the risk of not doing so.

obtaining the IP rights to their original brand and selling

Intellectual property can help to safeguard your name,

the product themselves. Ultimately it will protect the

flavours, packaging, trade secrets, branding, and even

craft brewer against fierce competition and allow them to

colour scheme.

benefit from the investment.

So, with so many new beers launching at such a rapid pace, we would urge brewers to ensure their product is

LABELS AND PACKAGING

free to use and protected before it’s too late.

Here are my top tips to protecting intellectual property in the industry.

BRAND NAMES AND LOGOS

W

ith competition rife and demand evolving – it’s vital for products to set themselves apart in the busy marketplace.

Packaging does just this by creating a unique image

and appearance for the brand, which drives sales and

B

rand names and logos are often the most recognisable aspect of a craft beer and undoubtedly the first thing a customer will see on

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September 2018

influences consumers.

Brewers can protect their product’s packaging by filing trade marks for the labels themselves, or through filing

Brewers Journal

bra n d

registered designs.

protectio n

c o mm e n t

able to steal your secrets.

This intellectual property right also extends to the

When it comes to the craft beer industry, one of its

appearance of the brand’s tap handles and glassware,

most valuable trade secrets is its brewing formula, which

protecting them against would-be copycats.

helps to set each individual brand apart. The formula

Investing in packaging may seem costly, but it is nothing compared to the loss of profit resulting from infringement by competitors, or having to rebrand.

Brewers should ensure they are free to use the brand and protect the product’s IP at an early stage. By doing

ensures that the beer’s flavour is unique and recognisable and attracts consumers time and time again.

The most famous example of a well-guarded – and highly profitable – trade secret recipe, is that of Coca Cola.

this it will ensure the owner doesn’t accidentally infringe

Failure to protect the brewing formula could see it

an existing brand while also securing protection in case

duplicated by a competitor, leading to similar products

of potential copycats.

entering the marketplace, and ultimately, a loss of profit for the creator.

TRADE SECRETS

In the UK, in order for something to be deemed a trade secret, it must be proved that the information has a

T

quality of confidence, i.e. it cannot be obtained freely; that

rade secrets are essential to safeguarding one of

the information was disclosed in confidence; and that is

the most crucial aspects of any brewer’s identity.

has been disclosed without permission.

By keeping information about the

Many trade secrets are inadvertently, or deliberately

manufacturing, recipe, or commercial aspects of your

leaked by current or ex-employees, so it’s essential that a

company under wraps, a niche market is created for that

confidentiality clause protecting any sensitive information

product, while also preventing third parties from being

is written into employee contracts. u

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K N OWLED G E

S HAR I N G

Taking stock Much has changed since Latimer Ales started out as a commercial brewery.

But one thing has remained the same, and that’s the importance of knowledge sharing explains Latimer Ales’ James Trent.

by JAMES TRENT

Y

ears before Latimer Ales began as a commercial brewery we were very keen home brewers (like many other commercial brewers used to be). The one concern we had even then was consistency, our recipes

would always taste different according to the season in

Latimer Ales has transformed a great deal since the business started as a commercial brewery

which it was brewed.

Our major issue was controlling the temperature of

The key to being able to control our ferments

our ferments, which would climb out of control when

in summer and stop them getting too hot is the

environmental conditions were against us. As our

combination of our insulation that we wrap the tanks in.

ambitions turned to becoming a full time brewery we

This insulation also helps during the coldest months of

knew we had to solve this temperature issue.

the winter, meaning that conditions inside the FV are

Like many new start ups, we had limited funds for our

never influenced by the environmental temperature. No

initial brewing plant. Finding that the step from home

heat is ever needed with our FV's - we have customers

brewing, to even a small off the shelf commercial plant

in Sweden, Norway & Estonia who have found this

was beyond our savings and loans, we set about building

extremely useful.

our own plant. After much trial and error, we had our fully working, and fully controllable brew plant.

That kit fitted into a garage, where we began brewing

We soon had enquiries from brewers who wanted other brew plant equipment, and also from prospective brewers who were looking for an entire brewing kit, so we

from, and when we relocated to a commercial unit due to

launched a complete range of Tuns, HLT's and Kettles.

expansion in 2012, another larger kit was built. This plant

Commercial brewing soon became a distraction to our

was equipped with 1000L FV's, some of which were used

main business of building and selling brew plant, and

for our new craft lager as we had designed them to be

in 2014 we decided to concentrate on building full time

able to maintain very low temperatures as well as normal

so we could dedicate out efforts into further research

ale brewing temperatures. To our delight, we found that

and development. Many would be brewers came to visit

the system worked at this size as well as it had done on

our workshop and they were always armed with lots of

the small 300L that we began on.

brewery questions.

Visits from local brewers soon followed, and their

It became a matter of pride that we were willing, and

interest in the plant that we had built ourselves, together

able, to answer all of these, and we realised that just

with its' ability to do something theirs' could not, soon

selling tanks was not all we were doing, we were also

resulted in us being asked to build FV's for others. We

offering consultancy. The first few complete plants that

began to advertise our FV's and found that brewers from

we sold were on this basis, our support via phone & email

all over the country were interested in what we had made.

is there for as long as you think you need it for. At first, our

One question that we found ourselves asked again and

new brewers would be calling several times per week

again was 'how do you heat the FV during the winter cold

with all manner of problems, but as the weeks went by

spell?'

their ability grew and the calls began to cease‌ u

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Brewers Journal

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d e a r

j o h n

cask

beer

Give me cask every time When many drinkers have turned their attention to crisp lagers during the sustained period of hot weather, John Keeling has remained faithful to his good friend, cask beer. In this article, he recalls how cask played such an important part of his formative years in the world of beer.

reports carried so much clout.

There was a great bunch of people in the laboratory and going to work was fun, plus I had little responsibility.

Some of those still work in the industry today including Dave Facer, with his own brewery, and Margaret King, who has built a formidable reputation at Robinsons. I often think of those carefree days with long lunches, drinking three pints and then going out in the evening for a few more. Maybe the wages were not so great, but life most certainly was.

by John keeling

My joining the brewing industry coincided with the rise of CAMRA. Man, the excitement of travelling around

I

the country, CAMRA pub guide in hand, trying different

lager. But I stayed with that lovely cool refreshing beer –

today discovering the world of craft beer. Similar, but not

cask bitter. My friends did too.

quite as good. LOL! (See – I know what it means. I can

have been thinking again. In fact I have been

regional takes on cask bitter. I still remember my first taste

reflecting on my early career in the brewing

of Greene King Abbot on a visit to Cambridge. Even the

industry. I have also been thinking about cask beer

discovery of Oldham Ales was an adventure. For those

and how much I used to drink and how much I

who think the world stops at Watford, Oldham is a very

drink now. I’ve also been thinking about the long

long 30 minute bus ride from where I lived in Manchester.

hot summer of 1976 and how people were switching to

The excitement was very similar to that of the youth of

I started drinking properly in 1973. My first pints were in a Whitbread pub. I tried Trophy, Tankard, lager, lager top and shandy. After experimenting with all those I

keep up with the modern world – sometimes I will drink an IPA).

As an aside, the local bus company was called Selnec

discovered, along with my friends, Boddingtons and

and travelling to places like Oldham and Ashton-under-

Robinsons. Cask bitter, I have loved you ever since and

Lyne on a bus often meant seeing a number of bikers

nothing, not even the finest Pilsner nor the toastiest stout,

who had been banned from riding their bikes for various

can capture me for long. I will always return to you.

reasons. Still carrying their helmets in their hands, they

In 1974 I joined the brewing industry – or to be precise,

would sit in silence watching the traffic with forlorn looks.

my Mother made me get a job. Lucky for me she

They were on their way to the biker pubs to have a few

chose well. I joined Wilsons Brewery in Newton Heath,

drinks with their mates and hoping to get a ride back on

Manchester as a junior laboratory technician. My boss was

someone’s bike. Everybody called them Selnec Angels.

called Tom Forsyth and his second in charge was Dave

I went to one of their pubs once – I have never seen so

Keeling. It took me ages to work out why my signature on

many people walking with a limp in my life. Still, the beer

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was good. The moral of this story is that bikes and drink

my, ahem, unemployment. Wilsons were also very good

don’t mix.

to me, employing me every summer as holiday cover,

I spent that summer of ’76 working at Wilsons watching the keg lines working flat out to keep up with the demand for Carlsberg. It got so unbearably hot that the Union

earning my old rate (which, by the way, was tax free).

Belated thanks to Frank Scallon who organised this for me.

I was taught by Sir Geoff Palmer, a person who still

negotiated a 10 minute break every hour so the workforce

inspires me today. He taught me that you could be

could have a pint to refresh them. Luckily Carlsberg was

serious about beer and learning but even then it could

only 3.1% ABV. Throughout that summer, I stuck with my

be fun. A philosophy I still follow and encourage people

cool refreshing pint of Boddingtons.

around me to do so too.

In ’77 I decided to go to Heriot-Watt to study Brewing

After three glorious years in Edinburgh, I managed to

and Distilling. Lucky for me I had the qualifications and

get a job at Fuller’s. I joined in January 1981 and the rest,

this, coupled with my then youthful need for knowledge,

as they say, is history. Upon joining Fuller’s, I asked Head

made me leave the comfort of my job and become a

Brewer Reg Drury (another person who has been a huge

student again. Something I had hated when I went to

influence on me) why he picked me rather than any of

Audenshaw Grammar School – where I was in good

the other students. He said I had worked in the brewing

company as Mick Hucknall didn’t much like it either!

industry and knew what I had let myself in for. But that is

Being a student in Edinburgh is an experience I wish everybody could have. What a great city, what great pubs.

another story, perhaps one I might tell some other time.

Well if I get any encouragement to do so.

I thought all Scotsman would be mad drinkers on whisky

Now just returning up to date. It is a baking hot day

and 80 bob. No, disappointingly they were on vodka and

outside. I will be going to the pub for a nice cool glass of

lager. I was the mad drinker on whisky and 80 bob.

cask beer. Well I do know a pub that has good throughput

I was an extremely lucky student. I qualified for a full

for its cask beer. You know what just thinking about it is

grant (young people reading this will probably need to

making me thirsty. The big difference between 76 and

Google it) because I had worked for three years and was

today is that cask beer does not have the throughput and,

termed a mature student. Mature is a description I would

particularly in this hot weather, there are just too many

not use about me even today. I also qualified for the

substandard beers being served. What is the future for

dole when I wasn’t studying (we only did three10-week

cask beer? Thorny, I think, if we don’t solved the quality

terms), plus earning related pay for the first four weeks of

issue. Perhaps I should write about that? u

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Northern Powerhouse The Wylam Brewery of 2018 is a different beast to the one that started out at the turn of the millennium. It produces excellent modern beer styles, has a palace to call home and is the envy of many a brewer across the land. But one thing has never changed and that's the focus on consistency and that you live or die by the quality of liquid you put out.

something new. And it has been really important for us to put in the hard work to make Newcastle as good as it can be,” explains Stone, perched with his beloved River Tyne behind him. “This city has moved on so much in the last decade. So much has developed, and not just the beer scene,” says Stone. “Newcastle has reinvented itself and is no longer purely industry. Sure, what we’re doing at Wylam is part of an industry. But thankfully it’s one that gets you pissed.”

Wylam Brewery was founded in 2000 by John Boyle and Robin Leighton. Based out of South Houghton Farm,

by TIM SHEAHAN

Heddon on the Wall, Leighton’s beers such as Gold Tankard and Landlord’s Choice resonated with local drinkers. But the duo’s working relationship was relatively

E

short-lived. Leighton retired three years later and has

either. He’s the epitome of the idea that if you enjoy your

tiring of their careers in the music industry. In addition to

work, it doesn’t really feel like work at all.

owning a nightclub, the duo helped organise Evolution

veryone hopefully knows someone like Dave Stone. He’s the uncle that would slip you a

since sadly passed away.

Boyle called on his son Matt to move home from Spain

crisp £20 note in your birthday card when

and help take the reins, something he eventually agreed

you’re a child, at a time when you thought

to. With John Boyle himself retiring, Robin built a team

you’d be lucky enough to get a tenner. He is

that included Ben Wilkinson, Christopher Lee and Lee

carried by a youthful enthusiasm, but don’t let that draw your attention from his insatiable appetite for perfection,

Stone is a Liverpool native, but Newcastle is truly his

Howourth, a trio that are still with the brewery today.

