SIBA Independent Brewer Summer 2024

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Welcome to the Summer edition of SIBA’s Independent Brewer Magazine

It has been an extremely busy first half to the year for SIBA and its members, which has led to us producing this bumper edition of the magazine. It was fantastic to catch up with so many of you at BeerX UK back in March, and also to welcome a full house last month for our inaugural launch event for this year’s SIBA Independent Beer Report at Sambrook’s Brewery in Wandsworth (see page 11).

The mood in both rooms, despite the on-going challenges independent brewers are facing, was

determined and overwhelmingly positive, and certainly the report this year shows a sector in recovery from the double body blows of the pandemic and the financial crisis.

But there are certainly still challenges ahead, with the price you are getting for your beer failing to keep up with inflation – even falling in some cases - the next generation of drinkers drinking less and less beer, and local pubs, the home of independent beer, under growing pressure. We hope the exclusive data and insight we have included in the Independent Beer Report gives you the confidence to plan for your business’s future and the inspiration to continue to innovate. You can find the highlights of the report on pages 28-33 along with a QR code to download the full document.

Elsewhere in this magazine, we catch up with this year’s SIBA Brewery Business of the Year, Thornbridge, for our Business Profile on pages 40-47 to find out how Founder Simon Webster and his team have kept the business at the top of its game for so many years.

Our keynote speaker at BeerX, the Brewers Association’s Bob Pease, is the subject of the Big Interview in this issue (see pages 48-55), and expands on the themes of his presentation

Society of Independent Brewers PO Box 136, Ripon, North Yorkshire HG4 5WW

Tel: 01765 640 441

www.siba.co.uk

Email: office@siba.co.uk

in Liverpool which drew many comparisons between the US and UK markets.

We also bring you the fourth in our collaboration series with the team at Pellicle, with David Jesudason, this year’s Guild Beer Writer of the Year, waxing lyrical about one of his favourite beers (see pages 56-61).

And we bring you two major updates from SIBA itself, with details of our re-brand (see pages 24-25) and newly launched member referral scheme (see pages 26-27).

Finally, huge congratulations from everyone at SIBA to all the winners in this year’s SIBA Business Awards (see pages 787-81) and National Beer Competition (see pages 82-89) –you really are the best of the best!

Happy reading! And please do keep sending me your press releases, updates, news and views to caroline.nodder@siba.co.uk so that we can share your experiences, thoughts and successes in future magazines – the deadline for submissions for our Autumn edition will be August 30th.

Caroline Nodder

Editor

SIBA Independent Brewer Magazine

Editor: Caroline Nodder (caroline.nodder@siba.co.uk)

Published by: Media Alive Limited

Produced on behalf of SIBA by: Media Alive Limited, 2nd Floor, The Red House, 119 Fore Street, Hertford, Hertfordshire SG14 1AX. T: 01992 505 810

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Cover

The cover image for this issue shows the new branding SIBA launched at BeerX this year, as worn by one of the team at our Independent Beer Report launch in May. See pages 24-25 for more.

News

9-19

SIBA News All the news from SIBA HQ

24-25 SIBA Re-brand Your organisation gets a new look

26-27 Membership Update All the latest on our membership benefits

78-81 SIBA Business Awards Competition Results from the annual business awards

82-89 SIBA National Beer Competition Results from the finals at BeerX in Liverpool

90-95 SIBA Regional Beer Competitions Results from the competitions in the North East, South West And Wales & West

96-105 Brewery News The latest from our brewing members around the UK

109-115 Supplier News Updates from SIBA’s Supplier Associate Members

Comment

7 CEO’s Update Andy Slee, SIBA’s Chief Executive, on seeing beyond the gloom

8 Chairman’s Comment National Chair Richard Naisby looks at the challenges ahead

22-23 The View From Westminster Our regular political update

34-35 Homebrew In Focus Andy Parker from Elusive Brewing looks at Double-Barrelled Brewery’s beer Ping

107 Supplier Viewpoint Kammac’s Simon Gallimore looks at recent developments in brewing logistics

Features

28-35 SIBA Independent Beer Report 2024 Highlights from this year’s report

37 Taproom Focus Featuring the Track taproom in Manchester

40-47 Business Profile We interview Simon Webster from Thornbridge, SIBA’s Brewery Business of the Year winner

48-55 The Big Interview We speak to BeerX keynote speaker, Brewers Association boss Bob Pease

56-61 SIBA Independent Brewer x Pellicle Beer Writer of the Year David Jesudason pens a love letter to London Lush

62-65 The Portman Group An introduction to what the Portman Group does

67-73 Business Advice Legal, financial, brand & marketing advice and consumer insight

74-77 Gold Members Charles Faram and Murphy & Son

116 Gold & Silver Members Listing of our key sponsors

118 Contacts Key SIBA contacts

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SCAN TO VIEW THE FULL INDEPENDENT BEER REPORT

A +14% year on year growth in the production of independent beer, a +10% increase in independent cask beer production and the busiest ever BeerX is a long way from the misguided view that our sector is going to hell in a handcart. Profitability is a challenge for every brewer in the country, but life is not all doom and gloom.

I have written before about needing to provide a balanced view of the world. Since lockdown, the hospitality sector has painted a dark picture of itself and its outlook, to the point where the Government has stopped listening and lending institutions are loathed to support those who need investment to grow.

We are close to talking ourselves into downward spiral if we are not careful.

SIBA’s Independent Beer Report has consistently been one of the best things we do, so a big thanks to Barry, Neil and everyone involved in its production. In previous years we felt that its launch during the SIBA AGM at BeerX meant it got lost, so this year we launched it at a separate event in Sambrook’s in Wandsworth (see page 11 for photos from the event). And we were delighted to welcome over 60 attendees – brewers, trade and national media and industry associates – to this first launch event, hosted by Sambrook’s Brewery in Wandsworth.

How to stop the spiral

I urge everyone reading this to access the report via the QR code on this page as it paints a fact-based and balanced view of the world of independent brewing in the UK. We have also covered the highlights in this magazine on pages 28-33.

Some soundbites!

• Only 30% of 18-24-year-olds EVER drink beer, well behind other alcoholic categories like wines and spirits. Within that, as many beer drinkers now drink independent beer as they do global lager brands, a big positive swing from last year. Now imagine if those independent brands were as freely available as global lager! Market access remains the challenge I hear most about on my travels.

• Putting prices up in line with cost increases is a huge challenge. In many cases brewers need to have more confidence in the quality of what they produce. People are prepared to pay for quality and consistency in all product categories, especially beer.

• Despite the market challenges, two-thirds of brewers have found the time and resources to take positive steps towards environmental sustainability. A few of you have sustainability as part of your DNA, SIBA’s sustainability strategy is designed to help those of you who are less knowledgeable but no less committed.

• Over forty percent of brewers site “survival” as their principle objective for the next twelve months. This is way too high but well down on a year ago with an equal number looking to expand and grow when they find finance.

So, remember when you next read about this ‘brewing Armageddon’, we only have between 1-2% fewer brewers today than we did at this time in 2023.

Thanks to all those who made BeerX such a popular and successful event this year. We have a busy summer ahead of us, but thanks, in anticipation, for your support for local lobbying and our relaunched consumer seal.

Go well and enjoy a busy and profitable summer.

Chief Executive SIBA

Too many…or not enough?

SIBA has released the long-awaited Independent Beer Report 2024. This issue carries much more information elsewhere but the headlines are worth repeating. Independent beer has recovered to pre-pandemic volumes. This is good news. And we should, rightly, be celebrating the fact that after four long hard years, we are collectively back where we were in 2019. If that sounds like a somewhat muted trumpet fanfare it is a fair observation. The Covid years have dealt a huge blow to our industry and we can only wonder how much better things would have been if we’d have been spared the trauma.

The headlines also conceal some unfortunate truths. Many breweries are brewing volumes comparable to 2019 but at greatly reduced margins. Whether it is the extra costs of energy, debt interest or wages, it is harder to get ahead than for many years. The number of breweries that have failed continues to rise and this has led to some commentators forecasting the demise of the industry.

The financial industry must behave responsibly. The taxpayers bailed out the banks in the late noughties at exorbitant cost after years of frankly irresponsible behaviour. As one of the most heavily taxed industries, the beer industry surely did its bit to rescue the City. Now we hear increasingly frequent stories of sound breweries struggling to raise finance for future expansion. Some banks are insisting on basing their calculations on the years 2020/22 – a stress test too far surely. Such self-fulfilling pessimism is out of place as breweries and pubs continue to recover.

James May (the former Top Gear presenter, himself a pub owner) has said he thinks Britain has too many pubs! Surely with a rapidly growing population what we need is more pubs, and better pubs, serving better beer – from independent brewers. The next generation of drinkers will still need venues in which to socialise. The great British boozer is wonderfully civilising meeting place in which 18-yearolds can converse on equal terms with their 80-year-old fellow drinkers. Gone are the days when pubs were wholly male establishments and the vast majority of pubs now serve some form of food. Personally, I hope there is always a place for the exclusively wet or at least wet-lead pub, when well-managed the atmosphere is unmatched anywhere. Many other nations envy our pub culture and the social benefits brought about by our best public houses.

I’ve been lucky enough to witness Gen Z at full throttle recently. I was asked to provide beers for a prestigious college ball. Naturally enough, Milton beers featured strongly and I sourced some excellent lagers from fellow SIBA members. I’m happy to report that event was a roaring success and indeed served more beer than we’ve ever done (and we’ve got 25 years of doing this kind of thing). When presented with an interesting selection of styles, the more youthful drinker is more than capable of matching their elder's thirst. And with beer being a comparatively low alcohol product, it is rightly perceived as a healthier and safer tipple than some of the alternatives. And the global brewers didn’t get a look in!

One of the fundamental pillars that SIBA stands for is fairness. The recent AGM motion regarding pre-pack administrations (or

‘phoenixing’) imposed a one year moratorium on businesses who use this mechanism to write off debt. The arguments were fervently made and it is clear that passions run high regarding this subject. Some members argued for a permanent ban and others for no penalty. The motion was carried with a large majority so I think we have probably got this one about right. Time will tell.

Richard Naisby Chairman SIBA

SIBA launches manifesto ahead of next General Election

Independent breweries are putting fairness at the heart of its policy platform for the next Government in a document launched in Parliament last month.

In its manifesto, SIBA has outlined the policies that could boost the sector over the next five years. This includes guaranteeing independent breweries a guest beer and making it clear to consumers who brews the beer that’s served in the pub.

SIBA is urging the next Government to adopt 11 policies covering four key areas of market fairness, fair taxation, reforming alcohol taxation and improving the environment. These will help remove the barriers to growth, ensure

Market Fairness

Guest Beer Guarantee: Guarantee a guest beer in pubs to widen consumer choice and support local brewers

Transparent Ownership: Make it clear on all advertising who brews the beer and where so that consumers know which beers are genuinely made by independent brewers in the UK

that independent breweries remain competitive and help them to make the most of the move to Net Zero.

Andy Slee, Chief Executive of SIBA, said: “This manifesto puts improving fairness for independent brewing at its core and is full of initiatives that we hope that all political parties will consider as they draw up their plans for the next government ahead of the General Election.

“Independent breweries operate at the heart of our communities, supporting our local pubs and delivering innovative, fresh and tasty beer. However, they are constrained by a lack of access to market and a tax system that burdens small businesses. We believe that with government support we could boost the sector and ensure that independent brewing continues to thrive across the UK.”

Fair Taxation Regime

Lower Tax Burden: Reduce the tax burden on small breweries to help them to grow

Freeze Beer Duty: Commit to at least a long term freeze of the main headline beer duty rate

Business Rate Reform: Real reform of Business Rates including a review of the differential paid between global and small breweries

Reform Alcohol Taxation

Review Alcohol Duty System: Keep the promise to fully review the new alcohol duty system within three years to ensure the reforms work for all small producers

Make Duty Fair: Equalise the tax treatment of beer with cider so that Global cider producers pay their fair share of alcohol duty

Make It 20%: Increase the draught duty relief to at least 20% to boost our community pubs

Improving Our Environment

Workable DRS: A fully interoperable Deposit Return Scheme with the same scope and criteria across the UK which works for small breweries

Design Policies with Small Businesses in Mind: A commitment that the design of new Government green policies takes into account small businesses

Help to Go Green: Provide assistance designed and available for small producers to help them make the transition to Net Zero

ENTER THE WORLD OF SUSTAINABILITY

MAKING BETTER BOTTLES… AND MAKING A BETTER TOMORROW

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Watch our sustainability animation here:

For more information visit www.croxsons.com

The SIBA Independent Beer Report 2024 launches at Sambrook’s Brewery

SIBA has published its latest in-depth annual report on the independent beer sector, which is free to access via the SIBA website or via the QR code shown here.

Over 60 SIBA members, media and industry analysts attended the launch of the report in May to hear the key findings, which you can find an overview of on pages 28-33.

A fresh new look and name change for SIBA

BeerX in March saw the launch of SIBA’s new brand identity, with a fresh new look for the association and a change in name to reflect the expanding membership, becoming the Society of Independent Brewers and Associates.

As well as representing independent breweries, SIBA also has brewing industry Supplier Associate members, including ingredients suppliers, brewery manufacturers and service companies, and more recently expanded membership to include associate homebrewer and international brewing members.

SIBA’s CEO Andy Slee said: “Independent beer and brewers are the heart of what SIBA is about and always will be. As our organisation has grown to reflect wider parts of the industry, we’ve evolved our name to include that. We’ve taken the opportunity of a rebrand to build on the SIBA name that we’re best known by, and to clarify the wider appeal of SIBA membership and what it means to be a part of that – putting independence at the heart of who we are.”

The new SIBA logo highlights ‘Independent’ in the Society of Independent Brewers and Associates and uses a ‘loudhailer’ symbol to emphasise SIBA as the Big Voice of Independent Brewing. The colourful new branding was developed by Ape Creative, SIBA Head of Comms and Marketing Neil Walker, and a working group of SIBA brewers and Board members who offered a diverse range of perspectives to the project.

Find out more about the new SIBA brand on pages 24-25.

UK’s best beers revealed: Breweries take home the Gold in the SIBA Independent Beer Awards 2024

The results of the UK’s biggest independent beer competition were unveiled at BeerX in March, with three breweries taking the Overall Gold across the Cask, Keg, and Bottle/Can competitions at the SIBA Independent Beer Awards 2024.

It was Hammerton Brewery’s ‘City of Cake’ Stout that took home Gold in the Cask competition, Harrogate Brewing Co’s ‘Nidd Mild’ won the top Keg award, and Burning Sky Brewery’s Le Cœur De Provision was named the best in class in the National Bottle/Can beer judging.

Judged by brewers and industry experts and organised by SIBA at its flagship BeerX UK event in Liverpool, the awards run across a huge range of beer style categories in cask, craft keg, bottle and can.

The Awards at BeerX UK are the trade association’s National finals and in order to earn a place at the competition brewers must first win at their regional competition – making these overall Champions very much the ‘best of the best’ when it comes to British independent craft beer.

SIBA Competitions Chair Anneli Baxter, who helped run the complex judging process and was on hand to congratulate the winners

had this to say on their achievement: “It is a pleasure to see so many superb beers from independent breweries of all sizes taking home Golds in this year’s awards. It is incredibly tough to win a category Gold at a regional level, so to then go on and be named the very best in the whole of the UK at the National Awards is a massive achievement that these brewers should be hugely proud of. Well done to all of the winners but particularly Hammerton, Burning Sky and Harrogate who took home our top awards of the night.”

For the full results from this year’s competition see pages 82-89.

SIBA partners with Great British Pub Awards to launch new 'Best Beer Pub' Award for 2024

SIBA has partnered with the Great British Pub Awards to introduce a brand-new category for Best Beer Pub.

Building on the success of SIBA’s “Independent Beer Bar” which they brought to the Awards in 2023, and which will return again in 2024, the new SIBA sponsored “Best Beer Pub” award is open to all pubs with a focus on their exceptional beer offer. The winner must consistently deliver value and high standards through their range, showcasing the quality of their serve, cellar management and training, staff knowledge and excellent customer service.

SIBA Chief Executive Andy Slee will join

the judging panel for 2024 and had this to say on the awards: "SIBA is proud to be supporting the Great British Pub Awards in seeking to highlight the UK's best beer pubs. Quality beer goes hand in hand with a superb pub - and with the vast majority of the beer produced by independent breweries being sold to pubs in their local area, the Great British Pub is absolutely vital to our member brewers in the independent brewing sector.

“Judges will not only be looking for a great range of beers on offer, but also impeccable cellar skills, great customer service and staff with a real passion and knowledge for the beer they serve. I look forward to seeing who

is in the running for this year's inaugural award!"

Dubbed 'The Oscars of the pub industry", the Great British Pub Awards take place in Manchester's Victoria Warehouse and seek to reward and recognise the nation's finest pubs, helping pub owners and operators put bums on seats and pride in teams. With a wide variety of categories, from the new 'Best Beer Pub' to 'Best Pub for Dogs', there's opportunity for pubs of all shapes, sizes and strengths to make their mark on the industry and propel themselves into the limelight.

To find out more visit www.greatbritishpubawards.co.uk

New 'Indie Beer Bar' to showcase independent breweries at UK's biggest drinks exhibition - Imbibe Live 2024

SIBA has agreed a partnership with Imbibe Live for their July 2024 show, taking place at London's Olympia Exhibition Centre.

The 'Indie Beer Bar' at Imbibe Live 2024 is a new feature in a longstanding partnership between SIBA and Imbibe, with the trade association backing member brewers to showcase their independent craft beers at the show in one impressive new area.

"SIBA is investing in the new Indie Beer

Stannary Brewing Co & Hop Union Brewery named Champions of the South West at SIBA Independent Beer Awards 2024

Stannary Brewing Co and Hop Union Brewery took home the two Overall Champion awards at the SIBA South West Independent Beer Awards, which took place at the MaltingsFest beer festival in Newton Abbot.

'Winnemucca' by Stannary Brewing Co, a hazy double dry hopped New England Pale Ale, was named the best cask beer in the competition after a final round judging against all other beer style category winners. In the separate keg beer competition it was Hop Union Brewery's 'Two Steppin' India Pale Lager that took overall Gold, combining the modern hop aromas of an IPA with the crisp refreshment of a classic lager. "In what was one of our most highly awarded

Bar to allow member breweries of all sizes the opportunity to showcase their products at the UK's premier drinks industry trade show. By collaborating together independent breweries can make a much bigger splash at the show, backed up by a tasting masterclass I'll be delivering on 'The next big thing in beer' - where we'll be discovering the indie breweries making waves in the UK beer market," said Neil Walker, SIBA’s Head of Comms & Marketing.

The 'Next big thing in beer: Ensure your business is ahead of the latest beer trends' session takes place in the Movers & Shakers area at Imbibe Live on Tuesday 2nd July, from 13:45 to 14:15. In this expert tasting session delegates can hear about the beer styles on the rise and how your business can capitalise on these growing trends. Expect a deep dive into what makes these beers tick, what they taste like, and how to present them to your customers.

competitions yet, with incredibly hard-fought categories across the board, it was a selection of genuinely superb beers which took the overall Golds and were named category winners. Huge congratulations to all of today's winning brewers, and in particular Stannary and Hop Union who were named best-of-thebest on our final table Champions judging. If you're heading to the MaltingsFest over the weekend then be sure to look out for the SIBA Independent Beer Awards badges on the beers named this year's Gold winners," said Neil Walker, SIBA’s Head of Comms and presenter of this year's awards.

The awards, which were presented at MaltingsFest opposite Tucker’s Maltings site, are judged by beer sommeliers, master brewers

Brewer issues with suppliers

and other expert beer judges from across the industry.

Chris John, Co-founder and brewer at Stannary Brewing Co, was on hand to accept the award and had this to say about their win: "I'm in absolute shock! To have a hazy, 5.4% cask beer that is absolutely dry-hopped to hell come through as best in competition is a massive surprise and we're well happy. We put a lot of time into getting this beer right, giving it a great mouthfeel and flavour, and obviously making sure those hops really come through, it's incredible to win and we're really proud of this beer."

For the full results from the South West see pages 90-91.

A reminder that if brewers are experiencing issues with suppliers they believe to be acting potentially unlawfully, please call Napthens legal helpline in the first instance.

SIBA has a regular dialogue with Napthens to understand trends and issues that SIBA could potentially take up on your behalf. The Napthens helpline number is 0845 671 0277

SIBA UK Brewery Tracker shows

tough start to the year with all regions of the UK struggling to grow

Figures released last month show the UK brewing industry post a considerable -38 net closure rate across the UK, with all regions either seeing a reduction in the overall number or remaining the same.

The figures released by the SIBA UK Brewery Tracker show the UK total number of active brewers now stands at 1,777, a -38 drop since the end of Q4 2023. The SIBA UK Brewery Tracker takes into account all brewery openings and closures to give an accurate picture of the number of active brewing businesses.

The year-on-year comparison shows a slightly more positive picture, with some regions seeing overall growth when compared to this time in 2023. The East has had a particularly strong 12 months with a +11 Net growth rate, with the South East (+3) and South West (+2) seeing more moderate growth when compared to this time last year.

The overall UK year-on-year figure comparison is also down -47, led primarily by a -19 Net closure rate in the North West, -12 in the North East, and -11 in both Wales and the Midlands.

Andy Slee, SIBA Chief Executive, said:

“Seeing a 2% drop in the number of breweries in the UK is a small shift, but not the start to the year the industry had hoped for, and as we look ahead to what promises to be a busy summer for pubs I’m hopeful we’ll see the dial swing into the positive as we did in Q2 2023.

“There is no single reason breweries in the UK close, but for most it is a combination of rising costs and slowing sales caused by the cost of living crisis, which when compounded by the repayment of substantial Covid loan debts makes many businesses struggle to turn a sustainable profit. And whilst the price of a pint on the bar is already high, this simply isn’t passed on to small brewers – with the price of a pint largely eaten up by one of the

highest levels of taxation in Europe, and huge increases in raw materials and production costs for brewers.”

The Government’s differential rate of duty for draught beer in pubs and taprooms, meaning there’s less tax on beer sold in pubs compared to shops and supermarkets, has been hailed as a hugely positive step – but SIBA says it must to go further to have a lasting impact.

“Extending the draught duty relief to 20% would be a game-changer for the industry and go some way to keeping the price of a pint in pubs affordable, whilst ensuring independent breweries are able to turn a sustainable profit. Every brewery closure is a huge loss to its local community and economy, and whilst the Covid loans offered to businesses to keep them afloat were a necessary step we are seeing many businesses now struggle with the pressure of the short and inflexible payment terms offered,” Andy Slee added.

The South East was the worst hit in the first quarter 2024 with a Net closure rate of -10, followed by the Midlands with -7 and Scotland with -6. The North East and North West regions faired slightly better, each seeing a -5 Net closure rate, closely followed by the South West with -4.

The East region saw a very moderate -1 closure rate during the start of the year, with Wales and Northern Ireland both finishing Q1 with no Net change in their overall brewery number.

The SIBA UK Brewery Tracker is compiled by a team of professional staff employed by the Society of Independent Brewers and is cross-referenced by SIBA Regional Directors in each of the eight SIBA Regions across the UK. The organisation considers a number of factors and data-sources alongside its own data analysis and extensive research and has become the go-to reference for accurate, upto-date brewery numbers in the UK.

There is no single reason breweries in the UK close, but for most it is a combination of rising costs and slowing sales caused by the cost of living crisis, which when compounded by the repayment of substantial Covid loan debts makes many businesses struggle to turn a sustainable profit.

SIBA UK BREWERY TRACKER Q1, 2024

Covering period 01/01/24 - 31/03/2024

UK: 1777 (-38)

Scotland 136 (-6)

Northern Ireland 29 (-)

East 191 (-1)

North East 251 (-5)

North West 190 (-5)

Wales 96 (-)

South West 207 (-4)

South East 334 (-10)

Midlands* 343 (-7)

The above shows the new total number and net change compared to 31.12.23

*Please note: Due to a change in SIBA’s regional boundaries, from 2024 onwards the breweries previously in ‘West of England’ are now counted within the ‘Midlands’ region.

www.siba.co.uk/brewerytracker

The very best “Wales & West” beers revealed in cask, keg, and bottle in region's last ever competition

Salopian Brewery, Stroud Brewery, and Vale of Glamorgan Brewery (VOG) have taken home the three top spots in one of the UK’s biggest beer competitions – the SIBA Wales & West Independent Beer Awards 2024.

Salopian Brewery was named the best of the best in the cask beer competition, taking the Overall Champion Gold Award, with Stroud Brewery overall winners in keg, and VOG Brewery being named overall champs in the Bottle & Can awards.

The awards are run by SIBA and Associates prior to the opening of the popular SIBA Ludlow Beer Festival at Ludlow Castle and judge the best independent craft beers across a variety of style categories before overall ‘Gold Champions’ are selected in the separate ‘Cask’, ‘Keg’, and ‘Bottle & Can’ competitions.

Salopian Brewery’s ‘Port in a Storm’, a 4.7% Porter which wowed judges in the British Dark Beers category before going on to beat the other cask category winners in the final round judging.

Collecting the award for Overall Cask Champion was Salopian Founder Wilf Nelson, who had this to say on their win; “Really, really chuffed, it’s our last year in Wales and West and

we have always loved being a part of the region. We are seen as the most active region of SIBA and will miss it. Whilst I’m looking forward to the Midlands, I am really proud to have won on our last appearance in the Wales & West competition.”

A change in the SIBA Regional boundaries means Wales will go it alone as a standalone region in next year’s awards, with the ‘West’ brewers in England now moving into SIBA’s Midlands region, making these that last ‘SIBA Wales & West’ Awards.

The second big winner of the day was Stroud Brewery’s ‘Big Cat’ in the Keg beer competition, a 4.5% stout brewed with all organic ingredients. Mike Powell from Stroud accepted the award; “We’re very proud, there has been a lot of awards awarded today which shows there’s a lot of good beer and the level gets better every year, so to be an overall champion is amazing. We’re humbled. We are really pleased for the other winners as well.”

Making it a trio of dark beers to win the day’s top awards it was Vale of Glamorgan (VOG Brewery) who were named the best bottle or canned beer with their hefty 11.5% ‘Sith Order Barrel Strength’ imperial stout. Craig Edmunds of VOG commented; “Really chuffed, we won champion cask last year so winning champion

bottle this year is amazing. It’s a big beer, 11.5% and aged in Penderyn whiskey barrels.”

