Brewers Journal Podcast

We’re not short of initiatives and schemes launching in the UK to help tackle food waste, but an impressive array of new product developments have also launched across the country aiming to tackle areas of wastage from wonky fruit and veg to surplus bread. The Brewers Journal Podcast speaks to Toast, an ethical beer brand that uses surplus fresh bread from a sandwich manufacturer to create its range of beers. We find out about how their journey began, the unique challenges they face using surplus bread, and why they’ve done over 35 collaborations with breweries from all over the world – and are always looking to do more. GUESTS Louisa Ziane, the co-founder of Toast SUPPORTER Support for this episode comes from Beerwulf Beerwulf understands that never before have so many incredible flavours, styles and brands been waiting to be discovered. That’s why Beerwulf has built an online-store to make it easier for you to find delicious beer in a way that’s affordable, convenient and fun. Beerwulf.com gives you access to hundreds of beers, from local and international brewers at the touch of a button, delivered direct to your doorstep in just 24 hours. To find out more about Beerwulf head on over to Beerwulf.com and discover your new favourite beer, whether it’s a New England IPA or a Belgian Blonde there’s a world of beer to unlock. Cheers to that!

If you have a brewery, you need a tap room, says Ritchie Bosworth, Head Brewer and CEO of Coventry’s Twisted Barrel brewery. “For us, it’s the main source of our revenue. If you’re going to be a brewer, no matter how small or big your set-up is, you need a tap room,” says Ritchie Bosworth. In this episode of The Brewers Podcast, hosted by Velo Mitrovich of Reby Media, we’ll be taking to Ritchie and brewer Carl Marshall, also of Twisted fame. Besides the value of a tap room, Ritchie and Carl will share with you how they dream up and then create original beers, who is their target customer, and how do you work 70 hour weeks while keeping your sanity. “Brewing compadres, the hardest thing doing this podcast was keeping Carl in his seat at this small but busy brewery,” says Velo. “ It was a losing battle.” SUPPORTER Support for this episode comes from Beerwulf Beerwulf understands that never before have so many incredible flavours, styles and brands been waiting to be discovered. That’s why Beerwulf has built an online-store to make it easier for you to find delicious beer in a way that’s affordable, convenient and fun. Beerwulf.com gives you access to hundreds of beers, from local and international brewers at the touch of a button, delivered direct to your doorstep in just 24 hours. To find out more about Beerwulf head on over to Beerwulf.com and discover your new favourite beer, whether it’s a New England IPA or a Belgian Blonde there’s a world of beer to unlock. Cheers to that!

In part I we gave you the history and the whys; now we’re given you the nuts and bolts on wood barrel aging. Aging beer in wooden barrels in not for the feint hearted, but if you can’t get a climbing pass for K2 this year, it’s the next best thing. Wooden barrel-aged beer has been described by brewers as everything from chaos in a barrel, to what keeps them up at night. When it’s done right and the barrel adds flavours to the beer that can be obtained nowhere else, it’s pretty-near a perfect drink. In this second of a two-part episode, hosted by Velo Mitrovich of Reby Media, we’ll be talking about the differences in spirit and wine barrels, cleaning your barrel, more on flavors, and a whole lot more on the problems involved. We’ll also be listening to more of Chris Pilkington’s amazing talk from November’s Brewers Congress. Chris, formerly with Brew Dog, is the head brewer at Estonia’s Põhjala brewery, which has gained an international following for their barrel-age output, sours, and IPAs. SUPPORTER Support for this episode comes from Beerwulf Beerwulf understands that never before have so many incredible flavours, styles and brands been waiting to be discovered. That’s why Beerwulf has built an online-store to make it easier for you to find delicious beer in a way that’s affordable, convenient and fun. Beerwulf.com gives you access to hundreds of beers, from local and international brewers at the touch of a button, delivered direct to your doorstep in just 24 hours. To find out more about Beerwulf head on over to Beerwulf.com and discover your new favourite beer, whether it’s a New England IPA or a Belgian Blonde there’s a world of beer to unlock. Cheers to that!

Wooden barrel-aged beer has been described by brewers as everything from chaos in a barrel, to what keeps them up at night. When it’s done right and the barrel adds flavours to the beer that can be obtained nowhere else, it’s pretty-near a perfect drink. However, even the best of brewers say that at least 5% or more gets poured down the drain due to imperfections, infections, and just bad luck. In this first of a two-part episode, hosted by Velo Mitrovich of Reby Media, we’ll be talking about the reasons why brewers have rediscovered barrel aging, the flavors that can be obtained, and the problems involved. We’ll also be listing to Chris Pilkington’s amazing talk from November’s Brewers Congress. Chris, formerly with Brew Dog, is the head brewer at Estonia’s Põhjala brewery, which has gained an international following for their barrel-age output, sours, and IPAs. SUPPORTER Support for this episode comes from Beerwulf Beerwulf understands that never before have so many incredible flavours, styles and brands been waiting to be discovered. That’s why Beerwulf has built an online-store to make it easier for you to find delicious beer in a way that’s affordable, convenient and fun. Beerwulf.com gives you access to hundreds of beers, from local and international brewers at the touch of a button, delivered direct to your doorstep in just 24 hours. To find out more about Beerwulf head on over to Beerwulf.com and discover your new favourite beer, whether it’s a New England IPA or a Belgian Blonde there’s a world of beer to unlock. Cheers to that!

