Meet the Brewers

ASH AND TOM FROM ISLAND ALES

By James Rayner Photos by Julian Winslow

It’s morning, and we’ve followed a faint beer-based aroma to the green fields west of Newport and an unassuming factory unit just off Yarmouth Road. This is the home of Island Ales (a family firm of drinks wholesalers in its 30th year of business) and the site of their state-of-the-art brewery, producing an award-winning range of ales since the year 2010. As we step through the door to meet Head Brewer Ash and Assistant Brewer Tom, it’s clear we’re just in time to see a new brew commence.

The process began last night when Ash climbed the white wooden stairs to a platform raised high above the brewery floor and emptied between ten and thirteen bags of malt (depending on the recipe) into the shining silver grist case below. Earlier this morning, at 7 a.m., the malt made its way into the mash tun, ready for “the mash” — a process that helps release the sugars and enzymes which produce the alcohol later on. Since then, it has passed through a number of other technically named bits and pieces but now sits inside a big, sturdy cylinder known as a copper, which is just starting to boil. With the steam rising and everything under control, Ash shows us the different types of malts, still in their sacks, that make up the base for every Island Ale creation. British-grown, they source them from Warminster Maltings, a Wiltshire-based company in operation since 1855. “The pale Marris Otter malt is often used as a base malt, Munich adds a copper colour, Crystal makes ales quite red and Chocolate malt is used for dark beers,” says Ash. “Often we add in torrefied wheat too, which helps the ale retain a frothy head. Different malts also contain different amounts of sugar, which in turn determines the alcohol strength of the finished product. A higher sugar content will create more alcohol during fermentation.” Once boiling in the copper, it’s time to add in the hops, four kilos to be precise, which give more flavour as well as that distinctive bitterness. Whilst Tom prepares to drop in the bright green heads of Bramling Cross hops, Sales Director Chris walks into the brewery to talk us through the company’s journey so far. “Founded by Tom Minshull, we began as a drinks distributor in 1993, soon establishing ourselves as the Island’s leading beer and wine wholesaler. Our same-day delivery has always given us the edge, especially over mainland companies, as does our membership of the Society of Vintners. Together with 25 other family businesses we can stand together and negotiate better rates direct from the vineyard gates.” “Suppliers were always asking us why we didn’t do any brewing ourselves and actually it had always been a dream of Tom’s. Soon, we’d taken on Chris Coleman, a renowned brewer in his own right (who is actually Ash’s dad) and worked together to create The Island Brewery with bespoke equipment manufactured in Bolton. Before even brewing our first batch in 2010 we’d already sold out; the demand was that high.”

With Tom retiring, and Island Ales now in the hands of his son Steve and son-in-law Chris, they produce a range of eight different and distinctive ales (three of which have won gold at the World Beer Awards). They range from the 3.8% straw-coloured Nipper Bitter, to the 5.0% Earl’s R.D.A. — a rich ale with a cappuccino aftertaste that also raises money for the hospice. Their mini brewing system allows for bespoke ales to be created too, whether it’s for a beer festival, sailing regatta, or the late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. 2022 proved to be Island Ales’s most successful year yet and their kegs and bottles now make their way all across the South Coast from Bournemouth and Salisbury to Chichester and Bognor (with some even heading north to Yorkshire and Lancashire thanks to reciprocal product swaps with other independent brewers). Another kilogram of hops has just been added to today’s brew, one of the final stages before yeast is added and the whole thing is left to ferment for a week. After that, Ash and Tom will fill 48 nine-gallon kegs with the aromatic ale, ready for dispatch. As we prepare to go, we quickly ask about their bestsellers. Ash tells us that Yachtsman’s Ale (a 4.2% rich, brown beer) and Wight Gold (a 4.0% golden ale with characteristic afterbite) are by far the favourites, and if you’re looking for somewhere local to try them he’d recommend The Traveller’s Joy in Northwood, The Blacksmith’s Arms at Calbourne, or, his personal favourite, Newport Ale House in Holyrood Street.