SIBA’s National Competitions Committee Chair Anneli Baxter, and Director in the Midlands region, praised the quality of this year’s winners: “The SIBA Wales & West Independent Beer Awards are not only our biggest judging of this awards season – with three packed cask, keg and bottle & can competitions taking place together – but they are the last year before Wales separates into its own new SIBA region. So huge congratulations to all of this year’s brewers who have taken home Gold in these historic awards. Good luck to those who become part of the Wales region next year, and welcome to the Midlands region to the rest!”

The SIBA Wales & West Independent Beer Awards judge a huge range of beers across a number of styles before the winners from each category go forward to an ‘Overall Champions’ final. All of the category winners will now go forwards to the National Finals at BeerX in Liverpool early next year, to battle it out against winning beers from across the UK.

For the full results from Wales & West see pages 94-95.

New Member Benefit - 30 minute free consultation

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Whether this be people management skills or how to run an HR process from beginning to end, the team can help you understand the skills gaps in your business and provide ideas and solutions to help you engage and develop your employees.

To benefit from your 30 minute free consultation, email the AfterAthena HR Consultancy Team on: SibaLegal@napthens. co.uk and state that you’d like to discuss training.

MOVING BEVERAGES FORWARD.

Ossett Brewery’s

‘White

Rat’ pale ale takes the Overall Gold in the SIBA North East Independent Beer Awards 2024

Ossett Brewery in West Yorkshire have taken home the Overall Champion Gold Award in the SIBA North East Independent Beer Awards, which took place at Gateshead Rugby Club.

The Overall Champion is the ‘best of the best’ and selected in a final round judging against all of the other style category winners. This year it was Ossett White Rat that took home Overall Gold, with Acorn Brewery’s Barnsley Bitter taking Silver – after winning the Overall Gold last year – and Rooster’s Tropical Assassin being named Overall Bronze winner.

The Ossett Team were on hand to collect the award in Gateshead, commenting: “Absolutely

speechless! Did not expect to win Overall Champions, a really great honour and glad our beers are getting appreciated and all the hard work from everyone has just really paid off.”

The awards are judged by beer industry experts including master brewers, beer sommeliers and experienced beer judges, with only the very best beers awarded medals in these prestigious awards. A broad range of styles are judged, from modern heavily hopped IPAs, pale ales and speciality beers, to more traditional British style bitters, stouts and porters.

Buster Grant from SIBA helped run the competition and presented this year’s awards, congratulating the North East’s winners he said:

“White Rat has always been a local favourite and has gained a bit of a cult following in recent years, so I’m delighted to see it getting the top spot at this year’s North East awards. Very pale and aromatically hoppy it’s a beer that wowed the judges and beat a very tough final judging, edging out last year’s winner for the top spot. A huge well done to all of this year’s winners in what was a superbly hard-fought competition.”

Ossett White Rat and the other beer style category winners will now go forward to the National Finals taking place at BeerX UK in Liverpool next year.

For the full results from the North East see pages 92-93.

Changes to the SIBA team

The SIBA team bids a fond farewell to Company Secretary Sara Knox this month, who is taking a more of a backseat role at SIBA after nearly 30 years.

SIBA’s CEO Andy Slee paid tribute to Sara’s years of hard work at BeerX in March and offered her his sincere thanks on behalf of the whole membership.

SIBA is also welcoming some new team members, with Megan Brecken joining the Ripon Team as our new Events & Marketing Officer. Megan is incredibly passionate about the beer industry and has been heavily involved in the beer community in her local and surrounding areas.

Working with Megan at competitions will be Lucy Hunter-Bott, who many of you may know from her previous role at SIBA. We are delighted to have Lucy’s huge experience with us again.

A warm welcome to them both from the rest of the SIBA team.

SIBA responds to latest Deposit Return Scheme announcement

Responding to the latest announcement by DEFRA on the Deposit Return Scheme for drinks containers, Richard Naisby, Chair of SIBA, said: “To make the Deposit Return Scheme work for small independent breweries and consumers we need one scheme that is introduced with the same materials, the same rules and on the same day across the UK. While much progress has been made across the four nations to align the schemes including a de minimis for low volume products, the latest announcement means that small businesses in Wales will be penalised by the political failure to agree the same materials, with Wales the only nation to include glass. This will create barriers for small breweries to trade, increase costs and reduce the choice and availability of independent beer.”

The Minister made a Written Statement last month on the DRS which can be found here – https://questions-statements. parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2024-04-25/hcws427

The view from Westminster

In the past few weeks, SIBA has secured significant changes to two policies which will have beneficial impacts for brewers.

The first is around the much debated Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) where SIBA has achieved an opt out for small producers and a delay until October 2027. Finally after years of confusion, the four nations of the UK have pledged to work together to create an interoperable scheme to be introduced at the same time. Unfortunately it currently does not have the same scope – with Wales persisting with glass which is not in the English, Scottish or Northern Ireland schemes that only include cans and plastic bottles. This will create barriers to trade and runs up against the UK’s internal market principles, making it particularly difficult for Welsh brewers and consumers. We continue to push for a common-sense solution and for the same scope to be introduced across the whole country.

Last year SIBA helped convince the Scottish Government to amend its DRS proposals to include a deminimis for product lines below 5000 containers. This has now been extended across to the other schemes thanks to SIBA’s lobbying efforts, taking about a quarter of small breweries out of the scheme and, more widely, assist those who do small runs of special beers. Small breweries producing below the 5000 containers per product level will still need to register with the Deposit Management Organisation (DMO) but not have to pay the producer fee. They have also agreed to drop the registration fee for everyone. The next stage is to influence the rules that the DMO will set when it is created next year and we know from

bitter experience that getting these rules right can make or break the scheme.

The second area of success is around the Guest Beer Agreement in Scotland. The Scottish Government finally released the details of the Pubs Code which should be introduced next year including a guest beer that SIBA has been lobbying for on your behalf. SIBA influenced the final details limiting the guest beer to those producing less than 5000 hectolitres per brand of beer. This means that the vast majority of small breweries should qualify as very few produce more than 5000 hl of one beer brand. We’ll have to wait for the rules of engagement and further details on how it will be implemented but this is good news for breweries, pub tenants and consumers as the 700 or so tied pubs in Scotland will be able to directly source a beer of their choice and change it as much as they would like.

We’d very much like to see this policy expanded to England and Wales and that is why a guest beer is at the top of SIBA’s manifesto asks for the next Parliament.

With the general election ongoing, there’s an opportunity to engage with your local candidates. Given that quite a number are standing down and there’s likely to be a large influx of new MPs, anything we can do ahead of the election helps to improve their knowledge of brewing helps us when they are making the big decisions that impact our sector.

We’ve produced a detailed guide on how to invite your local candidates to visit your brewery alongside a list of candidates which is frequently updated and a detailed document

on the policy areas. I’ve been arranging quite a number of visits and had the honour to see breweries such as Tynt Meadow, Electric Bear, Abyss and Steam Town. Let me know if you can host a candidate and I will do my best to come along and support you.

As ever, if you want to know more or have any views on any of these issues please do get in touch using the details below.

Barry Watts is Head of Public Affairs and Policy at SIBA. He covers political relations and policy for SIBA members. He can be contacted at barry.watts@ siba.co.uk or 07977837804.

Thanks to @SamuelJoynson for joining us on an excellent tour of @steamtownbrewco today

Pouring and sampling some excellent London Black with local candidate @RachelBentleyNB and Jack from @AnspachHobday

@EdwardJDavey and @mpmwilko did a good job cleaning out the mash tun @BKCheltenham today. Great to talk to them about the challenges facing beer, pubs and hospitality

Good to meet @LizJarvisUK at @steamtownbrewco today

Enjoyed meeting @JPBWFarm today for a tour of @ ElectricBearUK and to talk about the challenges facing independent brewers in Bath

Thanks @PortobelloBeer for hosting @josephpowell for a great tour yesterday

Cheers to @abyssbrewing for hosting a visit for @JamesMacCleary today to learn more about the challenges facing independent brewers

A closer look at the

SIBA re-brand

Neil Walker, SIBA’s Head of Comms & Marketing, over saw the recent re-brand that SIBA undertook which has resulted in a vibrant new look and new name. Here he offers some insight into the process and inspiration behind the project…

Those of you who came to this year’s BeerX in Liverpool may have attended the Official Opening with SIBA CEO Andy Slee and myself, at which I introduced the new SIBA rebrand and organisational name change. But for those of you not in attendance I just wanted to set out the reasoning behind the project, some of the inspirations for our new look, and why I think this puts SIBA in a much better position to represent the diverse independent brewing industry.

Founded in 1980 as the ‘Small Independent Brewers Association’, SIBA changed its name in 1995 to ‘the Society of Independent Brewers’ but kept the original acronym for which we have now become well-known in the industry. The rebrand sees the organisation move forwards as SIBA – The Society of Independent Brewers and Associates, a name which better

reflects our expanded membership and voice.

Andy Slee, SIBA’s Chief Executive, said: “Independent beer and brewers are the heart of what SIBA is about and always will be. As our organisation has grown to reflect wider parts of the industry, we’ve evolved our name to include that. We’ve taken the opportunity of a rebrand to build on the SIBA name that we’re best known by, and to clarify the wider appeal of SIBA membership and what it means to be a part of that – putting independence at the heart of who we are.”

As well as representing independent breweries SIBA also have brewing industry Supplier Associate members, including ingredients suppliers, brewery manufacturers and service companies, and more recently expanded our membership to include associate homebrewer and international brewing members – the new name makes clear the role of these Associate members to the organisation.

The ‘Big Voice’ of Independent Beer SIBA, at its heart, is here to represent the interests and businesses of our members – a diverse range of brewing businesses of all shapes and sizes, each with their own ambitions, ethos

and aesthetic. From decades old traditional ale breweries to the smallest micro-brewery producing international styles, there is no such thing as a typical SIBA brewery and our branding needed to reflect that – positioning SIBA as the amplifier of those businesses.

Working with Ape Creative we looked outside of the beer bubble and took inspiration from contemporary Art Galleries and Museums; as trusted and respected curators of brands and content, they appeal to diverse audiences with different interests, across a broad range of products and services. At their heart is a highly visual and recognisable core brand, with the flexibility to scale, adapt and grow.

The core idea is that SIBA is the Big Voice of Independent Beer, with a clear focus to serve its members, acting as a loudhailer for the vibrant and diverse independent brewing sector.

Within the brand itself the aim was to create a core logo mark that can become an icon, instantly recognisable by the industry, with a brand identity that is modular and scalable, to work effectively across multiple channels and contexts. With different colour palettes designed to work within the structure of the new SIBA brand the flexibility is built in.

In our logo, the name is contained within a graphic loudhailer, helping to announce SIBA to its different audiences. The loudhailer is filled with the logotype, to give the shape the same energy and vitality as the sector.

These elements combine to create a clear, iconic and flexible logo with the modernity to comfortably represent all parts of the independent beer sector. The central loudhailer also allows the organisation name to be ‘announced’ from it when seen in the full version below, further cementing that idea of SIBA as a voice for independent brewers.

Finally, the new brand increases the impact of ‘Independent’ within the main logo mark, putting it front and centre with a bold and vibrant colour tying it to the main SIBA acronym. In many ways the most important word in the organisation name, Independent is now very clearly at the heart of who we are.

For more information about the SIBA brand or how you can use it, contact me via email on neil.walker@siba.co.uk

SIBA is the Big Voice of Independent Beer, with a clear focus to serve its members, acting as a loudhailer for the vibrant and diverse independent brewing sector.

Member Referral Scheme

GIVE 50 GET 50

Offer new brewing members a £50 discount and you'll receive £50 for every sign up

NEW SIBA Member Referral Scheme: Give £50, Get £50

SIBA has launched a new referral scheme which offers a £50 discount to new Full Brewing Members, as well as £50 paid back to the referring member.

referring Full Brewing Member or Supplier Associate Member will receive £50 for every new member sign up.

According to the most recent SIBA Members' Survey, 93% of SIBA Members would recommend membership to an industry friend or colleague, so we thought it was about time we made it easier for you to do exactly that!

The new SIBA 'GIVE 50 GET 50' scheme aims to encourage new member sign-ups by offering a £50 discount off membership to

To be eligible for the GIVE 50 GET 50 offer, the applicant simply needs to state their company name in the relevant box within the 'SIBA Referral' section of the application form, and add the discount code GIVE50. Please note: only Supplier Associate Members or Full Brewing Members can refer new Brewing Members.

The £50 is credited to the existing SIBA Member as soon as the new member has

SIBA Re-brand Member Logos Available

Following the SIBA Re-brand, new member logos are now available. The logos can be downloaded from the ‘Artwork & Logos’ folder on the SIBA Toolbox. You can read more about the reasoning behind the project, some of the inspirations for our new look, and why we think this puts SIBA in a much better position to represent the diverse independent brewing industry on pages 24-25 in this magazine.

The SIBA team is working behind the scenes to launch some further exciting news on the logo over the next few months, so watch this space!

The credit can be paid back to you (existing member) or deducted from your Membership subscription. There is no limit to the number of referrals a SIBA Supplier Associate or Full Brewing Member can make.

The SIBA Membership application forms can be found on the SIBA website at: www.siba. co.uk/about-siba/siba-membership/

If you have any questions please email membership@siba.co.uk

Won a SIBA Award?

Gold, Silver & Bronze medals are now available to order

Whilst only overall Gold winners are given a medal to take away from Regional competitions, ALL medal winners are able to order a medal to display your brewery or taproom via the SIBA Office. You are also welcome to order multiple winners medals to display in different locations such as your pubs or bars. Gold, Silver or Bronze can be purchased via the SIBA Office at £20 per medal. Contact the office to order at office@siba.co.uk

Promotional Opportunities for Member Breweries

At SIBA, we want to amplify our member breweries and give you opportunities to promote yourselves as impactfully as possible.

With that in mind we have put significant investment into creating bigger and better promotional opportunities for SIBA Member breweries in 2024, with four key events on the horizon: Imbibe Live, London Craft Beer Festival, Great British Pub Awards, and the British Guild of Beer Writers Awards.

If you won a National Award at BeerX you are eligible to get involved in the London Craft Beer Festival, the Great British Pub Awards, and the British Guild of Beer Writers Awards. We want our National Award winners to get involved by having their beers on our bar at these events - email events@siba.co.uk if you're interested in any of these exciting opportunities.

SIBA Independent Beer Report 2024: The Highlights

Beer from independent breweries returns to pre-pandemic levels after four tough years of recovery for the sector

The latest SIBA Independent Beer Report shows average beer production volumes amongst independent breweries have risen by +14% compared to 2023, returning to pre-pandemic levels f or the first time in four years.

Cask beer has also seen a big increase, with volumes up +10% year-on-year, according to the SIBA Independent Beer Report 2024.

New survey data form hundreds of independent craft breweries forms a key part of the findings in the SIBA Independent Beer Report 2024, which also features industry analysis and commentary, as well as specially commissioned consumer research via YouGov. It was this YouGov research which showed a growing consumer pull for independent craft beer, with 55% of beer consumers saying they now drink local craft beer, up from 47% who said they drank it in 2023, placing it on level-pegging with Global lager.

“Demand for local, independently brewed beer in the UK is strong, with independent brewers reporting production volumes up by fourteen percent, meaning they have returned to 2019 volumes again. The short-term issue for small independent breweries isn‘t demand; it’s profitability, rising costs and financial pressures such as lingering Covid debt. Far too many breweries are simply trying to survive rather than thrive, so whilst there are many positives signs highlighted in the report, for now it’s cautious optimism,” said Andy Slee SIBA Chief Executive

The SIBA Independent Beer Report highlights 43% of independent brewers citing ‘survival’ as their top priority, though this is significantly down (-20%) from 2023 where a majority of 63% were just trying to survive.

Another red flag for the beer industry are the figures showing just 30% of 18-24-year-olds ever drink beer, falling behind wines and spirits, and almost a quarter of consumers (24%) say they never visit their local pub.

The report also tracks brewing trends, such as which beer styles breweries are producing - most notably lager has continued its rise up the charts to number 4 this year, with 56% of independent brewers now producing a craft lager, up +5% on the 2023 year’s survey and the biggest growth category for 2024. Also on the up is non-alcoholic beer, with a +2% growth taking the number of breweries now making an alcohol free beer to 8% .

“No and low alcohol beer is massively increasing in popularity and thanks to new technologies which make it easier to produce great -tasting low or no alcohol beer more independent breweries than ever are catering to this growing market,” Andy Slee added.

At the top of the table British classics Stout, Best Bitter, and Pale Ale hold the first three places respectively, showing the demand for traditional beer styles remains strong.

SCAN TO VIEW THE FULL DOCUMENT

5 CAUSES FOR CONCERN

SIBA members are reporting beer production volumes up +14% since our last report, overtaking pre-pandemic levels for the first time, with cask volumes up +10% year-on-year.

65% of SIBA members say they have made positive steps towards becoming more sustainable in the last 12 months.

Despite reported doom and gloom, and some high profile casualties, we have only 1% fewer brewers in the UK today than we had a year ago.

55% of beer consumers now drink local craft beer, up from 47% who said they drank it in our 2023 YouGov poll. This puts it level with the 55% who drink global lager.

Although 43% of SIBA members cite “survival” as their main priority, this is down -20% from 63% last year.

5 CAUSES FOR OPTIMISM

43% of SIBA members claiming “survival” is their main priority is still way too high.

Only 30% of 18-24-year-olds EVER drink beer, falling behind wines and spirits, and almost a quarter of consumers (24%) say they NEVER visit their local pub.

Distribution of independent British beer in tied pubs falls woefully behind the latent demand for it.

Access to finance remains a challenge and is stifling further growth.

The average selling price for keg beer in to the on-trade has risen only +6% since 2019, and some routes, such as wholesale, have actually seen prices fall.

THE SIBA INDEPENDENT BEER REPORT 2024

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE 2024 SIBA MEMBERS’ SURVEY…

+14%

INCREASE IN AVERAGE BEER PRODUCTION VOLUMES IN 2023

SIBA MEMBERS’ PRODUCTION INCREASED LAST YEAR TO FINALLY OVERTAKE 2019 LEVELS BY +1%

*Production data from SIBA’s membership returns

GROWTH IN CASK PRODUCTION

OF SIBA MEMBER BREWERIES NOW OWN THEIR OWN PUB

THIS HAS RISEN +3% FROM 24% LAST YEAR 27%

+10% -10%

FROM 53% OF SIBA MEMBERS’ PRODUCTION IN 2022 TO 63% IN 2023

SIBA BREWERIES AT THE START OF 2024

MEMBERSHIP DOWN ONLY FRACTIONALLY FROM 684 IN JANUARY 2023

FALL IN BOTTLED VOLUMES

FOR THE FIRST TIME THIS YEAR CANS (10%) NOW ACCOUNT FOR MORE OF SIBA MEMBERS’ PRODUCTION THAN BOTTLES (9%)

OF SIBA BREWERS SAY SURVIVAL IS THEIR KEY PRIORITY THIS YEAR

THIS HAS FALLEN BY -20% FROM 63% LAST YEAR

ONLY 1% OF SIBA MEMBERS’ BEER PRODUCTION WAS EXPORTED IN 2023

ONLY 17% OF BREWERIES DO ANY EXPORT

OF SIBA MEMBERS SAY THE CHANGES TO THE ALCOHOL DUTY SYSTEM HAVE HAD NO EFFECT ON THE ABV OF THEIR BEERS

46% -3%

AVERAGE ABV FOR SIBA BEERS ROSE IN 2023 TO 4.3% FROM 4% IN 2022

THE AVERAGE PRICE SIBA BREWERS ACHIEVED FOR A KEG AT WHOLESALE HAS FALLEN SINCE 2022

THE AVERAGE PRICE ACHIEVED FOR A KEG IN THE ON-TRADE HAS ONLY RISEN +6% SINCE 2019

OF SIBA MEMBERS SAY THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH THEIR COMMUNITY IS IMPORTANT

83% SAY IT IS VERY OR EXTREMELY IMPORTANT 95%

93%

OF SIBA MEMBERS WOULD RECOMMEND SIBA MEMBERSHIP TO OTHER BREWERS

90% OF SIBA MEMBERS CONSIDER SIBA MEMBERSHIP TO BE VALUABLE OR VERY VALUABLE

A RISE OF +5% ON 2022 56%

8%

79% OF SIBA BREWERS PRODUCED A LAGER IN 2023

OF SIBA MEMBERS PRODUCED NO-ALCOHOL BEERS IN 2023

A RISE OF +2% ON 2022

9% OF BREWERS ARE NOW FEMALE, UP +4% ON LAST YEAR 30%

65% OF EMPLOYEES ARE FEMALE, EXACTLY THE SAME PROPORTION AS IN OUR 2023 REPORT

768 OF SIBA BREWERIES ACTED TO CUT THEIR CARBON FOOTPRINT IN 2023

36% HAVE OR ARE IN THE PROCESS OF MEASURING THEIR CARBON EMISSIONS

OF SIBA MEMBERS PRODUCED A PORTER/STOUT IN 2023

A FALL OF -5% ON 84% IN 2022

NEW JOBS WILL BE CREATED BY SIBA MEMBER BREWERIES IN 2024*

THIS REPRESENTS A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE FROM THE 594 IN OUR 2023 REPORT

*Number estimated from SIBA survey results

TO DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE COPY OF THE FULL REPORT GO TO THE SIBA WEBSITE OR SCAN THIS QR CODE.

Double-Barrelled BreweryDing Keller Lager 4.8% ABV

Andy Parker from Elusive Brewing, a former British Guild of Beer Writers’ Brewer of the Year, caught up with Luci and Mike Clayton-Jones from Double-Barrelled Brewery to find out more about their best-seller Ding…

Started by co-founders and former home brewers, Luci and Mike ClaytonJones from their garage in Caversham, Reading’s Double-Barrelled brewery very rapidly became a key part of the town’s burgeoning beer scene. Luci and Mike have long since left behind the days of garage brewing and now brew up to 1.3m pints a year from their brewery with dedicated on-site taproom in Tilehurst, Reading, which they opened in 2018.

One of Double-Barrelled’s best selling beers is Ding, a Keller Lager which they describe as being brewed in the ‘ding, for the ‘ding. The Ding being the name locals often use affectionately (or otherwise!) to refer to their hometown. I caught up with Mike to get right down into the details of Ding’s success and how to brew your own version at home.

Homebrew in Focus columnist Andy Parker

What can you tell us about Ding’s connection to Reading in terms of the name and branding and how did it come to form a core part of your range?

“Truth be told, Luci and I have argued for years over which one of us was responsible for naming Ding, we both feel as strongly as each other that we individually came up with it, so I guess we'll never really know. What we do agree on though, is the origin of the name, with a good number of locals referring to Reading as The Ding, and with it being a simple one word name, it fits neatly. We were visiting some of Reading’s great beer pubs, and they had all these fantastic local ales, and then the big brand lagers. For many people, lager is about consistency and reliability. So, we wanted to create something that those consumers would reach out and try in the first instance, but then could also be that consistent, reliable lager in their favourite beer pub too.”

How has Reading responded to having its 'own' Lager? Do people feel an affinity with it because of the name and branding?

“Both across the taproom and our local accounts that serve it, it has definitely formed a solid part of the beer landscape in Reading and Berkshire. We’ve had some great support from some of the local pubs and football club supporters groups as well. A lot of people are really quick to slate living in Reading, so it’s nice to have something positive and to be proud of as in yeah this is our local lager, it’s brewed down the road and it's named after our hometown, and that’s kind of cool.”

“We work with a local street food and events operator, Blue Collar, who hold an awesome annual Cheese Festival in Reading. We went down to that in the blazing hot sunshine with some friends, eating some amazing cheesy creations and watching people enjoy drinking Ding in the sunshine. There was such a great atmosphere and it was great to see Ding in the hands of so many people at that event.”

Ding is described as a Keller Lager. How much does the recipe take inspiration from the unfiltered and naturally hazy Kellerbiers from Franconia and why did you select this over more well known lager styles? What did you see as the key challenges and considerations when developing the recipe? What was the intended outcome?

“When we initially discussed lager brewing, in a production environment like ours; we have a single step infusion mash tun, no lauter tun, whirlpool kettle with external wort boiler, our fermentation set up consists of temperature controlled unitanks and we do not use a centrifuge or any filtering methods post fermentation. Exploring our options made us realise very quickly that if we were going to do this, we would need to target a beer style that gave us more range to work in than something like a Helles or a Pilsner. When setting out to make beer, it is always with the highest quality achievable in mind so our approach was to go down a more traditional, time, temperature and pressure method to lagering, maturation and conditioning when we brew Ding. We rely on this process to produce a lager that at times would be naturally hazy, unfiltered and unpasteurised which very much falls in line with a Keller Lager, over Helles or Pilsner styles.”

What can you tell us about the recipe and how you brew Ding?

We have very hard water here in Reading so inevitably struggle to get the calcium ions as low as would be true to style. Our water treatment for Ding therefore uses non calcium based salts to try and keep it as low as possible, and lactic acid to reduce hardness and get the pH in check. The target water profile for Ding brews is Calcium at 125ppm, Magnesium at 12ppm, Sodium at 33ppm, Sulphate at 56ppm and Chloride at 57ppm.

We have tweaked the malt bill a lot for Ding over the years, looking for a nicely complex malt character without contributing much colour, and head retention has been the main challenge!

