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We all know how to make great beer right? But how do we become great brewers?
Get stuck into all the topics you didn't expect you needed to know when you first started brewing with experienced brewer Chris Lewington.
Each episode will bring a new topic and a new craft brewing industry expert guest to give you all the knowledge to become a better brewer.
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52 Episodes
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New issue. New clues. New culprit. Your job is to figure out Whodunnit? A household craft brewing name shares on the most challenging issues he faced whilst running Wild Beer. And for the first time in the mini series, this issue was first noticed outside the brewery. In this episode, Chris Lewington walks you through last week’s case, the answers and who got it RIGHT!!! Then we move into this week’s challenge. The clues, the process and the key decisions that need to be made to get th...
Welcome back to BREW-DO 🕵🏻♂️ New Issue. New clues. New culprit. Your job is to figure out Whodunnit? This week, first the answers and then - the ultimate Head Brewer challenge. You’re there, having your first coffee of the morning and one of the brewers rushes over with a BIG problem. This problem is time sensitive and the whole team is looking at you waiting for an answer. Good luck! In this episode, Chris Lewington walks you through last weeks case, the answers and who got it RI...
BREW-DO - The Whodunnit? Show. Welcome to the first episode of BREW DO, a brand new brewing mystery series from the Modern Brewer Podcast. Think brewing, meets Cluedo with a sprinkle of Inspector Clouseau 🕵🏻♂️ Each episode presents a real world brewing problem. Strange results. Confusing symptoms. A brew team scratching its head wondering what on earth is going on. Your job is to figure out the culprit. In this first case something has gone badly wrong. Beer is developing disinfectant l...
Oh the excitement!! Last episode Tuur shared one of the most challenging brewing problems I've heard. In this episode, he reveals the root cause! Also I announce an exciting new mini-series coming soon. If you have follow-up questions, please email tuur@craftsense.net Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Welcome 02:06 Discussion on Gushing Issues 03:18 Non-Alcoholic Beer Talk 04:35 Episode 18 and Brewing Challenges 06:56 Exciting Announcement: New Miniseries Coming!!! 08:52 Senso...
Can you solve a real brewery issue? Tuur Mertens brought us a real life “gushing” problem faced in a historic brewery. We share the symptoms and context… But can you diagnose the root cause and the fix? Test your skills in this weeks episode. How to play: • Listen and take notes • Email your answer (root cause + fix) to chris@brewresourceful.com and tuur@craftsense.net We will share the correct answers on LinkedIn and a follow up post Chapters 00:00 Introduction and ...
Is This The Future of CO2 in Breweries? Can algae capture your fermentation CO2 and turn it into useful biomass? Dr Alla Silkina and Emily Hutchinson walk us through a real pilot at Bluestone Brewery. Setup, quality, cost and how this could scale. This one for those looking to the future, a truly sustainable one. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Podcast Overview 00:57 Sustainability in Brewing 02:41 The Algae Project: Concept and Goals 04:54 Meet the Guests: Dr. All Sina and Emily Hutchinson 0...
Are Non Alcoholic Beers Safe? With demand for no and low alcohol beer BOOMING, more and more breweries are brewing their own. But when you remove alcohol, you remove one of the strongest safety mechanisms in beer. And with the rise of unfiltered, unpasteurised NA beers hitting shelves, this episode asks a simple but essential question: How do you make NA beer safe? To help answer it, I’m joined by Dr Greg Rachon and co host and brewing legend, Sean Knight - Siren Craft Brew. We di...
This year alone, I’ve seen multiple breweries unknowingly bleed cash through their refrigeration systems. Why? Because chillers are often misunderstood, undersized or poorly maintained. And they happen to be one of the biggest operational costs in any brewery. In this episode, I sit down with Jon Keyte from RefCool, one of the sharpest minds in refrigeration, to break down everything a brewer needs to know about chillers. From sizing to heat recovery, operational efficiency and how you ca...
If you’ve ever asked yourself, “How do you actually become a great brewer?” this episode is for you. We’re joined by the brilliant Georgina Young, Brewing Director at @St_Austell_Brewery and one of the most respected figures in British beer, to unpack the real story behind learning, mentorship and development in brewing. From running Fuller’s iconic Griffin Brewery to now leading brewing at St. Austell, Georgina shares an honest, insightful, and often funny look at what it takes to grow gre...
What happens when a brewery grows really fast…but still wants to make world-class beer? In this episode, I sit down with Mark Gammons, Head of Operations at Tiny Rebel, to talk about what it actually takes to scale production without sacrificing flavour, brand or quality. We dive deep into the balance between efficiency and volume, how Mark manages production, expansion and quality and why your brew team might be more important than the brewery itself. Expect honest reflections, trie...