Elsewhere, Stone and business partner Cameron were

Festival as well as Digital Brighton and Digital Newcastle.

adopted home and it’s here his path crossed with that of

But like any field, fashions come and go, and Stone soon

Wylam Brewery, now one of the most respected modern

fell out of love with the type of music people wanted to

UK breweries around. But it was not always thus and

hear.

the successful Wylam of 2018 is a different animal to its

“We were in Amsterdam around eight years ago and

previous existence as a traditional farmstead operation

all people wanted was EDM (Electronic Dance Music).

founded nearly 20 years ago. Alongside business partner

We were having to book DJs that were overpriced, had

Rob Cameron and the team, he’s helped catapult the

inflated egos and produced music we didn’t like,” says

brewery to the frontline of great UK beer. All this before

Stone. “So we sat down and asked ourselves what we

you even get onto discussing their home, the literally

liked as much as music. And that was beer.”

palatial Grade Two-listed Palace of Arts in Exhibition Park.

But such achievements aren’t enough for Stone. As of

Stone and Cameron proceeded to sell their club and the stake in the festivals. Not ones to rest on their laurels,

summer 2018, the Tyne now has a new destination spot

they put their money where their mouth is and bought

for food and drink lovers in the form of By The River Brew

two pubs in the form of The Bridge Tavern and Town Wall.

Co. It’s already hard to imagine the area without it.

“There's always time in the day to do something else,

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Dave Stone on his chopper at Wylam Brewery

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and advocates.

“They made great liquid. And for me, it's all about the

community has grown in the recent years since Wylam moved in, so has the brewery’s wider standing in the

liquid. You can have fancy branding but if the liquid isn't

brewing industry. Much has changed in the world

good, your product isn't good,” he says.

of Wylam since those early days at the turn of the

Stone and Cameron decided to spend some time in the US to see how the scene was developing. What

millennium.

“When we started in 2000 we were making beers that

greeted them enthused the duo and back home, they

other people weren't making. We couldn't particularly sell

took the decision to approach Wylam and see how they

them but we could drink them, that’s for sure. In 2000,

can formalise their partnership and buy into the brewery.

cask beer was the type of challenging drink of its day, so

The idea proved logical for both parties and in Stone’s

it was a case of the team making the best beer possible

words, the duo "sat on their hands” for the first two years

and educating the drinker of its merits,” says Stone.

and let the business continue in kind. But thanks to the

He adds: “Fast forward to now, the process is pretty

demand for its growing portfolio of excellent beers, they

much the same in terms of how we make our beer. It's

knew Wylam had to move site to realise its potential, and

just fantastic now that we can put out beers that we really,

with that, a new home at the Palace of Arts came into

really like. But I often think how many breweries can't do

view.

that, especially considering they are working in a creative

Located in Exhibition Park, Newcastle, the Palace of Arts is the last remnant from North East Coast Exhibition

industry.

“It must be frustrating because they are all tied to

of 1929. Back then it was used to house works of art

demands that mean they only make one to two beers

and promote the region’s skill and industry. It fulfilled

in the 3.8 to 4.2% range, while having to hit those strict

a number of different purposes and was home to the

margins. But here, we make the beer, work out how

Military Vehicle Museum at the time of closing in 2006.

much it costs and then how much we need for it. We are

The Palace of Arts was in a state of disrepair and was set

fortunate that people want it.”

for demolition but thanks to Freddy Shepherd and his

Wylam’s brewing spine of Ben Wilkinson, Christopher

brother Bruce, the former owners of Newcastle United,

Lee and Lee Howourth is like that of any successful

the building was saved in 2012. Three years later and

football team. It’s given them longevity, and everyone

through more than £3m in refurbishments, the site had

is on the same page. Captain of that team, though he’d

regained its splendour. But the idea of a brewery then

loathe any sort of hierarchical badge, is Wilkinson. He

taking over such a space did not sit well with everyone.

joined Wylam less than a year into its life.

“We wanted somewhere to call home. We looked at

Running a free house in the Ouseburn Valley had given

options in the city but none could match the Palace of

him a wealth of knowledge in cellar management. The

Arts. Along the way we were greeted with 148 objections

pub, which offered drinkers a selection of Belgian beers

to the planning, lots on all sorts of scurrilous levels. But

in addition to its local ranges, also sold Wylam beers,

we went to planning committee and won 9-1. The rest,

just as Dave Stone and Rob Cameron’s pubs did many

they say, is history,” explains Stone.

years later. But Wilkinson wanted to take his love of beer

Objections to the traffic and noise the brewery would create seem laughable when you approach the site in

beyond the pub and his homebrewing hobby.

“Way back then I asked them if they wanted any help

person. Granted, the venue hosts parties, concerts and

and they told me to come in the next day. I was cleaning,

other events but for a facility located in the middle of a

driving, whatever they asked of me,” he recalls.

large park, noise issues for its neighbours were never

That arrangement lasted around 18 months before

going to be a problem. And thankfully for drinkers, those

Wilkinson made the full-time switch. Working with then

hurdles were overcome.

head brewer Robin Leighton, eventually becoming head

Transforming the palace in its then form to Wylam’s home of today took two years of planning and 13 weeks

brewer himself in 2012.

“We started brewing IPA long before before the trend jumped across the pond. We learned a lot from the US

on site.

As Stone tells us: “When we get busy, we get busy”.

and beers such as Jakehead proved to be a real turning

“It took a while for people to work out what they

point for us. It combined an old world malt bill and a new

wanted from the space but to have it as a brewery, and its

world hop profile,” he explains. “It was one of the first

own independent facility is rewarding,” he explains. “When

beers produced at the old site that was really different to

you see a tour poster for someone like Billy Bragg and

what came before.”

their dates show somewhere like the Shepherd’s Bush

Jakehead, a 6.3% IPA came kicking and screaming into

Empire and then Wylam Brewery. That’s great to see, it

life seven years ago. But its popularity meant treading

gives you a real buzz.”

a fine line in producing sufficient volumes to cater for

As the Palace of Arts’ role and importance to the

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Wylam head brewer Ben Wilkinson

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beers that resonated so well with other local drinkers.

Thankfully that’s no longer an issue with the increased

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eight limited edition 440ml cans.

“It was quite tricky working it all out over a five month

capacity, and incoming additional tanks, at the Palace of

period,” says Wilkinson. “What was important was to

Arts.

produce all of the beers that were going to last well and

The brewery has successfully managed to keep both

get better from a little bit of ageing at the start of the

sets of drinkers happy. Though a ‘Futureshock’ DDH IDA

process, and then work all the hop-forward beers at the

or a ‘In Every Dream Home A Heartache’ DDH Sour Mash

end of the process. Around that, you do everything in-

IPA are somewhat of a leap from the 4.0% cask 'Gold

between to snake it's way towards the finale! The brewing

Tankard' Golden Ale many of its patrons would be used to.

bit was a challenge but the most daunting part was

“When we started producing these type of beers, it would have been a hard sell to some of the older pubs.

But by then there was another craft base opening up.

getting everything packaged in that box with all the lovely artwork go out into the wild on time.”

The Northern Powerhouse project, logistical

The proliferation of these bars and bottle shops has really

challenges aside, allowed Wilkinson to engage in one of

helped, and we appreciate their support,” says Wilkinson.

his favourite parts of the industry, collaboration. Wylam

Wylam, like breweries such as Cloudwater, Verdant

has teamed up with a number of breweries from the

and Northern Monk among others, are now producing

UK and further afield in recent years, and it’s something

high volumes of heavily-hopped IPAs. These beers carry

Wilkinson would like to see continue, as long as it’s done

a higher price tag, and frequently a higher ABV than

for the right reasons.

many drinkers would be used to. But they are selling, and

“It's important that you can pick out each brewery in

they’re selling well. And Wilkinson sees no reason why

the finished product. A lot of people had not heard of

that will come to a stop anytime soon, either.

us until two or three years so it's nice when people are

“This style has legs, no question about it. And it’s

sometimes surprised that we've been going a lot longer

still relatively new on this side of the water. Look at the

than that,” he tells us. “The industry has improved for the

States, it has been going on there for much longer, and

better tenfold in that time. I know there’s often talk of

people are really making Hazy IPAs their own. It’s not one

brewing losing the community qualities that make it so

blanket style. We’re seeing that here too. We all have our

great, but I don’t see that. We are seeing new breweries

trademarks, our nuances and our own personalities. I love

open all the time and at the end of the day it's down to

the history of IPA and the way the style has developed.

liquid. That’s what counts. I think there's still room for

This is one part of its development,” he adds.

everyone to grow because there’s an ever-increasing

Wilkinson believes that drinkers, slowly and surely are coming around to why certain beers cost more, too.

“It’s become more apparent over time that people are willing to pay more for quality beer, beer that features expensive ingredients. Nobody is going to go out a buy

number of people that turning onto good beer, and once they make that move over, they don't tend to go back.”

And Wilkinson believes keg beer has been the key driver in aiding that all-important transition.

“In those early years, it was more of a challenge to

an eight pack of a 9% DDH IPA and knock them back.

convince people of the merits of beers like ours. It was

It’s all relative. A lot of these beers are made of sharing,

predominantly cask and one of the main problems for

they’re communal experiences just like a fine wine or a

someone that is used to drinking keg lager is the change

great whisky,” he explains. “And when you’re dealing with

in mouthfeel. They’ve gone from something that is fizzy

expensive ingredients where you lose anywhere between

on the tongue to something that’s not,” he says. “ But now,

15-20% of the yield just off the dry-hopping and run-

with so much more keg beer around, the mouthfeel issue

off throughout the process in order to keep everything

has been pretty much eliminated. It has enabled people

unfiltered and unpasteurised, then it all adds up.”

to develop their palates by trying styles and judging them

Wylam brew on a 50HL kit from Gravity Systems, and they have the capacity to double brew therefore producing up to 100HL a day. At the time of writing, they

on flavour rather than being confused and confronted with a sensation they’re not used to.”

Growth in keg, which accounts for 70% of its output,

have nine 30 barrel tanks, two 60 barrel tanks, six bright

has seen Wylam narrow down its cask selection. The

tanks and an additional three 30 barrel tanks on order.

brewery offers three permanent cask beers as well as

Every last drop of that capacity was required to allow

seasonal, one-off numbers. But one thing that Wilkinson

the team to recently produce its fantastic Northern

remains as keen on as ever is experimentation in styles,

Powerhouse collaboration series, all while producing its

and Stone and Cameron’s new setup, the aforementioned

regular range of beers. Wylam teamed up with Buxton,

By The River Brew Co will allow him to do just that.

Cloudwater, Black Lodge, Magic Rock, Northern Monk,

A 15 barrel kit from SSV Limited allows Wilkinson to

Hawkshead, Thornbridge, and Box Social on the project.

produce new beers, away from the production setup of

The end result was 6,600 cases of beer, each containing

Wylam’s larger kit. Beer pours from 20 taps at the bar that

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is an integral part of the new container community that

don’t. They are more focused on pushing out liquid ready

also houses a restaurant, market and bike shop.

for a certain date and as a result, the process is rushed

Wilkinson, Stone and the team are all on board with what they want from the new setup, and from the future of Wylam, too.

“We don't have desire to upscale production pass

and quality is affected.”

Wilkinson agrees: “One we get the extra tanks, I’ll be happy at that size. I don't want to turn into a factory because I've seen what happens and I've tasted what

those extra tanks. That investment will help us keep the

happens when that takes place. I want to get more dialled

local market satiated because I’ll be honest, the local

into and on top of what we're doing. We like being hands-

market has suffered a bit this year,” says Stone. “People

on and we’ve got a great team here we so don't want to

across the globe want our beer but we can’t let down

get too big. We don't want to lose sight of that.”

the people that have helped get to where we are today.

Without them, you’d be nothing.”

He adds: “Going forward I want to continue focusing on the quality of the liquid because there comes a point in a brewery’s where they might have the option to get bigger

And like Wilkinson earlier, Stone sees plenty of room for growth in this industry, as long as the beer is good enough. If it’s not, then closures will come as no surprise to him.

“Brewing, for many, has become the new midlife crisis

and bigger. Some will be able to do that while putting out

investment in a red Porsche. You’’ have people leaving

beer at the same standard people are used to. But some

their jobs, maybe even their families to start a new life in

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brewing, often without any knowledge of the industry.

oppose ourselves to these businesses. Many of

They’ll soon realise that you need more than a cool label

them have thousands of pubs, so why can’t we help

to get you anywhere,” he explains. “That part of the market

complement their own brands? There should be a place

will suffer, as the drinker becomes more educated and it’s

in the market for all of us.”

our mission is to educate as many people as possible so they know more about beer.”

Stone adds: “I find it incredible that I can go into a train

It’s that type of positive, affirmative can-do attitude that underpins Stone and his outlook on both business and life. With By The River Brew Co already a success, weeks

station mini supermarket now and get a great can or two,

after launch, few would want to bet against what comes

when several years ago that would have been impossible.

next.

And then you've got lots of new bottle shops opening up,

He recalls: “As Bob Dylan said, when you've got

although they’ll have to start renaming themselves can

nothing, you've got nothing to lose. Caution doesn't

shops before long.

register with me because I know we will work hard

“I think that the more penetration we can get into the mainstream market the better. If smaller breweries like

enough to make something work and to be a success.

