Brewers Journal Podcast

Reaching an important milestone in any business is a real achievement. It’s the culmination of hard work, commitment and the result of providing a quality product or service. Probably both…. And in 2025, today’s guests will toast their 40th year in the world of beer. And as we all know, that simply doesn’t happen by accident. Since starting out in 1985, Herefordshire-based Wye Valley Brewery has been producing a wealth of excellent cask, keg and small pack beers. They’ve earned a reputation for consistency and product quality, seeing their beers served in more than 1,200 pubs and bars throughout the West Midlands and South Wales. As a result, they’ve gone from a humble beginning of producing approximately 10 brewers’ barrels a week to an average of 1000 barrels per week, with further growth to come.Rewind back and the brewery’s story started nearly 40 years ago. After brewing for years for Guinness, Wye Valley Brewery founder, Peter Amor decided to branch out on his own. He began brewing from the back of a pub in Canon Pyon in Herefordshire but soon moved to the old stable block of The Barrels in Hereford – Wye Valley Brewery’s very first pub. After studying at Young’s brewery in London, Peter’s son, Vernon Amor, joined the brewery to help with the demands of the growing business. And some 17 years later, the business would signal its latest growth by moving into a 9-acre former cider mill in Stoke Lacy. But the journey doesn’t stop there – far from it. Ongoing expansion has included the installation of an impressive bottling and canning setup from Bedford-based Enterprise Tondelli, as well as investment in its warehousing and solar PV infrastructure, with a new brewhouse part of the brewery’s future, too. While beers such as it’s super successful Nightjar, a kegged stout based on an original Wye Valley Brewery cask recipe, have helped put the brewery in front of eager new audiences. In this episode of The Brewers Journal Podcast, we spoke with head of sales and marketing Abbie Gadd and head brewer Gareth Batemen, to discover the secret of the brewery’s longevity, the importance of moving with the times and why its 40th year will be the start of a new period of growth and evolution for the much-loved business.

When it comes to the world of beer, Lager is big business. Recent research from Heineken in its 2024 Beer Report shows that Lager’s share of the on-trade market by value stands at 70%. In short, two out of every three pints poured in the UK is a Lager. And when we talk about Lager, there is really something for everyone. In the UK we’ve had a wealth of fantastic lager-focused breweries open in the last decade from Lost and Grounded to Utopian, Orbit, Braybrooke and beyond. And if you head to Walthamstow, East London, and you’ll not only find a range of fantastic pubs, bars and restaurants, but leading breweries, too. Established in 2016, Pillars Brewery started as a family business and remain a team of family and close friends, driven by a mutual love of Lager. Proud to combine contemporary brewing techniques with traditional brewing principles, their beers are created within a traditional Bavarian-style brewhouse, complete with its own lauter tun.  They tailor the water profile for each brew using their onsite water treatment plant and complete the process with a minimum of four weeks of cold conditioning. And as 2024 draws to a close, the brewery has just released the latest iterations of its award-winning Icebock. It’s beer brewed at the beginning of the year and conditioned for nine whole months, using freeze-concentration to produce unparalleled, rich flavours. So with that in mind, we caught up with Pillars co-founder Gavin Litton and head of sales Peter Kennelly to discuss the opportunities and challenges that face a lager-focused brewery, their commitment to sustainability and why above all else, everything comes down to the quality of the liquid.

Launching a new business is always an exciting time. It’s also a challenging one, too. In our sector, you need a quality liquid, great branding and a team that knows the industry. Thankfully, with today’s guests you have all of those and more. Earlier in the summer, the cider category welcomed one such new addition. Developed by a team with decades of experience in building successful beer and cider brands, Red Fin Cider is all about offering licensees a medium dry cider that can be stocked as an added value product, alongside existing offerings. The team is made up of the trio of Graeme Baldwin, David Tugwell and Freddie Rouse. Graeme was the first employee at Orchard Pig and heavily involved in the meteoric growth and eventual exit deal for the brand. David Tugwell has worked with huge growth challenger brands, including Estrella Damm and Orchard Pig cider, as well as in the craft beer sector, heading up the sales function at Big Smoke Brew Co and Double-Barrelled Brewery. The third founding partner, Freddie Rouse, has worked with several craft breweries establishing them throughout independent pubs and groups across the UK and most recently at Amathus Drinks, helping grow its agency list with other UK Wholesalers. And after a successful whirlwind few months, Red Fin has just announced a new initiative with Berkshire-based Siren Craft Brew enabling it to service pubs and venues in Berkshire, Brighton and London. So what better time to catch-up with Red Fin co-founder Dave Tugwell to talk through the company’s journey so far. We also discuss the trio launching into a competitive category, its place in the wider world of craft beer and its commitment to showing consumers that cider can, and should be, fun.

Since starting out in 2021, Moonwake in Leith has become one of the UK’s most regarded breweries. Founded by a team with extensive craft beer and brewing careers. They believe there is a beer out there for everyone. Moonwake means: “the moon’s reflection on a body of water” and speaks to the brewery’s Leith Shore location, the importance of water as an ingredient, and our beers’ reflection of our combined experience. The head brewer at Moonwake is Vinny Rosario. Upon graduating as a chemical and process engineer in New Zealand, he went on to brew in a number of countries including New Zealand, Spain and England. Moving to Scotland to set up Moonwake where the brewers are as important as the brew. Earlier this year we held our Brewers Lectures at Moonwake’s fantastic taproom and in welcoming guests, Vinny told us all a little bit more about the brewery, the beers they produce and the plans for the future.