Double Barrelled BreweryDing 20L @ 75% Mash Efficiency

OG 1.046

FG 1.009

ABV 4.8%

IBU 17

EBC 4

Mash at 66C for 60 minutes, with a water:grain ratio of 2.8:1

2.8Kg Bairds Lager Malt

600g Bestmalz Carapils

200g Bestmalz Munich

200g Crisp Chit

200g Bestmalz Vienna

Boil for 60 minutes

10g Perle @ 60m

10g Hallertau Mittelfruh @ 15m

15g Perle @ 0m

15g Mittelfruh @ 0m

Fermentation

Pitch 1 pack of SafLager™ W-34/70 at 12C and ferment to terminal gravity at 1.009

Chill to 10C for 48 hours, then down to 0C or as cold as possible

Lager at 0C for a minimum of 28 days

Transfer to keg and carbonate to 2.6 volumes of CO2

1 Farmers

2 Seed Merchants

3 Maltsters

6 Beer Lovers

5 Pubs & Supermarkets

4 Brewers & Distillers

Taproom Focus: Track Brewery

Taproom focus with Neil Walker

SIBA’s Head of Comms & Marketing Neil Walker highlights one of his favourite taprooms to visit in the UK…

Name: Track Brewery

What’s on offer: 20 keg lines, 3 cask lines

Location: Piccadilly Trading Estate, Manchester

Taproom Hours:

Monday Closed

Tuesday 2–10 pm

Wednesday 2–10 pm

Thursday 2–10 pm

Friday 12–10 pm

Saturday 12–10 pm

Sunday 12–8 pm

On a recent visit to the superbly bright and modern Track taproom in Manchester there was a local running club hosting an event, multiple groups of all different ages dotted around the space and a really welcoming atmosphere. Clearly a great community space it was absolutely packed full of people enjoying the excellent beers and freshly made pizzas.

Track exemplifies what’s great about brewery taprooms when they’re done right, with a relaxed atmosphere and unpretentiousness that appeals to everyone. I thought a really nice touch was the free carbonated hop water offered, so those who weren’t drinking beer could also get a flavour of the brewery.

Their flagship Sonoma was tasting superb on cask, sparklingly fresh and bursting with mandarin and grapefruit aromas. At a sessionable 3.8% ABV it’s a perfect cask beer that works great on keg too, the extra chill and boost of carbonation adding to the refreshment factor. But for me the cask just edges it, with a subtlety of flavour and freshness of hop character that’s really something special.

Beer Choice:

“Sonoma” 3.8% hazy session pale ale (Cask)

Peaky blinders

The concept of serendipity, or being in the right place at the right time, is a theme that comes up time and time again when looking back on Thornbridge Brewery’s 20-year journey in brewing. After being named SIBA Brewery Business of the Year for 2024 at BeerX in March, Thornbridge has more than proved that an independent brewer can not only push the boundaries at the start of the UK craft beer wave, but continue on that crest for two decades, with ground-breaking innovation now a part of its DNA, while maintaining a fervent dedication to cask beer. Independent Brewer’s Editor Caroline Nodder last

caught up with Thornbridge’s Co-Founder Simon Webster eight years ago, in 2016, and jumped at the chance to speak to him again in May to find out how his business has evolved in the intervening years –arguably one of the most turbulent periods in brewing history. Needless to say, serendipity played no small part in Thornbridge’s path through to the other side, but so did the undiminished passion for the sector shown by Webster and his business partner Jim Harrison, which drives them to invest for the long term in a business which continues to inspire its peers.

Business Basics

Name: Thornbridge Brewery

Founded: 2005

Location: Bakewell, The Peak District

Owners: Jim Harrison & Simon Webster

Annual production (hl): 50,000

Production split (cask/keg/small pack): 35/30/35

Head brewer: Rob Lovatt

Total Staff (not including retail): 60

Core beers: 10

Number of pub sites: 9

Business Profile: Thornbridge Brewery

We last caught up with you in 2016, for anyone who missed our feature back then, could you give us a potted history of how you came to found Thornbridge?

“We always talk about 2005 as being when we started the brewery. But in 2004, Jim [Harrison, Co-Founder] and I were already looking at the possibilities. Jim had bought the Hall [Thornbridge Hall, the brewery’s original site] and we had a little sales and marketing company doing some food and drink stuff so we wanted to have a beer brewed under the Thornbridge name. We spoke to Dave Wickett at Kelham Island Brewery with the idea of him actually brewing a beer for us, and calling it a Thornbridge beer. And when he came up to visit us, he said we could easily fit a little brewery in here. So in the back end of 2004, he helped us set up a small brewery in the Hall and we started brewing beers for Kelham Island, because in 2004 in August, 20 years ago now, Pale Rider won Champion Beer of Britain. You couldn’t have that beer being brewed anywhere else, so we started out brewing Kelham’s other beers. We didn't really have any brewers at that stage either, so the Kelham guys were very influential in the startup of Thornbridge. Then at the start of 2005, we brought in our own brewers, two young lads, and one of them was Martin Dickie [Co-Founder of BrewDog]. He was straight out of Heriot Watt, into his first ever job. And the other chap was Stefano Cossi, who was an Italian and had never been to England before but was fascinated by the science part of brewing and yeast. Those two started us off at the beginning of 2005, still brewing Kelham Island beers. And by March 2005 we were brewing Lord Marples, our first beer. The reason I went back to the start with Kelham is that obviously Kelham Island went bust in 2022 and we were part of the group who bought them out of liquidation. So in a real closing of the circle, we now brew Pale

Rider and Easy Rider here and Kelham Island is one of our brands. Pete Brown actually wrote at the time, ‘If it wasn't for Kelham Island there wouldn’t be Thornbridge. And if it wasn't for Thornbridge there wouldn’t be Kelham Island.’ It completed the circle. But 20 years ago the world was a very, very different place in brewing. We had no heritage, so we didn't have to do just a best bitter, or a stout, or a pale, we could do whatever we wanted to do. Instead of always using four or five different malts, four or five different hops, we were using 50 different hops and a dozen different malts. Everyone does it now, but back then we were out there. And then on the seventh of June 2005, we brewed Jaipur. It won its first award a month later and has carried on from there, but if Jaipur as a beer was being designed now, it probably wouldn’t have been a cask beer. A 5.9% American style IPA would be a keg beer. And there aren't many, if any, cask beers of that strength that have stuck around.”

You were named Brewery Business of the Year at this year’s SIBA Business Awards, which is a great achievement for a 20-year veteran of the industry. What is the secret to ensuring Thornbridge remains relevant?

With craft beer I always say that we either started the wave or we caught it, because we were there right at the start.

“The secret is that it's been a focus of ours to remain relevant. The challenge for any brewery is to remain relevant. The whole idea of fashion is that one day it becomes unfashionable. So to be relevant in an ever-changing market is tough. With craft beer I always say that we either started the wave or we caught it, because we were there right at the start. And we were brewing beers then which were extreme beers. We brewed Jaipur at 5.9% and people said, ‘it’s really nice. You need to do one about 4%’. And then we brewed Halcyon at 7.7%. And they were cask beers. BrewDog came along two years later when Martin left us and started brewing and they were all keg beers. We know we've been quite inspirational for a lot of brewers, so people have always been very kind to us, but we often led the consumer. I think in the early days, nobody was asking for a 5.9% IPA on cask. But as the consumer got more and more educated and interested and engaged, they've almost helped push us as well. We've not just been proactive, we've been reactive to certain things as well. And we're still excited by the industry. I think that's a big part of staying relevant. You've got to keep on the front foot.”

How has your business changed since we last spoke?

“If you go back to 2016, there has been a huge change. Up until probably 2015 or 2016, we were predominantly an on-trade business. We supplied Waitrose for about five or six years. And we pretended to everyone else that we were exclusive to Waitrose and couldn't supply them with beer. And that suited us fine, to be honest. And then we invested a million pounds in a new bottling line, and we thought to ourselves, we might need to up our game a little bit here. So we moved into the off-trade a lot more, working with everyone. We carried on expanding, and then just before Covid - it must have been maybe at the start 2019 - we went down the investment route again for another packing line, but this time in cans. So heavy investment again, but then obviously by March 2020, because we'd got the two good packaging lines, we pivoted very quickly. We thought we were really good at online sales at this stage. And then after the first month we thought, wow, I'd say we're not. So we invested in online, we recruited an online manager who brought in a team. And during Covid, we actually expanded twice as a business which was bizarre. I think we actually increased sales by 2000% during Covid, but I am more impressed now that we're still 1000% above where we were before Covid, because of how we invested in it and got good people in. But we were almost at capacity, so when pubs were allowed to open again, we had to plan for how we could drip some volume out of the off-trade back in to the on-trade but that’s what we managed to do. There were some challenges along the way, but as we stand now, we're probably around about 65% on-trade 35% off-trade, which probably feels about right to us because we’re very much an on-trade brand.”

What do you see as the main challenge you are currently facing as an independent brewer?

“It is the financial side. It has been for the last two years. We came out of Covid thinking our main challenge was how we were going to supply the pubs, but it wasn’t of course, it

was Ukraine. That was something we couldn't throw any skill, expertise, knowledge at that could change it because everything was out of our control at that stage, and that was spiralling costs. We had a glass increase of 87%. We had four cardboard increases in one year. We were at the end of the line, we couldn't just pass that on. And supplying the supermarkets that were seeing butter go up in price, beans go up in price. We know full well what happens at these times when the big boys come in and dominate the market. We had been seeing the slabs of lager going away, but after Covid, with the financial crisis, you were seeing the big brewers dominate. Which just drove the smaller brewers out. So that was a real challenge for us for 18 months, or a couple of years. But we are seeing green shoots now. We are seeing prices coming down. We are seeing competition back in the market. We're not heading back to the same sort of levels as before, but we are definitely seeing it's much better at the moment.”

How has your pub estate evolved since we last spoke, and what are your plans for it in the future?

“It's been a big change, actually. So some of those sites have actually gone now because they came to the end of the lease and we chose not to renew them, but then in 2018 we started a joint venture with a business called Pivovar, who have the Sheffield Tap. So what we decided to do then was look for city centre sites, and they would be a joint venture, but from the outside it is all Thornbridge, with Thornbridge and other beers on the bar. So we opened the first one in December 2018 in the centre of York, just on The Shambles. And then the following year 2019, in December, we opened a city centre pub in Leeds and a city centre pub in Birmingham, which were big investments, £1.2 million pounds on two pubs. So they opened in December, and closed in the March unfortunately because of Covid. But they've been fantastic. They've been wonderful sites, and it looks like we probably have two new sites coming on this year.”

How do you ensure you are as sustainable as possible?

Simon Webster passed this question over to Jim Harrison, Co-Founder & Chairman at Thornbridge, who heads up the brewery’s sustainability strategy. He had this to say:

“We have an Environmental, Social & Governance Meeting every month with all the Directors that is Chaired by myself [Jim Harrison] to see what actions and progress there has been. Day-to-day activities are controlled by Policy Statements and our Environmental Management System, which is made up of champions from seven areas of the business. We started measuring our impact on the environment a few years ago and have slowly developed a range of measures – KPI’s – that help to guide positive change across all aspects of the business and our supply chain. Each process is analysed using an Environmental Impact Assessment Matrix to help us target the ‘worst’ part of any operation. We even get to measure the kWh consumption of various pieces of equipment and processes to ensure process change or capital investment is targeting the right areas. Obviously, it is about business best practice and driving down cost, but doing things that benefit the environment are exactly the same. One example is our use of solar - in 2022 around 12% of the electricity we consumed came from solar, 2023 was 21% and we expect this year to be around 30%. Another would be the use of our waste in the food chain – we are lucky to have farmers all around us and their cows, sheep and pigs love a bit of warm spent malt. We target everything from what and how we buy raw materials to the use of paper towels in the loo, brewery vapour condensers, CO2 capture, nitro generation, delivery vehicle optimisation – and the rest. We know brewing is an energy intensive business, but we are working hard to minimise our impact with net zero in mind.”

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Business Profile: Thornbridge Brewery

You also won the ‘Best Collaboration’ category at the SIBA Business Awards, tell us a bit more about your work with Budvar on that?

“It started quite a few years ago, when we were talking to the people at Budvar through an intermediary source, and it went away, but then we were approached again. And they asked to come over and see us. It was an incredible thing to work with them and there are some absolutely fantastic people there. And it was an incredible honour that we were the first ever collaboration. Behind it all was the idea that the Czechs wanted to show that Czech lager is different to any other lager in the world. They spent a lot of time with us, backwards and forwards. It was brewed with Czech yeast, to give it that character, and then English ingredients as well. It was good to see how a bigger business operates on this sort of stuff. And it's carried on as well. We've been back over there. And there were two other breweries involved too - Mikella, and then a smaller brewery in Germany. So there were the three of us who were highlighting Czech lager. And we've actually just started on another massive collaboration this month, which is with Brooklyn Brewery, celebrating 30 years of Garrett Oliver [Brooklyn’s Brewmaster]. We're lucky to count him as a friend and we've known him for 20 years. There’s a grain called fonio that is grown in Africa and doesn't need any pesticides, or water or anything, but it can be used in beer. So there's a big sustainability part to it all. Garrett has chosen some breweries around the world to work with this year. So the first brewery they're working with is a

What we've been able to do is bring everything all together now. So the brewery, the warehouse, the offices, the taproom, are all within one area.

Senegalese brewery, and then at the end of this month [May] we launch the first ever cask beer made with fonio. It’s a Thornbridge, Brooklyn collaboration, and it’s Brooklyn's first cask beer as well. The whole thing's called Brewing for Impact. There are others also involved - Russian River, Carlsberg head office, the experimental part of Carlsberg, Guinness, so they'll be brewing a Guinness with fonio – it’s going to run all year.”

What investments are you making in the business this year?

“We've just actually, for the first time in our history, moved into purpose-built office space, with warehousing as well. So on this site here, because we've grown so much, the site’s quite big, but we've been quite a fractured business. The brewery has been in one area, and then logistics were further over. And then the offices were in another part. But what we've been able to do is bring everything all together now. So the brewery, the warehouse, the offices, the taproom, are all within one area. We just moved in last month, with a state of the art warehouse management system in there. So it's not a very

exciting investment. But it's been a huge thing for us to bring everyone together. And then the other thing, which has not been a massive investment, but it's still a decent investment, is that we are the custodians now of a set of Burton Unions, which have been gifted to us by Carlsberg Marston's. So we've been working with them for the last few months, since they announced that they were closing down the system. We will take on just a small part of the set, which we're now calling the Thornbridge Union, and it's being installed at the moment. So we're very excited about it. We've been working it through for the last three or four months. We've situated it in the back of the taproom with the old kit from the Hall. It gives us a great opportunity to brew some interesting beers but also I'm quite passionate about the premiumisation of cask beer. So the first beer to go into there will be a Jaipur Union brew, we will release that in small batches. And that will be priced accordingly. This is going to be a real showcase and highlight of British cask beer. And going back to Garrett Oliver, he actually made the introductions with Carlsberg, so we have him to thank for all that. Serendipity really is the buzz word for all this, I would suggest we've been in the right place at the right time.”

I think cask can be equally exciting, but it does have to have a touch of modernity about it as well.

Cask is continuing to decline, despite a significant increase in production by independent brewers in 2023. What is your view on the future for cask?

“During BeerX I was actually part of a discussion group, with a number of brewers, mainly southern based, who were talking about the decline in cask. And fortunately, my experience with Thornbridge is that that is alien to me. We're brewing more cask now than we've ever brewed. We brew more cask than anything else. So even though we do every style, and every packaging under the sun, cask is the biggest selling beer we do, because we've always had a real focus of it. I don't know if it's because we're in the north of the country, and it’s maybe different to the south, but my view is there is a global narrative from the global brewers. The idea that cask is in decline, and is constantly spoken about, drives their narrative. The condition of cask is key to us and we are in a particular area of the country - the Midlands, up to the north - where there's a lot of care and attention given to cask beers. There's a lot of independent pubs with cask champions within those pubs. And I'm not sure that happens as much, certainly in London, where a lot more are group-owned. So it's a very different market we operate in. And all of our pubs, even though they're all quite different, are all cask focussed pubs. I think poor cask is in decline, undoubtedly. And when you look at some of the top selling cask beers, they're not the greatest. So of course they are in decline. And because

Business Profile: Thornbridge Brewery

they have such a market share. If they lose 10%, it's probably [the equivalent of] 25% to everybody else.”

We're brewing more cask now than we've ever brewed. We brew more cask than anything else. So even though we do every style, and every packaging under the sun, cask is the biggest selling beer we do, because we've always had a real focus of it.

How can independent brewers best approach the issue of premiumisation?

“So what we've done over the last few years is always try to make the cask ale part of our range as exciting as the keg beers. We're trying to create exciting brews that just happened to be cask, whereas for the last 10 years, the keg walls have been the exciting things. I think cask can be equally exciting, but it does have to have a touch of modernity about it as well. We're seeing younger people drinking cask because the other thing that cask offers is a price point on the bar which is more accessible for people. It doesn't have to be cheap, but it's more accessible. It's an everyman drink. So there has to be some accessibility to that. But it can be premiumised alongside that. So for

instance, this year, we have a beer called Green Mountain, which is a hazy, pale ale that we've been doing for six years or so. It's a keg beer, a 4.5% Vermont style beer. We launched it for the first time ever in January on cask and we retail that beer at exactly the same price on cask as it is on keg. So it's quite an expensive 4.3% session beer. And it became our best-selling beer in the pubs immediately. And nobody batted an eyelid. So the premiumisation of cask comes I think from the styles, it comes very often from an exciting collaboration - we're hoping it'll come from our small batch Union brews - but generally, talking about it, showcasing it and then presenting it well.”

What are you most excited about at Thornbridge at the moment?

“I think the never-ending opportunities we find ourselves with. We had a fantastic year last year doing the Budvar stuff and doing everything else. And then this year to walk straight into the fonio collaboration with Brooklyn, which is going to be a game-changer within the industry. And then also being part of taking British brewing history forward with the new Union system. I think those things are just incredible. I think we work hard at the opportunities but it's not an industry that stands still. And I think if you're enthusiastic, and you're willing to work and engage with people, then the opportunities really are fantastic. "

The Big Interview: Bob Pease, CEO/President, Brewers Association

The keynote speaker at this year’s BeerX UK in Liverpool in March was Bob Pease, the CEO and President of the American Brewers Association. In his presentation he explored not only the work him and his team have been doing on behalf of his members across the pond, but also some of the similarities, and indeed differences, between his market and our own in the UK. Independent Brewer’s Editor Caroline Nodder caught up with Bob after the event to find out a bit more about some of the initiatives that the Brewers Association has used to successfully break big beer’s hold over US beer, and some of the challenges he sees coming down the line for independent beer globally…

Who does the BA represent and how many members do you currently have?

“The Brewers Association represents small and independent American craft breweries, their beers and the community of brewing enthusiasts. It is a membership organisation based in Boulder, Colorado and currently has approximately 5,300 brewery members, 1,200 brewing supplier members and 31,000 American Homebrewers Association members.”

How do you define ‘small’ and ‘independent’ in your market?

“An American craft brewer is a small and independent brewer:

• Small - Annual production of 6 million barrels of beer or less (approximately 3 percent of U.S. annual sales). Beer production is attributed to a brewer according to rules of alternating proprietorships.

• Independent - Less than 25 percent of the craft brewery is owned or controlled (or equivalent economic interest) by a beverage alcohol industry member that is not itself a craft brewer.”

What percentage of the US beer market is now accounted for by independent brewers and how have you seen that change over the years?

“US craft beer is now a $29 billion industry employing 190,000 people. Collectively, small and independent brewers produced 23.4 million barrels of beer in 2023, a decline of 1.0% from 2022 although small and independent brewers’ overall beer market share is 13.3% by volume (up from 13.1% in 2022) and 24.5% by dollar (value) share. The overall US beer market shrank 5.1% by volume in 2023. The number of operating craft breweries continued to climb in 2023 reaching an all-time high of 9,761. Throughout the year there were 495 new brewery openings and 418 closings reflecting a more mature market. The closing rate increased in 2023 but continued to remain relatively low at approximately 4%.

Forty years ago, there were fewer than 50 breweries in the USA. The craft beer market as we know it was non-existent and not tied to any one tradition or brewing history allowing American craft brewers to pioneer the market from scratch. While American craft beer was very much inspired by the great brewing nations overseas, these American craft beer pioneers weren’t seeking to replicate that of other brewing cultures, but rather to create their own styles that would redefine American beer beyond the traditional mass-produced lager. From there the American craft beer revolution was born, and the variety of high-quality full-flavoured beers being produced by the more than 9,000 small & independent American craft brewers today is unparalleled anywhere else in the world.”

You spoke at BeerX about beer volumes still being down post-pandemic for your members, what are the key reasons for that and do you think it is a long term issue?

“Following years of double-digit growth rates in production volumes, and rapid growth in the number of breweries in the United States, craft breweries now face a more competitive and mature marketplace. Competition is coming not just from within craft, but from the increasingly wide range of beverage alcohol products that compete on flavour and variety. If that weren’t enough, business challenges are rising. Many brewers are seeing leases come up. Costs have risen in the supply chain, and while those increases have slowed, prices have generally remained well above pre-Covid levels. With rising interest rates, borrowing costs have increased, lowering the ability of brewers to invest in new solutions. And to add to it all, the consumer is changing as demographics trend older and younger generations are drinking less.

As to whether this is a “long term issue” … everything in business and life is cyclical. Beer has been around for 9,000 years and isn’t going anywhere. This isn’t the first time the US craft marketplace has changed, and this won’t be the last. But in this more mature and competitive marketplace, small & independent brewers are going to have to change with it. You’re running a brewery, yes, but you’re also running a business. And those breweries that find ways to introduce new ideas, new occasions, and new channels, while investing in their ability to make strategic and sound business decisions, are going to be better positioned for success when growth returns.”

Craft breweries in the United States have redefined and revolutionised beer from being a consolidated and homogenized product to one that delivers something to consumers they truly desire: innovation, flavour, quality, and choice.

What do you see as the key factors that make consumers choose independent beer?

“Independent craft brewers are a success story for the American beer industry, and increasingly so in beer markets around the world. The now 9,700+ small and independent craft breweries in the United States have redefined and revolutionised beer from being a consolidated and homogenized product to one that delivers something to consumers they truly desire: innovation, flavour, quality, and choice. Independence and what it has enabled brewers to accomplish, and consumers to experience, is something to celebrate, support, and protect.

As to why consumers choose independent beer, this largely depends on education and awareness of ownership. For some, they know the largest brewers can use their distribution muscle and economies of scale to buy shelf space or tap handles and squeeze out beers made by small and independent breweries. For others, it can be as simple as enjoying the idea of supporting small and independent businesses. Those consumers are willing to pay a premium for a product that is higher quality, supporting a business that aligns with their values, and the experiences and occasions that full-flavoured craft beer complements.

Of course, some beer drinkers do not care, and that’s okay. Consumers choice is important, and now is the time for craft brewers to help beer lovers looking to make this distinction do so easily. Which is why the Brewers Association created the Independent Craft Brewer Seal, a simple and effective tool for differentiating a brewery that is small and independent from those that are not.”

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BrewExpo alone is one of, if not, the most important event for beer industry professionals in the world.

You launched your BA seal in 2017, how have you promoted that and what impact has it had?

“The independent craft brewer seal was launched in June 2017, as a tool to identify the breweries who fit the craft brewer definition. Today, more than 5,000 craft brewers are using the seal. Early adopters see it as a mark of distinction, differentiation, and certification.

The Brewers Association launched “That’s Independence You’re Tasting” in August 2018. The campaign centred around two commercial spots, “Independence” and “Choice,” to put small brewers on the big stage across multiple channels, including linear TV, digital TV, social media, and Pandora Radio. Historic in scope, the national advertising campaign increased awareness of the independent craft brewer seal across major channels, including the CBS Sports Network, Comedy Central, Travel Channel, and a variety of other CBS shows. In 2019 the campaign effort and success continued.

The seal captures the spirit of what small and independent craft brewers have achieved. Brewers have been adding the seal to everything tied to their brands, especially packaged beer—bottles, cans, six-pack carriers, case boxes, keg collars, and more. For many people, beer is more than just what’s in the glass - it is also about the people who brew it and who owns the brewery behind the brands.”

I hear from our members every year how attending the Craft Brewers Conference provides inspiration, and that immersing oneself in an environment of like-minded individuals helps spark creativity and motivation.

You held your annual Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo in Las Vegas earlier this year, how important is that for members and what was your experience attending SIBA’s BeerX in the UK this year?

“With more than 60+ seminars across 8 educational tracks, and 742 exhibitors at BrewExpo America tradeshow, there is no shortage of opportunities for brewers go gain insights into the latest trends, technologies, and best practices for the industry. BrewExpo alone is one of, if not, the most important event for beer industry professionals in the world. Whether you’re looking to increase your financial literacy of running a brewery, improve hiring and staff retention practices, learn from experienced colleagues on branding and design transitions, better understand how to grow your business in the on-trade, or join efforts to address legislative and regulatory issues in your home market, there is something for everyone. But above all of that, I hear from our members every year how attending the Craft Brewers Conference provides inspiration, and that immersing oneself in an environment of like-minded individuals helps spark creativity and motivation.

BeerX was excellent and very much resembles the core pillars of CBC that I just mentioned. It was my first trip back to the UK post-pandemic and I was struck by the positive atmosphere, depth of educational content and range of talks. I was honoured to deliver the keynote speech on ‘Brewing Resilience’ on the first day and a second speech the next day on ‘Emerging Trends from the US Beer Market’. I love Liverpool and enjoy making new friends and meeting old, sampling quality beers and enjoying SIBA’s warm hospitality. The UK and US craft beer market have much in common, and the Brewers Association looks forward to engaging with UK brewers and their trade association for years to come.” The

Communicating the value, quality, occasions for consumption, and craftmanship relative to price point is going to be more important than ever.

The big interview: Bob Pease

The financial crisis has led to consumers seeking out ‘affordable luxuries’. How can craft beer capitalise on this and do you think that drinking less but drinking better is a trend that’s here to stay?

“During the 2008 financial crisis we expected craft beer to experience a decline, but ultimately saw continued growth at a time when discretionary spending was low. For decades, the premiumisation of beer has aligned with consumers interest in ‘quality over quantity’ and craft beer’s authenticity and full flavour is something the consumer is willing to spend up on, even during economic uncertainty. Fast forward to today, and craft beer has taken on significant price increases due to increased costs in making beer. Communicating the value, quality, occasions for consumption, and craftmanship relative to price point is going to be more important than ever. Especially in a more competitive drinks marketplace.”

You have done a lot of work to improve diversity in the US craft beer sector, what have you found to be most effective?

“Our Mentorship Program launched in 2021 and since then has served nearly 200 participants. This programme seeks to increase the diversity of the workforce, leadership and ownership of craft breweries by providing structured mentoring and advocacy to those experiencing barriers to access of advancement in the industry.

Mentorship provides opportunities to forge the kinds of personally and professionally meaningful relationships that create opportunities.

Serving as a mentor provides our volunteers with the opportunity to build cultural competency by interacting with mentees from all walks of life.”

You produce a lot of reports and data-led studies, how is this important for your members?