“Look, there has never been a better time to brew and

ourselves can form some sort of Entente Cordiale with

drink beer. You have the proven knowledge of the past

some of the biggest breweries, then I think that’s one

along with the technology of the future.

route to success. I don’t feel as if we need to diametrically

brewersjournal.info

“So let’s have a party.”

September 2018

29

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b r e w e r s

co n g r e s s

Brewers congress The speaker line up for the 2018 Brewers Congress has been announced, bringing together leading industry names from the UK, Europe and the US. The congress will again be held at One Great George Street, London. Super early bird tickets are on sale for £55, for full details go to: congress.brewersjournal.info Ray Daniels | Cicerone Few have had more of an impact on raising standards across the board than Ray Daniels.

Since starting Cicerone, the certification program designed for those that sell and serve beer, nearly 95,000 individuals have passed through its doors. “I wanted to motivate servers and retailers to ‘up their game’ by learning more about proper beer service as well as beer styles so that they could talk to their customers about their offerings,” says Daniels. A mission statement as valid today as it was then.

Sophie De Ronde | Burnt Mill Brewery Sophie De Ronde is the head brewer at Burnt Mill Brewery. Formerly brewing technologist at Muntons, she has a wealth of technical knowledge that spans cellar management, production brewing and product development.

She has passed on her knowledge and helped many brewers over the last decade and at Burnt Mill, rated best new brewery in the UK at the most recent Ratebeer awards, she’s running the day to day brewhouse and cellar operations to get the best out of their equipment and raw materials with the aim of ever increasing the quality of the brewery’s beers.

Andy Leman | Timothy Taylor Timothy Taylor and quality go hand-in-hand, and Andy Leman is only the fourth head brewer in the company’s history. Following on from figures such as Peter Eells, Allan Hey and Sydney Fairclough, Leman manages a team of brewers trained at the prestigious Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh. He is also responsible for

brewersjournal.info

overseeing production of some of the UK’s best cask beers such as Landlord, Boltmaker and Knowle Springs.

Pete Lengyel | KCBC A recent article from online media site Thrillist described KCBC as NYC’s best brewery you’ve never heard of. But it’s not going to stay that way for much longer. Pete Lengyel, who founded the business alongside Tony Bellis and Zack Kinney, is a trained molecular biologist and is producing world-class beers in a part of the USA that has an embarrassment of riches when it comes to excellent breweries. In the UK, KCBC have recently collaborated with contemporaries such as Beavertown, Verdant, Brew By Numbers and Hackney Brewery. Beers that left shelves as soon as they hit them.

Mike Marcus | Chorlton Brewing Co Mike Marcus left his studies in the world of fine art when he started Chorlton Brewing Co in 2014. Driven by a respect for the heritage of German sour beer, he produces some of the nation’s most respected beers that are making waves both in the UK and overseas. The brewery prioritises supplying to independent businesses and our beer is always unfiltered, unpasteurised and unfined.

September 2018

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Supported by

Jenn Merrick | Earth Station Jenn Merrick is the founder of Earth Station, a brewery that will launch in east London’s Royal Docks later this year. Merrick, who has previously worked at Meantime, Dark Star and as director of operations at Beavertown, wants Earth Station to become a community hub and events space that provides employment to the local area.

She recently spearheaded a collaboration that featured 14 of the finest female brewers alongside students and lecturers from HeriotWatt to showcase the very best in brewing.

Garrett Oliver | Brooklyn Brewery To be talented in one field is impressive. To turn your hand elsewhere with similar results?

That’s just not fair. But thankfully for drinkers and readers across the globe, Garrett Oliver is just that. Brewmaster at Brooklyn Brewery, Oliver is also the editor-in-chief of The Oxford Companion to Beer, and author of The Brewmaster’s Table.

Probably the most recognisable figure in modern beer, Oliver has hosted more than 1,000 beer tastings, dinners, and cooking demonstrations in nearly 20 countries.

Chris Pilkington | Põhjala Chris Pilkington has helped turn Estonia’s Põhjala into one of the driving forces in modern beer.

Known for they excellent barrel-aged output, the Tallinn-based brewery also produces an excellent range of IPAs and beers brewed with rare botanicals and forest ingredients. In addition to their own output, Põhjala has produced a number of excellent collaborations with breweries such as De Struise, Lervig, Stillwater Artisanal and To Øl.

Colin Stronge | Northern Monk There’s few names more synonymous with quality in modern brewing parlance than Colin Stronge. Stronge, who was previously head brewer at Buxton Brewery, is now the production

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director at Northern Monk and is helping oversee ambitious expansion at Leeds-based business.

Along with head brewer Brian Dickson, Stronge can turn his hand to any style with aplomb, resulting in predictably impressive results.

Brian Strumke | Stillwater Artisanal Brian Strumke is the founder of Stillwater Artisanal. A mainstay among the best brewers in the world, Stillwater Artisanal continue to push the boundaries when it comes to styles, flavours and design. A keen collaborator with breweries across the globe, Strumke also has his sights set on his new venture, Production in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. It'll offer a fermentation facility, barrelageing store and much more when it opens later this year.

Dr Keith Thomas | Brewlab Brewers from across the globe have learned their craft at Sunderland’s Brewlab. Dr Keith Thomas established the business, a leading provider of training and analysis services for the international brewing industry, in 1986 and it has gone from strength to strength since. Dr Thomas is also a senior lecture in Microbiology at the University of Sunderland teaching undergraduate, MSc and PhD students in microbiology, biotechnology and food sciences.

Georgina Young | Fuller’s Georgina Young is the head brewer of Fuller’s.

The West London-based brewery has ably demonstrated how to maintain the quality and consistency of popular beers such as London Pride, Frontier and ESB, while also working and collaborating with newer breweries in the UK and beyond. Upon her promotion last year, Fuller’s global ambassador John Keeling said: “She’s a great person to lead the brewery going forwards and inspire the next generation of brewers.” It’s safe to say the future of Fuller’s brewery is in safe hands.

Brewers Journal

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LO G I STI C S

F OCUS

You can’t manage what you can’t measure

Managing container assets, dispense assets and beer quality when the beer or cider is out in the market is hard. But there are options available, explains Andy Lee, business development manager at Visibility Asset Management Limited.

and the cost efficiency of providing the draught package.

A typical brewer will want to minimise the number of kegs they buy, but not want to run out. They will fix kegs or casks when they break, and hope that this breakage doesn’t occur when in a customer outlet. They might even count their kegs or casks out to trade and back when empty.

They will pay the duty due when the keg crosses the

by ANDY LEE

duty line, and at best make some assumed reclaim on duty on ullage returned. They might refuse, or at least have a grown-up conversation, with a retail or wholesale

B

customer who is either slow at returning kegs or casks or

rewers large and small have systems or

doesn’t return them at all. They will also do in-trade visits

technology to pay the bills, manage the

in response to quality concerns, or in marketing efforts.

brewing process, pay the staff, etc, with

Brewers estimate things like keg turn-around times

some having specialist systems for each

(cycles), loss rates, throughput and forecasts, and

area. A portion have an integrated system

perhaps use very limited sampling techniques to best

that does a fair job, but not usually best in class in each

estimate how many kegs and casks of what sizes they

area. However, not many brewers have implemented a

might need to support their demand for existing and new

Draught Management System (DMS)

product sales, and to best ensure quality at dispense.

Managing container assets, dispense assets and beer

The return on investment of implementing a DMS

quality when the beer or cider is out in the market is hard.

is significant. Brewers large and small all benefit from

The further away products go from local self-distribution,

uniquely identifying kegs which can easily be scanned

the harder it is to manage both the quality of the product

individually, or in bulk adding these to a structured and

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September 2018

Brewers Journal

LO G I STI C S

F OCUS

easy to understand web based portal that provides a wealth of information 24/7.

Reducing line failures for filling kegs, reducing keg related trade complaints, improving cycle times through understanding dwell points, reducing keg theft through understanding non-return routes, reclaiming duty on returned beer not sold, without even monetising the benefits of known quality support and the better management of product recall, all drive significant reductions in Capex and operational expenditure.

Imagine you are a brewery with 10,000 kegs, turning on average every six weeks, with a peak demand of 120% in week 48. A single kegging line, experiencing 1.0% re-presentation of kegs that fail on fill; with 0.5% of fills resulting in customer complaints that might be keg related. Add to this losing an unknown percentage of kegs, scrapping a few, sales growing at 10% year on year, cycle time extending as you introduce new products and take your existing products to further away markets.

Even after the cost of implementing a DMS, the savings in capital avoided and net operating expense typically mean an ROI of 400%, in some cases much more.

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embracing a more scientific approach. What’s to lose? u

brewersjournal.info

September 2018

35

F OCUS

LO G I STI C S

Leverage tagging technology to track your beer Hobsons Brewery founder Nick Davis was fed up of not knowing where his containers were at any one time. But an introduction to Near Field Communication (NFC) and the Warwick Manufacturing Group at the University of Warwick helped change all that.

by TIM SHEAHAN

M

anaging assets is crucial to operating a brewery, as it is any business, and a critical part of ensuring good housekeeping and profitability.

As every brewer knows, containers

such as casks and kegs are a valuable commodity and for an average regional brewer, the cost of operating a healthy stock of around 50,000 containers can run to upwards of £250,000 per year. Knowing where the containers are at any one time is therefore essential.

But keeping tabs on them is not easy and once they leave the brewery, controlling their whereabouts is a constant challenge, especially when trying to make the process of turning a container around – from filling, to delivery and then collection after three weeks – as efficient as possible.

Yet despite being such an important process, container management has relied on decades-old technology without significant innovation.

Mid-sized breweries employing tracking of any kind

stored outside in the elements, and then put through

will be familiar with the status quo – the use of barcode

an 80 degree caustic wash. So cases of tracking labels

labels, printed out and stuck onto the containers. In some

falling off, being scrubbed off, fading and being scratched

cases up to three labels could be applied, to plot the

are commonplace.

destination, the contents and its fill status.

Containers are designed to be robust, to deal with their harsh life cycle of being roughly handled, dropped, rolled,

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“We were finding it a nightmare,” explains Hobsons Brewery founder, Nick Davis. “The time spent printing, sticking, and replacing the labels was onerous. The labels

Brewers Journal

LO G I STI C S

F OCUS

would fall off and the scanners couldn’t read some of the

returns and bring them back for refilling – much more

labels that were in place. The whole process seemed

efficiently and quickly.

prehistoric when you consider the technology that’s out there.

“I found that I couldn’t say with 100% certainty where all

Webb added: “The quicker they’re brought back, refilled and sold on, means greater profitability for the brewery. Feedback we’ve had from breweries is that

our containers were at any one time. Not knowing where

they’re seeing a 20% or greater reduction in turnaround

your containers are means the potential for delayed

times, on top of the saving on capital costs replacing lost

returns and collections, which of course impacts on

containers.”

efficiency and profitability.”

Nick spent years improving the container management

Greater process control leads to better quality control and Webb said the latest update to the system means

systems at Hobsons, and perfecting the tracking of his

brewers can now ensure SALSA compliance through

stock. But, like all good meetings, it was in the pub when

complete traceability of the brew.

a potential ultimate solution was identified.

Through friends and contacts, Nick was made aware

“We’ve now integrated brew data, showing who brewed it, with what ingredients, and using which

of Near Field Communication (NFC) technology, already

equipment. They can see where the other containers from

being explored by the University of Warwick for asset

that gyle have gone, and take action quickly if an issue

tracking.

occurs. This data exists, we’re just bringing it together and

Distinct from Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) devices, which are large, expensive and require power,

for brewers, simplicity is key.”

Davis said that adopting an improved tracking system

NFC chips are small, battery-free, cheap to produce

for his stock of containers had brought about a wider

and currently exist in many areas of modern life, from

change in culture at the brewery.

mobile phones to contactless card payments, and public transport passes.

“We wondered about the possibility of implementing

“It’s breeding an alternative mindset, company ethos and trust in the system. As a result, people are operating more efficiently. It’s 100% accurate and is allowing us to

a container tracking system using NFC,” Davis said,

look after our assets better. Let’s face it, if you don’t have

“and with some crowdfunding and further work with the

faith in the system, what’s the point?” u

University, the iSpaniel company was born.”

Worcestershire-based, iSpaniel took on Nick’s idea and with input from the University’s Warwick Manufacturing Group, developed a proprietary tag that houses a NFC chip and which bonds to the metal of the container, using aerospace and Formula One-grade adhesive.

Bill Webb, iSpaniel CEO, explained: “The design and method of sticking the tags to the containers was a crucial part of the development, and went through various iterations over several years to ensure robustness. We’ve now got to a stage where you would need a hammer and chisel to remove the tag. Once it’s on, it stays on.”

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Alongside the iSpaniel Android app, the tags work by being scanned by smart phone at each stage of the container’s life cycle: At fill, giving brew ID and product information, at delivery location and then at collection. It creates an entirely paperless operation.