Ever wondered what it’s like to brew at one of the countries most historic and respected breweries? Or have you ever wondered what it would be like to manage a dual yeast strain? In this fun but insight-packed episode, I sit down with Fergus Fitzgerald & Dan Gooderham from Adnams to talk about their truly unique brewing approach, the quirks of square fermenters and the art of managing a dual yeast strain. Expect great stories, funny anecdotes and plenty of knowledge bombs as we di...
Innovation and NPD in Beer 🍻 New Product Development - Something DEYA are industry leading in without question! When brewers from outside the UK ask me ‘which UK brewery should I try’ I nearly always say DEYA. Why? Because I know, whatever the style that person loves, DEYA will nail it. That, in my opinion, is world class NPD. In this episode, I sit down with Gareth Moore from DEYA to dive deep into their NPD process and what’s coming up in 2025. We talk hop selection, relationships ...
Is Craft Beer Doomed? ☠️ Is it f*%k. I'm sure, like most, you are sick to death of the relentless doom and gloom surrounding the craft beer industry. "It's too saturated" "Brewery closures LEAP 49%" "Cost of living means people are spending less" In this episode I sit down with the iconic Luca Lorenzoni to discuss exactly why these tpyes of headlines are absolutely wrong. Luca's experience of delivering consistent craft brewery growth over a long successful career, speaks for itself. My...
2024 was a year to remember in brewing! 🍺 From sustainability wins to industry shake-ups, join me, Chris as I share: 🖐️ My top 5 brewing highlights 👨🏫 Lessons learned across the year 🔮 Bold predictions for what 2025 might bring Timestamps: 00:00 - Welcome to the Show! 02:12 - 2024 in Review: The Biggest Wins 07:45 - Chris’s Top 5 Moments of 2024 15:32 - Sustainability: Where Are We Winning? 21:05 - Brewing Predictions for 2025 28:50 = The Challenges We Need to Face 34:12 - Listener Question...
The Best of 2024: My top 5 This year has been crazy! 🎙️ From hitting 10k downloads to ranking in the top 10% of podcasts globally, the show couldn't have done it without YOU. Join me, Chris as I revisit my 5 favourite clips of the year—moments that made us think, laugh, and reassess what we all believe as brewers 🍻 A huge shout out to this episode’s sponsor, Brewing Trade. Tune in now and celebrate an epic year with me! 🎉 🔗 Chris' LinkedIn
In this episode, we dive into the art and evolution of Beavertown’s branding with none other than Nick Dwyer, the creative mind behind Beavertown’s iconic look. From the home brew kits in the early days to navigating life under Heineken, Nick shares a candid glimpse into the world of brewery design and its challenges. What you'll learn: 💀 How Beavertown’s unique branding came to life 🏗️ The highs and lows of merging creativity with commercial goals 💘 Why authenticity is non-negotiable in b...
In this episode of the Modern Brewer podcast, we focus on the growth of non-alcoholic beer, featuring an in-depth discussion with Jordan Childs, founder of Mash Gang. A leading non-alcoholic craft beer brewery. Jordan discusses the challenges and intricacies of brewing non-alcoholic beer, including recipe development, stabilisation and market perception. We touch on the importance of proper cleaning practices in brewing and the innovative methods Mash Gang employs to maintain quality. L...
Ep 33 - How to Get to Net Zero: George Wade - Zevero Every brewery wants to be more Sustainable — but what does it really take to get there? In this episode, George Wade, founder of Zevero, guides us through the realities of reaching Net Zero. From the basics of carbon neutrality to the practical steps every brewery can take, George breaks down complex sustainability challenges into actionable insights. We dive deep into the hurdles breweries face on their journey to Net Zero, from under...
Wastewater: Craft Beer’s Dirty Secret 💧🤐 The topic that no brewer wants to talk about. Wastewater. But what if that “waste” could power your brewery? In this "Tomorrow's World" style episode, Dr. Thomas Fudge, Founder of WASE, reveals how wastewater can be converted into valuable biogas—turning pollution into power. With brewing as a significant contributor to water waste, Dr. Fudge challenges the industry to rethink wastewater as an untapped resource. Explore the science, real-life exam...
In this episode of The Modern Brewer Podcast, we sit down with Felix James, the mastermind behind Small Beer’s world-class water efficiency. Discover how they’ve redefined brewery operations with radical concepts like the Dry Floor Policy - NO floor drains, NO hoses, just innovative water-saving techniques that brewers globally are taking note of. Felix breaks down their approach to minimizing water use, from rethinking wort cooling to using hot water sanitizing over chemicals. Whether ...
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