“Data and statistics play a crucial role for any trade association to be effective. In addition to gaining insights on the state of the industry we represent data-driven insights support policy and advocacy initiatives at the state and federal level, serve as the basis for an effective public relations and media effort to promote the industry, and are integral in empowering our members to stay competitive and adapt to changing market conditions.”

More recently, the Brewers Association has launched an online training centre that offers online courses to members.

The BA runs a variety of training programmes for members, what are the most popular areas you cover?

“Presentation recordings of webinars and Craft Brewers Conference seminars have long been a valuable member benefit covering a range of topics. More recently, the Brewers Association has launched an online training centre that offers online courses to members. Online currently available include Brewery Safety Training, Draft Beer Line Cleaning, Beer Quality Management, and Human Resources Management Crash Course. We’re looking forward to releasing more online coursework for brewers later this year.”

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For all samples, from beer wort to packaged product

Quick results without separate calculations or distillation

Calibration and adjustment with deionized water only

At a time with so much divisiveness in the world, I love seeing how craft beer brings people together.

What other drinks categories are competing with craft beer in the US market right now?

“The number one reason consumers say they are drinking less craft beer in 2023 than in 2022 is because they are drinking other forms of beverage alcohol. The consumer rarely chooses one beverage entirely. American craft beer remains to be a $29 billion industry, and isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, but brewers should consider this in terms of their overall competitiveness within beverage alcohol (and non-alcohol). Cider, hard tea, canned cocktails, kombucha, flavoured malt beverages, hard seltzer, distilled spirits, liquors and many more are all in competition. Truly understanding your consumers, creating products that resonate with them and your brand, while educating them about the occasions where your products fit will be key to preserving craft beers competitiveness.”

What have been your big wins when it comes to lobbying government in the US on behalf of your members, and what methods have you found to be most effective at getting your message across?

“The passage of the Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act was a near twelve-year effort by the Brewers Association and remains a highlight of my career. Ninety nine per cent of small brewers realized a 50 percent reduction in their federal excise tax, saving our members nearly $80 million each year, and providing them with capital to further invest in their businesses.

At both the federal and state level, one of the most effective tactics have been getting small brewers to engage directly with their representatives, inviting them to visit the brewery, and pivoting the message from just being about beer to one of small business. Data and relationships are your superpower and make grassroot efforts toward legislative change possible. By communicating the economic impact, job creation, and communal importance of small brewers, you’re much more likely to capture the ears of government officials capable of helping small brewers.”

What are you focussed on this year for your members?

“The Brewers Association exists to promote and protect American craft brewers, their beers, and the community of brewing enthusiasts, and across our various divisions we are prioritizing a host of issues that seek to address government affairs advocacy; best practices in safety, technical brewing, sustainability, and diversity; nurturing the craft beer community through our events and publications, and investment in scientific research and relationships to ensure a healthy supply chain. Our annual report highlights many of those priorities from 2023 that have carried into this year.

On the regulatory front, our upcoming hill climb will seek to address issues like shipping of beer, US dietary guidelines, tax savings for retailers that invest in energy efficient draft systems, and ongoing challenges with access to CO2. At the state level, we’re engaging with local representatives to address taxation, franchise reform and self-distribution.

I’d also like to highlight some of our newer resources focused on helping small brewers reinvest in the critical area of financial management. Brewing great beer is important, but as a business owner, so is investing in financial literacy. Our full day financial planning leadership bootcamp during CBC is taught by brewing industry accounting professionals and has been a hit the last two years. Additionally, we’ve published a book called Small Brewery Finance that addresses how to run a brewery from a financial perspective. Things like inventory management, cost control measures, budgeting, financial performance monitoring, and accounting.”

What is the best thing about the craft beer sector in the US and what inspires you most?

“Independent craft brewers have had a meteoric impact on beer culture. Neighbourhood breweries are expanding flavour profiles, unearthing novel ingredients, pushing production methods, reimagining physical spaces and experiences, and deepening community connections. Because of independent brewers, beer is not what it used to be - it’s more. And at a time with so much divisiveness in the world, I love seeing how craft beer brings people together.”

SIBA Independent Brewer x Pellicle Collab

The spirit of collaboration is a hugely positive part of the independent brewing sector, with brewers regularly collaborating with their peers on new beers, and indeed ideas. Collaboration makes both parties stronger, through the exchange of knowledge and ideas, or by opening up new routes to market. It’s in this spirit, that SIBA Independent Brewer is running this regular feature series in collaboration with the team at Pellicle, a title we have huge admiration for. Each issue of Independent Brewer will feature a brand-new piece written by one of the regular Pellicle contributors on a brewery that is doing great things, but maybe hasn’t had the coverage that some of its peers are getting. A hidden gem waiting to be discovered by a wider audience. As ever, the Pellicle team will be writing in their own very personal and informed style and we are excited to welcome these new voices to the SIBA magazine.

London Brewing Company - Living For The City

In the fourth in our collab series, Pellicle contributor David Jesudason waxes lyrical about one of his favourite beers, London Lush, and explores not only how it manages to stand out as a cask beer among a forest of keg, but how The London Brewing Company has perfected a balance of ingredients that make it so…well…lush…

This is a love letter to London Lush. I first came across the London Brewing Company beer in a pub not renowned for cask near me - my corner of South-East London favours gastro pubs serving keg - and viewed the pump clip with a mixture of curiosity and scepticism.

But one taste of this sessionable pale ale (3.8%) made me forget any irrational prejudices against anything marketed with my home city’s name in the title and focussed my mind on the second word: ‘Lush’ because this pint was a luxurious, multi-sensory experience. It was so sumptuous that it made me glad I naturally favour trad over more expensively priced keg. It also made me realise that you don’t have to have an extensive lineup of cask beer - two pumps were on offer at the time - for it to be front row and centre in a pub. And, above all, it reminded me that despite Northern regions of the UK putting real ale first to a discerning crowd, London can still be the place to be when it comes to traditional beer.

Journalist David Jesudason is the current British Guild of Beer Writers Beer Writer of the Year, and also helped the Guild set up a diversity grant in collaboration with Good Beer Hunting. His award-winning book, Desi Pubs, is available on Kindle, and has been called "one of the most exciting books about beer and pubs in recent years".

The

Keg at the London Brewing Company, like most craft-focused brewers in the capital, is king, with Upright, a session IPA, accounting for 50% of LBC’s overall production - the brewery produces 180,000 litres a year and distributes nationally through Euroboozer (which is how my pint ended up being served across town in South London).

But Lush is popular too (a total of 75% of the cask produced) and other cask choices include best bitter Beer Street (brewed with Goldings and Fuggles hops), and their 100 Oysters stout, which was CAMRA’s Champion beer of London in 2023. There’s also a cask version of Upright when I visit.

So what made Lush so memorable? Maybe it was the hops: Cascade - added on the hot side - and Citra and Comet on the dry. They give Lush fruity notes from Citra (passionfruit) and Comet (grapefruit), while Cascade provides the subtle bitterness.

But the key to all the flavours - and the secret to Lush’s slow-burn success (it was one of the first beers brewed when the LBC was set up in 2011) - is how well every component is balanced.

“I’ve tinkered with a lot of the recipes here,” says Alex Woods, who has been head brewer for two years after gaining experience at Beavertown and Kernel. “But I haven’t touched Lush apart from slightly increasing the bitterness. It’s still completely intact.

The Bohemia is a huge space and the locals tell me that it was once a cinema, then a Bingo hall. It’s a world away from the Bermondsey Beer Mile.

“Nothing is overpowering everything else, there’s malt sweetness, there’s the bitterness and then there’s the nice aroma on your palate and none of it is speaking above the other.”

I’m speaking to Alex at the brew pub in the Bohemia in North Finchley, and the welcome I am afforded goes beyond the normal brewery visit. Alex may be very jolly but he’s also open and honest as to what makes the business special and a pleasure to brew for.

“I was at Beavertown about a year before the takeover,” he tells me, “The first black IPA I ever brewed was Black Betty - which still has a very special place in my heart. But I’ve been very fortunate [at the London Brewing Company] that there've been some good brewers before me and you inherit their recipes.”

Lush may be a surprising beer, especially because London is more historically renowned

for darker ales, but the biggest reveal is this brew pub isn’t an industrial-style taproom but a comfortable high-street community asset.

“We’ve got quite a few new beers,” says Alex. “Senan [Sexton, the owner] was very sceptical as to whether stronger beers would work because we’re a high road pub not a craft beer bar.

“We brewed a West Coast IPA at 6% and he was worried that it wouldn't sell and [now] we’re rattling through two or three kegs a week of that. But our style is a lot more traditional than other breweries - even our tap badges for the keg, some would say look trad compared to other breweries.”

At this point we’re joined by assistant brewer Karl Mann who says: “Cask may be cheaper but we still use the same premium ingredients. That’s what I like about working here because you know when fresh casks have gone on and the bar staff can tell customers when the casks have been tapped.”

This closeness to the beer and the beer drinker also means the brewers consider other ethical and local issues to ensure their customers are kept happy.

“I’m interested in using British hops,” says Alex, “and generally ingredients which have a more local provenance where I can.

Continued on page 59

SIBA Independent Brewer x Pellicle

"I’ve tinkered with a lot of the recipes here, but I haven’t touched Lush

apart from slightly increasing the bitterness. It’s still completely intact."

Alex WoodsHead Brewer

“Hops are one of the really unsustainable areas of our industry. The varieties we are able to grow are not quite up there in the aromas that you can get into beers. British hop growers are trying really hard to change this though.”

If this is a love letter to Lush then it is also an ode to the Bohemia, which is very inclusive and serves all the diverse members of this part of Barnet. During my visit I noticed fellow British-Asians and all types of beer drinkers (it’s especially female-friendly) that frequent the stunning premises.

The aforementioned Senan has an equally compelling origin story to Alex’s having grown up in West Ireland and learned how to speak to customers at an early age because his parents ran a shop, while his uncle was the publican. “I didn’t really plan to get into pubs,” he tells me.

Senan didn’t start drinking until he was well into his 20s (a bottle of Leffe started the journey) but despite falling into the trade he ran a series of ground-breaking Central London pubs for Mitchells & Butlers, such as the Phoenix in Cavendish Square, the Albany in Great Portland Street and the Marquis the Cornwallis in Bloomsbury.

This was from 2003 in the time before the craft boom but he made sure his pubs offered something different by stocking Belgian beers - a leitmotif as you can find many Trappist classics in the Bohemia fridges.

And it’s clear from one glance at the Bohemia that Senan knows how to run a proper pub by making sure the venue has a laidback vibe with comfortable soft furnishings - the brewery used to be located inside the Bull in Highgate and when Senan invested they moved here.

“My regulars have been really supportive,” says Senan, “We were one of the first to do takeaway beers in lockdown and we were on BBC [TV] and we raised £10,000 for local small charities. Our beers appeal to a lot of people but I must be the only Irishman in London who doesn’t sell Guinness!”

Continued on page 61

SIBA Independent Brewer x Pellicle Collab

There’s a core bunch of people I know by name and they ask me about the batches of beer coming through. The brewery social has been gathering momentum and we always try to have special new beer on for it.

The Bohemia is a huge space and the locals tell me that it was once a cinema, then a Bingo hall. It’s a world away from the Bermondsey Beer Mile - although during my visit Kernel founder Evin O’Riordain is enjoying his dinner.

Evin is one of the many pub goers who love the food on offer and it dovetails nicely with the many beers served. In fact, I’m told by kitchen and bar staff member Ann Nicholson that the beloved London Lush is used in the fish batter and Beer Street best bitter is one of the main ingredients of their BBQ sauce.

It’s no wonder that this is a child-friendly space for regulars who like socialising first and beers second but that doesn’t mean they don’t care what’s being served - on the contrary, because when I visit it’s a brewery social, with Alex and Karl being quizzed by the locals over a pin. A weekly event that started nearly six months ago.

“We get some customers,” Alex says, “and all they drink is Lush. But we always have five cask beers on. It’s important to not have too many hoppy blonde beers at the same time.

“There’s a core bunch of people I know by name and they ask me about the batches of beer coming through. The brewery social has been gathering momentum and we always try to have special new beer on for it. Today it’s Upright which is usually on keg and we’ve conditioned it on some English hops.

“The cask itself was full of hops. It was an absolute nightmare getting it ready - it was unbelievably over conditioned. So when we tapped it we may have had quite the explosion in the cellar!” What drew me to the brewery was this willingness to experiment and create something different but having now visited the Bohemia I feel the brewers’ trials would’ve been difficult without this supportive crowd.

I fell for London Lush without this context and when I got to sample it at source it really was like a homecoming even though I had to travel the length of the Northern Line (and take a train) to get here. The Bohemia stands out on the high road and LBC beers, such as Lush, will always be outstanding when so much love has been put into their brewing.

And, I guess, that’s why Senan can confidently say he’s the only Irishman in London who doesn’t serve Guinness.

The Portman Group – an introduction

The team at The Portman Group offers an overview of what the organisation does and how it can support independent brewers with training and advice…

It was great to meet so many brewers at this year’s BeerX event in Liverpool – where we enjoyed lots of really positive conversations with producers about how they can market their products responsibly as well as take advantage of our training opportunities and free, confidential Advisory Service.

For those of you we didn’t get chance to bump into, we are the Portman Group –the regulator for the naming, packaging, promotion and sponsorship of alcoholic products in the UK, and the industry’s leading voice for social responsibility.

Our Codes of Practice set the minimum standards for alcohol producers to market their products responsibly, and they apply to producers of all shapes and sizes who are

marketing alcohol products in the UK. If someone believes a product has breached the rules of our Code, they can make a complaint which triggers an investigation. All complaints go through a due diligence process and each case is assessed by the independent Chair of the Independent Complaints Panel, not the Portman Group. In some cases, the matter can be resolved informally with the producer, and in others the case will be referred to the Panel for their consideration. In some cases, the Chair of the Panel can also decide there is no case to answer.

Reaching out to independent brewers and building relationships has been a key priority for us in recent years as the craft market has really taken off. The drinks industry has creativity at its very core and craft beer in particular is a market which is constantly innovating, now synonymous with clever and unique product names and bright, colourful and artistic packaging designs.

Unfortunately, it is this unique creativity which we know can sometimes inadvertently cause products to fall foul of our Code. Last year, complaints were upheld against 14 products in total and half of these were craft beers. This isn’t something anyone wants, we know that small breweries are operating by ever tightening economic margins and defending complaints or having to make changes to labels can be a really costly process for producers. Without doubt, labels are a labour of love and we know that it’s more important than ever for products to stand out on shelves in a crowded market. It’s always a good idea to work with us, especially when first designing product packaging and promotional campaigns. Although the Panel is independent and entitled to make its own decisions our advisory team knows the code and its precedents inside out and their completely confidential advice can help ensure products are compliant with the Code.

The team at this year’s SIBA BeerX

The Code

The Portman Group’s primary purpose as a regulator is to protect consumers from harm, particularly those who are vulnerable, and a fundamental part of this is protecting those who are under-18. It will come as no surprise then that we receive the most complaints and advice requests under Code rule 3.2(h) which says that alcoholic drinks should not have a particular appeal to under-18s.

When we say a ‘particular appeal to under18s’, this means products mustn’t resonate

with children in a way that they do not with adults. A chocolate themed beer for example wouldn’t be classed as having particular appeal to under-18s as it has universal appeal to both adults and children. However, if the chocolate themed beer was based on a child’s popular confectionary bar then this would start to change the level of appeal to children. Similarly, something like a children’s cartoon character is likely to have a particular appeal to under-18s. That’s not to say cartoons or anthropomorphic characters are a sure fire

no, but they do have a level of appeal which needs to be taken into consideration. It is not just inclusion of characters which can cause issues, as the overall impression conveyed by marketing will ultimately determine compliance. Artwork, colours, and flavours can all inadvertently cause a drink to have a particular appeal to under-18s and that is something that should be considered. Our guidance has recently been updated to help the industry comply with Code rule 3.2(h) and can be read easily on our website.

When we talk about the overall impression of a product, another important thing to consider under the Code is that your product clearly communicates its alcoholic nature with absolute clarity on the packaging. The principle of this is it should not be hard for a consumer to determine whether or not a drink contains alcohol. We always consider that a consumer will assess the label in its entirety – front, back and sides - and that it should be absolutely clear that the product contains alcohol.

Usually this means that the product type ‘beer’ would be clearly legible, easily located and featured with reasonable prominence on

packaging. It’s also a good idea to include what we call ‘positive alcohol cues’ – which are obvious visual ‘cues’ which contribute to the overall impression that the product contains alcohol, such as ABV, packaging, colour, and referencing ingredients typical of alcohol.

Another Code rule we receive a lot of advice requests and complaints under is 3.2f which states alcohol products should not encourage illegal, irresponsible or immoderate consumption.

It’s easy to get caught out on this one with words, phrases, imagery and other factors which could fall foul of the Code.

For example, using phrases like ‘wasted’ or ‘smashed’ are likely to be an issue because of the connotation they have with intoxication. ‘Having a session’ is also likely to be an issue because it infers drinking for a long period of time is acceptable. However, it’s the view of the Advisory Service that ‘session’ when used as a descriptor like ‘session IPA’ for example, may be acceptable where it is clearly communicating a lower strength IPA. If ‘session IPA’ were used alongside other elements though, which inferred intoxication, it may be found to be a contributing factor in breach of the Code.

Continued on page 65

Insights on marketing which are used to appeal to children, from The Portman Group's report with Kids Industries in 2023.

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lines, shouldn’t you be talking to us?

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At the Enterprise Group we are not just agents, we can offer you a total package. Our experienced project layout engineers working with state-of-the-art CAD facilities, combined with our team of field engineers, allows us to respond quickly and accurately as your project develops.

This commitment continues with machine efficiency trials and performance tests, followed by full aftersales service and backup.

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Labelling

As the industry’s self-regulator it’s our job to drive the highest standards of best practice throughout the industry, and a good example of this is with voluntary labelling which we see incredibly high levels of compliance with.

The Alcohol Labelling Guidelines state product labels should:

• Include the provision of unit information

• A pregnancy message or symbol

• The Chief Medical Officers’ Low Risk Drinking Guidelines of 14 units a week.

When we updated the guidelines in 2022 we also sought the formal support of SIBA for the first time to ensure that the new edition considered the important role of smaller producers in sharing public health information. Widespread take-up is really important so the majority of logos are available free on our website and as part of the review Drinkaware also introduced a new licence fee for smaller producers. It’s great we now have the support of SIBA on these, but why not double check that your labels are carrying these four points too?

Advice and Training

At this point, you’re probably thinking this is a lot to take in! So the good news is we have a free and confidential Advisory Service on hand to answer any questions or queries you may have on how to market and promote products in line with our Codes of Practice. The Advisory Service is completely free to use for producers and agencies of all shapes and sizes and there’s no limit on how many times you can use the service, nor is the advice binding.

We prefer prevention rather than cure and we’re keen to balance legitimate marketing freedoms with responsibility, as we want to help minimise the potential risk of being on the receiving end of an upheld complaint. Often it’s only small changes that are needed and over the years we’ve helped hundreds of producers to bring their marketing in line with our Codes while still maintaining their creativity and vital brand story.

Last year we gave out 343 pieces of advice and 98% of those requests were answered within 48 hours, so what are you waiting for?

You can contact the team directly on advice@portmangroup.org.uk.

We’ve also launched a free training session for small and start up producers, which provides an overview of who we are, our remit, the Code rules, the complaints process, and Panel precedent setting decisions. If this is something you’re interested in then don’t hesitate to get in touch with us on training@portmangroup.org.uk.

Whichever way you look at it, when you’re busy running your business in a tough economic climate and with minimal resources, it’s still easier and more efficient to make use of the Portman Group’s free advice or low cost training to ensure your products and campaigns are fully complaint with the Codes of Practice.

Helpful guidance notes on each Code rule are available on our website.

A mock-up of best practice labelling

We have produced the most ergonomically designed handle hole that is large enough and fully rolled under to eliminate sharp edges.

A closely welded finger guard keeps fingers from being caught between the chime and keystone. Precision

The Allocation of Tips Act 2023 will now to come into force this year on 1 October 2024.

What will the Act require?

The Act will introduce the following obligations for employers:

• Employers will have to pay 100% of the tips and service charges they receive to their workers by the end of the next month (following payment by the customer).

• Tips cannot be subject to deductions, other than for tax and National Insurance liabilities (as appropriate).

• Employers must allocate the payments in a fair and transparent manner and implement a written policy that explains their tipping practices.

• Records are to be retained to demonstrate compliance for three years from the date tips are received.

• Workers will have the right to request information relating to their employer’s tipping records.

• Failure to comply with the Act will enable workers to bring claims in the Employment Tribunal.

Code of Practice

There has been a consultation with hospitality businesses and industry bodies about how employers should implement these new requirements. A Code of Practice was issued on 22 April 2024. www.gov.uk/government/ consultations/distributing-tips-fairly-draftstatutory-code-of-practice/draft-code-ofpractice-on-fair-and-transparent-distributionof-tips-html-version

The Code states that allocating tips fairly does not necessarily mean allocating the same proportion to each worker. Employers can

The Allocation of Tips Act

Lee Jefcott, employment lawyer and head of the hospitality and leisure sector at Brabners, takes a look at the most recent developments in the introduction of new legislation around the allocation of tips to staff…

take into account pay, type of role, individual and team performance, seniority and level of responsibility, length of service and customer intention. It is up to the employer to adopt a fair tipping process and an employment tribunal will not have the power to substitute its view of what would have been fair. They can however order an employer to “revise an allocation of tips” where there has been a breach of the legal requirements. There is to be no “pooling” of tips across sites. The legislation is clear that the allocation must relate to a particular place of business where the tips were paid.

Agency workers

Agency workers should be included in the allocation. However, given that agency works will not be set up on the employers payroll (since the agency is responsible for paying them) the legislation suggests that employers need to pass over the allocation to the agency who must then pass on 100 percent of it to the relevant workers within the correct time limit.

Use of troncs

Some employers use a third party ‘tronc’ provider to distribute tips. Tips distributed this way benefit from not being subject to national insurance contributions.

The Act states that the allocation of tips by the tronc to workers will be deemed to be fair “provided it is fair for the employer to make those tronc arrangements”. This suggests that there is still a residuary duty on the employer to somehow supervise the arrangement or intervene if it becomes aware of any unfair practices — and calls into question how far the employer is entitled to interfere with these independent third party arrangements.

Digital tipping Apps

Digital tipping is becoming increasingly common. Many of these platforms provide for workers to receive an allocation of tips directly without the money going to the employer for allocation. In such cases the Code of Practice states that legislation will not apply since it applies only to tips received by the employer or over which the employer exercises control or a significant influence.

Impact on employers in the hospitality and leisure sectors

Employers should review their current practices and decide what will need to change. Employers will need to adapt their business models and pay structures to comply with the new regulations. They should also consider what technology solutions are available and how existing payroll systems can be modified. Although the changes are likely to increase costs at an already difficult time, employers may be able to embrace the legislation as a way of promoting fairness, maximising pay and benefits, creating a positive working environment and promoting themselves as a good employer.

Brabners is a purpose-led, fullservice law firm with an extensive track record in acting for multi-site operators in the hospitality and leisure sector. If you need support around any legal matters, talk to Lee by emailing lee.jefcott@brabners.com.

Have you heard of zebra-striping? Zipping? Going low? These are all tactics which younger consumers in particular are using to moderate their alcohol in-take.

KAM has just launched the 2023 Low & no report titled ‘Drinking Differently’, in partnership with Lucky Saint, and found actively moderating alcohol consumption is now less of a ‘growing trend’ for most UK adults and is in fact fast becoming a ‘fixed behaviour’ with younger consumers in particular are embracing different tactics in order to moderate.

It’s not new news that there has been an ongoing decline in how frequently UK adults are drinking alcohol, as well as a drop in the volume being consumed. The number of UK adults consuming alcohol at least once a week is now at 82% (down from 90% in 2022.) This equates to a drop of 2.6m people drinking weekly, with all age groups reporting a decline in overall alcohol consumption.

Active moderation (where people are actively changing their behaviour in order to consume less alcohol) is happening across all age groups and all days of the week. 74% UK adults say they employ tactics to moderate their alcohol consumption to some extent –this equates to 38.8m adults.

And it’s happening throughout the year. We no longer see any real significant ‘spikes’ in the level of moderation when looking across weekday v weekend, or across traditional alcohol-led (or moderation-led) occasions throughout the year. Dry January is still a popular occasion for moderation, with around 10% of UK adult population taking part, but a similar number (11%) will actively moderate during the summer months and also the festive season (11%.)

As time goes on, we are likely to see a greater flattening of the moderation curve throughout the year as moderation becomes a year-round habit rather than one being driven by a particular social or seasonal occasion. This is already evident in sales data from Circana which shows low & no beer

It’s official. Brits are drinking differently.

is now resonating on traditional ‘beer-led’ occasions (eg. summer, Christmas), as well as filling a ‘seasonal lull’ in Dry January to fill a seasonal lull in full strength.

The core reasons that people are actively reducing their alcohol intake remain consistent year-on-year – improving physical wellness, mental wellness and ‘to save money’.

In general health and fitness related drivers tend more towards older demographics and mental health, physical appearance and the desire to ‘be in control of my behaviour’ tends more towards younger demographics. The fact that Brits are drinking less doesn’t necessarily mean they’re ‘going out’ less.

We’re employing a range of tactics to moderate our alcohol intake, which differ slightly by age group. Those over 35 years are more likely to be reducing the number of days/occasions they drink alcohol or drinking less alcohol on each occasion. Younger age groups are more likely to reduce the amount of alcohol in their drinks through either having smaller measures, having low ABV choices, or alternating alcohol and alcoholfree drinks.

Despite declining alcohol consumption, 1824 year olds continue to be the most frequent visitors to pubs and bars. And broader research from KAM confirms that alcohol is increasingly just part of the ‘Hospitality experience’ rather than centre to an occasion. In fact, a growing number of visits to pubs/ bars/restaurants are totally alcohol-free – now c1-in-3 people through a pub/bar/restaurant door won’t consume any alcohol. And, as interestingly, a further c1-in-3 guests will consume both alcohol AND alcohol-free drinks on the same visit.

This trend towards consumers combining both alcoholic and alcohol-free drinks as part of a single visit (partly driven by the much improved choice of low and no drinks available) means 60% of visits to pubs/bars and 72% visits to restaurants now involve alcohol-free drinks.

