Ep82 — The Importance of Bottle Shops

As a beer enthusiast, bottle shops have always played an important role in my life. 

They were there when I first got into beer in a big way, supplying me with hard to find bottles imported from the United States, or new releases from some of the most exciting new breweries in the UK. It was through them that I also met some of my most valued friends and peers, including Jen Ferguson and Glenn Williams of South London’s Hop Burns and Black, who gave me one of my first breaks as a beer writer with a monthly column published on their website. When we launched Pellicle in 2019, they were there to sponsor us for our first two years. Looking back, we probably wouldn’t have made it through those first 24 months without their support. 

Then there’s Phill and Steph Palgrave-Elliott of Caps and Taps in Tufnell Park. Not only did they give me my first ever gig as a freelance photographer, but like Jen and Glenn they became wonderful pals, and are also long time supporters of the magazine. It’s through both of their shops that I gleaned a deep perspective of how important bottle shops once were within the beer ecosystem. Here is where you came when you wanted to support local and independent, or when you wanted to find the latest fussed-over cans, or simply something delicious from a brewery you were yet to discover. 

But things have changed a lot since those early days of craft beer—the early 2010s when everything felt shiny and new. Breweries came and went, some sold out, some focused on shifting units in national supermarket chains, and—after the pandemic—most of them started shipping direct to their customers. The role of the bottle shop shouldn’t have changed, but the industry changed around them, forcing them to pivot and adapt. Some became bars, some focused on online retail, others simply weren’t able to compete, and closed their doors forever.

Without them, however, we probably would have the vibrant selection of independent breweries we’re blessed with today. In this episode of The Pellicle Podcast I’m joined by the owners of three different UK bottleshops: Krishan Rajput of Stirchley Wines in Birmingham, Sam Parker of Keg Cask and Bottle in Prestwich, Manchester, plus Rosie and Greg Start, who run R&G’s Beer Vault in both Macclesfield and Congleton. Together we chew through the last few years in beer, and discuss the importance of bottle shops. 

This episode was recorded in front of a live audience at the 2025 Salford Beer Festival. Huge thanks to organiser Jim Cullen for inviting us down to host this chat. 

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