The scanned data is automatically uploaded and

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stored in the cloud, as a result of a link up with Amazon Web Services, and customers check in to a plug-andplay browser-based dashboard, allowing real-time insight into container movements, in depth reports, maps, and the ability to home in on problem areas.

“It’s about empowering the brewery to be more

David Smith or Rob Smith

David: 07970 629552 / Rob: 07966 693097 enquiries@brewingservices.co.uk www.brewingservices.co.uk

efficient and giving them the chance to take back control of their assets,” he said.

The improved process control means that brewers can now track containers – and importantly locate delayed

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September 2018

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Give your brewery visibility

One of the hardest jobs to undertake in the brewery business is trying to stand out from your competitors. But by giving customers something that is useful to them, it reinforces their passion for your brand, values and products through emotionall engagement, explains Andy Mogg, director at LemonTop Creative.

One of the hardest jobs to undertake in the brewery business is trying to stand out from your competitors. The brewery industry is full of beautiful branding and luscious labels. Everybody is striving to have a unique brand, with a look and feel that everyone craves. Whether you’re an established brewery or you are new to the brewery sector, it’s very easy just to blend into the background and that is not where you want your business to be. If you are passionate about brewing, you probably have aspirations of reaching new heights and rising above your competitors. You want your name to be mentioned every

by Andy mogg

time somebody talks about beer.

You have a good business, some great ideas and

E

the passion to drive it forward, but without a high

very business school teaches that you need

quality brand identity, say goodbye to any kind of

to spend anywhere from 10 to 20 percent

quality connection with your customers. Your brand is

of your gross on marketing. You need to

everything from your name and logo, to the wording and

increase your volume, expand your product

tone of voice of your company literature, through to the

range and take on as many distributors that

emotional associations that a customer makes with your

you can. Your employees? Keep their salaries as low as

business. It encompasses who you are, your aspirations,

possible and forget any and all benefits. Once you get

and what people perceive you to be. Get your branding

big, show no loyalty to suppliers. Social media – you

right and you can establish a significant and differentiated

better have a knock-out website, Tweet frequently, use

presence in the market that attracts and retains loyal

Facebook, and everything else out there. Make sure no

customers.

shirt maker, knick-knack producer, or anyone else out

Building a strong brewery brand is about creating

there is allowed to use your trademark unless they pay

unique visual and verbal elements and then repeating

dearly for the honour. Oh, and your wholesale price? Keep

them across all of the promotional materials that you

it rising as fast and high as you can.

create. Making it unique and consistent across your

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Brewers Journal

“

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Self promotion should be part of your marketing plan. You wouldn’t think twice about promoting your business Andy Mogg, LemonTop Creative

potential customers. Perhaps the easiest way to start the process is through social media, such as twitter, facebook and instagram. However if you go down this route, it is essential you keep your communications current, interesting and plentiful. Attending festivals and events is always popular as you not only meet potential customers but many suppliers too.

At the very minimum you’ll need an eye-catching

exhibition stand and desirable promotional material, but to really stand out, again you should dare to be different and stay one step ahead of your competitors. Brewery

business will help it stand out from your competitors.

tasting events are where brewers feel most comfortable.

When building your brand, it is important to focus on the

Potential customers are on your patch, on your terms,

visual style and images that represent your brewery, your

whether it’s your brewery or your local pub. It’s up to you,

products and your ethos, after all, we all see the world in

with our help, to deliver an interesting and memorable

pictures, not words. Branding with meaningful imagery is

experience.

more likely to grab the attention of your target audience and create an emotional attachment with consumers.

Customers make buying decisions based on promises and trust, both of which transcend the products they

One of the most important pieces of promotional advice we can tell any brewery owner is “Don’t be afraid to promote yourself, as well as your brand.”

Many brewers steer away from shameless self-

are buying, in this case, your beers. Brands are built

promotion because they feel that it’s something that only

on keeping these promises and building this trust. The

desperate people do. In reality though, you are the face

purpose of your brand is to get your target audience to

of your business. Self promotion should be part of your

know, like and trust you. Branding can be viewed as all

marketing plan. You wouldn’t think twice about promoting

the activities that help you with the know, like and trust of

your business. You should be doing the same thing for our

your customers. Advertising and marketing help get your

personal brand too? Tell people who you are, about your

name out there but many other factors are much more

brewery and beers every chance you get. They may not

important in building a successful brand. Things like how

seem interested at the time, but next time they’re in a pub

easy it is to do business with you, your customer service

or supermarket faced with a choice of beers and bottles,

and, most importantly, if you exceed expectations and

guess whose name will be first to pop into their mind.

deliver on your promises, make the biggest impact on your customers.

A simple way to promote yourself is by making customers and suppliers turn to you as the industry expert. Put inspirational stories and advice out on social

Creative communication

media and populate your blog with your experiences of the brewing industry. Answer people’s questions that

W

you see online. Use the opportunity to assist them and

hether it’s social media, beer festivals, or

demonstrate your knowledge, showing you are willing

brewery tasting events, there are a myriad

and able to help them. This goes a long way in creating

of ways you can get your brand in front of

loyalty and trust.

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British Promotional Merchandise Association Key points u 66% said they could recall the brand on

the promotional product received with the past 12 months. u The promotional merchandise delivered a better return on investment than radio and outdoor advertising, and equal to promotional print. u 79% said they would do business with the company again. u 87% kept hold of the promotional merchandise for longer than a year! u 56% said their impression of the company had improved.

Using promotional merchandise is a great way to move

of a Branded Lifestyle, whether free or paid for, will be

your brand into the homes and offices of potential and

seen as essential items for individuals looking to define

existing customers. When their emotions are triggered,

themselves by that certain set of ideals or way of life your

customers can become extremely passionate about a

company offers.

brand. This emotional response can come from a variety

The main use of promotional merchandise is to

of different sources, however branded merchandise

increase brand recognition but it can also be combined

is one of the best ways to reward a customer for their

with a call to action or used to back-up an advertising

loyalty. This type of merchandising will create a fan

campaign. Promotional merchandise can give a

base with strong levels of commitment. Think of Red-

greater return on investment than many other forms

Bull’s sponsorship of extreme sports or Barclays Bank’s

of advertising and promotion. Merchandise can cost

sponsorship of the Premier League. Just seeing the logos

considerably less per impression, yet they are sometimes

can create feelings of excitement and passion.

kept and used for much longer and can also be passed on to a whole host of potential customers. When you see

Adding value

promotional merchandise being used by a friend or family member, it is often seen as an endorsement of the brand and helps spread the message to a multitude of people.

E

verybody loves a ‘freebie’ and customers really

The box-out below show some of the findings from

appreciate something useful that adds value to

a research study conducted by the BPMA (British

their lives. However, whether it’s a free gift you

Promotional Merchandise Association). The survey

hand out such as a bottle opener or a t-shirt bought

involved nearly 15,000 people who had received some

from your website, merchandising is no longer just about

form of promotional merchandise within the previous 12

displaying your name and logos on products. It’s about

months.

emotionally engaging your customers and creating a Branded Lifestyle.

Think about it in the same way we think about sports

Most businesses print thousands of business cards for their directors and employees but how many business cards do you use every day? Giving customers something

merchandise. Why do people pay £50 for their team’s

that is useful to them reinforces their passion for your

replica shirt? Because it’s a Branded Lifestyle rather than

brand, values and products through being engaged

just an item of clothing. People want to be seen as part of

emotionally. Branded merchandise such as glasses and

the community or team and beer fans feel just the same

bottle openers will be kept and used in homes and offices

about their favourite beer or brewery. It’s not just that they

giving a long lasting and effective brand impression

want to show off the logo, they want to be seen as having

and allowing customers to participate in your Branded

that particular lifestyle. Merchandise produced to be part

Lifestyle. u

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Brewers Journal

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Why custom tees can take your brewery to the next level Custom printed garments cost only a fraction of traditional advertising, yet these t-shirts can help elevate your marketing efforts as effective as, if not better than costlier alternatives, says Zsolt Petrik, sales account manager at London's Fifth Column.

Apparel makes up over 30 percent of the merch products worldwide, no wonder why. Printed t-shirts can bring a great value to your brand, they are more than just walking billboards. It’s such a powerful marketing tool that can amplify your brand’s message and they can also generate a bit of extra income too.

This is an important point for businesses in general, not just start ups. Custom printed garments cost only a fraction of traditional advertising, yet these t-shirts can

by Zsolt Petrik

help elevate your marketing efforts as effective as, if not better than costlier alternatives.

Custom t-shirts are not subjected to regulations, so

W

hen it comes to marketing, many breweries focus only on Internet

you can be as creative as possible with your custom t-shirt design to help your brand stand out.

It’s really quite simple. By turning creative ideas into

marketing, sales and others. As

custom printed t-shirts for your brand, you will find that

effective as they may be, these

there are plenty of good marketing opportunities out

traditional mediums for advertising

there and they are cost-friendly, easy and fun too.

and marketing campaigns are very expensive to own and

Changing tides

they require a huge amount of resources in order for a brand to stay relevant in the market.

This is why TV, newspaper advertisements and billboards and other major mediums are marketing tools for big brands with deep pockets. Usually they are unattainable platforms for startups and companies with modest marketing and advertising budgets.

This is where custom printed t-shirts come in...

The key to a great marketing strategy using t-shirts is

T

here’s a real trend in customers swapping from the cheaper, promotional garments which were once considered to be the industry standard to

better quality and also ethically sourced, organic cotton garments.

These garments are of better overall quality, the prints

to create t-shirts for your brand that are so awesome, your

also look nicer on them and even though they are a bit

employees, customers and biggest fans would want to

more expensive, the extra money is well spent on these.

wear them not just once but over and over again. T-shirts

People can wear these for years and years without the

printed with your company logo, image, or message are

print fading or the garments loosing their shapes.

among the most popular promotional merchant items.

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September 2018

We’ve also noticed that embroidery on t-shirts and

Brewers Journal

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polos are getting more popular on the more fashionable merch t-shirts too. Embroidery has always been big in workwear but now we do a lot of small logos on t-shirts,

t-shirts: the benefits

sometimes combined with screen printing which gives you a unique finish.

Apart from t-shirts screen printed tote bags are a great way to promote your business.

Sponsoring events puts your brand in a respected position, and attendees are more likely to have positive feelings about your brand. Talk to the event coordinator, ask for permission to print custom T-shirts and/or tote bags that include the event branding alongside your logo.

Most people like to keep souvenirs from events they attend.

Less isn't more

T

hese days customers want to know what products are made of and how they were manufactured.

Organic cotton helps safeguard the environment,

and can be blended with recycled plastic that used to be a water bottle. We work with two great suppliers, Stanley/ Stella and Continental Clothing who both have special commitments to corporate responsibility, with exceptional labor policies and sustainable practices.

Both companies produce great quality garments, I myself have many t-shirts from them which are over 6 years old and they are still in great condition. We think it’s wiser to spend a bit more on a t-shirt and get a much better quality garment which the wearer can enjoy for

u T-shirts are an Identity u Custom printed t-shirts can establish

strong brand recognition for your business. The more people wear your t-shirts, the more people will learn about your brand. u People who wear your brand’s t-shirts are ambassadors. And wherever they go with your t-shirt, your brand presence and message follow. u With creative and attractive printed designs, t-shirts can be used to create conversations that surround your business. u Not just your loyal following, but also your employees and the faces of your company. u A good quality t-shirt can last for years, even after your marketing campaign has ended. u 91% of Americans own a favourite t-shirt which they like to wear over and over again and I imagine a similar percentage here in the UK. Why not this be one with your design printed on? :) u T-shirts are Inexpensive

years rather than something cheap which would lose it’s shape after a couple of washes. u

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September 2018

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M erchand i se

s e C to r

Impactful branding can tell your story

One of the hardest jobs to undertake in the brewery business is trying to stand out from your competitors. But by giving customers something that is useful to them, it reinforces their passion for your brand, values and products through being engaged emotionally, says Elle Adams from CoCustom Clothing.

context of their brand, by branching out into merchandise.

With the history the Three Tuns logo carries, the marketing team already had a lot of their work done for them. No logo redesign, no working with brand agencies—the Three Tuns logo, however old, is symbolic of the historical context and narrative British cask ales carry with them.