Guests are using different tactics to moderate during one ‘drinking session’. ‘Zebra striping’ - where they consciously alternate between alcohol and alcohol-free during one occasion - is prevalent among younger consumers. With 35% of 18-24 year olds saying they alternate between alcohol and alcohol-free drink ‘most’ or ‘all of the time’ when they visit a pub/bar/restaurant, we can assume that ‘Zebra striping’ will become the norm over time, if not the dominant way of drinking when out.

3.9 million 18-24 year olds have used ‘zebra striping’ as a tactic to moderate alcohol intake on a night out. Soon this won’t be referred to as ‘moderating behaviour’, it will just be ‘drinking behaviour’!

Other moderating tactics we’ve seen are ‘book-ending’ - where consumers start and often finish with an alcohol-free drink - and ‘going low’ which sees guests choose lower ABV drinks throughout a visit.

Ensuring the lower ABV and alcohol-free range, and quality of serve of these drinks, matches that of alcoholic drinks is obviously key as increasing proportions of guests transition between the two during the same visit. Having both alcoholic and alcohol-free beer on draught and decent alcohol-free spirit and mixer, for example, will ensure a more fluid and enjoyable experience for guests.

Hospitality venues risk becoming less relevant for many potential customers unless they stay ahead of the curve here. Alcohol still plays a significant role in how Brits spend their leisure time, but the research shows that socialising in the UK continues to become less booze-driven.

KAM is a boutique research consultancy, specialising in hospitality and retail, running bespoke and syndicated customer research programmes for both pub companies and on-trade suppliers. Find out more at www.kam-media.co.uk.

Katie Jenkins, Marketing & Partnerships Director at KAM, looks at the latest research on the exploding market for no and low drinks…

A couple of years ago, I heard a podcast about something called Dall·e. The interviewee assured listeners that within 18 months, users would be able to type a command into a prompter and an artificial intelligence algorithm would interpret it as an image.

It wasn’t long after that pictures of humans with 7 fingers performing unnatural handshakes widely circulated on the internet. With all the talk of AI leading to a Terminator-esque apocalypse, it seemed that Arnie and his crew would need a few millennia before initiating humanity's downfall.

Yet, within a frighteningly short time, realistic portrayals of correct-fingered humans were being pumped out of Dall·e, along with reams of digital art in every conceivable style; from portraits of Donald Trump painted by Van Gogh to vintage logos designs of ‘an attractive woman holding an M4A5 assault rifle, dressed as the Statue of Liberty’ (true prompt!).

Naturally, reputable craft breweries started using generators to conjure weird and wonderful imagery to accompany their equally distinct and flavourful beer names. Claims of artists having their work plagiarised and unfairly monetised soon followed. This led me to do some soulsearching and research.

For the sake of transparency, I occasionally use Midjourney to aid my workflow and create assets that, in part, are incorporated into some of my designs. Similarly, I also use licensed stock photography, vectors, illustrations, etc, to help build and create my own unique designs. These tools help me save time and, ultimately, my brewery clients money when making one-off pump clips or labels for a monthly special. Even this process can take up to two hours, as I fashion the elements into a finished concept I’m happy with.

Who needs a graphic designer now we have AI?

Brand and marketing guru and 2023 SIBA Business Award winner Nick Law looks at whether AI is a credible replacement for the creative mind…

(To be clear, for branding and core range projects, I only ever design from scratch because no matter how good the result of an AI prompt may seem, generative artwork lacks the creativity and personality that only I or any other artist - as human beings - can bring to the table).

I wanted to answer the question for myself: is using Artificial Intelligence ethical for designers like me and brewers looking to do it themselves? Is AI stealing from other artists and putting people, myself included, out of a job?

The answer…? It’s, er… complicated. Generative AI isn’t ‘theft’ in the conventional sense, nor does it simply replicate or photobash existing imagery. Machine learning algorithms undergo training with extensive image datasets, accompanied by corresponding labels, tags and descriptors outlining image content. These algorithms discern patterns within the amassed data and facilitate the generation of images based on patterns, shapes, textures, colours, tags, labels, words, etc.

Remember, machines cannot see. They merely comb through data sets and output what it ‘thinks’ is correct until told otherwise. Every time it returns a prompt and gets a thumbs up from a user, it receives a digital dog biscuit and ‘remembers’ it for the next time. This explains why humans seemingly grew extra limbs in generative AI until we, the humans, told it that we don’t have seven fingers and three arms. It ‘learned’. Another valid question is where did those datasets come from? Well, that depends on which generative AI platform you use. Midjourney acquired its datasets, amongst others, from the Microsoft Common Objects in Context (COCO) dataset. This extensive archive contains images with various text descriptions and objects highlighted for the internet to reference. Many of the images appear to be sourced from Flickr.

Nevertheless, the computing giant is legally entitled to utilise the photographs since they were freely shared by users under a Creative Commons license, permitting unrestricted usage.

In short, many of the datasets that generative AI uses have been willingly uploaded and shared to the internet for commercial and non-commercial use by the original author. There are arguments that artists have seen works replicated in ‘their style’ but, in reality, humans do it all the time. Noel Gallagher takes elements of The Beatles, Picasso’s Blue Period echoes works of El Greco, and some breweries take flagship recipes with them from one brewery and recreate it in another. One could argue that machine learning is merely doing the same thing only a million times faster.

As with all things Internet, the lines are blurred and the underworld is murky when it comes to anything online. At the end of this article, though, we’re not really any closer to answering whether it is truly ethical or not?

As I say, it’s complicated.

The real question for me isn’t whether AI is ‘stealing’ from artists, photographers and creatives. I’m not convinced that is it, at least not in the sense that we understand theft.

The real question you should be asking is how many of you - breweries, that is - value creativity? How much are you willing to pay for personality to be injected into your POS? How distinctive do you want your brand to be from the next AI-prompting brewer?

If the answer is ‘not much’ then, by all means, subscribe to Midjourney or Dall·e and prompt away. But if you’re looking to distinguish yourself from dataset art and create something unique, that only humans with four fingers and one thumb on each of their two hands, can create then feel free to give me or your local artists/graphic designer a call.

Nick Law is the Creative Director of Hop Forward: a branding, marketing and business consultancy for the brewing industry. He works with a variety of beer businesses both in the UK and overseas and also runs a weekly podcast with a variety of guests from across the world of beer. Find out more at www.hopforward.beer or email nick@hopforward.beer

R&D claims: The ongoing impact of HMRC’s new approach

In collaboration with leading global provider of integrated legal and business services, DWF, Johnston Carmichael Tax Partners, Andrew McMillan and David Ward, discuss the impact of HMRC’s new approach to R&D claims compliance, including the impact on corporate transactions.

The research and development ("R&D") tax relief system is designed to encourage investment in innovation and drive economic growth. From April 2024, a new single merged R&D scheme came into force for most businesses. Both the existing and new schemes allow eligible companies to claim tax relief either by way of a reduction to corporation tax that would otherwise be due or, in certain circumstances, via a cash payment.

Historically, most claims for R&D relief were paid out with little scrutiny by HMRC. This led to a perception that the risk involved in submitting an R&D claim was low and a 'cottage industry' of R&D claim firms developed, with large sales teams cold calling companies and encouraging them to submit claims, often on tenuous grounds. Professional firms and industry bodies highlighted the problem with HMRC, and attempts were made to raise awareness and warn clients, but the situation has continued for many years.

More recently, HMRC has become aware that levels of error and fraud within R&D claims was much higher than they had estimated. As a result, over the past two years, HMRC has introduced a series of compliance changes to identify potentially inaccurate or fraudulent claims and to target its enquiry resource accordingly. Although there is now evidence that the information being gathered is allowing HMRC to target high risk claims and/or agents, there is also concern that HMRC’s new enquiry approach is resulting in many legitimate claims being rejected.

HMRC's new approach

HMRC has adopted a "volume compliance" approach to assessing R&D claims, meaning that there is now more chance than ever of HMRC enquiring into claims. Due to the scale of the volume compliance project and HMRC's resourcing problems, different teams within HMRC are now reviewing R&D claims. Historically, the Wealthy and Mid-sized Business Compliance team have been closely involved in R&D claim reviews and have built up expertise in this specialist area. However, to allow for the volume of enquiries, HMRC has engaged a large number of staff from the Individuals and Small Business Compliance team, who have limited experience in dealing with R&D claims and the training being put in place has not yet resulted in the level of knowledge and capability required. The result is that many genuine claimants are finding it extremely challenging to resolve enquiries into their R&D claims.

Impact on R&D claims

The concern with the volume compliance approach is that, although it may help in preventing fraudulent claims, it is also impacting many valid claims and discouraging companies from claiming in the future. It has also led to a huge backlog within HMRC in both processing initial claims and dealing with rejected claims. This volume compliance approach has been heavily criticised by many professional advisors and professional bodies, including the CIOT, ICAS and ICAEW. The process for making an R&D claim has also become more protracted. HMRC has introduced a new online R&D claim submission portal and an Additional

Information Form ("AIF") must be submitted using this portal. The AIF requires supporting information to be provided, including technical narratives for specific projects. As a result of the additional requirements to submit an R&D claim and the increased risk of HMRC enquiring into a claim (sometimes after HMRC has paid out the relief claimed), many R&D claimants will incur greater costs; not only professional advisor fees but also management time in gathering information requested by HMRC in an enquiry. Unfortunately, the information requested in enquiry letters often includes the information that has already been supplied (for example in the AIF) but appears not to have been reviewed or considered as part of what can appear to be relatively standard enquiry templates.

HMRC's compliance changes will not immediately improve the R&D claims advisory market and so it is important for claimants to consider carefully who they engage to assist them with their claims. It may surprise many that a lack of regulation means that anyone can set themselves up as a tax advisor, regardless of qualifications or experience. Companies should engage with tax advisors who are appropriately qualified and experienced, likely members of a relevant professional body, with reputable R&D and corporation tax specialists that understand the risk profile of R&D claims and who can help deal with, and even pre-empt, HMRC enquiries. Not only will this save claimants’ time and money, it will ensure they maintain a good reputation and clean tax record with HMRC.

Impact on transactions

HMRC's new approach is also having an impact on corporate transactions where the target company in question has made R&D claims. Buyers are carrying out increased due diligence on the R&D risk profile of target companies and, if material risks are identified, are often looking for price retentions or even price adjustments to reflect the risk to value.

If either party to a transaction is looking to take out Warranty & Indemnity ("W&I") insurance, R&D risks are still potentially coverable by the W&I policy. However, insurers are more cautious of providing cover given HMRC's new approach and good reporting of R&D claims will be key if cover is to be obtained.

If, in carrying out its due diligence on a target company, a buyer uncovers concerns relating to R&D claims, this risk is likely to be excluded from cover under the policy as a "known risk". A buyer is likely to still want cover for the risk and so a specialist standalone tax policy may need to be sought (leading to increased costs for the buyer). If that cannot be obtained then an indemnity from the seller, a price adjustment or a price retention will likely be on the table.

Dealing with R&D enquiries

Many companies are finding themselves, after an exchange of letters, in a deadlock with HMRC, where they are unable to agree the eligibility of their claim, unable to engage in a discussion with anyone via a call or meeting and there is no clear escalation route.

There are several options that can be considered, including alternative dispute resolution, making a formal complaint to the Adjudicator’s Office and requesting an internal review, requesting a closure notice to allow a formal appeal, requesting a statutory review and/or ultimately taking an appeal to the tax tribunal. With all of these, there are strategic decisions to be made, timing and cost implications to be considered and it’s important to get advice to navigate through to a resolution in the most efficient way.

Where does that leave us?

HMRC is aware that its approach is being criticised and has committed to further caseworker training and improving responses to claims. However, it is not expected that HMRC's approach will change soon. It is therefore extremely important for claimants to engage qualified, experienced R&D tax advisors. If you are approached

by an R&D firm, use Linkedin to check the background and qualifications of the individuals you are introduced to. Do they have relevant qualifications or experience or do they have a “sales” background. It is also fair to question the motivations of the advisor. Do they have a wider business relationship with you or are they seeking a standalone engagement to work on the R&D claim on a contingent fee basis, which might incentivise them to push the boundaries in preparing the claim. An HMRC enquiry could result in interest, penalties and other reputational consequences. Additionally, if claimants are looking to sell their businesses in the future, R&D compliance is even more important as a potential buyer is unlikely to take the risk on R&D unless claims have been dealt with appropriately.

Understanding your corporate tax obligations and the potential industry changes can be overwhelming. Our Corporate Tax team can support your needs now and in the future. We do this by keeping ahead of developments in the market to ensure you and your business are well equipped, resilient and as risk free as possible.

A reminder that an important SIBA member benefit is the finance helpline run by Johnston Carmichael. This service, which runs in parallel with Napthens legal helpline is FREE for the first hour to SIBA members and is for financial queries of all kinds. To access please contact sibabrewers@jcca.co.uk

Johnston Carmichael would like to thank Caroline Colliston, Gary MacDonald and Zita Dempsey at DWF Law for their expert insight in collaborating with us on this article.

Andrew McMillan

David Ward

WRITER MARK DREDGE GOES ON A JOURNEY FROM PLOT TO PINT IN THE WORLD OF HOP INNOVATION

ROOTS OF PASSION:

One of my favourite ever beer experiences was getting to walk around a hop garden in Kent, surrounded by hundreds of hop varieties which only a few people had ever had the chance to smell before. These hops were each just a pair of plants and a plot number, and I was there with Charles Faram to see if any of them had interesting aromas. Pulling a few cones from each plant was like being handed a scratch card and a shiny penny. There was lemon and lime, lemongrass and lime leaves, pina colada, strawberry, peach, pineapple, juicy tangerine, lychee, kiwi, handfuls of fruit candies. I couldn’t believe we were finding all these aromas in British hops, and from that moment, in that hop garden, I became obsessed with the potential of these new hops. I felt like I’d leapt into the future for a quick glimpse of what’s to come, and I had to return to be the messenger: “Guys, you won’t believe what things will be like in a few years!”

Check out the Faram website or get in touch with the sales team for an up to date picture of all the products available. Whether it’s hops, malt, dried yeast, finings, sensory training kits, bottle tops or closures they are very keen to hear from you.

Mark Dredge (back) and Eddie Gadd, Gadds Brewery (front) in a Kent Hop Garden.

As a writer, I’ve spent much of my time at the far end of a beer’s life cycle: pint in one hand, pencil in the other. It’s not that I was disinterested in everything that came before the drinking, it’s just that every writer finds their own space, and mine was tasting everything while trying to find meaning in the social and cultural importance of beer around the world. But the more time I spend in beer, the more I’m finding my interests moving backwards along that cycle, and I seem to have ended up all the way at the beginning. Or before the beginning.

I’ve become fascinated with soil, seeds and plants. In how things which grow in the ground become delicious pints of beer, and how plants, especially British hops and barley, are being bred to give new flavours and character to beer, while also being able to have a more positive influence in the land in which they grow.

The more time I’ve spent with the team at Charles Faram, and in talking to hop and barley farmers, the more opportunities I’ve had to be in the field, and to learn more about the ingredients which become beer. As I look down into the ground, I’m more aware of the impact of the weather, and how different farming practices like using regenerative techniques, can improve the resiliency of the soil and the general environment. There are so many new things that I never even considered when drinking those pints and writing notes about them.

The hops that our group selected in the Kent hop garden were hand-picked and hand-dried, then found their way back into our hands to rub again along with other hops grown in Worcestershire through the Charles Faram Hop Development Program. They were gathered

together for Aromafest®, hosted by Charles Faram. Many brewers came to smell these new hops as well as some which have already progressed to be commercially available, like Harlequin®, Jester®, Olicana® and Godiva™. The whole building smelled like a sunny spring morning combined with a basket of ripe fruit.

Looking around the room, with brewers rubbing their hands together and smelling deeply, I could see how part of their brain was trying to identify flavours, and then, if they found something they liked, you could also see them imagining the beer they’d brew for this hop. They were rating the hops and the ones which scored the best had a very good chance of being grown into larger plots so that in a year or two more might be available for brewing trials. It was a chance to glimpse into the future and also to shape it with the choices we made.

This is the sort of nerdy stuff that I’ve come to love in beer. From more than ten thousand tiny seeds grown in a greenhouse, a few hundred of them will make it into a field, and maybe a dozen of them will do well, and maybe, just maybe, one or two of them will smell wonderful and grow well and brewers will want to make beer with them. The chances of success are tiny, but the potential rewards are huge. That could become the hop which makes more people around the world realise how amazing British hops are. There’s something thrilling in those possibilities.

It’s not just the growing and the breeding, but the processing of the ingredients has had to improve; it’s another one of those things which I never even thought about before. I’d romantically look at fields of hops and barley, and I’d drink lovely pints of beer, and rarely

thought about anything between the harvest and the brewhouse. But these new varieties have different oil and acid compositions, and the way they grow, are picked, then processed and packed must be continuously improved. Beer is always in evolution, changing with things like weather, taste trends and taxes, and especially in a country with such long brewing heritage, beer is a drink which has to balance tradition and progress.

I think that’s what interests me most. It’s how we can still celebrate the best traditional varieties like Golding, and how we can make that an incredibly important hop with more than 200 years of history, while also celebrating the best of the new hops, like Harlequin® (honestly, if I see a beer with Harlequin® in right now, I’m buying it) plus all those as-yet unnamed hops which we’ll get to smell and taste in the coming years.

All of this means that my drinking has changed over the last few years. I’m no longer on a solo mission to taste everything. Instead, I increasingly want beers which have a story that begins in the field, not the brewhouse. The choices I make consider how and where the ingredients are grown, because that means something to me now.

Being able to see these hops develop, and to see the processing of them improve, and to taste those hops in great new beers, is really what excites me about beer right now.

Head Brewers judging at the Charles Faram International Hop Awards 2024.

Mark Dredge hosting the Charles Faram panel at SIBA BeerX.

Will Rogers divulging more to Mark Dredge at the International Hop Awards.

Thornbridge Brewery was named SIBA’s “Brewery Business of the Year 2024” at the 2024 SIBA Business Awards

The SIBA Business Awards 2024

Thornbridge Brewery was named SIBA’s “Brewery Business of the Year 2024” at the 2024 SIBA Business Awards

The winners in the SIBA Business Awards 2024 were announced at BeerX UK in Liverpool this year – highlighting the very best beer businesses across the UK, including breweries, pubs, taprooms and bottle shops.

Thornbridge Brewery in Bakewell, Derbyshire, took home this year’s top award, being named ‘SIBA Brewery Business of the Year 2024’ in what was a glittering night for the indie beer and brewing industry.

Presenting the awards was writer and broadcaster Pete Brown, who commented: “Thornbridge is a superb beer business which impressed judges across the board, winning out with superb entries in some of the awards’ toughest categories. Huge

congratulations to the Thornbrdige team.”

The SIBA Business Awards are judged by a panel of independent beer industry experts, and organised by SIBA. The awards cover everything from brewery marketing, design and innovation, to efforts to make businesses more sustainable or impactful.

The 2024 awards also for the first time included a new “Collaboration” Award, which was won again by Thornbridge for their collaboration with Czech brewery Budvar on their popular ‘Czech Mates’ beer –the first ever collaboration for the 128-yearold Czech brewery.

The new Collaboration award aims to highlight the incredibly collaborative nature of the independent brewing industry and was one of the awards’ most entered categories.

Also new for 2024 was the ‘Brewers’ Brewer of the Year’ award, which was won by Jamie

Delap of Fynes Ales. Pete Brown said: “Jamie’s tireless work fighting on behalf of independent brewers against the unworkable Deposit Return Scheme in Scotland was clearly hugely appreciated and has had a real impact on other brewing businesses who voted for this award.”

Joining the expert judging panel for 2024 were Andy Slee, SIBA Chief Executive; Steve Alton, Chief Executive of the British Institute of Innkeeping (BII); Ellie Hudspith, Senior Campaigns Manager at CAMRA; Jo Hunter, Interior & Architectural Design expert and founder of Hunter’s Daughter; Robyn Black, Head of Content at Fleetstreet Communications; Pete Brown, Broadcaster and author; and Neil Walker, SIBA Head of Comms & Marketing, who chaired the panel.

WINNERS

UK'S BEST INDEPENDENT CRAFT BEER BAR OR PUB - CITY

UK'S BEST INDEPENDENT CRAFT BREWERY WEBSHOP

– HIGHLY COMMENDED

UK'S BEST INDEPENDENT CRAFT BEER RETAILER

Wine & Spirits – WINNER

UK'S BEST INDEPENDENT CRAFT BEER BAR OR PUB - RURAL

– HIGHLY COMMENDED

MARKETING IMPLEMENTATION

- 10th Anniversary – WINNER

Candid Beer, Stafford – WINNER

The Bailey Head, Oswestry

Royal Barn, Kirkby Lonsdale – WINNER

Stirchley

Thornbridge

Full Circle – WINNER

Siren

Siren Craft Brew – WINNER

Crafty Brewing – WINNER

Signature Brew - Riot Grrrl – WINNER

Bullhouse Brew Co – WINNER

BEST COLLABORATION

HIGHLY COMMENDED

UK'S BEST INDEPENDENT CRAFT BREWERY TAPROOM

40FT – HIGHLY COMMENDED

Bundobust Brewery – WINNER

BREWERS' BREWER OF THE YEAR 2024

UK'S BEST NEW INDEPENDENT CRAFT BREWERY

SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS

SUPPLIER ASSOCIATE OF THE YEAR 2024

Muntons – WINNER

Indie Rabble Brew Co – WINNER

Jamie Delap, Fyne Ales – WINNER

Festival Glass – WINNER

Northern Monk x Aunt Bessies Circle –

Thornbridge x Budvar – WINNER

National Beer Competitions Cask

SIBA's Independent Beer Awards are the UK's biggest independent craft beer competition - featuring cask, craft keg, bottle and canned beers.

Overall Champion of the Cask Competition

Having won their regional competitions, the breweries featured here are the winners of our National competition which took place at BeerX UK, where beers from across the UK go head to head to be crowned the overall Champion across a wide variety of styles. Cask Session Dark Beer

Cask British Best Bitter

Cask Session Pale Ale (up to 4.4%)

Sponsored by: Muntons PLC

G

Cask Pale Ale (4.5% to 5.5%)

Sponsored by: Murphy & Son Ltd

G

Cask IPA (5.6% and over)

Sponsored by: Charles Faram G

Cask Speciality Light Beer

Cask Speciality Amber to Dark Beer

Cask Imperial & Strong Ale

(6.5% and over)

National Beer Competitions

Bottle & Can

Bottle & Can Session Pale Ale (up to 4.4%)

Sponsored by: Lemon Top Creative

Bottle & Can Pale Ale (4.5% to 5.5%)

Sponsored

Bottle & Can IPA (5.6% to

Sponsored by:

Bottle & Can Speciality IPA

Sponsored by: Beatson

Bottle & Can Stout & Porter (up

Bottle & Can Imperial & Strong

Bottle & Can Sour & Wild Ale

Bottle & Can Speciality & Flavoured Beer

National Beer Competitions

Overall Champion of the Keg Competition

Keg Session Lager (up

Keg Session Pale Ale (up to 4.4%)

Sponsored by: Rastal GmBH

Keg IPA (5.6% to 7.4%)

Sponsored by: Charles Faram

Keg Speciality IPA

Keg Pale Ale (up to 5.5%)

Sponsored

Keg Double & Triple IPA (7.5%

Keg Amber, Brown & Red Ale (up

Keg Stout & Porter (up to 6.4%)

Keg Sour & Wild Ale

Keg Speciality & Flavoured Beer

Keg Imperial & Strong Ale

Keg Continental Style Beer

Regional Beer Competitions

South West

Cask Session Dark Beer (up to 4.4%)

G GOLD - Champion: Teignmouth Brewery Penny Black 3.5%

S SILVER: Exeter Brewery S'miled 4.0%

S SILVER: Summerskills Brewery Stout 4.4%

S SILVER: Nuttycombe RCH Old Red 4.0%

B BRONZE: Twisted Brewing Co. Ltd Heritage 3.4%

B BRONZE: Country Life Brewery Old Appledore 3.7%

Cask British Dark Beers (4.5

to 6.4%)

Sponsored by: Advanced Brewing UK

G GOLD - Champion: Salcombe Brewery Co Ltd Island Street Porter 5.9%

G GOLD: Palmers Brewery Tally Ho! 5.5%

G GOLD: Stonehenge Ales Ltd Old Smokey 5.0%

G GOLD: Lyme Regis Brewery Black Ven 5.0%

G GOLD: Moor Beer Company Limited Stout 5.0%

S SILVER: Branscombe Vale Brewery YoHoHo 6.0%

S SILVER: Southbourne Ales Stroller 4.6%

S SILVER: Firebrand Brewing Co Black Stuff 5.0%

S SILVER: South Hams Brewery Devon porter 5.2%

B BRONZE: Summerskills Brewery Indiana's Bones 5.6%

B BRONZE: Treen's Brewery Treen's Resolve 5.2%

B BRONZE: Quantock Brewery Plastered Pheasant 4.8%

B BRONZE: Country Life Brewery C ountry Bumpkin 6.0%

B BRONZE: Twisted Oak Brewery Ltd Ghost Town 5.7%

B BRONZE: Bridgetown Brewery Shark Island Stout 4.5%

B BRONZE: Otter Brewery Head 5.8%

B BRONZE: Teignmouth Brewery 1846 6.2%

B BRONZE: Tintagel Brewery Black Jack 5.2%

Cask British Bitter (up to 4.4%)