It goes by a lot of names. Near-beer; non-alcohol beer; no-alcohol beer; non-alcoholic beer; NA, or malt beverage. But for most of the last 40 years or so, ‘good’ is not something it’s been called. Because of the negative stigma that goes with drinking non-alcohol beer, in the States bartenders have been even known to pour the drink into a glass in a cheeky manner so no one can see with the patron is drinking. However, those days are over. Non-alcohol beers are beginning to make an impact on sales and consumer tastes as drinkers look for alternatives to regular beer and spirits. In this episode of the Brewers Podcast – brought to you by Beerwulf – your host Velo Mitrovich will be looking at the recent growth of this market, how the beers are made, and why this time will be different for non-alcohol drinks which have seen so many starts and stops before. Get a pouring and get a tasting – you just might be surprised. SUPPORTER Support for this episode comes fromBeerwulf Beerwulf understands that never before have so many incredible flavours, styles and brands been waiting to be discovered. That’s why Beerwulf has built an online-store to make it easier for you to find delicious beer in a way that’s affordable, convenient and fun. Beerwulf.com gives you access to hundreds of beers, from local and international brewers at the touch of a button, delivered direct to your doorstep in just 24 hours. To find out more about Beerwulf head on over to Beerwulf.com and discover your new favourite beer, whether it’s a New England IPA or a Belgian Blonde there’s a world of beer to unlock. Cheers to that!

We head to the Beavertown Brewery in Tottenham Hale to sit down with founder Logan Plant and discuss the plans for the 500,000hl brewery in Enfield called: Beaverworld. We talk about the pains of growing a brewery, the toll it takes on mental health and your family. Logan gives his advice to brewers embarking on the same journey. And, we talk about partnering with Heineken, the opportunity it gives the brewery and some of the criticism brewers can face when partnering with “big beer”. GUEST Logan Plant, Beavertown

There are two ways to start a craft brewery business. The first is to be born with a silver spoon, have deep-pocketed investors who see your potential, or have fantastic money-raising skills. Any or all of these means you can start with decent new equipment, can afford to pay for a small staff, and even go on a holiday once a year. But, then there is how the majority of us start; with one other partner, a wallet full of maxed-out credit cards, friends or spouses who schlep for free, a willingness to say goodbye to weekends and quality of life; a couple of good core beers, and a wing and a prayer. And, when you look over at your partner, you think: ‘Thank god one of us is knows how to plumb.” We’re borrowing an episode this week from Reby Media’s The Food Business, in which host Rhian Owen talks to Dan Snow, co-founder of Bristol’s Cocksure Brewery. Dan takes us on a tour of his brewery and offers helpful tips on where they’ve saved money, where they’ve splurged it, and discusses the pitfall of any new business. You’ll also hear why Rhian calls the Cocksure lads the ‘scrap metalers’ of the brewers’ world. Enjoy

One of the toughest decisions you’ll make as a brewer is to expand or not; and if you’re a small brewer, the decision is a thousand times harder. In the second of our Brewers Journal podcasts, we’re going to give you advice and help in answering this crucial decision. There are some tough questions you will need to be asking yourself, but the number one question has to be: what are YOU looking for in growing your business. Besides bringing in some industry experts, we’ll also be looking at some similar industries whose owners go through the exact same dilemma. “Growth is the outcome of business done well; it should not be the goal.” Velo Mitrovich of Reby Media and MC of the recent Brewers Congress, will explain all in this entertaining and informative podcast. GUESTS Stuart Howe, Harbour Brewing Jenn Merrick, Earth Station

The clock is ticking. She’s staring at her choices in a pub; he’s looking at the shelf of a bottle shop. Are they going to pick your beer or the other guy’s? To lure in that first-time buyer, what you have on the outside of your can or bottle can be just as important as what is inside. In this first episode of the Brewers Journal Podcast, we’ll be talking to Magic Rock, Cloudwater and Beavertown about their own beer branding and marketing. By telling a compelling story through branding and positioning – which all three have done – you’re going to connect with a certain kind of person. If you do this right – through great beer, branding, marketing, and service – they’ll become your biggest fans and evangelists. And in fact, if you do this really right, you’re going to turn some people off – but that’s okay. To find out why, just listen to the podcast. Velo Mitrovich of Reby Media and MC of the recent Brewers Congress, will explain all in this entertaining and informative podcast. GUESTS Nick Dwyer, Beavertown Richard Burhouse and Rich Norgate, Magic Rock Vicky Carr and Chris Shearston, Textbook Design Studios