Merchandise, especially clothing, has proven to be a hugely positive branding opportunity for The Three Tuns, because of the awareness it creates around the brand itself.

by Elle adams

Steve Wilmer, head brewer at The Three Tuns, explained: “Using merchandise such as clothing, parasols,

H

bar towels and beer mats to promote our brand is a real

eard of The Three Tuns Brewery? If you

opportunity to raise brand awareness with both our staff

love cask ales, you probably have. The

and customers. Our brewery staff, along with the front

Three Tuns brew house is a 17th Century

of house, wear their workwear everyday and are thus

building set in the ancient historical town

instantly recognisable to customers.”

of Bishop’s Castle. Active since 1642, the

“The simple act of wearing a logo is perfect for our

Three Tuns have been brewing exceptional ales using

work, because the shirts become synonymous with

traditional methods for hundreds of years, making it the

information, making the wearer instantly approachable.

oldest working brewery in Britain and the UK’s oldest

The logo says ‘this person knows their stuff’. As more

licensed brewery of all time! A rare survivor of a small,

customers approach our staff to find out more about the

working rural brewery, the Three Tuns are infamous to

story of The Three Tuns, we’re seeing a massive rise in

cask beer lovers, worldwide.

up-selling, communication and positive reviews.

But how does a historical brewery such as this stay

“Discussion between staff and customers is

abreast of the fast paced, yet crucial, industry movements

crucial in today’s society. If a customer chatted to a

in today’s brewing world? Aesthetic, brand, web presence

positive staff member, they are likely to remember the

and creativity are now more important than ever, and the

experience positively and return back time and time

Three Tuns have recently decided to capitalise on the

again. The branded logo is the catalyst in getting these

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Brewers Journal

merchand i se

s e c to r

Clean water technology for brewing conversations going.

“Our branded clothing has been used in adverts and newspapers and is instantly recognisable in social media photos, because of the history it carries. Many of the products; t-shirts, parasols, towels, mats and glasses, reach the consumer at the point of sale and can be key to influencing their purchasing decisions. We’re very careful when we choose our products, the merchandise must be durable, as its seen over and over by the consumer.

“We’re able to offer our publicans quality point of sale merchandise, which they know is instantly

Kirton analyses, designs, manufactures and installs bespoke water processing and reclaim systems with specific solutions for the brewing industry

recognisable across the country, and even worldwide.

Potential customers are then left in no doubt of the quality of the ales we produce. The brand does it all!”

According to Wilmer, the brewery took the proactive decision to investigate this side of the business for one key reason. To improve the visibility of its branding.

“The Three Tuns is a rare survivor of a small working, rural brewery. We want to keep our suppliers as locally

OUR TECHNOLOGIES INCLUDE REVERSE OSMOSIS · NANO FILTRATION CARBON FILTRATION · WATER SOFTENING EFFLUENT CLEANSING

sourced as possible and make sure they have a real and direct appreciation of the unique story we have,” he says.

“GoCustom Clothing took time in listening to our brand ideas and were helpful in their advice. Your brand can carry all the weight of the world, but it needs to look good on the garment you’re selling. They made sure our logo looked perfect and were always there to advise on logo placement, garment quality and customisation choices.”

He adds: “Think about the story your brewery has. The

MAIN PHONE +44 1509 504 565 EMAIL sales@kirton.co.uk WEBSITE www.kirton.co.uk

logo is nothing without the brand history. After that, it just needs to look good!" u

brewersjournal.info

September 2018

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fo cu s

water

Know the ins and outs of your brewery’s water strategy When devising a water strategy for a new brewery, the smart brewer will have to consider both the initial processing of water and the reclamation or recycling of water to minimise costs and comply with Environmental Agency effluent regulations, explains Jon West, managing director of Kirton Water Treatment Services.

by Jon West

F

processing of water and the reclamation or recycling of water to minimise costs and comply with Environmental Agency effluent regulations.

rom cultivating barley right through to

The location of the new brewery will have a significant

bottling, there is no doubt that it takes

impact on how water is used. Breweries with easy access

an exponential amount of water to make

to natural water sources like rivers and lakes will be at

beer. The UK consultancy Water Strategies

a natural economic advantage being able to extract

estimates it takes 300 litres of water to make

and process water with relative ease but which may

one litre of beer. A WWF/SABMiller study suggests ratios

still require processing to deliver the consumer quality

anywhere from 60 to 180 to one. Even during the last

required.

stages in the production process, a typical pint of beer will have taken a further six pints of water to produce it.

With this huge water footprint, no efficient,

But don’t forget, putting water back into the system is just as important as there are tough environmental regulations governing disposal of effluent. However, being

environmentally friendly brewer would go into production

on the banks of the river is not always the best solution.

without water at the very top of the agenda. Not only is it

Take Guinness, for example. They do not extract water

a key factor in influencing taste, but it’s a major cost in the

from the River Liffey but pipe their low mineral content

brewing process. Furthermore, consumers now expect

water from the nearby Wicklow Mountains. A little less

brewers to have an environmentally friendly process in

appealing than fresh mountain water is the Californian

place to help deal with the world’s chronic water shortage

pale ale Full Circle which is made from recycled sewage

position and future risks.

water!

For these reasons, few brewers would consider using

But regardless of the source of water, it will have to

water straight from the tap unless no other option exists.

almost certainly need to undergo some form of treatment

The cost would be prohibitive, and the mineral content

before being considered fit for quality brewing.

of tap water would certainly compromise the taste which

Typically, there are three main technologies for

would impact on consumer drinking decisions. For

processing water. Reverse Osmosis, filtration and carbon

instance, the water of Pilsen (where Pilsner originated) is

filtration.

very soft, free of minerals, and very low in bicarbonates.

Reverse Osmosis

Brewers in this region typically added salts to raise the hardness in the water. On the other hand, brewers in Burton-upon-Trent (famous for its IPAs) frequently pre-boil their water to reduce the hardness.

When devising a water strategy for a new brewery, the smart brewer will have to consider both the initial

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September 2018

R

everse osmosis (RO) is a water purification technology that uses a semipermeable membrane to remove ions, molecules and larger

Brewers Journal

water

fo cu s

particles from drinking water. A high-pressure pump forces the contaminated water through a fine mesh to capture the unwanted particles.

areas to consider

Kirton has 40 years’ experience of installing reverse osmosis systems for food and drink processors including breweries who prize this technology to create a precise recipe for their beer.

The RO water-treatment method removes impurities, minerals, and just about everything else in a water source.

With an RO setup, a brewery can take whatever water they’ve got, strip it down to almost pure H2O, and build it back up to their exact specifications.

Nanofiltration

N

Three key component areas for a brewer to consider; 1. The quality and composition of the water that is used in the brewing process 2. The content of the water that is passed to waste as a by-product of the brewing process 3. The composition and content of the water utilised in any of the supporting processes e.g. boiler systems to ensure the uptime and efficiency of the manufacturing process

anofiltration is a membrane filtration-based method that uses nanometer sized throughpores that pass through the membrane.

another cost-effective and environmentally sound way

Nanofiltration membranes have pore sizes from 1-10

of optimising water use. Given that six pints of water are

nanometers, smaller than that used in microfiltration and

used for every one of beer, there are clearly opportunities

ultrafiltration, but just larger than that in reverse osmosis.

to recycle.

Nanofiltration is used where the high salt rejection of

The UK's Westons Cider revealed that the use of a RO

reverse osmosis is not necessary, and yet NF is still

water treatment system from Spirax Sarco was saving

capable of removing hardness elements such as calcium

the company some ÂŁ42,000 (EUR60,000) per year in fuel

or magnesium.

and water costs for its boiler, a 2,000kg/h unit producing

Another area is calrbon filtration. Carbon filtering is a method of filtering that uses a bed of activated carbon to remove contaminants and impurities, using chemical adsorption.

Carbon filtering is commonly used for water

steam for various process duties, including pasteurisation and cleaning.

The RO system achieved saving by cutting the amount of boiler blow down and water needed to prevent dissolved solids from accumulating in the boiler, where

purification, air filtering and industrial gas processing,

they can cause problems such as foaming and scale.

for example the removal of siloxanes and hydrogen

A cut in blowdown from 3% to less than 1% has been

sulfide from biogas. It is also used in a number of other

achieved, the company says.

applications, including respirator masks, the purification

This necessitates attention to detail continuously to

of sugarcane and in the recovery of precious metals,

ensure that the highest quality of product is achieved,

especially gold. It is also used in cigarette filters.

the most efficient cost structure is delivered and

Processing water though is just one side of the equation for the brewer. Water reclamation provides

brewersjournal.info

the compliance with ever increasing Environmental regulations are met. u

September 2018

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water

European environmental legislation:

What you need to know Breweries need to look at how they ‘future-proof’ their water management and environmental compliance to meet emerging regulatory requirements, says Paula Ruiz, proposals engineer at Alpheus.

by Paula Ruiz

L

ike a fast-moving tide, the management of water is quietly but quickly emerging as a significant risk for the brewing and soft drinks industry in the UK and Ireland. Hundreds of companies may be unaware of the ever-

increasing water management obligations under the EU Industrial Emissions Directive, which industry experts believe will be maintained in UK law after Brexit.

The old methods of water management employed

limits for discharges to the environment which is likely to

by many companies, particularly in regards to

impact the cost of treatment and compliance of all large

wastewater management, simply won’t meet the tougher

producers of beer, juices and soft drinks.

requirements of these new environmental standards and companies will face fines and potential disciplinary action.

In order to be both compliant with emerging regulatory

The brewing sector is a particularly water-intensive industry and companies that maintain the status quo and don’t address these emerging issues might find

requirements and cost-efficient in the face of increasing

themselves in a financially untenable position when the

pressures on global water resources in coming decades,

regulations kick in. The changes will inevitable result

brewers and the wider drink manufacturing sector

in companies needing to raise the bar in the design,

will need to look at how they ‘future-proof’ their water

construction, and operation of their facilities and consider

management and environmental compliance.

innovative ways to minimise the use of resources to

Stringent laws are being implemented to manage the

reduce their environmental impact. The solution lies in

ever-growing pressures on the world’s water systems as

innovation, and the most cost-effective and efficient way

they are challenged to provide an increasing demand

to innovate in water management is to have experts on

of drinking water supply to household users as well as

hand.

better quality supply to industrial users. To answer these

Production sites have got two choices: use the

demands and simultaneously attempt to limit the impact

guidance to assess whether their operations are

of industrial production to the environment, the EU

compliant or engage a specialist firm to carry out a BAT

regulators are currently drafting a series of best practise

assessment and advice on the steps required to comply

documents that utilise the polluter pays principle to

with the upcoming changes.

assign the costs of necessary improvement in treatment

Specialist firms such as Alpheus have been working

to the producers. Their implementation has the intention

with other industry sectors on these issues and can assist

to lower the water, waste and energy emissions from

with preparing necessary assessments and delivering

each industry sector based on the adoption of best

solutions.

available techniques (BAT).

In the case of BAT assessments, it will be necessary

The guidance document for the Food, Drink and Milk

to carry out a site survey that can gather representative

(FD&M) sector is due to be published in 2019 but the draft

data from all processes. This will involve the installation

document is already available and it sets challenging

of data logging and sampling equipment throughout the

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fo cu s

production site if these are not already in place. The data will then be assessed alongside design information and production rates where applicable.

Using our experience with effluent treatment Alpheus will be able to determine not just whether a process is compliant, but whether it can be brought into compliance, and how that can be achieved in the most cost-effective

Perfect Tanks Perfect Beer Perfect Partners.

way. Based on this assessment, decisions will no doubt have to be made about the best method of compliance for the organisation. This may mean the relocation of certain processes between sites and the installation or upgrade of treatment equipment.

Once decisions are made, these proposals will need to be agreed with the environmental regulator, who will then need to write and sign a new operating permit.

We have years of experience on environmental permitting regulations. Not only can we advise on the type of technology that make the site compliant, but we can also support producers to liaise with the regulator and complete all the necessary steps required to apply for a new permit or variation of the existing permit conditions.

Examples of techniques that could be implemented to specifically reduce the impact on water resources for the brewery sector are varied and include for example the application of water reuse technology at different stages of the production process (i.e. wort cooling processes, lauter tun or bottling). Water and wastewater reuse could be feasible by implementing innovative techniques that not only save water but also recover raw materials which

Brett Ellis, The Wild Beer Co, Somerset, England

often escape in wastewater in large quantities.

But the benefits of recycling water and reducing waste water go far beyond the financial. Pressures on the availability of water and extreme weather events will also lead to increasing water security issues in the future.

We have worked with industry to provide water recycling solutions which have resulted in near self-sufficiency on sites. This also cuts costs in the transportation of water,

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

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

which in large quantities is more significant than oil, gas, and electricity.

Whilst large producers will be directly impacted with the changes to be implemented in 2019, the guidance and techniques also offers value as a benchmarking and financial planning tool to all other small and mid-sized producers which might be affected in next review of the regulation expected in 2027.

In the short to medium term, getting processes ready to lessen the impact of upcoming environmental

THE BEER ENGINEERS

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

UK Agents for:

regulatory changes will ensure you have a plan to implement the most cost-effective solution to comply with new legal obligations coming into force. But in the long term, with increased pressure on water systems and the need to keep up with technology, it will become a financial necessity. u

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

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September 2018

49

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water

Give water the attention it deserves Your brewery operation consists of many complex factors. But don’t overlook the importance of water in your plans – it can make or break them, stresses John Kyle, managing director at Culligan.

by John Kyle

I

Trent brew hoppy pale ales For instance when you examine the ’famous’ Burton water with beer in mind, it has a higher sulphate content than any other major brewing centre in the world which gives Burton beer a dry, slightly sulphurous aroma.