Sponsored by: Rankin Brothers & Sons

G GOLD - Champion: Powderkeg Brewery Idler 3.4%

G GOLD: Exeter Brewery 'Fraidnot 4.0%

S SILVER: Isle of Purbeck Brewery Fossil Fuel 4.1%

S SILVER: Bridgetown Brewery Albert Ale 3.8%

Overall Champion of the Cask Beer Competition

G GOLD: Stannary Brewing Co. Winnemucca 5.4%

S SILVER: Salcombe Brewery Co Ltd Island Street Porter 5.9%

B BRONZE: Moor Beer Company Limited Old Freddy Walker 7.3%

S SILVER: Cheddar Ales Ltd Gorge Best 4.0%

S SILVER: Exmoor Ales Ram 3.4%

S SILVER: Branscombe Vale Brewery SummaThis 4.2%

S SILVER: St Austell Brewery Cornish Best 3.4%

S SILVER: Country Life Brewery Reef Break 4.0%

S SILVER: Palmers Brewery Palmers IPA 4.2%

S SILVER: Tintagel Brewery Cornwall's Pride 4.0%

B BRONZE: Abbey Ales Ltd Bath Best Bitter 4.0%

B BRONZE: Dartmoor Brewery Ltd Legend 4.4%

B BRONZE: LIberation Brewery Liberation Smugglers 4.2%

B BRONZE: New Bristol Brewery Bristol Bitter 4.0%

B BRONZE: Bays Brewery Topsail 4.0%

B BRONZE: Teignmouth Brewery Portside 4.3%

B BRONZE: Utopian Brewing Extra Pale Ale 4.1%

B BRONZE: Barum Brewery Original 4.4%

B BRONZE: Padstow Brewing Co (2013) Ltd Windjammer 4.3%

B BRONZE: Firebrand Brewing Co Shipwreck Coast 4.0%

B BRONZE: Stone Daisy Brewery Snail Creep Hanging - Best Bitter 4.2%

Cask British Best Bitter (4.5 to 6.4%)

Sponsored by: Rankin Brothers & Sons

G GOLD - Champion: Stonehenge Ales Ltd Great Bustard 4.8%

G GOLD: Salcombe Brewery Co Ltd Lifesaver 4.8%

G GOLD: Branscombe Vale Brewery SummaThat 5.0%

S SILVER: Teignmouth Brewery Seine Ale 5.5%

S SILVER: Twisted Brewing Co. Ltd Gaucho 4.6%

S SILVER: Summerskills Brewery Devon Frost 4.5%

S SILVER: Exmoor Ales Stag 4.8%

S SILVER: Nuttycombe Brewing NBA 4.8%

S SILVER: Bridgetown Brewery Cheeky blonde 4.5%

S SILVER: Bays Brewery Devon Dumpling 5.1%

S SILVER: Utopian Brewing Heritage Ale 6.4%

B BRONZE: Badgworth Brewhouse Badgworth Best 4.6%

B BRONZE: Hop Back Brewery Summer Lightning 5.0%

B BRONZE: Otter Brewery Ale 4.5%

B BRONZE: Tintagel Brewery Harbour Special 4.8%

B BRONZE: Palmers Brewery Palmers 200 5.0%

B BRONZE: Exeter Brewery MC6 Mash Concentration Six 6.0%

Cask Session Pale Ale (up to 4.4%)

Sponsored by: Rankin Brothers & Sons

G GOLD - Champion: Lyme Regis Brewery Lyme Gold 3.4%

S SILVER: Brewhouse & Kitchen Southbourne Prince Ranji 4.0%

S SILVER: Tintagel Brewery Sir Lancelot 4.2%

S SILVER: Exeter Brewery Avocet 3.9%

S SILVER: Stannary Brewing Co. Stannary Pale Ale 4.0%

S SILVER: Branscombe Vale Brewery Golden Fiddle 4.0%

B BRONZE: Abbey Ales Ltd Bath Pale Ale 4.2%

B BRONZE: Hop Union Brewery Mini Moose 3.4%

B BRONZE: Stonehenge Ales Ltd Spire Ale 3.8%

B BRONZE: Eight Arch Brewing Co Square Logic 4.2%

B BRONZE: Salcombe Brewery Co Ltd Salcombe Gold 4.2% B BRONZE: Powderkeg Brewery Speak Easy 4.3%

B BRONZE: Quantock Brewery QPA 4.0%

Cask

Pale Ales (4.4 to 5.5%)

Sponsored by: Crisp Malting Group

G GOLD - Champion: Stannary Brewing Co. Winnemucca 5.4% S SILVER: Abbey Ales Ltd

B BRONZE: Firebrand Brewing Co An Howl IPA 4.8%

B BRONZE: Hop Union Brewery Moose River 5.0%

B BRONZE: Keltek Cornish Brewery Heart of Kernow 4.5%

B BRONZE: Padstow Brewing Co (2013) Ltd May Day 5.0%

B BRONZE: Isle of Purbeck Brewery Full Steam Ahead 4.8%

B BRONZE: Tintagel Brewery Pendragon 4.5%

Overall Champion of the Keg Beer Competition

Cask IPA (5.6%

and over)

Sponsored by: Rankin Brothers & Sons

G GOLD - Champion: South Hams Brewery Sherman 6.4%

B BRONZE: Cheddar Ales Ltd Goats Leap 5.6%

Cask Speciality Light Beers

S SILVER: Exmoor Ales Wicked Wolf 4.2%

B BRONZE: Twisted Oak Brewery Ltd Funk IPA 4.7%

Cask Speciality Amber to Dark Beer

G GOLD - Champion: Cheddar Ales Ltd Velvet Bottom 4.7%

S SILVER: Hop Union Brewery Black Flower 4.6%

B BRONZE: Twisted Brewing Co. Ltd Finnegans No.1 4.4%

Cask Imperial and Strong (6.5%

& over)

G GOLD - Champion: Moor Beer Company Limited Old Freddy Walker 7.3%

B BRONZE: Exmoor Ales Beast 6.6%

Keg Non-Alcoholic & Low ABV

G GOLD - Champion: City Pub GroupKing Street Brew House Micro IPA 2.8%

B BRONZE: Powderkeg Brewery Green Light 1.0%

Keg Session Lager (up

to 4.4%)

G GOLD - Champion: Hop Union Brewery Two Steppin 4.4%

S SILVER: Liberation Brewery Liberation Longboard 4.1%

S SILVER: Exeter Brewery IPL It's Proper Lager 3.9%

B BRONZE: Arkell's Brewery Malthouse Craft Lager 4.2%

B BRONZE: Moor Beer Company Limited Lager 4.0%

B BRONZE: Otter Brewery Tarka 4 4.0%

Keg Premium Lager

(4.5% to 6.4%)

G GOLD - Champion: Rude Giant Brew Co Rude Lager 4.5%

S SILVER: Electric Bear Brewing Co Mixtape 4.6%

S SILVER: Utopian Brewing Unfiltered British Lager 4.7%

SIBA South West competition winners 2022

G GOLD: Hop Union Brewery Two Steppin 4.4%

S SILVER: City Pub Group King Street Brew House Micro IPA 2.8%

B BRONZE: Quantock Brewery We are gunna need a bigger boat 6.3%

B BRONZE: Bays Brewery Devon Rock Craft Lager 4.5%

B BRONZE: South Hams Brewery South hams premium lager 5.0%

B BRONZE: TQ Beerworks Czech Raise 5.0%

B BRONZE: Salcombe Brewery Co Ltd Salcombe Pilsner 5.4%

Keg British Ales (up

to 6.4%)

B BRONZE: Otter Brewery Amber Fresh 4.0%

Keg Session Pale Ale

(up to 4.4%)

G GOLD - Champion: City Pub Group - Bath Brew House Boreale 4.2%

G GOLD: Arkell's Brewery Haze 4.0%

S SILVER: Lyme Regis Brewery Dorset Pearl 4.3%

S SILVER: Quantock Brewery QPA 4.0%

B BRONZE: Stannary Brewing Co. All That Jazz 4.2%

B BRONZE: TQ Beerworks The Fluffer 4.0%

B BRONZE: Somer Valley Brewing Rolling Hills 4.2%

B BRONZE: Electric Bear Brewing Co Werrrd! 4.2%

Keg Pale Ale (4.5%

- 5.5%)

G GOLD - Champion: Electric Bear Brewing Co Tondo 5.0%

S SILVER: Padstow Brewing Co (2013) Ltd Lobster Kveik 4.5%

B BRONZE: St Ives Brewery Slipway 5.0%

B BRONZE: Firebrand Brewing Co Thundercloud Hazy IPA 5.5%

B BRONZE: Brewhouse & Kitchen Bristol Teardrop 4.8%

B BRONZE: Quantock Brewery Radicle 4.5%

B BRONZE: Exeter Brewery EX1 4.8%

B BRONZE: Parachute Brewery Manual Brewing RIPCORD 5.0%

Keg IPA (5.6% to 7.4%)

Sponsored by: Charles Faram

G GOLD - Champion: Quantock Brewery We are gunna need a bigger boat 6.3%

S SILVER: St Austell Brewery Big Job 7.2%

B BRONZE: Brewhouse & Kitchen Southbourne Harry Mears 6.0%

B BRONZE: Many Hands Brew Co Thumb War 6.0%

B BRONZE: Stannary Brewing Co. Hare Trigger 6.8%

Keg Double & Triple IPA (7.5% & over)

S SILVER: City Pub Group - King Street Brew House 8 8.0%

Keg Speciality IPA

Sponsored by: CERTUSS (UK)

B BRONZE: Brewhouse & Kitchen Poole 1 824 4.5%

Keg Amber, Brown & Red Ale (up to 6.4%)

B BRONZE: TQ Beerworks October Rust 5.3%

Keg Stout & Porter (6.4% and under)

G GOLD - Champion: TQ Beerworks The Stout 5.2%

S SILVER: Many Hands Brew Co Shadow Puppets 4.5%

B BRONZE: Brewhouse & Kitchen Poole Code Name 5.4%

B BRONZE: Moor Beer Company Limited Stout 5.0%

Keg Imperial & Strong Ale (6.5% and over)

S SILVER: Utopian Brewing Ranbock 7.0%

Keg Sour & Wild Ale

G GOLD - Champion: New Bristol Brewery Mango Lime & Lassi Gose 5.0%

G GOLD: Stannary Brewing Co. Hello Cowboy 5.0%

S SILVER: City Pub Group - Turks Head Cherry Bomb 6.7%

Keg Continental Style Beer

G GOLD - Champion: Brewhouse and Kitchen Dorchester Kolsch 5.0%

S SILVER: City Pub Group - Turks Head Wheetus 5.5%

B BRONZE: Padstow Brewing Co (2013) Ltd Before Sunrise 4.6%

Keg Speciality & Flavoured Beer

G GOLD - Champion: Electric Bear Brewing Co Shenanigans 5.0%

S SILVER: St Austell Brewery Mena Dhu 4.5%

Regional Beer Competitions

North East

Cask Session Dark Beers (up to 4.4%)

G GOLD - Champion: Timothy Taylor's Landlord Dark 4.3%

S SILVER: Rudgate Brewery Ruby Mild 4.4%

S SILVER: Wensleydale Brewery Black Dub Oat Stout 4.4%

S SILVER: Ilkley Brewery Co BLACK LIGHT 3.4%

S SILVER: Little Critters Brewing Company Bentley's Bark 4.2%

B BRONZE: First & Last Brewery Reiver 4.2%

B BRONZE: Acorn Brewery of Barnsley Ltd Old Moor Porter 4.4%

Cask British Dark Beers (4.5 to

6.4%)

G GOLD - Champion: First & Last Brewery Eclipse 5.6%

B BRONZE: Allendale Brewery Wolf 5.5%

B BRONZE: Harrogate Brewing Company Porter 4.8%

Cask British Bitter (up to 4.4%)

Sponsored by: Rankin Brothers & Sons

G GOLD - Champion: Acorn Brewery of Barnsley Ltd Barnsley Bitter 3.8%

G GOLD: Pennine Brewing Millie George 4.0%

G GOLD: Brew York Maris The Otter 3.9%

G GOLD: Craven Brew Co BYB 3.8%

S SILVER: Twice Brewed Brewing Co. Best Bitter 3.8%

S SILVER: Ilkley Brewery Co JOSHUA JANE 3.7%

S SILVER: DALESIDE BREWERY OLD LEGOVER 4.1%

S SILVER: Ossett Butterley 3.8%

B BRONZE: True North Brew Co Stones Bitter 4.1%

B BRONZE: Timothy Taylor's Boltmaker 4.0%

B BRONZE: Goose Eye Brewery Ltd. Goose Eye Bitter 3.9%

B BRONZE: Wensleydale Brewery Gamekeeper 4.3%

Overall Champion of the Cask Beer Competition

Cask British Best Bitter (4.5 to 6.4%)

S SILVER: True North Brew Co Limmers ESB 4.5%

S SILVER: Harrogate Brewing Company Harrogate Best 4.5%

B BRONZE: Twice Brewed Brewing Co. All The Way To Reno 5.2%

Cask Session Pale Ale (up to 4.4%)

Sponsored by: Rankin Brothers & Son

G GOLD - Champion: Ossett White Rat 4.0%

G GOLD: Pennine Brewing Pacifc 4.1%

S SILVER: Brew York Calmer Chameleon 4.1%

S SILVER: Ilkley Brewery Co PALE 4.2%

S SILVER: Little Critters Brewing Company Spot-On 4.3%

S SILVER: Saltaire Brewery Klaxon! 4.3%

S SILVER: Allendale Brewery Pennine Pale 4.0%

B BRONZE: Triple Point Brewing Simtrazza 4.4%

B BRONZE: Rooster's Brewing Co. Easy-Going Assassin 4.3%

B BRONZE: Goose Eye Brewery Ltd. Spring Wells 3.6%

B BRONZE: DALESIDE BREWERY BLONDE 3.9%

B BRONZE: Horsforth Brewery Trinity 4.2%

B BRONZE: The Alnwick Brewery company SPRING PALE 24 3.7%

Cask Pale Ales (4.4 to

5.5%)

Sponsored by: Crisp Malting Group

G GOLD - Champion: Horsforth Brewery By the Hair of Ernie 5.4%

S SILVER: Rooster's Brewing Co. Thousand Yard Stare 5.4%

B BRONZE: Saltaire Brewery Pipeline 4.6%

B BRONZE: Triple Point Brewing Yosemite 4.8%

B BRONZE: Twice Brewed Brewing Co. Hazy IPA 5.1% B

Sponsored by: Rankin Brothers & Sons G GOLD - Champion: Bridgehouse Brewery Easy Tiger 6.1%

Cask Speciality Amber to Dark Beer

Sponsored by: Rankin Brothers & Sons

Regional Beer Competitions

Wales & West

Cask Session Dark Beers (up

to 4.4%)

G GOLD - Champion: Gwaun Valley Brewery Traditional Porter 4.2%

S SILVER: Magic Dragon Brewing Old Magic 3.6%

B BRONZE: Hobsons Brewery The Champion 3.2%

Cask British Dark Beers (4.5 to 6.4%)

G GOLD - Champion: Salopian Brewery Port in a Storm 4.7%

S SILVER: North Cotswold Brewery Hung, Drawn 'n' Portered 5.0%

B BRONZE: Rowton Full Moon 6.2%

B BRONZE: CWRW OTLEY Oxymoron 5.5%

Cask British Bitter (up to 4.4%)

Sponsored by: Rankin Brothers & Sons

G GOLD - Champion: Stonehouse Brewery Limited Station Bitter 3.9%

G GOLD: Wye Valley Brewery Wye Valley Bitter 3.7%

S SILVER: Rowton Meteorite 4.2%

S SILVER: Bewdley Brewery Red Hill 4.4%

B BRONZE: Ludlow Brewery Ludlow Gold 4.2%

B BRONZE: Salopian Brewery Darwins Origin 4.3%

B BRONZE: Gloucester Brewery Cascade 4.2%

B BRONZE: Gower Brewery Orginal 4.0%

B BRONZE: Glamorgan Brewing Company Cwrw Gorslas 4.0%

B BRONZE: The Fresh Standard Brew Co. Horse Brass 4.0%

B BRONZE: Teme Valley Brewery That 4.1%

B BRONZE: Bragdy Twt Lol // The Trefforest Brewery Glog 4.0%

B BRONZE: Goffs Brewery Tournament 4.0%

Overall Champion of the Cask Beer Competition

Presented to: Wilf Nelson Presented by: Joel James

G GOLD: Salopian Brewery Port in a Storm 4.7%

S SILVER: Gwaun Valley Brewery Traditional Porter 4.2%

B BRONZE: Gower Brewery Gower Power 5.5%

Cask British Best Bitter (4.5 to 6.4%)

Sponsored by: Rankin Brothers & Sons

G GOLD - Champion: Gower Brewery Gower Power 5.5%

S SILVER: Salopian Brewery Golden Thread 5.0%

S SILVER: Cardigan Brewery Ltd Dai Cockles 5.4%

B BRONZE: Goffs Brewery White Knight 4.7%

B BRONZE: North Cotswold Brewery Shagweaver XL 5.4%

B BRONZE: Mumbles Brewery Lifesaver 4.9%

Cask Session Pale Ale (up to 4.4%)

Sponsored by: Rankin Brothers & Sons

G GOLD - Champion: Montys Brewery Red IPA 4.2%

S SILVER: Bewdley Brewery Baldwin IPA 4.2%

S SILVER: North Cotswold Brewery Green Man IPA 4.0%

S SILVER: Goffs Brewery Lancer 3.8%

S SILVER: Teme Valley Brewery T'Other 3.5%

S SILVER: Magic Dragon Brewing Green One 4.2%

S SILVER: Salopian Brewery Oracle 4.0%

S SILVER: Gloucester Brewery Gloucester Gold 3.9%

S SILVER: Wye Valley Brewery Hopfather 3.9%

B BRONZE: Purple Moose Brewery Ltd Cwrw Eryri 3.6%

B BRONZE: Ludlow Brewery Blonde 4.0%

B BRONZE: Gower Brewery Spring Tide 4.2%

B BRONZE: Core Of The Poodle Seldom Sober 4.0%

B BRONZE: Mumbles Brewery Mumbles Gold 4.3%

B BRONZE: Brewhouse & Kitchen Cheltenham Colonel Jack 4.0%

B BRONZE: Gwaun Valley Brewery Cwrw Melyn 4.0%

Cask Pale Ales (4.4 to 5.5%)

Sponsored by: Crisp Malting Group

G GOLD - Champion: North Cotswold Brewery TA Shakespeare Brewing Co Tempest 5.0%

S SILVER: Stroud Brewery Budding 4.5%

S SILVER: Stonehouse Brewery Limited Nickel Wound 4.5%

B BRONZE: Magic Dragon Brewing Hoppy Jester 4.5%

B BRONZE: Bragdy Twt Lol // The Trefforest Brewery Dreigiau'r Diafol // Diablo Dragons 5.5%

B BRONZE: CWRW OTLEY

Vermont IPA 5.0%

B BRONZE: Ludlow Brewery Stairway 5.0%

Cask IPA (5.6% and over)

Sponsored by: Rankin Brothers & Sons

B BRONZE: Magic Dragon Brewing Necteron 5.6%

B BRONZE: VOG Brewery Dark Knight 6.0%

Cask Speciality Light Beers

B BRONZE: Purple Moose Brewery Ltd Cwrw Ysgawen 4.0%

B BRONZE: Goffs Brewery Jester Brew 23 - Pan-Asian Pale 4.1%

Cask Speciality Amber to Dark Beer

G GOLD - Champion: Ludlow Brewery TA Derailed Brewing Co Silent Knight 4.5%

Cask Imperial and Strong (6.5% and over)

B BRONZE: North Cotswold Brewery Millennium Monarch 10.0%

Regional Beer Competitions

Wales & West

Overall Champion of the Keg Beer Competition

Presented to: Mike Powell Presented by: Joel James

G GOLD: Stroud Brewery Big Cat 4.5% S SILVER: Bewdley Brewery A Wild River Brew Co Sabrina 4.0% B BRONZE: Magic Dragon Brewing Border Bitter 3.8%

Keg Non-Alcoholic & Low ABV

G GOLD - Champion: Geipel Brewing Zeppelin 2.8%

B BRONZE: Stroud Brewery Easy Peasy 2.6%

Keg Session Lager (up to 4.4%)

G GOLD - Champion: Stonehouse Brewery Limited Shark Beach 4.0%

G GOLD: Geipel Brewing Aloha from Bala 4.4%

S SILVER: Cardigan Brewery Ltd Dai Bach 4.0%

B BRONZE: Bewdley Brewery L axford Lager 4.2%

Keg Premium Lager (4.5%

to 6.4%)

G GOLD - Champion: Purple Moose Brewery Ltd Mwsh 4.7%

S SILVER: Gloucester Brewery Lager 4.5%

B BRONZE: Zerodegrees Cardiff The Bohemian Czech Pilsner 4.8%

B BRONZE: Wye Valley Brewery 1985 4.5%

Keg British Ales (up to 6.4%)

G GOLD - Champion: Magic Dragon Brewing Border Bitter 3.8%

B BRONZE: Bewdley Brewery Worcestershire Way 3.6%

Keg Session Pale Ale (up to 4.4%)

G GOLD - Champion: Bewdley Brewery TA Wild River Brew Co Sabrina 4.0%

S SILVER: Cardigan Brewery Ltd Hazy Dai 4.0%

B BRONZE: Magic Dragon Brewing DR G 4.2%

Keg Pale Ale (4.5%

- 5.5%)

G GOLD - Champion: Gloucester Brewery NEIPA 5.2%

G GOLD: Zerodegrees Cardiff Downtown Pale Ale 4.6%

S SILVER: Stroud Brewery Hop Drop 4.5%

B BRONZE: Ludlow Brewery TA Derailed Brewing Co Nebula 5.2%

B BRONZE: Bragdy Cybi Sunshine Dan 5.3%

B BRONZE: Wild Horse Brewing Co Cadence 4.5%

Keg IPA (5.6% to 7.4%)

Sponsored by: Charles Faram

G GOLD - Champion: Wild Horse Brewing Co Tramcar 6.5%

S SILVER: Magic Dragon Brewing Necteron 5.6%

B BRONZE: Brewhouse & Kitchen Gloucester Rhapsody 6.0%

Keg Speciality IPA

B BRONZE: VOG Brewery Jacksons Black Oyster Shell IPA 6.0%

Keg Amber, Brown & Red Ale (up to 6.4%)

G GOLD - Champion: Hobsons Brewery The Champion 3.2%

Keg Stout & Porter (6.4% and under)

G GOLD - Champion: Stroud Brewery Big Cat 4.5%

S SILVER: Brewhouse & Kitchen Cardiff Tiger Bay 5.4%

S SILVER: VOG Brewery Milk Cup 4.5%

B BRONZE: Hobsons Brewery Dhustone Stout 4.3%

Keg Imperial & Strong Ale (6.5% and over)

G GOLD - Champion: VOG Brewery Guy's not long for this world! 8.4%

Keg Continental Style Beer

G GOLD - Champion: Bragdy Cybi Cwrw’r Bae 5.6%

G GOLD: Geipel Brewing Hefeweizen 5.2%

Keg Speciality & Flavoured Beer

G GOLD - Champion: Hobsons Brewery Plum Porter 5.0% Bottle & Can Non-Alcoholic & Low ABV B

Geipel Brewing

Bottle & Can Session Lager (up to 4.4%)

BRONZE: Stonehouse Brewery Limited

Beach 4.0% Bottle & Can Premium Lager (4.5% to 6.4%)

G GOLD - Champion: Wild Horse Brewing Co Tudno Pils 5.0%

G GOLD: Purple Moose Brewery Ltd Mwsh 4.7%

G GOLD: Zerodegrees Cardiff The Bohemian 4.8%

S SILVER: Wye Valley Brewery 1985 4.5%

S SILVER: Glamorgan Brewing Company Welsh Lager 4.5%

B BRONZE: Cardigan Brewery Ltd Dai Mawr 5.0%

B BRONZE: Gloucester Brewery Lager 4.5%

SIBA Wales & West competition winners 2024

Overall Champion of the Bottle & Can Competition

Presented to: Craig Edmunds Presented by: Sally Maile

G GOLD: VOG Brewery Sith Order Barrel Strength 11.5%

S SILVER: Salopian Brewery Darwins Origin 4.3%

Bottle

B BRONZE: Bragdy Twt Lol // The Trefforest Brewery Twti Ffrwti 4.0%

& Can British

Ales

(up to 6.4%)

G GOLD - Champion: Salopian Brewery Darwins Origin 4.3%

S SILVER: Bragdy Twt Lol // The Trefforest Brewery Glog 4.0%

S SILVER: Stroud Brewery Tom Long 3.8%

B BRONZE: Magic Dragon Brewing Eyton gold 4.0%

B BRONZE: Ludlow Brewery Ludlow Gold 4.2%

B BRONZE: Clun Brewery Green Man 4.4%

Bottle & Can Session Pale Ale (up to 4.4%)

G GOLD - Champion: Bragdy Twt Lol // The Trefforest Brewery Twti Ffrwti 4.0%

S SILVER: Wild Horse Brewing Co Nokota 3.8%

S SILVER: Wye Valley Brewery Hopfather 3.9%

B BRONZE: VOG Brewery Wales Week London Pale 4.0%

B BRONZE: The Hop Shed Hop Shed Pale 4.0%

B BRONZE: Stonehouse Brewery Limited Into The Wild 4.0%

Bottle & Can Pale Ale (4.5% - 5.5%)

G GOLD - Champion: Salopian Brewery Sabotage 5.0%

G GOLD: Glamorgan Brewing Company Ffresh 4.5%

G GOLD: Brew 61 Hop On 4.5%

G GOLD: Ludlow Brewery TA Derailed Brewing Co Nebula 5.2%

S SILVER: Stroud Brewery Hop Drop 4.5%

S SILVER: Purple Moose Brewery Ltd Antlered IPA 5.2%

S SILVER: Gower Brewery Gower Gold 4.5%

B BRONZE: Stonehouse Brewery Limited Road Trip 5.2%

B BRONZE: Gloucester Brewery New England IPA 5.2%

B BRONZE: The Hop Shed Leghorn 4.8%

B BRONZE: Left Bank Brewery Zhyto-Rhyg Rye IPA 4.5%

Bottle & Can IPA (5.6% to 7.4%)

G GOLD - Champion: Gloucester Brewery American Pale 6.4%

G GOLD: Mumbles Brewery Albina 5.7%

S SILVER: Clun Brewery Citadel 5.9%

S SILVER: Wild Horse Brewing Co Tramcar 6.5%

S SILVER: Purple Moose Brewery Ltd Navigator 6.2%

B BRONZE: Wye Valley Brewery Glorious IPA 6.0%

B BRONZE: Dog's Window Brewery Ned's Stick Collection 5.9%

Bottle & Can Speciality IPA

G GOLD - Champion: Magic Dragon Brewing Black Tiger 4.8%

B BRONZE: Purple Moose Brewery Ltd High Hops 5.4%

B BRONZE: VOG Brewery Jacksons Black Oyster Shell IPA 6.0%

Bottle & Can Amber, Brown & Red Ale (up to 6.4%)

G GOLD - Champion: Ludlow Brewery Red Dawn 4.5%

S SILVER: Mumbles Brewery Lifesaver 4.9%

S SILVER: Bewdley Brewery Red Hill 4.4%

B BRONZE: Gloucester Brewery Cascade 4.2%

B BRONZE: Hobsons Brewery Best Bitter 3.8%

B BRONZE: The Hop Shed Redcap Ruby 4.2%

Bottle & Can Stout & Porter (6.4% and under)

B BRONZE: Gloucester Brewery Dockside Dark 5.2%

B BRONZE: Gower Brewery Black Diamond 4.2%

B BRONZE: Purple Moose Brewery Ltd Black Rock Stout 4.2%

Bottle & Can Imperial & Strong Ale (6.5% and over)

S SILVER: Geipel Brewing Bock 6.5%

Bottle & Can Continental Style Beer

B BRONZE: Dog's Window Brewery Play Dead 11.0%

Bottle & Can Speciality & Flavoured Beer

G GOLD - Champion: VOG Brewery Sith Order Barrel Strength 11.5%

G GOLD: Purple Moose Brewery Ltd Chocolate Moose 5.6%

S SILVER: Stroud Brewery Stinger 4.2%

S SILVER: Zerodegrees Cardiff Our Mango Beer 4.1%

‘Dry

January’ Trademark challenge signals end of abstention for AF Drinks

One of the UK’s leading alcohol-free brands, Big Drop Brewing Co, has successfully challenged a trademark on the term ‘Dry January’ in a tribunal held by the UK Intellectual Property Office*.

