Brewers Journal Podcast

Being part of the teams at two of the UK’s most regarded breweries is good going by anyone’s standards. But for Robin Head-Fourman, the opportunity to open a brewery of his own was an opportunity that was too hard to turn down. And in doing so, represents the latest stage in a decorated brewing career. And if you don’t know him personally, there’s a good chance you have enjoyed a beer he has brewed. Part of the revered Burning Sky in Firle since 2016, he would go on to join a fellow Sussex brewery in Beak during their infancy. Here, as head brewer for more than four years, he and the team helped grow the business to become one of the UK’s best modern breweries. Robin’s professional brewing story started back in 2014 where he completed his MSc in Brewing and Distilling at Heriot-Watt in Edinburgh. It was the latest stage of a journey that had seen Robin brew beer at home – long before it was legal for him to drink it. But during his time at Heriot-Watt, he would meet Burning Sky founder Mark Tranter who gave Robin invaluable work experience at the brewery he would eventually go on to join. Several years later, when Robin got word that Leeds-native Danny Tapper was to start a new brewery in Sussex, a meeting arranged by mutual friend Jonny Hamilton, would help set the foundations of Beak Brewery firmly in place. Part of a team completed by head of operations and sales Katerina Türková, Beak has grown and evolved since opening its doors during the pandemic-enforced lockdown in 2020. But after a rewarding stint at Beak, another brewing opportunity appeared somewhat out of nowhere. And it was the chance to do something different – something on his own. Following an eight-year closure, The Trevor Arms pub in Glynde, East Sussex reopened earlier this year. Now run by Steve Keegan and Bethany Warren, there was scope for a brewing operation on-site. And in a case of right place, right time, Robin’s wife Katie got word of the new establishment. And just like that, Fourman Brewery was born… In this episode, Robin takes us through his career to-date, why this new opportunity was too difficult to turn down and how he is now using his wealth of brewing expertise to create excellent, small-batch beers in East Sussex. Photo Credit: Alex Catt

Showcasing and celebrating the finest beers and breweries from around the globe is one of the most rewarding parts of the brewing industry. And at the end of September here at The Brewers Journal we toasted the winners of our very own Brewers Choice Awards. But for these events to happen, breweries need to be prepared to show off their latest creations and decorated judges from far and wide need to assess the great and good. And with the entry deadline for the 2026 World Beer Cup rapidly approaching, we invited someone who knows a thing or two about this most fulfilling element of beer and brewing. Meet Lotte Peplow. Lotte is is the Brewers Association’s American Craft Beer Ambassador for Europe. Her role is to identify opportunities for international expansion of American craft beer and to raise awareness about the quality, diversity and innovation from America’s small and independent craft brewers. Based in London, UK she’s a Certified Cicerone, Beer Sommelier, beer writer, author, international beer judge and keen beer and food pairing advocate. And in judging beer competitions around the world, she knows the dos and don’ts when it comes to entering these contests and also how to judge them, too. So in this episode, we speak to Lotte about the different competitions available to brewers, unearth some tips and tricks for entering (and winning!) and also essential information on how to become a beer judge. Main image credit: Bart Van De Per Second image credit: Noelia Amado

In the world of drinks production it’s not unusual to find a mutual admiration between brewing and distilling. Especially if you were a graduate of the world-famous Heriot-Watt University’s Brewing and Distilling School in Edinburgh. And Ben Murphy is one such graduate. Boasting a wealth of brewing and distilling experience, he’s now helping put a Northumberland business on the international stage. He’s the head distiller at Ad Gefrin. Officially opening in 2023, Ad Gefrin was the first whisky distillery to open in North Northumberland in 2000 years. And from the off, its mission was clear. That’s to celebrate the region’s unique culture and heritage, revive a long tradition of whisky making in Northumberland and generate jobs in the area. At Ad Gefrin, he is driving the distillery forward on its journey towards its first single malt release. Paving the way for that launch has seen Ben and the team launch a number of other highly-regarded whiskies, too. Earlier this year, one such release was the Cognac Cask Finish Tácnbora. In Old English, Tácnbora means “standard bearer” – the ceremonial figure who walked ahead of Northumbria’s kings, leading royal processions with a symbolic banner. In the same way, Tácnbora leads the way for Ad Gefrin’s whisky journey, paving the path toward the distillery’s own Northumbrian Single Malt, which is maturing on-site and anticipated for release in 2026. In this episode, we speak to Ben about his time at Heriot-Watt and the foundations it gave him. We discuss his drive helping Ad Gefrin produce their first single malt, his approach to whisky drinking and why there’s no point putting a good spirit in bad wood. He also says that while how he has his own child at home he feels that he also has some 1300 other wooden children at the distillery, too.