Fortunately, brewers can brew beyond the limitations of their local water supply to create excellent beers of any style. In most cases it takes only a few simple changes to the mineral content of the available water supply to create

n setting out to produce a well-crafted beer or

a medium that will bring out the flavours the brewer

range of beers of style and flavour, you, the Brewer,

desires. Simplistically, the “water treatment plan” process

will have doubtless made careful choice of the

can be divided into three components: Know your water

ingredients. But one ingredient that provides up to

know your objectives and select appropriate treatment.

97% of the mass and is the medium for the rest is

Know your water

not in that shopping trolley – water. Water is cheap but heavy, so acquiring ready-to-go water off the shelf is not usually an economic option. The local source must be used, whether it is mains supply or a private borehole or other abstraction.

Water is hugely variable throughout the world, it is abundant with minerals and organic compounds that

A

ll plans for water treatment require knowledge of the analysis of the local water.

This information may be obtained by asking

the local water supplier for a copy of their most recent

have the ability to elevate an ordinary recipe to the

water quality report; this can usually be obtained from the

status of a world classic, or drown it in the shallows of

supplier’s website. Remember that the quality of the water

mediocrity. Luckily for brewers, water is also a flexible

supply can vary from day to day and, in some parts of

substance that can be made to order to brew beers of

the country, the local mains supply can be sourced from

any style — provided it is treated correctly.

differing resources at various times throughout the year. If

The local water source will, without further treatment, have a major impact on the types of beer produced. It is no coincidence that brewers in Munich make dark, malty lagers; or that early immigrants settling in the American Midwest (where the water was soft like that of Bohemia) brewed Pilsener-like lagers and that those in Burton-on-

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September 2018

in doubt, get it tested!

The key areas to consider in the water analysis are: Hardness, and pH/Alkalinity.

Hardness: Hardness is basically the calcium content, usually reported as “ppm hardness as CaCO3.”

Sometimes the analysis shows just the calcium

Brewers Journal

water

fo cu s

content as Ca++ – if this is the case multiply this value by

water meet your requirements? If not, or you want to

2.5 to get the hardness as ppm CaCO3

produce a range of beers, what will you need to do to the

Calcium levels in the 50 - 150 mg/l (as CaCO3) range

water to achieve your objectives at an economic cost?

are desirable to ensure the brewing process runs as

The water required for a light lager through to a porter will

intended, and additives should be considered if your

be quite different. But I am in danger of preaching to the

water profile has calcium levels below 50 mg/l.

choir here – this part is your vision and your mission.

pH/Alkalinity: Alkalinity is usually used to calculate the

Select appropriate treatment

amount of Bicarbonate in the water.

Bicarbonate is a strong buffer and also helps to determine the amount of temporary hardness in the water.

I

do not intend to go into detail about water treatment

Waters with higher levels of carbonate (temporary) hardness tends toward a pH > 7.5. The optimum range for liquor is Ph 6 – 7.

at this stage – I shall save this for a future article. Now that you know your water and know your objectives

you can get help from a number of companies with

Permanently hard water is ideal for brewing but

expertise and long experience of water treatment for

temporarily hard water (containing more than 50 ppm

commercial and industrial processes in selecting the

alkalinity as CaCO3) is more problematic in brewing and

appropriate capital and operating processes.

may need to be treated to reduce bicarbonate levels.

The commercial and industrial water sector is replete with friendly, approachable, professional people who

Know your objectives

T

will be only too happy to help you through this process with the aim of providing you with a long-term effective,

he objectives here are the type or types of

efficient and economic solution to your water treatment

beer you want to produce. You have done your

requirements. So, don’t overlook the importance of water

research, you know what you like. Does the local

in your plans – it can make or break them. u

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sales@goplasticpallets.com

September 2018

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start i ng

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brewery

Your brewery is greater than the sum of its parts The most successful breweries combine a well-trained brewing team, triedand-tested brewing regimes, suitable equipment and consistent processes, all working together to brew the best beer they can, every time, says Rob Smith, brewing consultant with Brewing Services

maintenance, calibration and verification - we know of cases when declared volumes have varied from actual volumes by over 25% due to wrongly calibrated flowmeters. Knowing how much beer you have at what strength should be the bare minimum that a brewery is measuring, not only for their own quality and consistency purposes but also because it is a legal requirement.

Before the idea of a brewery becomes a reality, there is an increasing amount of red tape which must

by ROB SMITH

be maneuvered through. Navigating the complexities of planning permission is becoming ever more difficult, with even minor queries taking months to overcome.

T

The increasing numbers of breweries is also putting an

some key areas which all breweries should be looking at

brewery can start operating, with projects which once

to both survive and thrive.

took six to nine months to complete now taking nine to

he brewing industry is vibrant, friendly,

apparent strain on HMRC; with brewing licences or AWRS

constantly changing and endlessly

certification often not granted without site inspections

interesting. However, with close to (if not

and only a limited number of officers, delays in receiving

over) 2000 existing breweries in the UK

the official sign off to brew and trade are becoming

alone, finding your place in the current

increasingly common.

market can be challenging. We believe that there are

Some believe that we are reaching an industry

All these delays can have a serious effect on when a

fifteen months or longer. New brewery entrants should

saturation point, both in terms of the number of breweries

have the patience to work through the inevitable delays

and in the number of different beers offered to the

and the resolve to keep going, knowing that sooner or

consumer. Creating ever more varied products, while

later their project will come to fruition.

possibly useful for exposure, is not a sure-fire way to

Finally, having the most modern brewkit and

increase sales and can risk the opposite if the core

equipment on the market is all very well but investment in

beers are neglected. Time and time again, we find that

staff and training is arguably more important. In a similar

successful breweries focus on quality and consistency,

vein, knowledge comes in many forms; both hands-on

offering beers that both licensed retailers and drinkers

experience of brewing and the theoretical background of

alike can put their faith in.

the processes involved have their roles to play.

It is also increasingly important to have a direct sales

The most successful breweries combine a well-trained

route to the public, be that a shop, a brewery tap or a

brewing team, tried-and-tested brewing regimes, suitable

pub or bar. By creating a destination where people come

equipment and consistent processes, all working together

together not just to drink your beer but also to socialise

to brew the best beer they can, every time. As John

creates a sense of community which often leads to your

Ruskin so eloquently put it,

customers themselves becoming unofficial advocates and ambassadors for your brewery.

On the brewing side, knowing the capabilities and limitations of your own equipment is vital, as is being able

"Quality is never an accident. It is always the result of intelligent effort. There must be the will to produce a superior thing.� u Rob Smith is a Brewing Consultant with Brewing Services

to accurately measure key parameters of the process.

Ltd. He is a Diploma-qualified member of the Institute of

Time and again we see guesstimated brew volumes due

Brewing & Distilling, having entered the brewing industry

to a lack of either vessel gauging or flow meters, with

following a Master’s Degree in Biology. Brewing Services

gravity readings made using large-range saccharometers.

Ltd has been providing technical support and training to

Even when such equipment is used, it needs

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brewers and breweries of all sizes for three decades.

Brewers Journal

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Act Box Clever It may take time and effort, but you’ll reap the dividends of developing your packaging when you have a finished product that fully represents your brand identity, explains Gerard Christie, managing director of Advanced Packaging.

quantities, with the minimum order quantities (MOQs) ranging from 3000-5000 and having to pay for substantial set-up costs for printing plates. Fortunately, there are now specialist box manufacturers operating using digital printers meaning that there are little, if any initial set up costs whilst being able to facilitate short production runs with small MOQs. When making this leap into packaged goods, there are a few things to bear in mind. As with all the areas of business development, allowing adequate time for the

by Gerard Christie

process is essential, although this is often easier said than done when starting a new business venture or diversifying

S

into new markets. If you have decided upon taking the

o after all of your hard work getting your

printed box route it is worth using the experience and

brewery up and running, branding figured

expertise of the manufacturer you’ve commissioned to

out, a great team put together, it may be the

get the best out of your packaging. A good manufacturer

last thing on your mind but packaging has

will be able to advise you on the various options of quality

an important role to play in actually getting

of board, including the type of finish which would be best

your product to drinking public when selling in the off-

suited to your brand and any other concerns such as

trade domain. Whether it’s sending your bottles or cans

recyclability. The type of board that you opt for may also

to retailers or selling directly to the public, it all needs

have an impact on colour variances from one medium

consideration.

to another, it may not always be possible to identically

The use of well thought out packaging is widely

match the finished colour between a plastic pump clip

acknowledged to increase sales, open new markets and

and colour on corrugated board. This is where allowing

strengthen the brand you spent so much time creating.

adequate time to receive hard copy samples and any

In this highly competitive industry, an effective box

subsequent re-works is a must.

can make the difference between your product being

There is increasing appeal in the retail market for gift

picked off the shelf or not. The interesting ingredients

boxes with a branded drinking glass which can elevate

and distinctive methods of brewing you have integrated

the price point and saleability of your product. All too

into each product will give buyers a reason to return to

often breweries purchase a glass based on its aesthetics

your brand, but a well-designed box will give them the

but the practicalities of shipping are overlooked and

incentive to choose yours when standing amongst the

breakages are common. Fragile and delicate glasses

sea of other craft ales.

may require inserts to give additional support in the box

Although the temptation may be to opt for plain boxes

to stop any movement which will result in increased

to save essential funds, it’s worth thinking of the box as

packaging prices, this may be worth it if you have your

an extension of your label and pump clips. It’s another

hopes pinned on a particular design but just allow

opportunity for shameless self-promotion of not only

additional budget for appropriate packaging when

the products included in the pack but your brand as a

shipping. The value of the time spent in development of

whole. In years gone by, companies stepping foot into the

your packaging will materialise when you have a finished

retail market were only able to buy printed boxes in large

product that fully represents your brand identity. u

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You put in the good stuff We’ll take care of the other stuff

You don’t compromise on quality. Neither do we.

With innovation, experience and technological expertise at our core, we can design, build and operate water and wastewater systems that will future proof your business. In fact, we’re already helping some of the UK’s biggest drinks brands reduce costs and compliance risk with solutions that are specifically made to meet the challenges of upcoming environmental regulation.

So, why not contact us about how we could do the same for you?

INNOVATION ON TAP

part of the Anglian Water Group

alpheus.co.uk

c ro s s i n g

co nti n e nt s

trans

canada

brew i ng

When only the best will do Nearly a year on from its first brew, Trans Canada Brewing Co is well on track. For founder Matt Tallman and head brewer Morgan Wielgosz, that means putting quality first in everything they do. And that’s good news for Manitoban drinkers.

me develop that passion. So it got to the point that combining what I love with what I wanted to achieve in life made complete sense.”

Tallman knew that there was space for growth in Manitoba. The fact that brewery numbers have jumped 300% since he set out on his own journey attest to that.

So he set about developing ideas, a business plan and learning what works.

“It was important to spend time travelling to other

by tim sheahan

markets in North America and really try to get a feel for the landscape out there. It was key to know what was

N

going on, what beers were being sought after and what

early one and half million people call

models were being successful,” he says. “Whether that

Manitoba home and more than half of

was being inspired by Hangar 24 in Redlands, California

these inhabit it’s capital Winnipeg. But

or places such as Surly Brewing in Minnesota, they all

in 2018, only 12 breweries operate in a

motivated me in different ways.”

province that spans 650,000km2. It’s a

Following that epiphany, it was time, in Tallman’s

figure that would bring out most good beer lovers in a

words, to take a step back. To look at Manitoba and

cold sweat, so it’s probably best not to tell them that if

formulate ideas.

you rewind five years, that brewery quota was smaller still.

You’d be able to count them on one hand.

But such slim pickings was the stark reality facing Matt

“Above all else, I wanted to create an asset to the local market and something that local people could look at, and have a great experience with. Central to that, in

Tallman. Tallman was finishing his final year at the Ivey

my mind, was having a taproom on site that could bring

Business School, the business school of the University

people together,” he explains. “I wanted such an asset

of Western Ontario. As his mind turned to the future, he

because it means people could come in, see how the

knew he wanted to launch his own business. It was just a

beer is made and interact with that.

question of what. And where.

“The idea of moving back to Winnipeg, with its two or

He says: “To help educate people, you need to immerse them in the process, in the production of

three breweries, wasn’t a particularly appealing prospect.

the drink they are enjoying. Lots of people coming to

Living in Ontario had opened up my eyes to everything

breweries such as ours didn’t previously drink local, or

around me. And lots of great beer,” he explains. “Spending

know much about it. So it’s our responsibility to help

a lot of time homebrewing during university really helped

change that.”