The trademark for Dry January was registered by Alcohol Research UK (now known as Alcohol Change UK) in 2014 to support its science-based resources for harmful and hazardous drinkers. This was in the primary class of educational and behavioural change programmes but, in 2022, ACUK sought to extend the trademark in new areas of products and services.

This attempt to trademark the phrase meant that ACUK argued that no one else - including low & no brands, venues and retailers - could use the words in relation to selling their drinks. Big Drop reasoned that this unduly monopolised the term, not only restricting the sales and marketing activity surrounding alcohol-free drinks but also having the unintended consequence of hindering the charity’s own overarching goal of reducing alcohol harm.

Rob Fink, founder of Big Drop, said: “The alcoholfree movement has been driven by innovative start-up brands over the last few years by offering drinkers palatable alternatives for January and beyond. A lot of people across the board actually enjoy doing Dry January to give their bodies a much-needed rest while seeking out new alternatives emerging in the drinks world. Indeed, high quality alcohol-free drinks give people a reason to go and support the hospitality industry in January and reward retailers who go large on their seasonal displays. Many of those brands are pretty much aligned with ACUK on the need for effective work towards reducing alcohol harm so it makes sense to work together and not put-up unnecessary barriers.” Find out more at www.bigdropbrew.com

Welsh brewery Monty’s becomes latest Masters of Motoring partner

Monty’s Brewery has joined the growing ranks of partners for the Wiltshire motoring festival Masters of Motoring.

The Welsh craft brewery, based just outside the ancient castle town of Montgomery - hence the name, Monty’s - was founded by husband and wife team Russ and Pam Honeyman in 2008 and has grown to become one of Wales’ leading beer producers. Notably, it has supplied beer to both the House of Commons and No 10 Downing Street.

Monty’s is producing a special-edition Masters of Motoring beer especially for the event. The specially brewed and branded bottles will be included as part of this year’s VIP event package for visitors and participants. It will also be available for the public to purchase.

Russ Honeyman said: "It’s great to be part of Masters of Motoring - we are looking forward to showcasing our beers. As a fan, myself, of classic cars I couldn't think of a better event to be involved in."

Find out more at www.montysbrewery.co.uk

Wold Top Brewery invests in a canning line

Wold Newton-based Wold Top Brewery marked its entry into the canned beer market with the launch of Wild Swim.

One of a series of six limited edition canned beers that will be launched throughout 2024 to complement the 21-year-old brewery's range of bottled beers, Wild Swim, 4% ABV, is a strippedback, clean and refreshing lager that was developed by brewer Henry Culpepper.

Brewery director Alex Balchin said: "Our contract customers have been asking us to provide a canned beer packaging service for quite a while, but we had to weigh up all the options before we invested. We have a strong and loyal fan base of bottle drinkers and wanted to ensure that we didn't marginalise any other area of the business. By introducing cans as a seasonal, limited edition line, we aim to develop strong markets for both forms of packaging."

The canning line was supplied by British company MicroCan and has the capacity to fill up to 2,000 cans per hour. The £100,000 investment was supported by the Farming Sustainability Fund, which supports rural and farm-based businesses.

Find out more at www.woldtopbrewery.com

Bays Brewery launches new charity brews

Family-run Bays Brewery in Paignton is saying ‘cheers’ to some top Devon charities throughout 2024 with the launch of four brand new limited-edition ‘Charity Brews’.

Available at various times throughout the year in bottles, cask and beer boxes, each brew will support a worthy local cause in a bid to give something back to the community.

The first of its charity brews, released in February, ‘Tracker Ale’ sees 5% of proceeds going towards Dartmoor Search & Rescue (Ashburton).

The second charity brew was released in April and is named ‘Funky Monkey’ and will see the Torbay brewery partner up with its good friends at Paignton Zoo once again.

Funky Monkey will be the latest in a long line of beers developed by Bays Brewery in collaboration with Paignton Zoo, which combined have raised more than £27,000 for endangered species to date.

The third charity brew ‘Chopper Ale’ will take off in July, with beer drinkers able to enjoy their pint in the knowledge that they are supporting the vital work of Devon Air Ambulance with every sip. And completing the charity line-up from November will be ‘Jingle Ale’, a deep amber ale that spreads some festive cheer with 5% of proceeds supporting Children’s Hospice South West (CHSW).

Director of Bays Brewery, Peter Salmon, said: “Last year’s charity beers proved a hit among our loyal following of beer fans, raising a total of £3,370 for three local charities close to our heart, and we’re thrilled to be working with another brilliant bunch of local charities in 2024.

“With many of them facing unprecedented demand alongside inadequate funding, we are pleased to be able to play a small part by pledging to donate 5% from every bottle and pint sold to help raise much-needed funds for four incredibly worthy causes.”

Find out more at www.baysbrewery.co.uk

Arran Brewery finds missing award

For many years the Isle of Arran Brewery has claimed to have won at least one award for its beers every year since it was founded in the year 2000 – except for one year (2004) in which they were pretty certain an award had been won but couldn’t find any record of it.

This was a standing joke, that after 20 years has finally come to an end!

This year, spurred on by an idea of creating an ‘award wall’ showing off the well-earned praises Arran Brewery beers have received across the last 23 years, Yorick Hinchliffe, Arran’s Retail Manager has at last discovered the missing link: a Bronze award for Arran Blonde at the 2004 SIBA speciality beer competition.

This award can now sit proudly next to Arran Brewery’s other prestigious awards including World’s Best Dark brown beer for Arran Dark in the 2012 World Beer Awards, the more recent award for Arran Blonde (winning Champion Speciality beer of Scotland in 2022) and plenty of other awards throughout the years.

There is no plan to stop there of course! Arran Brewery is looking to continue the streak in 2024 and continue to add to its impressive record for years yet to come.

Yorick said: “I couldn’t believe it when I came across the certificate from 2004, finally we had the missing proof, proving that we truly had won an award every year since the founding of the brewery, the missing award has been a go to joke for me on our brewery tours for years, I’ll have to think of a new one now!”

Find out more at www.arranbrewery.co.uk

New chapter for Daleside Brewery business

Derby Brewing launches Osnabruck

Harrogate based Rooster’s Brewery has announced the acquisition of Daleside Brewery Ltd.

To facilitate the acquisition and to enable future growth, Rooster’s has raised a substantial amount of new capital from a private investor. Also based in the North Yorkshire spa town, Daleside will continue to operate as a separate company with its existing team of staff and brew its well-loved range of beers, which includes the likes of Monkey Wrench and Morocco Ale and the ever-popular Daleside Blonde.

The operation of the Daleside business will, in due course, transfer and fill spare capacity at Rooster’s Brewery in Hornbeam Park, Harrogate. However, the two businesses will continue to trade separately within their respective markets with the Daleside portfolio of beers brewed by their existing team, using their own dedicated strain of yeast to maintain the unique flavour of their beers.

Daleside Brewery was founded in 1991 by Bill Witty, who passed away in 2007. Eric Lucas joined the brewery in 1993, eventually becoming Managing Director. For over 30 years, he and the Daleside team ensured that the Daleside brands were enjoyed across the UK and abroad. Following the change of ownership, Eric and his fellow shareholders are stepping

Derby Brewing has launched a 4.2% session unfiltered lager called Osnabruck, named after the German town Derby has proudly been twinned with for nearly 50 years.

The new lager links back to the Oberburgermeister, a beer brewed by us back in 2006 when Trev hosting the Oberburgmeister himself Osnabruck’s Major at our Brew House to celebrate the 30th anniversary of our twinning.

The lager itself is brewed with lager malt, torrefied wheat, Mandarina Bavarian & Hallertau Blanc German hops. Taking inspiration from Pilsner & Kolsch lagers to produce a clean, crisp flavoursome session lager, and left unfiltered to maximise its flavour.

As all lagers should we have allowed it to lager in vessel for around six weeks to ensure it developed its flavours and crucially has a mellow and morish aftertaste. Making the second pint inevitable. Carrying the name of Osnabruck the German town twinned with Derby and a nod to the German style lager that bears its name.

Derby’s Trevor Harris said: “We have been working on launching a lager for a while, it’s great to finally launch it and in our 20th year and nearly 50th anniversary of the twinning, it was great to link it to Osnabruck. I loved brewing the beer previously so when we decided to brew a German influenced lager it felt like a great nod to that German influence and Derby’s heritage.”

down from the business to enjoy retirement. Ian Fozard, Rooster’s Chairman, said: “We are delighted to enable the Daleside business to continue beyond Eric’s retirement. We know the business and the team well and, with only a few miles between us, have helped each other countless times out over the years. In addition, my son Oliver, Rooster’s Head Brewer, did his apprenticeship and cut his teeth in the world of brewing at Daleside in the early 2000’s, while I was also a good friend of the Daleside founder, Bill Witty.”

Eric Lucas, Daleside Managing Director, said: “I’m delighted that the long-term future of Daleside Brewery, its team and its brands have been secured and will remain in Harrogate with the highly respected and acclaimed Rooster’s Brewery. Being with Daleside has been an astonishing and enjoyable journey. On behalf of myself and my fellow owners, I would like to thank everyone who has contributed and has been part of this great Daleside experience. I’m sure that we’re all looking forward to many pints of both Daleside and Rooster’s beers in the future.”

Find out more at www.roosters.co.uk and www.dalesidebrewery.com

A brewery tour in a book

Derby Brewing father-son team Trevor and Paul Harris have launched their first book, The 8 Secrets To What Makes Great Beer - what they like to call a brewery tour in a book!

This book isn't your typical brewing manual – it's a lively, anecdote-filled brewery tour on paper. Say goodbye to dry tables, graphs, and equations; this is a celebration of beer crafted for genuine enthusiasts. Join this dynamic duo as they reveal the secrets behind consistently great beer, offering a refreshing blend of passion, experience, and real-life brewing tales.

Advanced copies of the book have been shared with some leading beer writers, including the multiple award-winning Roger Protz. Protz had this to say: “This is a must-read book for beer lovers and aspiring brewers. Trevor and Paul have pooled their experience running breweries and pubs to explain, jargon-free, how good beer is brewed. They take readers through the stages of the brewing process and then detail the essential raw materials of malt, hops, yeast, and water. The range of malts and hops is portrayed, following guidance on brewing a wide variety of succulent beer styles. Get reading and work up a thirst!'

The book is now available through Amazon, go to www.derbybrewing.co.uk for more information.

Research project led by Stroud Brewery aims to protect hop harvests from climate change

The effects of climate change are predicted to severely reduce hop harvests, or could even halt hop growth altogether, as well as increase the prevalence of pests and diseases attacking the plants.

Stroud Brewery has been co-ordinating a research project developing new hop varieties resilient to these effects, so protecting beermaking plus providing farmers with potential new markets for their crops. A special beertasting event has marked the end of the threeyear research, bringing together members of the project to sample beers brewed with five new potential hop varieties identified in farm trials. Climate change will put future hop harvests at risk because of increased temperatures and unpredictable weather.

For the past three years, the Innovative Farmers' Hop Trial has been selecting and growing new hop varieties showing potential for increased tolerance to future changes in climate and diseases, and which could also be grown organically. This would secure supplies for future beer-making, and also open up new business opportunities for UK farmers as there’s increasing international demand for organic hops.

Currently, Stroud Brewery can only buy 30% of the organic hops it needs from UK farmers.

In the heyday of hop growing, there were 77,000 acres in the UK. Now there are less than 2,000, with about 50 growers and 25 varieties. The total acreage of organic hop production is 17.6 acres farmed by only two organic growers in Britain: the two farmers taking part in this trial. There has also been a fall in demand for UK hops due to changing consumer tastes towards tropical flavours produced by hops imported from countries like the US.

Greg Pilley, founder & MD of Stroud Brewery in Gloucestershire, said that growing more climate change-resistant organic hops in the UK could supply farmers with a high quality, dependable crop to sell both at home and abroad.

“We’re now moving into the fringes of hop growing really. The underlying issue is climate change – our weather is changing. UK summers

are becoming wetter and more humid and less reliable, and it’s making hop growing more challenging. They’re fussy plants to grow at the best of times.”

Pests and diseases that attack hops are becoming resistant to current chemical treatments, meaning the new hop varieties would help nonorganic farmers, too.

The findings show that two of the traditional hop varieties, Fuggles and Goldings, grown non-organically in the UK, are under threat from climate change and the rapidly increasing cost of artificial fertiliser.

Growing trials on two farms in Worcestershire & East Sussex have identified 5 varieties showing promise in coping with higher temperatures and with increased pest and disease resistance. John Walker, from Woodlands Farm in Worcestershire, said he is growing hops that had previously been ditched by farmers due to being susceptible to wilt, but can see they are thriving on his organic farm.

Stroud Brewery has brewed new beers using the hops showing the most potential, in order to test their suitability for commercial beer-making. All partners of the research met at the Brewery to sample these beers and judge the results.

The panel particularly liked the beers brewed using varieties Endeavor, CF302 and Harlequin, the latter is already conventionally grown but is not normally produced in an organic setting. The panel commented that these not only showed higher tolerance to disease but produced exciting flavours, with notes such as “pineapple”, “strawberry laces”, “blackcurrant”, “spice” and “lemon”.

Oaty Ale is brewed using Harlequin hops, grown on the Sussex farm, and malt produced in the Cotswolds. It shows what it’s possible to do using UK ingredients, which others have to do globally.

The beers are available to customers in the Brewery's taproom, who are being asked for feedback to help judge which hops will produce commercially viable brews.

Find out more at www.stroudbrewery. co.uk

Riot Grrrl wins big at SIBA Business Awards

Signature Brew, the multi-awardwinning brewery known for its forward-thinking collaborations with musicians, has now won a SIBA award for its bold and rebellious collaboration project with TATE - Riot Grrrl.

Riot Grrrl took home the award for Best Individual Design at the SIBA Business Awards 2024. The beer and its artwork, co-created by artist Steve Beech, was inspired by the trailblazing women and art at the forefront of the feminist punk movement of the 70s and 80s. The beer is a 4.8% Hazy Pale that the brewery believes is one of their finest, delivering huge juicy flavours whilst remaining indignantly drinkable. When Riot Grrrl was released in November 2023 it sold out immediately, which prompted the brewery to produce additional batches to keep up with demand.

The brewery collaborated with TATE to create a beer that was the perfect accompaniment to their "Women In Revolt” exhibition. The exhibition was the first of its kind, a wide-ranging exploration of feminist art by over 100 female artists working in the UK. It shines a spotlight on how networks of women used radical ideas and rebellious methods to make an invaluable contribution to British culture.

Signature Brew Co-founder Sam McGregor said: “It was an honour to work alongside such an iconic group of artists, that played such an important part in our culture especially when we look back at the impact it had on the music of that time as well. Well done to all those involved in making this such an incredible project.”

Find out more at www.signaturebrew.co.uk

Arkell’s Brewery unveils

‘Honest

John’ Nitro

Best

Bitter: A tribute to tradition and innovation

Arkell’s Brewery has proudly introduced its latest creation, ‘Honest John’, a 4% ABV Nitro Best Bitter that combines the beloved characteristics of cask beer with the convenience of a keg tap.

Named in honour of the brewery's pioneering founder, John Arkell, ‘Honest John’ embodies the innovative spirit that has defined Arkell’s for over 180 years. Inspired by the legacy of their visionary founder, who embraced steam technology during a time of innovation, Arkell’s Brewery continues to push boundaries in the brewing industry. ‘Honest John’ pays homage to this tradition by combining the unique soft texture of a cask conditioned ale, and the morish, caramel-toffee flavours of a best bitter, all poured gently though a keg tap.

Alex Arkell, Head Brewer, said: “Honest John was the name by which our founder was affectionately know locally. He was an innovator who embraced steam technology when building his brewhouse, at a time when steam was the new kid on the block! You could call him the original steam punk!”

The unveiling of ‘Honest John’ was marked by Mayor of Swindon, Councillor Barbara Parry, who poured the inaugural pint whilst visiting Arkell’s Brewery. Reflecting on her experience, Cllr Parry expressed gratitude to the Arkell family and their dedicated team for their hospitality during her visit and commitment to preserving Swindon's heritage.

Find out more at www.arkells.com

Wild Horse Brewing Co expands with new taproom in Llandudno, North Wales

Craft beer enthusiasts and locals alike have reason to celebrate as Wild Horse Brewing Co in Llandudno opens a brandnew taproom next door to the existing brewery.

Located alongside the existing brewing facility, the taproom promises to be a vibrant addition to Llandudno's social scene.

The grand opening of Wild Horse Brewing Co.'s taproom marks an exciting milestone for the brewery, which has gathered a dedicated local following for its modern craft beers since it opened in 2015. The taproom, designed as

a welcoming space for all, will have up to 10 Wild Horse beers on tap alongside a carefully curated selection of local ciders, wine, specialty craft beers, soft drinks and delicious bar snacks. All drinks and snacks will be sourced from independent businesses, with a strong emphasis on supporting Welsh producers.

The taproom will not only offer an excellent selection of craft beers but will also tantalise taste buds with a rotating line-up of street food vendors every Friday evening and throughout the day on Saturdays. This collaboration adds an exciting dimension to the taproom experience,

ensuring customers can indulge in delicious street food while savouring their favourite brews.

"We're thrilled to expand our presence in Llandudno with the launch of our taproom," said Dave Faragher, Founder and Managing Director of Wild Horse Brewing Co. "Our goal is to create a space where everyone feels welcome to enjoy quality craft beverages and delicious food in a relaxed atmosphere."

Find out more at www.wildhorsebrewing.co.uk

Hogs Back’s Rupert Thompson invests in Mondo

Brewing industry veteran Rupert Thompson has agreed an investment deal with London craft brewer Mondo, which secures the future of the Mondo brands, as well as its brewery and taproom in Battersea.

Following a prepack administration, the deal will see brewing continue at Mondo's Battersea site. As well as delivering a fresh injection of capital to drive continued growth of the Mondo brands including Dennis Hopp'r, Road Soda and Little Victories, the financing will allow investment to be made in the Mondo tap room, and in additional sales and marketing activities.

Thompson, owner of ‘TEA' brewer Hogs Back Brewery, becomes Chairman of a new company, Mondo Beer Ltd, working to support the management team led by Mondo founder and MD Todd Matteson.

Under the agreement, Hogs Back will support Mondo as a sister business in areas such as

packaging, sales and marketing, while Mondo will be the exclusive distributor in London of beers from Hogs Back new subsidiary One Planet Brewing, launched last year and brewing with 100% solar power.

Thompson said: "I've known and respected the founders of Mondo, Todd and Tom, for several years. We've sold their beers in our Brewery Shop, and we brewed a collaboration beer in 2022.

"It is a challenging market, but despite that Mondo has been growing. The beers and branding are excellent, and I think they have a bright future ahead. Customers want to see imaginative independent and local brands that are not owned by global brewers."

Todd Matteson said: "We found ourselves in a situation where there is strong demand for our beers, but we were hit by all the challenges that have beset so many small brewers. So, it's wonderful that Rupert has been able to

help, and this allows us to move forward. His experience of developing successful beer brands will be invaluable and we're delighted to have him working with us at Mondo Beer, and to have the back up of Hogs Back Brewery.

"We are also excited to have exclusivity for One Planet beers in London. The 100% solar brewed commitment is completely different, and we think it will really resonate with our customers."

With a growing number of independent brewers having closed over recent months, Thompson believes alliances such as the new one between Hogs Back and Mondo offer a way forward for the sector.

He said: "I firmly believe that, now more than ever, brewers with similar outlooks and independence of spirit need to work together to maintain the diversity at the heart of British beer culture.”

Find out more at www.hogsback.co.uk and www.mondobeer.com

Purity Brewing Co launches 4% lager

Purity Brewing Company, the iconic Warwickshire brewery known for its ongoing commitment to crafting exceptional beer with a focus on sustainability, is proud to announce the launch of its latest release ‘Pure Pilsner’.

At 4%, the launch of Pure Pilsner sees the brewery enter the premium end of the lower ABV category for lagers and marks Purity’s next chapter in its exciting journey.

Lagered for no less than four weeks and made from only four key ingredients –water, hops, malted barley, and lager yeast – Pure Pilsner follows an authentic Pilsner recipe with that distinctive Purity twist.

Crafted entirely from the finest locally sourced British hops, including Jester, Goldings, Challenger, and Pilgrim, alongside East Anglian Malts, this brew supports Purity’s Pure Eco values ensuring the brewery’s carbon footprint is kept to an absolute minimum while delivering unparalleled quality. The launch reflects consumers’ changing consumption habits, with the increase in daytime and early-evening food and experience-led social activities driving demand for high quality, lower ABV drinks.

Flo Vialan, Head Brewer at Purity Brewing Company, said: "Our new Pilsner embodies the essence of Purity Brewing Company – exceptional quality product, with a focus on sustainability, whilst remaining committed to the community in our heartland. With Pure Pilsner, we're not only honouring tradition but also staying true to our sustainability roots. Made with locally sourced ingredients and lagered for no less than four weeks, it's a testament to our unwavering dedication to crafting only the finest beers."

Find out more at www.puritybrewing.com

It's a dog's life

The SIBA team always enjoys seeing photos of our members celebrating their victories at one of our competitions, but we especially enjoyed this photo of Ernie the dog at Horsforth Brewery celebrating with the team’s big win with the beer he inspired.

Innis & Gunn releases beer collaboration with Laphroaig

Innis & Gunn of Edinburgh has launched the 2024 iteration of its legendary Innis & Gunn Islay Whisky Cask Beer, made in collaboration with Laphroaig.

Islay Whisky Cask, first released by Innis & Gunn in 2021, has a Scottish red ale as its base. This has been matured solely in Laphroaig Single Malt Whisky 10yo casks to allow drinkers to experience the purity and individuality of just one type of cask, thereby delivering Laphroaig’s unmistakable hallmark

notes from their most famed whisky. Dougal Sharp, Founder & Master Brewer of Innis & Gunn, said: “This year’s expression is my favourite to date as we have shortened the time between the casks being emptied of Laphroaig in Islay and then re-filled with our special beer. The resultant beer is more deliciously attitudinal than ever. It packs an incredible punch of flavour.”

The casks were brought to Innis & Gunn’s Perth brewery and re-filled with the beer within 24 hours of leaving Islay.

Dougal Sharp added: “Islay Whisky Cask offers a totally fascinating taste experience. This is a beer like none other, defined by the Hebridean Island of Islay, its peat fields and surrounding seas, with Laphroaig’s hallmark aromas of smoke and salt showing through. But these rare flavours are deliciously under-pinned by the complexity of the Innis & Gunn beer, which lengthens the Laphroaig experience and adds its nuances of sweet barley malts to the single malt.”

Find out more at www.innisandgunn.com

Bristol Beer Factory moves to new modern facility

Bristol Beer Factory (BBF) has announced a significant milestone in its brewing journey as it transitions from its beloved Victorian home to an innovative, future-focused new location.

The new brewery location, just 1km away, will maintain the brewery's connection to its South Bristol roots while providing much-needed space for sustainable growth and innovation.

By investing in state-of-the-art equipment and embracing modern practices, BBF aims to reduce its environmental footprint on a per litre basis, aligning with its ambitious goal to achieve net zero emissions by 2040.

Within the £2,000,000 spend there is a significant investment in state-of-the-art

equipment that directly reduces carbon emissions. Some highlights include carbon capture storage, vapour heat recovery, and rainwater capture, reflecting Bristol Beer Factory's dedication to circular economy principles and self-sufficiency.

Furthermore, the expanded capacity of the new site, capable of producing up to 30,000 hectolitres annually, will enable Bristol Beer Factory to create more job opportunities within the local community. Through the breweries initiatives like Brewed to Give - BBF’s self-imposed tax of 2% on total brewery sales that are reinvested back into Bristol each year, BBF continues to demonstrate its unwavering support for the city and its residents. Any increase in production will increase the funds allocated back to the brewery’s home city and the people in it.

Sam Burrows, Managing Director of Bristol Beer Factory, reassured customers that the essence of BBF remains unchanged with the move. “The brewery will maintain its commitment to crafting unique beers for independent pubs, supporting local venues, and contributing to community causes such as mental fitness charity Talk Club through initiatives like Clear Head, Bristol’s favourite Alcohol-Free beer. Since its conception in 2020, it has donated over £60,000.00 through the collaboration with Bristol mental fitness charity Talk Club. The demand is there to keep it coming and by stepping up brewing capacity, more lives will be saved through Talk Club’s essential work.”

Find out more at www.bristolbeerfactory.com

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St Austell Brewery scoops three industry awards for its beers

Three of St Austell Brewery’s beers have come away with medals from a prestigious beer award ceremony.