If you’re looking for a way to demonstrate how the UK craft beer scene has changed and evolved in the last decade, then the Bermondsey Beer Mile is a pretty good place to start.  An amalgamation of breweries, taproom and bars that stretch along much of Enid Street and Druid Street in London SE1, businesses have come – and businesses have gone since The Kernel started brewing back in 2009. While a lay person might not have heard of your favourite brewery or your favourite brew, the success of the Bermondsey Beer Mile meant it entered the lexicon of many outside of the craft bubble. The wealth of hospitality environments, not all exclusively beer-forward, have helped create a destination for thirsty patrons. And if you’re remotely interested in the world of beer and great liquid then you’ve undoubtedly got your own anecdote about a visit to this part of Southeast London. If not, you certainly know someone that does. While establishments such as Partizan, Brew By Numbers, The Bottle Shop, Hawkes Cider, uBrew, Affinity, The Outpost and Fourpure have all vacated these environs during this period, the mile – now realistically closer to being the Bermondsey Beer Two Miles – has welcomed newer names, too. Mash Paddle, Craft Beer Junction, It Ain’t Much If It Ain’t Dutch and The Kernel’s celebrated new Spa Road location have joined establishments like Cloudwater, Southwark Brewing, Anspach & Hobday, and Kanpai Sake in recent years. And another business that has been part of the Bermondsey fabric since 2019 is Bianca Road Brew Co. Founded by engineer Reece Wood, the brewery began trading from a unit in Bianca Road, Peckham back in 2016. A move to Bermondsey followed a year later before securing its current home on Enid Street some six years ago. Much has changed in that time, though. The brewery would initially call Brew By Numbers and The Kernel its neighbours. Though the former’s beers are now brewed outside of London by Keystone Brewing while The Kernel has its aforementioned new home a minute up the road. And earlier this year, Bianca Road Brew Co would announce a significant milestone – with a new ownership structure taking on the Bermondsey business. As of 2025, the brewery is co-owned by Matt Simpson, Jordan Fancey, and Terry Staples – familiar faces who have helped shape Bianca Road from the inside over the years. They were joined by respected figures in UK brewing including Dennis Ratliff who brings extensive experience and a fresh sense of purpose to this new chapter.  Ratliff was previously head brewer at Brew By Numbers and Partizan and is known for his precision, balance, and commitment to brewing quality. And central to this evolution is the production of the core beers fans love, a wealth of seasonal and limited releases and its recently-opened new community-focused taproom. Thanks to a successful crowdfunding campaign earlier in the summer, the team were able to relocate and redesign their taproom operation. As a result, they’ve created a space with more comfortable seating and capacity for live events, while also freeing up critical space inside the brewery to install a dedicated cold store – a move that will allow for increased production, tighter cold-chain control, and even higher quality standards. And the new taproom, which is now fully up-and-running, is already proving to be the perfect showcase for the beers the team brew. With that in mind, we recently caught up with Dennis and Jordan to discuss their own journeys, the new-look Bianca Road Brew Co, the importance of their taproom and their plans for the road ahead.

While we primarily focus on the wonderful world of beer and brewing, it’s occasionally important to take time to look at the excellent innovation taking place across the wider world of drinks. So at our Brewers Congress in the Autumn, we invited the team at Botivo to share their story. Botivo, which is non-alcoholic, is an intensely refreshing aperitivo with a bittersweet backbone, herbal notes and a tang of citrus. A big-sipping drink hand-blended in small batches at Lannock Farm, the Botivo blend of five raw ingredients takes over 1 year from start to finish. And the production manager at Botivo is Francesca Nikita Corradin. In her career Francesca has brewed across Europe and joined Botivo as a production supervisor in December 2023 before being promoted to production manager earlier this year. In London she was joined by Sam Paget-Steavenson, co-founder of Botivo, to share their experiences and expertise in creating and building a non-alcoholic brand. In addition to talking us through the process, they explained that we live in a world of moderation and we’re constantly told that less is better. So as a result, they created a drink that brings the true craft and depth of flavour we all see in the alcohol category to the non-alc category. And this meant using real ingredients, no flavourings and low intervention techniques.