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Morgan Wielgosz is Trans Canada Brewing's head brewer. The brewery has produced a wealth of beers since starting out with Arrow IPA and Lamp Lighter Amber Ale.

c ro s s i n g

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canada

brew i ng

Brewers Journal

trans

canada

brew i ng

c ro s s i n g

co nti n e nt s

Having an on-site taproom was a priority for brewery founder Matt Tallman

Tallman called on family investment to help achieve

Rauchbier and Amarillo IPAs. She’s also brewed a 6.2%

his aims. After spending years on the development of his

Brett Pale Ale, a beer conditioned in secondary with Brett

business plan, he felt it was time to press on. But above

C yeast. Something no other brewery in the province has

all of the technical and logistical facets of his plan, the

tried. But the next step is educating the consumer on the

overarching goal was simple. To provide drinkers with

choice now available to them.

beer that had quality at the forefront.

“The challenge is trying to express that you can be

Central to this was bringing on a head brewer he

progressive, innovative and approachable,” she explains.

trusted from the start. Thankfully for Tallman, his advert

“We are trying to produce beers that are high quality and

for such a position hit the right eyes at the right time.

technically sound, beers that bring the consumers into

Morgan Wielgosz graduated with a degree in the

our space and for them to enjoy what we’re doing, too.”

faculty of science from WLU and started her pro brewing

And once again, for Tallman and Wielgosz, that can be

career in Toronto with Amsterdam Brewing Co. After

achieved by putting quality first. From the first releases of

spending six years at the business from 2011-2017, she

Arrow IPA and Lamp Lighter Amber Ale to everything that

made the move to Winnipeg to begin my career with

has come since.

Trans Canada Brewing Co in March of last year.

“When I first spoke to Matt, what I saw was the desire

“Quality is broad term that people use but rarely define,” says Wielgosz. "For us, it’s starting with the best

for investment in quality-first beer. Working in Toronto

raw materials, the best protocols and being diligent on

for six years, you see how things change as demand

materials across the process. You have to making sure

increases. For me, quality is all important and you can’t

levels are checked and specifications are attained for

jeopardise that,” she says. “So to be here from the start,

each and every recipe.”

to help shape this brewery, the impact it has on the local market, and to be part of a movement, was critical.”

As head brewer at Trans Canada Brewing Co, Wielgosz has created dozens of beers from Light Lagers to

brewersjournal.info

She adds: “That extends to putting your foot down when you know that something isn’t up to quality standards. There’s no point putting out an inferior product to market. If you do release that poor quality beer to

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c ro s s i n g

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market, and the consumer has a poor experience, more

Farrell—Fermentation Monitoring Technician and Cam

importantly, you’re doing wider damage to the industry

McLean—Cellar, and the aformentioned Tallman and

that is working hard to raise standards.”

Wielgosz.

Wielgosz heads up a brewery operation capable of

With that team in tow, and a growing loyal consumer

producing up to 12,000hl, the brewery’s beers are brewed

base, Tallman and Trans Canada Brewing Co are

on a 5hL R&D system for recipe innovation, and a 35hL

understandably optimistic about the future as they

system for its larger volume production beers.

approach their first birthday.

The company also boasts a dedicated Foeder Room

“I believe Winnipeg and Manitoba more widely can

with 6-40hL Seguin Moreau French Oak Foeders. This

develop its own strong beer identity. You can see the

is dedicated to its wild, sour and spontaneous ferment

excitement and support coming from the consumers

programs currently in development. As well the room

and there is a lot of drive for change,” says Wielgosz. “The

holds some of its barrels for small batch releases. This

perception of what beer can be is changing for many

room is entirely humidity and temperature controlled.

people and there is a momentum behind that, too. As

Making this happen is a team that comprises Josh Adler—Quality Assurance, Thomas Schneider— Timmy Tom’s Pizzeria Head Pizzaiolo and Jeff Wirt—

long as we provide a quality, strong beer portfolio, we can continue to achieve that loyalty.”

Tallman concludes: "Manitobans in general are

Administration Leader. The team also includes Josh

connected to the industry and we are seeing a culture of

van den Ende—Taproom Leader, Michael Raftis—Sales

support that comes with the ability to enjoy a quality, local

and Marketing Leader, Martina Schaumleffel—Assistant

product. So it’s our job to produce the best beer we are

Kitchen Leader, Michael Schneider—Marketing & Brand

capable of and give people the best possible environment

Ambassador, Frank Fiorillo—Taproom Shift Leader, Katrina

to enjoy it in. And I think we’re getting there.” u

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Brewers Journal

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we i gh i ng

s e c to r

Strike a Balance In the UK, the use of trade approved scales is essential to not only avoid costly penalties but also to help protect the seller and the buyer. Trade approved scales ensure resulting prices are correct – so the buyer is getting what they are paying for, and the seller isn’t giving away too much, explains Marsden.

by DAVID SMITH

for over one hundred years.

The legislation protects the customer and ensures the scale are built, tested and verified to a certain standard – and that two different approved scales weighing the same item should give the same weight. The testing process is stringent to ensure the scale is highly accurate and fit for its intended purpose.

Trade approved scales

I

f you work in an industry where weight affects the price of an item, using Trade Approved scales is

I

required by law.

t is a legal requirement that Trade Approved

Based on the NAWI directive, there are certain

weighing equipment is used when goods are

environments where Trade Approved scales must be

bought or sold based on their weight.

used.

Sometimes also referred to as Class III Approved

scales, Legal for Trade scales and stamped scales,

Business to business sales. If goods are sold to-andfrom businesses based on weight, the scale should

Trade Approved scales have been rigorously tested and

be Trade Approved. An example could be scrap metal

approved for legal use in the buying and selling of goods.

dealers who buy metals based on weight.

Weights & Measures legislation has required the use of approved scales as part of the buying and selling process

brewersjournal.info

Shop scales. Weighing scales are used in grocery stores to determine the price of fruit and vegetables.

September 2018

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we i gh i ng

new weighing scale or loadcell that is required to be

nawi directive: applications

Trade Approved.

“Approval testing covers both the accuracy and the repeatability (providing consistently accurate

The Non-automatic Weighing Instruments (NAWI) Directive 2014/31/EU states four applications where industrial Trade Approved scales must be used. These are: u Determination of mass for commercial transactions u Determination of mass for the calculation of a toll, tariff, tax, bonus, penalty, remuneration, indemnity or similar type of payment u Determination of mass for the application of laws or regulations; expert opinion given in court proceedings u Determination of price on the basis of mass for the purposes of direct sales to the public and the making-up of prepackages.

weight readings) of the instruments,” the UK Weighing Federation’s Technical Officer Ian Turner tells us. “All of these detailed checks ensure that both consumers and traders can be assured that the basis of their transaction is fair and just.”

This testing is carried out by accredited laboratories, known as Notified Bodies. These Notified Bodies are based all over the world but will be accredited to the same international standards to ensure that there is a consistency of results.

“Once the design of the scale is approved, and it has been put into production, an approved verifier must then check each one before it can be used for any of the six applications listed by NAWI,” says Turner.

Many weighing scale manufacturers, such as Marsden are approved verifiers. Every scale is tested and calibrated prior to leaving the Marsden factory, and this process is so tight that no two identical Trade Approved scales should weigh differently.

If a Trade Approved scale is altered or repaired, in order

Trade Approved retail scales are found anywhere from

for it to still be legal for trade, it will need to be reverified.

market stalls to butchers shops for pricing items sold

Checking approval

based on weight.

Bottling processes. Trade Approved scales are suitable in cases where the volume is shown on the bottle and price is based on the volume.

Weighing containers for loading onto a ship. The SOLAS container regulations require a verified proof of

T

here are several clues as to whether or not a scale is Trade Approved.

When ordering the scale, the product page

weight on an approved scale by a verified weigher, before

and order details should confirm if the scale is Trade

items can be loaded onto a ship.

Approved. It is also shown on Marsden product sheets.

Industries where Trade Approved scales are suitable include food, drink, firewood, precious metals and mechanical parts.

Trade Approved scales for buying and selling goods are Class III Approved. However, there are exceptions.

In the case of buying and selling of jewellery, the scale

On the scale’s dataplate, Class III Approval is shown by a circle with the roman numerals ‘III’ in the centre.

The M sticker indicates that the equipment it is attached to has been manufactured in accordance with legal metrology requirements.

Class III Approval is also shown on the EC type-

needs to be Class II. The greater the Class level, with

approval certificate, which is provided with the scale. This

Class I being the highest, the greater the accuracy of the

document also shows the manufacturer’s name and scale

scale. An accurate weight reading is critical in jewellery

capabilities.

weighing and Class II scales are capable of weighing

In the UK, the National Weights and Measures

capacities in the sub-milligram range. This allows the user

Report 2014/2015 shows that on average almost 7%

to know the precise weight and therefore the value of the

of weighbridges and scales with a capacity in excess

collection.

of 5 tonnes were, when tested by Trading Standards, outside their limit of error. Almost 5% of those with a

Weighing accuracy

capacity greater than 30kg but lower than 5 tonnes were unsuitable for legal use.

Trading Standards officers may visit any business and

T 64

he approval process is a long and detailed one,

check weighing equipment to ensure it is fit for purpose

but this is necessary to ensure the scale is reliable

and being used lawfully. In some circumstances officers

and accurate. The process takes place for every

have the power to issue a notice to rectify issues which

September 2018

Brewers Journal

we i gh i ng

can be up to 28 days. However, using unsuitable weighing scales can mean fines and even imprisonment.

s e c to r

If the equipment submitted falls within the prescribed limits of error and by virtue of subsection 10, it is not

According to Business Companion, “It is an offence to

required to be stamped, as mentioned on paragraph (c),

use unapproved weighing equipment for legal purposes,

give to the person submitting it a statement in writing to

to make alterations to equipment after it has been

the effect that it is passed as fit for use for trade.

approved for legal use, and to use seriously inaccurate equipments.”

“The fines can be level 3 (over £1000) for matters in relation to inappropriate use. But for all other matters

Finally, except as otherwise expressly provided or under this Act, cause it to be stamped with the prescribed stamp.

“In essence, non approved equipment will not have

it would be an unlimited fine, says Craig Fisher of

been passed by a Weights and Measures Inspector, and

Sheffield Trading Standards. “If it is fraud in relation to the

any ‘use for trade’ of such equipment is an offence and

use of Weights and Measure equipment, it can mean

the equipment is an offence and liable to forfeiture.”

an unlimited fine and up to 6 months imprisonment.

Conclusion

Magistrates will take into consideration many factors, such as the level of detriment caused, harm to vulnerable people, previous history and more.”

Peter Doxey, Rotherham Trading Standards, adds: “Any person requiring any equipment to be passed as fit for use for trade, shall submit the equipment to the inspector, who shall test the equipment by means of such local or

I

n the UK, the use of Trade Approved scales is essential to not only avoid costly penalties but also to help protect the seller and the buyer. Trade Approved

scales ensure resulting prices are correct – so the buyer

working standards and testing equipment as he considers

is getting what they are paying for, and the seller isn’t

appropriate or, subject to any conditions which may be

giving away too much!

prescribed, by means of other equipment which has

We recommend that you assess the role of each scale

already been tested and which the inspector considers

in your business and ensure that where the weight affects

suitable for the purpose.

an item’s price, a Trade Approved scale is being used. u

brewersjournal.info

September 2018

65

Good conversations. e

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yeast

s c i e n c e

Fermenting with active dry yeast Gino Baart is a brewing professional with strong expertise in microbial cell physiology, metabolism and fermentation.

He working as technical sales manager for active dry yeast specialist Fermentis and in this article, Baart explores fermenting with active dry yeast.

molecules diffuse to the exterior at a high rate. The final powder (see figure 1) consists of 94-97% dry matter and is vacuum-packed to protect against oxidation and moisture and allows preservation of up to 3 years.

The long shelf life is one of the major advantages of active dry yeast. In addition, when considering production management there are several other advantages of active dry yeast as a replacement of liquid yeast propagation like e.g. significantly lower costs, no need for yeast quality management (done by supplier) and a massive

by GINO BAART

increase in production flexibility. In comparison with yeast propagation, the preparation time of active dry yeast can

T

almost be neglected.

he use of active dry yeast has been widely

The statement (still circulating on the internet) that

accepted in the brewing industry as both

propagated yeast has a better fermentation performance

quality and diversity have been improved

and yields better quality beer than active dry yeast has

considerably in the last decade. In short,

been disproven in several academic studies. Actually, the

the production of active dry yeast starts

fermentation and drying processes and related recipes

from a vial with pure liquid culture followed by a series

have been designed to best shape-up the yeast in terms

of propagation steps in aerobic fermenters of increasing

of vitality, viability and purity at time of rehydration and

volume. In the final production fermenter the yeast is

fermentation start. Nowadays many high quality and

grown aerobically up to 20-25% dry matter.

award winning beers are being produced with active

Next the yeast is harvested by centrifugation, concentrated to about 32% dry matter by rotating vacuum

dried yeast.