David Gluckman, the creative mind behind Baileys Irish Cream, shares fascinating insights from his extensive career in product development. He recalls the challenges of launching Baileys and urges listeners to maintain faith in their creative visions despite skepticism. Gluckman emphasizes the delicate balance between pushing hard for an idea and being receptive to critique. He also discusses the art of storytelling in branding and how it can distinguish products in a crowded market, offering valuable lessons for aspiring brewers.

What is diversity and inclusivity and why is it important to the beer industry? Earlier this year we invited Amelie Tassin, the founder and director of Tipple Marketing, a marketing and strategy agency based in Edinburgh, Scotland, to find out more. With over 15 years’ experience, Amelie has worked across several European sectors from retail banking and property development to cosmetics and food and drink. Her agency’s work is truly ‘the Swiss Army knife of marketing’ and offers tailored services for all needs thanks to Amelie’s wealth of cross-industry experience. In 2018 she founded Women In Beer, a ‘women who beer’ group in Edinburgh, and in 2019 she started the successful Women In Beer Festival (WIB Fest), a celebration of women in the industry with an impressive roster of events including tap takeovers, talks, and tastings. In her talk, Amelie discusses diversity and inclusivity. She presents data about women and their relationship with beer, the wider industry and also outlines the work Women in Beer are doing to increase diversity and inclusivity in the industry.

Holy Goat is a Dundee based brewery specialising in the production of mixed- fermentation and wood aged beers. At Holy Goat, they’ve taken an unconventional approach to yeast and fermentation, opting for a proprietary method that utilises Brettanomyces yeast for long maturation times – typically 3-4 months – to produce unique, complex, full-flavoured sour beer. The brewery, co-founded by Johnny Horn, is driven by experimentation and they’re obsessed with the awesome flavours that can be achieved from mixed-culture fermentations. In the episode, recorded at our Brewers Lectures in Edinburgh, Johnny talks us through his career, which has taken in The Hanging Bat, 71 Brewing and Vault City, which he co-founded in 2018. He also explains that while Holy Goat is inspired by tradition, they also seek to pay homage to their brewing forbears, mixing old and new techniques with the highest quality ingredients to produce complex, interesting and (most importantly) tasty beer…

Located in Hoxton, East London, Great Beyond Brewing Company is gaining recognition for our authenticity, community focus, and innovative craft beer.  Founded by John Driebergen, Ollie Parker, and Nick Walsh, Great Beyond Brewing Company was born from over thirty years of combined brewing experience. During the pandemic, they envisioned a brewery embodying authenticity, community, and sustainability. At Great Beyond, they are deeply rooted in their community. Actively host events and collaborate with both local and international brands, offering diverse cultural experiences in their taproom. They also place sustainability at the heart of their ethos at Great Beyond, being committed to using 100% green energy, minimising waste through biofuel conversion, and implementing small-scale CO2 recovery. Despite numerous challenges, their dedication and hard work have succeeded without a marketing budget or sales team. In this episode, co-founder John talks us through the brewery’s journey to-date and we discuss how some of their most-loved beers such as Hoxton Fresh and Hoxton Lager continue to evolve and improve alongside the brewery itself. 

Welcome to Closet Brewing, an Edinburgh-based nano-brewery focused on producing unique seasonal beers. The founders Lucy and Lizzie Stevens, began as homebrewers (brewing quite literally out of their closet), before officially launching the brewery in 2022. Since then, they’ve gone from strength to strength; brewing a diverse array of beers including a traditional doppelbock, a smoked pineapple gose, and a raspberry-chocolate torte stout, while also working with fantastic breweries across the country. Lucy, the head brewer, is the driving creative force behind the brewery drawing inspiration from a host of unusual sources; including botanical gardens and baked goods. She is always on the lookout for new techniques, developing and learning with every beer she designs. Some of the highlights of her brewing career so far include featuring in Dr Christina Wade’s book, “The Devil’s in the Draught Lines“, being selected as a mentee for the UK-wide Women in Beer mentorship program, and, most recently, lending her expertise as a taste judge for the Scottish Beer Awards.” Here, Lucy tells us more about Closet Brewing, their journey to-date and how they built a brewery from nothing.

A great beer from a revered and respected brewery is always a pleasure.

But when you bring together three such outfits, creative forces that are admired across the UK, Europe and beyond then you know you’re in for a treat.

 And last week – a collaboration that took place in Lewes, in sunny East Sussex – is proving to be just that. Before Covid came crashing into people’s lives, Mark Tranter of Burning Sky Brewery and Yvan De Baets of Brasserie de la Senne were in Lewes and a visit to Harvey’s and its head brewer Miles Jenner was on the cards.

 Over some glasses of beer in the brewery’s sample room, the trio mooted the idea of working together on a beer of their own. The plan was simple, to make a beer that was entirely distinctive from anything they produced individually.

And now, some four or so years since that initial conversation, the beer has become a reality. 

 Tripel Alliance was mashed in at the Bridge Wharf Brewery last Friday – the 19th July. It was brewed with Pale and Munich malts, together with Spelt and Oats. 

 These provided the base for a range of different German hops that encompassed a range of traditional and new varieties, all introduced at five separate stages. And of course, the beer was brewed with Harvey’s spring water and yeast.

 It will launch at the upcoming Tripel Alliance beer festival, which is taking place on Friday 9th & Saturday 10th August across three Sessions in Harvey’s Brewery Rear Yard. But to tide us over until then, let’s hear from Mark, Miles and Yvan about this special collaboration in a conversation recorded on-site with us perched atop the many bags of malt housed in their grain store.