Pete Brown is a British author, journalist, broadcaster and consultant specialising in food and drink. His latest book ‘Tasting Notes: The Art and Science of Pairing Beer With Music’ was published this year. And since February 2025, he has been the Sunday Times Magazine’s weekly beer columnist – the only regular broadsheet newspaper or magazine beer columnist in the UK. Across thirteen books, his broad, fresh approach takes in social history, cultural commentary, travel writing, personal discovery and natural history, and his words are always delivered with the warmth and wit you’d expect from a great night down the pub. At our Brewers Congress this year, we invited Pete to share some of his experience and expertise when it comes to working with the beer and brewing trade. In his talk Pete discussed the concept of premiumisation, emphasising its long-standing presence in marketing and branding. He highlighted that premiumisation is not solely about price but encompasses desirability, luxury, and necessity. He also noted that since the 1970s, products have become more reliable, leading to overconsumption and a shift towards experiences. Pete also addressed how big brewers define premium, often inconsistently, and stressed the importance of consumer perception over corporate definitions.

Francesco Lo Bue is an agronomist with a degree in food technology, specialised in hops aromatic compounds. He’s also a brewer with 10 years of experience in the some most advanced craft breweries in Europe and the UK such as Beavertown in London.

 With that wealth of knowledge at his disposal, we invited Francesco to deliver a talk on hop compounds at our recent Brewers Congress in London. He outlines how hop compounds peak at different times and explained how brewers can bring them all into the beers they brew through a number of actionable tips.

What is the secret behind running a successful brewery? For today’s guest, the ability to make strategic production choices and prioritize markets is key. Marian Reed is the General Manager and Head of Business Development at Sudden Death Brewing in Lübeck, Germany. Throughout her career, she has been able to connect vision to actions, identify root causes and best outcomes, while managing team members in a way that best suits their own personal development arcs. And last month she flew into London to take part in our 2025 Brewers Congress. In her talk, Marian spoke on how to make strategic production choices via data management and how to prioritize markets and know where you best ‘fit’. She argued why people are essential to a great brewery and why owners and leadership have an obligation to keep the team as their number one priority. She also outlined that strategies vary, there is no one size fits all, so mix and match which approaches work best for your crew.

In today’s brewing world an entire brand from concept to completion can be developed for you in seconds at the touch of a button, or outsourced to agencies who almost definitely don’t know your beer as well as you do. However, as this week’s guest asks, in an increasingly digital world, how do modern marketing strategies resonate with consumers who are looking for something more tangible, something genuine, something authentic?  In his talk on ‘Reflections on Authenticity’ at our recent Brewers Congress in London, Matthew Curtis discussed just that. Matthew is a writer and photographer obsessed with beer, pubs and their culture. Based in Manchester, he’s the co-founder of Pellicle Magazine and the author of three books on beer and pub culture within the UK, including the award-winning Manchester’s Best Beer Pubs and Bars. In London he took a deep dive into the importance of conveying authenticity in your breweries brand message, and explored how being true to yourself, your brand, your values and – most importantly – the beer you make is key to winning hearts and minds in beer’s modern era. 

Last month The Kernel celebrated its 16th (!) birthday. A fantastic achievement by one of the UK’s most-loved breweries. And as the dust settles on our very own Brewers Congress event in the capital last week, we wanted to revisit our chat with brewery founder Evin O’Riordain from earlier this year before normal service resumes on The Brewers Journal podcast next week…. The London brewing scene has changed a great deal in the last decade. Styles have come into, then gone out of, fashion. People have learnt their trade across it and, in many cases, moved on to different companies, different counties, different countries. We’ve also seen breweries open, breweries consolidate, breweries close. But thankfully, one mainstay in England’s capital since 2009 has been The Kernel. Under the stewardship of founder Evin O’Riordain, it is safe to say the brewery has inspired a significant amount of people to get into brewing and for countless more, to look at beer in a different light. And last summer, The Kernel would open its beautiful new taproom on Spa Road. So with the fantastic new space now a Bermondsey mainstay, we caught up with Evin to learn more about the challenges and opportunities this move presented. We discussed the brewery’s evolving beer offering, which include a number of regarded and revered collaborations, The Kernel’s position in London’s ever-changing brewing fabric and more besides.