To prepare active dry yeast for fermentation, it needs

filters and dried in a so called fluidized bed dryer in which

to be rehydrated. The standard rehydration procedure

fast, homogeneous and protective drying is guaranteed.

involves the sprinkling of the desired amount of yeast in

To protect the concentrated yeast during the drying

10 times its weight in sterile water or (hopped) wort within

process, it is coated with a protective agent (most times

a specific optimal temperature range for each yeast and

the vegetal emulsifier sorbitan monostearate) just prior to

leave to rest for a set amount of time under gentle stirring.

drying.

Next the yeast cream is pitched in the fermenter.

During the drying process a protective film is formed

Although this procedure has been proven to be

at the droplet surface and the concentration of yeast cells

effective, the first results of a new study in which three

in the droplet keeps increasing while the smaller water

different rehydration procedures, i.e. rehydration at 30°C

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s c i e n c e

yeast

direct pitching STEPS u Fill the fermenter with 1/3 of the wort

volume (up to the top of the CKT cone) at a temperature of 21-29 °C u Sprinkle the active dry yeast cells directly in the fermenter u Add the remaining 2/3 of the volume of wort at fermentation temperature to allow for mixing of yeast and wort.

Figure 1 Optical microscopy image of active dry yeast powder granules prior to packaging

Figure 2 Fermentation performance of SafAle™ US-05 (Pitching rate 50 g/hL, 15°P, 20°C) and the concentration of ethanol, residual sugars and volatiles (acetaldehyde, esters, higher alcohols and vicinal diketones) at the end of fermentation for 3 different rehydration procedures (in triplicate).

with moderate agitation, rehydration in 15°P wort at

DP: direct pitch without rehydration, W: rehydration

20°C with moderate agitation and direct pitch without

at 30°C with moderate agitation, 15°P: rehydration in 15°P

rehydration, indicate no significant differences in

wort at 20°C with moderate agitation.

fermentation performance for all tested ale yeasts (SafAle

The new direct pitch procedure further simplifies

S-04, SafAle US-05, SafAle K-97, SafAle S-33, SafAle

fermentation in practice as it eliminates the need for

WB-06, SafAle BE-256, SafAle T-58, SafAle BE-134) and

rehydration of the active dry yeast prior to the process.

lager yeasts (SafLager S-23, SafLager S-189 and SafLager

The complete study including all results of the testing of

W-34/70). At the end of fermentations, no significant

the specially treated dried yeasts from Fermentis (called

differences in concentration of ethanol, residual sugars

E2U™) produced specifically for being used with the

and volatiles (acetaldehyde, esters, higher alcohols and

‘Direct Pitch’ procedure will be publically available soon.

vicinal diketones) between rehydration procedures were

To all brewers that still doubt the use of active dry yeast,

observed (see figure 2). This indicates that the direct

you should use it at least once; believe me you’ll keep on

pitching procedure is adequate for fermentation.

using it once you discover the benefits. u

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Brewers Journal

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s C I ENCE

F orced

D i acetyl

T est

the deal with diacetyl In this article, Richard Preiss and Nate Ferguson from Escarpment Laboratories present their findings from the lab when carrying out the forced diacetyl test.

the brewers judgement, but customers complain about diacetyl upon purchase. This is not a fault of the brewer - everyone's palates are different, and diacetyl sensitivity has been linked to genetics. However, it is important to have a range of tasters during the critical stages of beer production, and there are ways to help insensitive diacetyl

by Richard Preiss & Nate Ferguson

tasters to identify potential faults: The forced diacetyl test can help prevent the above problems from occurring.

D

So how do I perform the test and how does it work?

iacetyl is a flavour-active molecule found

In its simplest form all the test requires is that a sample

in beer, which for most tasters appears

of beer is gently heated to 60-70ºC inside a sealed

as a buttery, popcorn or butterscotch-like

container for 10+ minutes.

flavour and is undesirable in most beer styles. Yeast produce the potential for

diacetyl during fermentation as the cells grow, in the form of α-acetolactate which is initially colourless and tasteless.

This can be achieved several ways. A sealed flask on a heated stir plate or water bath, or a mason jar in a bucket of hot water (this can be done at any brewery!)

Once heated for the appropriate time all you must

When α-acetolactate is exposed to the beer environment

do is open the container and smell. Some tasters prefer

over time, it will be broken down into diacetyl which can

to cool the sample back down to room or beer temp as

be reabsorbed by the yeast cells and broken down into

other flavors are also pronounced at hot temperatures.

2,3 butanediol, a much less flavor-active molecule. The process of reabsorption will continue after the beer has reached its terminal gravity and in some cases this period may extend beyond the point of terminal gravity. This is typically known as a diacetyl rest.

A beer has reached terminal gravity and there does not appear to be any diacetyl present according to sensory

If you smell butter then diacetyl uptake is not complete If you do not smell butter then diacetyl uptake is complete This tests works due to the heat being added which accelerates the breakdown of α-acetolactate into diacetyl.

Do not boil, as this will boil off the diacetyl and lead to a false negative result!

evaluation. The beer is cooled, filtered, carbonated,

The forced diacetyl test

packaged, shipped and placed on a shelf for purchase.

When the customer takes the beer home, the beer has diacetyl off-flavor. This is an example of a beer that has not finished fermenting or had other residual diacetyl issues as not all of the α-aceto has been turned into diacetyl and taken up by the yeast prior to cooling.

A second problem is when a brewer who is

T

he forced diacetyl test is commonly used as a `”go/no-go test” to determine if a beer has completed diacetyl reuptake and can thus have

the cooling turned on and proceed toward crashing,

unknowingly insensitive to diacetyl smells and tastes

transfer, filtration and packaging. If the cooling is turned

a beer at F.G. and it does not appear to them to have

on before diacetyl uptake is complete, the diacetyl

diacetyl. The beer is cooled and further processed due to

will remain within the beer as the yeast cells will have

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F orced

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T est

s C I ENCE

flocculated and become metabolically dormant, less able

any cooling will accelerate the process however this is

to take up the remaining diacetyl.

best performed at the very end of fermentation to avoid

This test is superior to simply smelling a beer for

flavour changes. If diacetyl is present, we recommend

diacetyl for 2 reasons: Heated diacetyl is much more

raising the temperature slightly (1-2ºC for ales, possibly

volatile than when cooled, making those with low

greater for lagers) and holding the beer until diacetyl is no

sensitivity to the molecule able to identify its presence

longer detected.

Can I do anything else to reduce my diacetyl content

more easily.

Flavourless α-acetolactate with the potential to turn into

of the beer? Diacetyl is mainly produced during the

diacetyl during storage is also accounted for, ensuring the

beginning of fermentation while the cells are within their

product will not develop yeast-derived diacetyl during

exponential growth phase. If this phase occurs at a lower

storage.

temperature, then less will be produced. Healthier cells

Who should be performing this test? Anyone can

will produce less diacetyl along with properly pitched

perform the test! However, it is best analyzed by

cells, proper aeration levels and generally anything that

someone who is more sensitive to diacetyl than others.

can be done to improve cell health. High finishing pH,

We recommend multiple people assessing the heated

high residual FAN (free amino nitrogen), and dry hopping

sample to ensure that all diacetyl is removed and that no

have all been linked to elevated diacetyl levels in beer.

My beer reached terminal gravity several days ago

personal limitations or biases are skewing the data.

Can I microwave the sample to heat it up? Microwaving

and the diacetyl is still there! This is usually an indication

the sample is not recommended as it tends to flash off

of poor yeast cell health. In order for the diacetyl to be

the the diacetyl very quickly.

absorbed there must be healthy cells in your beer. If the

If I have diacetyl present, how long do I need to let it

cells are unhealthy or have flocculated out of solution

rest for? This is heavily strain-dependent. As a general

then the diacetyl will not be absorbed. Try rousing the

rule, the more diacetyl present, the longer it will take to

yeast within your fermentor with CO2 and removing the

be reabsorbed. Allowing the beer to “free rise” without

cooling to try and reawaken the yeast. u

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brewersjournal.info

September 2018

71

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Manufacturer of brewhouse and general brewery vessels, FVs, DPVs etc. Complete turnkey multi-disciplined projects & project management & design services. Full and partial brewery developments. Skid mounted systems & CIP sets. Consultancy services. Competitive pipework & general installation services available. www.musk-eng.co.uk +44 (0)1283 200400 r.mizuro@musk-eng.co.uk Contact: Richard Mizuro

conTRACT BREWING For all your engineering needs, consultations, design, fabrication & installation please get in touch with a member of our team today who will be happy to help.

www.contractcraftbrewing.co.uk info@contractcraftbrewing.co.uk

hOPS

www.advancedbrewing.co.uk +44 (0)1427 890099

johnsonbrewing.co.uk +44 (0)1204 887754

COOLING FLUIDS

YOUR ADVERT HERE FOR A WHOLE YEAR

consultancy services

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

www.6ixengineering.co.uk +44 (0)7375 448 118 | +44 (0)1963 205001 sales@6ixengineering.co.uk

Customer-specific brewery solutions www.hikingbev.com info@hikingbev.com

josh@rebymedia.com +44 (0)1442 780 594

brew houses

www.closebreweryrentals.co.uk enquiries@closebreweryrentals.co.uk +44 (0)1425 485421

BREWING EQUIPMENT

YOUR ADVERT HERE FOR A WHOLE YEAR

www.hydratech.co.uk +44 (0)1792 586800

www.charlesfaram.co.uk +44 (0)1905 830734

hygiene

www.nichesolutionsgb.co.uk +44 (0)1604 879831

josh@rebymedia.com +44 (0)1442 780 594 www.cclpentasol.co.uk +44 (0) 1942 722000

Suppliers of speciality cleaning & hygiene chemicals for breweries, cider makers & beverage manufacturers

info@cclpentasol.co.uk

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September 2018

Brewers Journal

Call 01942 722 000 www.cclpentasol.co.uk

c la s s ifi e d

he Craft Brewer! insurance

malts Cont'd

quality assurance Cont'd

www.qclscientific.com +44 (0)1342 820820

www.muntons.com +44 (0)1449 618300 Free survey and risk assessments undertaken. Cover includes Legal Expenses and Loss of Licence. Health cover available for Key Staff. Liability and stock covered at Events & Festivals

requirementswww.cbi-insurance.com +44 (0)1492 534524 pblundell@cbi-insurance.com sments included nses and Tax Investigations HANDLING the Keymalt Brewer and Festivals 01492 534524

01483 202211 / 07968 193795 info@bulksystems.co.uk www.bulksystems.co.uk

-insurance.com ce.co.uk

Packaging

recruitment

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

www.carlingpartnership.com enquiries@carlingpartnership.co.uk +44 (0)1483 893 100

training

www.keglogistics.com/united-kingdom

+44 (0)7734 035562 SHorrox@keglogistics.com www.brewingservices.co.uk +44 (0)7970 629552

Conduct Authority

Packaging systems

malts

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

www.moravekinternational.com +44 (0)1427 890 098

yeast

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Est

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quality assurance

WCETT

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www.vigoltd.com +44 (0)1404 892100

UALITY M

www.fawcett-maltsters.co.uk +44 (0)1977 552490 sales@fawcett-maltsters.co.uk

brewersjournal.info

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

S

F

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

www.foodandbeverage.pentair.com +44 (0)1905 797280

www.fermentis.com

YOUR ADVERT HERE FOR A WHOLE YEAR josh@rebymedia.com +44 (0)1442 780 594

September 2018

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date s

&

e v e nt s

events

Dark City returns in 2018. The festival, held at Northern Monk’s Refectory, showcases the best in dark beers from imperial stouts, to session porters and black sours.

09/09/18 - 15/09/18

Bristol Beer Week Various Venues, Bristol www.bristolbeerweek.com 13/09/18

Brewers Lectures Watershed, Bristol lectures.brewersjournal.info 14/09/18 - 16/07/18

Bristol Beer Festival The Amphitheatre, Bristol Harbourside www.bristolcraftbeerfestival.co.uk

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September 2018

04/10/18 - 07/10/18

Indy Man Beer Con Victoria Baths, Manchester www.indymanbeercon.co.uk 16/11/18 - 17/11/18

Dark City 2018 Northern Monk Refectory, Leeds ww.northernmonkbrewco.com 28/11/18

Brewers Congress ICE, London congress.brewersjournal.info

Brewers Journal

PRINTING T-SHIRTS WITH LOVE SINCE 1977

SCREEN PRINTING EMBROIDERY

GARMENT FINISHING PACKAGING DESIGN

www.fifthcolumn.co.uk @fifthcolumntshirts Unit 1 Lockwood Ind. Park, Mill Mead Road, London,

N17 9QP

0208 801 2383 info@fifthcolumn.co.uk