Cornish Best (3.4% ABV) a full-bodied, bitter with toffee and biscuit notes, Mena Dhu (4.5%) a stout brewed with six different malts to bring complexity, and punchy DIPA Big Job (7.2%), all won silver awards at the SIBA South West Independent Beer Awards 2024. These new accolades put St Austell Brewery at its 51st win at this event since 2005. The awards, which were presented at MaltingsFest opposite Tucker’s Maltings site in Newton Abbot, are judged by beer sommeliers, master brewers and other expert beer judges from across the industry.

Georgina Young, brewing director, St Austell Brewery, said: “We’re thrilled that our beers have been recognised as some of the best in brewing at this year’s SIBA awards. “Our three winners showcase the different style of beers St Austell Brewery produces and highlight the brewing team’s dedication to crafting different styles of beer - a lower ABV bitter in Cornish Best, a powerful hoppy DIPA in Big Job, and smooth and smoky Mena Dhuone for the stout lovers.”

Find out more at www.staustellbrewery.co.uk

Powderkeg's session lager gets new artwork

Powderkeg has boosted its session lager Harmony into its core range. The crisp helles at 4.2% ABV was originally custom brewed for a customer, then made its way into the seasonal specials, where it popped up every year due to demand.

Since then it has only grown in popularity, collecting significant awards along the way.

Brewery owner John Magill said: “Given that Harmony has been in production for several years, we thought it was time it was promoted to the premier league. It really is a favourite with so many customers for its crisp clean taste. It provides a great alternative to mass-produced lagers as it’s so accessible but is top quality, made without cutting the corners that big brands do. You can really taste the difference, and it hits that local craft product that so many people are looking for at the bar.”

Joining the core range means a new look with its own full colour illustration by the brewery’s resident illustrator Jem Panufnik.

Producing a label for Harmony, Jem’s given theme was balance, cooperation and unity. Jem gave it a musical slant in his signature style, with a trumpet playing a harp, a singing plant, smiling congas, butterfly trumpets, flying guitars, bird saxophones, a DJing piano and violins playing each other.

Find out more at www.powderkegbeer.co.uk

LNAA and Docks Beers launch 30th

anniversary

beer

Grimsby brewery Docks Beers has launched a new beer in aid of the Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance (LNAA) which is celebrating its 30th year of operations. The beer, a 3.4% pale ale entitled HELIHOPTER, was released in the Docks Beers taproom and will go on general release in 30 pubs and restaurants around Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and beyond. Docks Beers will be making a donation to LNAA from every cask sold.

The LNAA is one of the UK’s leading Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) Charities, funded purely by donations. With rising costs, especially in the cost of fuel, the amount needed to keep this life-saving charity operational for this year is now set to top £13 million.

Kate Douglas, Comms Lead at Docks Beers, said: “We were honoured to be chosen by LNAA to brew this beer. Lincs and Notts Air Ambulance is essential to our community as they fly A&E care directly to patients and respond to the most serious of incidents across our region. We have team members and friends who have had direct experience of being treated by their crews, and I am pleased to say they are the Docks Beers chosen charity for 2024.”

Find out more at docksbeers.com

Crafting excellence in brewing logistics

Simon Gallimore, Business Executive Director at Kammac, offers an overview of some recent trends in brewing logistics…

Welcome to the dynamic world of brewing logistics, where every trend presents a new challenge and an opportunity for innovation. In the fast-evolving landscape of the brewing industry, staying ahead of trends isn't just a strategy – it's a necessity. From the rise of e-commerce to the quest for sustainability, brewing companies must navigate these trends with agility and foresight.

Satisfying digital thirst

The explosion of e-commerce has transformed the way consumers access their favourite brews. With the click of a button, beer enthusiasts can explore a vast array of options and have them delivered to their doorstep in record time. This shift towards online purchasing has revolutionised brewing logistics, demanding efficient order fulfilment and seamless shipping solutions. Breweries that embrace e-commerce trends are partnering with logistics experts like Kammac to ensure their products reach customers with speed and precision, maximising customer satisfaction in the digital age.

Outsourcing logistics

In a sector where specialisation is key, many beverage companies are turning to thirdparty logistics providers (3PLs) to streamline their operations. Outsourcing logistics not only allows companies to tap into specialised expertise but also offers cost-effective solutions for long-term savings.

Collaborating with trusted 3PL partners like Kammac enables beverage companies

to leverage industry-leading logistics capabilities. Such partners, often certified with accreditations like Amazon VendorFlex, FHDDS or AEO, ensures adherence to industry standards and compliance with customs regulations. Such assurance of compliance not only instils confidence in stakeholders but also ensures smoother operations and minimised disruptions across international supply chains.

Crafting eco-conscious supply chains

Amid heightened environmental awareness, sustainability has become a cornerstone of brewing logistics. From sourcing ingredients responsibly to implementing eco-friendly packaging solutions, breweries are taking proactive steps to reduce their environmental footprint. Logistics partners like Kammac are instrumental in helping breweries navigate the complexities of sustainable supply chains, providing expertise in minimising carbon emissions, reducing waste, and exploring alternative materials. Kammac has helped many of its customers in this by providing alternative, eco-friendly packaging, and offering transport fuelled by HVO which can cut emissions by up to 90%. By prioritising sustainability in logistics, breweries not only appeal to environmentally conscious consumers but also contribute to a greener future for the industry.

Adapting to consumer trends

In an industry characterised by changing consumer preferences, agility is key to success. From functional health drinks and plantbased beverages to alcohol-free alternatives, drinks companies must adapt to shifting trends to remain competitive in the market. By partnering with logistics providers like

Kammac, beverage companies can navigate the complexities of changing consumer trends with ease. With a 3PL offering flexible, agile services, companies can pivot quickly and capitalise on emerging opportunities, ensuring continued growth and relevance in a dynamic market landscape.

Leveraging insights for efficiency

Within an increasingly digital world, datadriven optimisation is revolutionising brewing logistics. Breweries are harnessing the power of data analytics to optimise supply chain operations, streamline inventory management, and improve overall efficiency. Logistics partners like Kammac provide breweries with advanced analytics tools and insights, enabling them to make informed decisions and drive continuous improvement in their logistics processes. By leveraging data-driven optimisation, breweries can enhance agility, reduce costs, and stay competitive in a rapidly evolving market.

As the brewing industry continues to evolve, staying ahead of trends is essential for success. Whether it's embracing e-commerce, prioritising sustainability, catering to the latest tastes, or leveraging data-driven optimisation, breweries must adapt their logistics strategies to meet the demands of today's consumers.

By partnering with logistics experts like Kammac, breweries can navigate the rapids of brewing logistics trends with confidence, ensuring they remain agile, efficient, and competitive in an ever-changing market landscape.

Cheers to mastering the waves of brewing logistics trends!

Find out more at www.kammac.com

Muntons

MUNTONS. MAKE IT HAPPEN.

MUNTONS

Dalum Founder and CEO

“Craft brewers have seen price increases in their raw materials, packaging, transportation, and labour cost. When an industry faces this type of crises, their focus rapidly turns into cutting costs. At DALUM, we offer a product that not only begins to save you money the very first day of installation, but will provide savings for the entire life of your brewery, as you will drastically reduce or eliminate your CO₂ purchase.

Contact me or any member of my team today and Iʼll be happy to explain our collection technology and how it can easily be installed in your brewery."

Croxsons takes the lead in promoting

sustainable practices

Leading glass packaging company, Croxsons, is currently promoting its new sustainability campaign, reiterating its commitment to environmental stewardship in the packaging industry. As part of this initiative, Croxsons is focusing on major sustainability efforts including promoting the use of and planning for zerocarbon furnaces for glass production, which are part of the UK’s broader aim to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. The company is planning for a rapid transition from traditional natural gas furnaces to those powered entirely by renewable electricity and hydrogen, aiming to substantially reduce the carbon footprint of its manufacturing processes.

Further demonstrating its dedication to environmental causes, Croxsons has partnered with Ecologi to fund global climate initiatives and has already planted 150,000 trees to combat deforestation and climate change,

Supplier

as well as offsetting the carbon footprint of their entire team. This undertaking highlights the company’s pledge to undo decades of carbon damage and provide tangible benefits to the environment, meeting 13 of the UN Sustaintability Development Goals.

Additionally, Croxsons’ recent recognition at the Ecologi Awards, where it won a Gold Award, highlights the company's proactive approach to sustainability and its effective strategies in setting and achieving significant emission reduction targets.

Tim Croxson, Croxsons CEO, said: “Our commitment to sustainability is central to our operations. We are not just adjusting to a better way of doing business, we have to make sure that we are playing our part in ensuring that the packaging industry contributes positively to the planet's future.”

For more information go to www.croxsons.com

Muntons Malt, Northern Monk and Toast celebrate Earth Day with unique collaboration

Northern Monk, together with Toast and Muntons Malt, have brewed a beer using regenerative grain and surplus bread to celebrate Earth Day 2024.

Using regenerative barley from Muntons, and fresh, surplus bread supplied by Toast, this 5.0% Pale Ale, One for the Earth, commemorates Earth Day, an annual event to demonstrate support for environmental protection.

60% of the grain bill is Regenerative Agriculture malt from a single farm in Yorkshire, a farming process which helps

improve soil quality and biodiversity and through Munton’s low carbon production is some of the lowest carbon footprint malt in the world. Combined with 10% of the grain bill, which is from surplus bread product that would otherwise have gone to waste.

Brewed with Toast who turn leftover loaves to liquid gold, and Muntons Malt suppliers, who are recognised globally as leaders in sustainability, the beer is made with a portion of rye malt, alongside bread crumb, for a golden hue and an earthy, spicy depth alongside the usual mouthfeel-boosting properties of flaked oats.

Kate Dixon, Head of Sustainability, Marketing & Innovation, said: “It's exciting to see a product come to life that embraces our commitment to sustainability from seed to sip, and celebrates the power of strong partnerships.

“We've worked closely with Graham Potter, a passionate grower in Yorkshire to produce the lowest possible carbon barley that has been processed in our low carbon maltings. Working closely with Northern Monk and Toast Brewing who are equally as passionate about the planet makes this is a collaboration we are truly proud of!"

Find out more at www.muntons.com

Crafting a greener pint starts with energy reduction

The team at Energy Oasis take a look at the path to more sustainable brewing…

A sustainable brew

In the heart of the UK’s brewing industry, an energy shift is taking place. With the global push towards sustainability and rising energy costs, breweries are finding themselves at a crossroads: how can they continue producing the beloved pint while significantly reducing their environmental footprint? This question isn’t just rhetorical - it’s a call to action for every brewery aiming to thrive in an increasingly expensive and eco-conscious market.

From watts to hops

Consider this: the brewing process is notoriously energy-intensive, demanding substantial amounts of water, heat, and cooling. Breweries contribute significantly to industrial energy usage, with energy expenses constituting a notable portion of production costs. Research from the University of Nottingham reveals that smaller breweries consume approximately double the energy per litre of product compared to the average in the brewing sector.

Pellicle Magazine is a “Food Magazine Of The Year” Finalist!

This situation presents not just a challenge, but also a promising opportunity for saving. The Carbon Trust projected a 5% reduction in carbon emissions, equivalent to 22,000 tonnes of CO2 per year, within the brewing industry by adopting energy-efficient practices.

Crafting success

The movement towards sustainable brewing is gaining momentum, not just as a niche trend, but as a fundamental shift in how breweries operate and strategise for the future. So, how can your brewery join this green revolution? Well consider that the greenest and cheapest kilowatt is the one you don’t use! So it all starts with reduction, whether that’s implementing energy-efficient lighting, upgrading to more efficient refrigeration systems, and exploring heat recovery technologies. Each of these steps not only contributes to a healthier planet but also to healthier profit margins through reduced operational costs.

The transition to renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and biomass becomes more realistic and affordable for small to medium size breweries if energy demands are lower. It is not just about reducing carbon footprints; it’s also about crafting a

Pellicle, the Manchester-based, readerfunded, independent magazine has been named as finalist for the “Food Magazine Or Section” Award At The Guild Of Food Writers Awards 2024. Fellow finalists are Food by National Geographic Traveller, and Feast from The Guardian.

As this magazine went to press, the winners of each award were due to be announced on Wednesday the 12th of June at The Guild of Food Writers Awards Ceremony, held in London.

Pellicle is a free-to-read magazine, published online. All contributors are paid, and the magazine is solely funded by Patreon subscribers and sponsors Loughran Brewers Select.

That Pellicle’s brand of independent food and drink writing is being recognised by The Guild of Food Writers, one of the most prestigious

brand identity that resonates with today’s environmentally conscious consumers. Before investing in renewable technology to meet your energy needs, first consider reducing your energy needs. The path to Net Zero doesn’t need to cost the earth.

Your next steps

The path towards a greener pint is clear, but it requires action. Begin by assessing your brewery’s current energy use and explore the myriad of sustainable technologies available. Working with an energy management specialist such as Energy Oasis, engaging with experts who can guide you through the transition to more efficient and renewable energy sources will help plot an affordable path to Net Zero.

As we look to the future, the question isn’t whether we can afford to invest in energy efficiency—it’s whether we can afford not to. The benefits, both environmental and financial, are too significant to ignore. Let’s work together to brew a better future. The time to act is now.

Find out more at www.energyoasis.org.uk or email mike@energyoasis.org.uk

awards in food writing and broadcasting, is testament to the hard work and dedication of its contributors, and small team.

Pellicle is currently staffed by a team of four— Matthew Curtis, Founder and Editor-in-Chief; Katie Mather; Associate Editor; Lily Waite, Associate Editor; and Jonathan Hamilton, Founder and Editor-at-Large.

Founder and Editor Matthew Curtis said: “This is an incredible feeling and a testament to the hard work of our contributors and our small editorial team. We are taking this as an absolute win, but the real winners are beer, pubs and our readers who keep our mag going through their support.”

Find out more at www.pelliclemag.com and read the latest collab article between Pellicle and Independent Brewer on pages 56-61.

Building a home for Cornish craft beer

Leading industrial flooring specialist Kemtile has played a major role in supporting St Ives Brewing to find a perfect home for its Cornish craft beer.

St Ives Brewing - a beachside beermaker that’s been making waves on the coast since 2010 - enjoyed a cash injection around its 12th birthday, with founders choosing to spend this investor money on a bigger, better facility.

Moving out of a small brewery and cafe in St Ives proved a challenge, however, with very few suitable premises in the regional area. It was only after looking a little further afield that St Ives found its rightful home: A spacious unit on the Marsh Lane Industrial Estate in Hayle.

Shortly after moving in, St Ives Brewing required the fast installation of a specific floor and drainage solution - and contacted Kemtile for assistance.

Kemtile worked with the Brew Kit layout to design suitable drainage for the brewery; installing the Kagetec system due to its functional properties and visual appeal (its close proximity to the new Tap Room meant visitors in this part of the brewery were plentiful).

Marco Amura, Founder of St Ives Brewery, stated: “The Kemtile floor was installed in June 2022 and was a dream to see take shape. It was precisely laid to an excellent standard. Our brewers are really pleased with the drainage and its overall finish. I would highly recommend a Kemtile floor over a resin finish.”

David Priest, Project Manager at Kemtile, added: “This was a very exciting project where we could play a role in taking a local brewery to a bigger, better venue where the firm can really thrive. We kept aesthetics in mind every step of the way - and now St Ives Brewery has a functional, attractive flooring solution they can be proud of.”

Find out more at www.kemtile.co.uk

A magical makeover of Welsh brewer Tomos Watkin

The new owners of Welsh brewing icon Tomos Watkin have unveiled a new brand identity after enlisting the services of the brewing industry’s design specialists, LemonTop Creative.

Inspired by the magical tales of dragons and wizards that echo through the wild Welsh valleys, the brand makeover produced by LemonTop Creative has given Tomos Watkin a fresh, new look to start the next chapter in its life. Founded in 1996, the Tomos Watkin brand has been rejuvenated after brewers Joelle and Sarah Drummond, who also set up Drop Bear Beer Co in 2019, bought the brewery in August 2023.

The new owners of the brewery wanted to captivate the modern-day beer drinkers while also commemorating its legacy, so they allowed the brewing industry’s design specialists to let their creative spirits wander as they created a magical makeover of the brand. The relaunched brand not only celebrates the brand's heritage, but also creates a path forward to an exciting future for Tomos Watkin as a leading light in the Welsh brewing industry.

Tomos Watkin Brewery were excited to unveil the new brand identity that beautifully encapsulates the essence of Wales. The refreshed visual identity features stunning imagery that perfectly represents the unique spirit of each beer and the emotions it evokes.

Find out more at www.lemontopcreative.com

Beer Box Shop launches new consolidated print service

The DPL / Beer Box Shop team are continually working on the development of new packaging products and services specifically for the brewing sector. One exciting new project is the launch of their print consolidation service.

Simon Hulse, Director at Beer Box Shop, said: “We have lots of our brewery customers who would like to have their own bespoke advent style gift box or a full colour promotional gift box, but they can’t commit to the usual minimum order quantities required to make high quality, full colour production economical. So, we’ve been challenging ourselves to find a way to solve this problem.”

Beer Box Shop launched their first print consolidation project in Autumn 2023; the team combined the print and manufacturing of seven bespoke full colour advent style gift boxes

into a single production run. The consolidation of the production meant lower costs and minimum order quantities for each of the breweries who took part.

For full colour lithographic or digital production, the minimum order quantity is at least 1,000 units, with lower pricing being available with higher volume breaks. Consolidation gives breweries access to the same print technology and quality but with minimum order quantities in the hundreds of units, and cost prices equivalent to a one-off order of several thousand units.

In addition, with storage space within breweries usually at a premium, Beer Box Shop are providing free of charge storage options for bulk packaging orders; allowing breweries to call off their stock as it’s needed.

Find out more at www.beerboxshop.co.uk

The clever fold-flat design of the Arlington Beer Combo means it only occupies about one third of the volume when empty as it does when it is full! Lower return tansport and storage footprint, means less fuel, less storage space, lower carbon footprint, lower cost.

Let your beer travel through time and space in perfect, hygeinic, oxygen free conditions in the bag-in-box beer combo from Arlington.* See us at www.arlingtonpackaging.com or call us on: 01672 563723

Trappist brewery launches new beer in Beatson Clark bottle

The UK’s only Trappist brewery has released a second beer which is now on sale in a bottle designed and manufactured by Beatson Clark.

Mount Saint Bernard Trappist Brewery in Coalville, Leicestershire, has brewed a tasty blond beer to join its internationally renowned Tynt Meadow dark ale – both of which are sold in the 330ml amber beer bottle from Beatson Clark’s standard range.

Trappist beers are traditionally sold in bottles because they undergo secondary fermentation in the bottle, a process that is ideal in glass.

It means the beer matures in flavour for the first three years, and because of the inert nature of glass it can have a much longer shelf life than that if the bottle isn’t opened, something that

HIT Training scoops the award for Best Training Provider at the prestigious Apprenticeship Guide Awards

HIT Training Ltd was announced the winner of ‘Best Training Provider’ in the Apprenticeship Guide Awards.

Recognised for spearheading ground-breaking initiatives such as the Government SEND pilot, HIT impressed judges with its dedication to advancing accessibility to apprenticeships and creating lifechanging opportunities for vulnerable learners where other training providers see barriers. They were also praised for their work in bridging skills gaps and providing meaningful learning journeys for every individual, whatever their background or needs. This included a pioneering partnership with The Clink Charity to launch an apprenticeship programme for serving prisoners, providing hospitality training and a path to employment upon release.

HIT also demonstrated its strong partnerships with sector bodies like Care England, UKHospitality (UKH), the Institute of Hospitality, as well as collaborations with the British Institute of Innkeeping, the Hospitality Professionals Association, British Culinary Federation, the National Association of Care Catering and The Springboard Charity to tackle labour shortages and address employer needs.

HIT Managing Director Mike Worley said: “We are honoured to receive this award and celebrate HIT’s relentless dedication to apprentices and their continuous learning journey. Our mission is to change lives through learning and awards like this remind us of the transformative power of apprenticeships and the impact they have on careers and life chances.”

Find out more at www.hittraining.co.uk

isn’t possible in other packaging materials such as cans.

“Because of this process, if the bottles are kept in the right conditions – out of UV light, at a consistent room temperature – and the crown and bottle is kept sealed so that no oxygen can get in, the beer will last indefinitely,” explained Peter Grady, Brewery Manager at Mount Saint Bernard Abbey.

“The flavour profile of a Tynt Meadow changes drastically over the course of the first three years and, in our opinion, less so after that. This is why we put three years on the bottle, but it will last much longer than that as it’s packaged in glass.”

Find out more at www.beatsonclark.co.uk

Close Brothers Brewery Rentals announces new Managing Director

Ross Mair has been appointed as Managing Director of Close Brothers Brewery Rentals.

Having spent 18 years working for the Dutch brewer Heineken in various commercial roles throughout the UK and Europe, Ross joined the Brewery Rentals team two years ago as Commercial Director.

Ross takes over from MD David Beswick, who, after 12 years with the company, has stepped down after working tirelessly to develop the business and its product portfolio in the brewing and distilling sector.

During the last few years both David and Ross have overseen the development and implementation of its class-leading short-term keg rental model EkegPlus, which uses industry-leading technology to provide improved value to customers.

Ross Mair said: “I’m excited to be taking the helm at Close Brothers Brewery Rentals, following David’s exceptional work growing the brand and establishing our market leading products. I will continue to champion EkegPlus as a flexible and efficient rental tool for brewers of all sizes, as well as supporting the beverage industry across the UK and Ireland with specialist funding and leasing solutions, and in innovating and investing for the future of the industry.”

Find out more at www.closebreweryrentals.co.uk

SIBA Gold members

BrewMan

Sam Williams Sam@premiersystems.com

Breww Ltd

James Collier hello@breww.com

Charles Faram

Any of the team sales@charlesfaram.co.uk

Close Brothers Brewery Rentals

Becki Mason Rebecca.Mason@closebrothers.com

Crisp Malting Group

Colin Johnston colin.johnston@crispmalt.com

Kegstar

James Bleakley jamesb@kegstar.com

Loughran Brewers

Select

Digby Fullam marketing@malt.ie

Murphy & Son

Frances Maud frances.maud@murphyandson.co.uk

Napthens LLP

James Allison

James.Allison@napthens.co.uk

Thomas Fawcett & Sons

James Fawcett james@fawcett-maltsters.co.uk

Vigo Ltd

Sales Team sales@vigoltd.com

William Croxson & Son Limited Sales Team sales@croxsons.com

SIBA Silver members

Anton Paar Ltd

Tertia Rimell tertia.rimell@anton-paar.com

Beatson

Clark Ltd

Charlotte Pike sales@beatsonclark.co.uk

Beer Box Shop

Simon Hulse sales@beerboxshop.co.uk

Festival Glass

Kelsey Cheesbrough sales@festivalglass.co.uk

Framax UK

Limited

Elizabeth Smith esmith@framax.co.uk

GEA UK

Micro Can Ltd Canning Lines

Warren Stanley info@microcan.co.uk

Muntons PLC

Vanessa Makings vanessa.makings@muntons.com

Pneumatic Scale Angelus

Tom Bowdige tom.bowdige@bwpackagingsystems.com

Rankin

Brothers & Sons

Jim Rankin sales@rankincork.co.uk

Paul Leeman sales.unitedkingdom@gea.com

IGC Engineering

Ltd

Chris Hamlett chrishamlettigc@onetel.com

I-Keg Ltd

Darren Duncan sales@i-keg.com

Konvoy

Christian Barden konvoy@konvoykegs.co.uk

Lemon Top Creative

Andy Mogg hello@lemontopcreative.com

Rastal GmbH & Co KG

Timo Leukel timo.leukel@rastal.com

Saxon Packaging

Mike Impson mike.impson@smurfitkappa.co.uk

Simpsons Malt

Richard Simpson orderoffice@simpsonsmalt.co.uk

Vale Labels Ltd

John Riches john@valelabels.co.uk

WBC

Lewis Maslen sales@wbc.co.uk

Willis Publicity

Carl Andrews carl@willispublicity.co.uk

Head Office: 01765 640441

SIBA Team

Andy Slee Chief Executive andy.slee@siba.co.uk

Sara Knox Company Secretary sara.knox@siba.co.uk

Rachel Harriott

Head of Membership Services rachel.harriott@siba.co.uk

Neil Walker

Head of Comms & Marketing neil.walker@siba.co.uk

Barry Watts

Head of Public Affairs & Policy barry.watts@siba.co.uk

Elle Spencer-Blanchard

Membership Services Administrator elle.spencerblanchard@siba.co.uk

Emma Guneyogullari

Membership Services Assistant emma.guneyogullari@siba.co.uk

Megan Brecken Events & Marketing Officer megan.brecken@siba.co.uk

All General Enquiries contact office@siba.co.uk

Board of Elected Directors

Existing members wishing to contact your regional representatives can use the relevant regional e-mail addresses listed below. For individuals, just type firstname.lastname@siba.co.uk

Chairman of SIBA Richard Naisby

Vice-Chairman of SIBA Anthony Hughes

East

Chair Richard Naisby Milton Brewery (Chair of the Board)

Ian Rydings Leigh on Sea Brewery

Marcus Beecher Elgood & Sons Ltd

John Cussons Ferry Ales Brewery

Midlands

Chair Anneli Baxter Loose Cannon Brewing Co Ltd

Anthony Hughes Lincoln Green Brewing Co Ltd (Vice-Chair of the Board)

Sam Back Attic Brew Co Ltd

Tim Wilkins Bewdley Brewery

North East

Chair Joe Joyce Harrogate Brewing

Ian Fozard Rooster’s Brewery Ltd

Alex Balchin Wold Top Brewery

North West

Ben Croston Fuzzy Duck Brewery Paul Jones Cloudwater Brew Co

Northern Ireland

Chair William Mayne Bullhouse Brewing Co

Scotland

Chair Fiona MacEachern Loch Lomond Brewery

Jamie Delap Fyne Ales

Ian McGrath Beath Brewing

South East

Chair Andy Hayward Thames Side Brewery

William Harris Wild Card Brewery

Andy Parker Elusive Brewing Ltd

South West

Chair Paul Arrowsmith Isca Ales Ltd

Alan Collyer The Exeter Brewery

Paul Dimond Branscombe Vale Brewery

Wales

Philip Thomas Bragdy Twt Lol Brewery

Craig Edmunds VOG Brewery

SIBA

PO BOX 136, Ripon, North Yorkshire, HG4 5WW