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.

Our 2025 Brewers Choice Awards take place on the 30th September and Anspach & Hobday are nominated for both ‘Brewery of The Year’ and ‘Beer of The Year’ for the fantastic London Black. With that in mind, let’s revisit the talk that Paul Anspach, co-founder of London business, gave in Bristol earlier this year. Every so often a beer comes along and things just click. A combination of brilliant branding, a brilliant brewery and, of course, a brilliant beverage are essential ingredients for a beer that resonates with the consumer. And with London Black, the 4.4% Nitro Porter from Anspach & Hobday, you’ve got just that. The brewery, founded by Paul Anspach & Jack Hobday back in 2013, has gone from strength to strength in recent years and much of that growth can be attributed to their flagship beer. London Black has fundamentally changed and redefined the brewery and business with approximately 70+% of their output the popular Nitro Porter. With that in mind, we invited brewery co-founder Paul to speak at our Brewers Lectures in Bristol last week. In his lecture, Paul outlined the importance of the brand and how crucial factors such as an authentic, believable story coupled with clear messaging have helped elevate the beer. He also explained how the team are striving to establish London Black as The beer of London and to forge the association between London and London Black such that for a beer drinker, any visit to the city would not be complete without a pint of London Black.  Image Credit: Anspach & Hobday

There are little more than three weeks to go until The 2025 Brewers Congress and Brewers Choice Awards. One company nominated in this year’s awards is the fantastic Thornbridge. So what better time for us to revisit our interview with co-founder Simon Webster from earlier this year. There are certain joys, certain constants when it comes to the world of beer. And one of those has to be the pleasure when scanning the bar for a pint and you happen across the pump clip for Jaipur on cask. It’s a seminal beer that has stood the test of time and this year the brewery responsible, Thornbridge, based in the Derbyshire Dales, celebrates the 20th anniversary of both that beer and the business, too. The Thornbridge story began back in 2005 when founders Jim Harrison and Simon Webster recruited two young brewers to brew on a second hand 10-barrel kit in the grounds of Thornbridge Hall. A journey that began in the small Stonemasons Workshop at Thornbridge Hall is one that has gone on to grow into the Riverside Brewery in Bakewell where the team produce some nine million pints of beer each year. Like any good business, the brewery has moved with the times. While Jaipur remains the flagship, its gluten-free Helles Lukas and Green Mountain, a 4.3% Hazy Session IPA, also account for a significant amount of the brewery’s production. Thanks to a brewing team led by Ben Wood, Dominic Driscoll and Rob Lovatt, they create beers that cater for a wide and diverse audience. So as the celebrated brewery comes toward the end on a year that toasts two decades in business, we caught up with co-founder Simon Webster to discuss the Thornbridge journey. We look at the recent fantastic new addition of a Burton Union set, why collaborations continue to play a key part in the brewery’s proposition and, with new pub openings on the horizon, why Simon believes that such environments remain the best choice when it comes to enjoying a beer.

Brian Dickson is the co-founder and technical director at Leeds-based Northern Monk. One of the UK’s finest brewers, he’s been an integral member of the Yorkshire business since it started out in 2014. And an important part of the brewery’s current path is its journey to carbon neutral operations. In his recent talk, he shared some of Northern Monk’s achievements to-date in the fields of water, wastage, electricity and nitrogen. He also outlined the team’s future plans and goals that include biofuel energy generation, process water recycling, AI temperature control and solar installations.

The 2025 release of Pliny The Younger, the ever-popular annual iteration of Russian River Brewing Company’s Triple IPA, was unsurprisingly a hit. So what better time to revisit our conversation with Vinnie Cirluzo, co-founder of the seminal US brewery? We hope you enjoy… In the world of beer, there are a number of real positives when it comes to working for, or running, a brewery. Creating something that people enjoy, savour and value is a goal in any artistic venture. And in ownership, so is the ability to provide employment, development and satisfaction to your team. Another purpose for many businesses is the ability to affect a change. Breweries are often the beating heart of local communities. They can offer a place to frequent, to socialise and where possible, also have a positive impact on the local economy they form part of. In the case of Russian River Brewing Company, they do just that. And with the release of the modern phenomenon that is Pliny The Younger, their annual sought-after Triple IPA, on the horizon, what better time to catch up with co-founder Vinnie Cilurzo who, along with his business partner and wife Natalie, is the co-founder of the California business. In this episode he shares his observations on the changing brewing landscape, the importance of community and his love of working with different ingredients.  We also talked about the importance of maintaining a strong identity, integrity and, in an age of countless beer styles, why Russian River will continue doing what it does best – and that’s “staying in its lane” making the beers people love. Photo Credit: Russian River Brewing Company Production: Ross Macpherson

If you’ve not had a beer from Hall and Woodhouse, you’re sure to know someone that has. Blandford Fly, Fursty Ferret Amber Ale and Tangle Foot Golden Ale are long-established household names while the newer Outland brand, with beers such as its Tropical Pale Ale, West Coast IPA and Helles are making a mark on their own terms. And heading up the production of these beers is Toby Heasman. A celebrated and revered brewer that joined the business back in 2006.  Much has changed in the time Toby has been part of the business. And much has changed in the industry, and across the globe, since Hall and Woodhouse started out. Because Hall and Woodhouse, the British regional brewery, was founded by Charles Hall in Blandford Forum way back in 1777. Today, their family of pubs are regarded as some of finest in the country.  With more than 150 iconic public houses and inns at the heart of their communities across the South of England. And ensuring those pubs, as well as countless other customers, have access to great beer is Toby Heasman. In this episode we discuss how Toby found a passion of beer, one that led him into a career that he continues to grow and thrive in. We discuss the balance of brewing different styles for both Badger Ales and the Outland brand, as well as the underlying qualities that make a great beer across the board. He also outlines the responsibilities that come with working for such a prestigious business and why that’s a catalyst, rather a burden, when it comes to his commitment to beer and brewing.

A business and a relationship forged in Liverpool, Neptune Brewery has just celebrated its 10th birthday. But what is the secret to their success? Julie O’ Grady founded the business with her husband and business partner Les back in 2015. In the years since they’ve helped build a community and grow a team that thrive in making modern beers inspired by tradition. In this episode Julie outlines the brewery’s commitment to brewing beers they and their consumers enjoy, the importance of their beerhouse in establishing Neptune’s role in the community and why when it comes to social media, apps such as ratings sites shouldn’t be the be-all and end-all when it comes to business. To read our profile on Neptune Brewery from 2022, just click here. Production: Ross Macpherson

We are all aware of diacetlyl in beer but how does it originate and importantly, how do we reduce it? Then allow us to introduce Todd Isbell, a senior brewing technician at the University of Nottingham and International Centre for Brewing Science. Todd has a BS in civil and environmental engineering from Clarkson University and is a graduate of the United States Army Chemical School. A professional brewer for more than twenty years in the United States, he has taught fermentation sciences at Rockingham Community College for five years, and was the founding technical chair for the Master Brewers Association of the Americas Carolinas district. In his recent talk, Todd discusses the origins of diacetyl and how it’s reduced. He also highlights dry hop creep and how this phenomenon can be dealt with to create beers with higher drinkability as well as shelf stability.

How do you help get the beers you brew into the hands of more people? For Kate Hyde and the team at Brighton’s Hand Brew Co, art is a valuable vehicle to help you do just that. Kate is the head brewer and product director for Hand Brew Co, based in Brighton. She has been brewing for over a decade.  And while Kate’s journey has taken her from the UK to Australia then onto France, she has since gone onto establish herself as a revered member of the brewing community in the South of England. Both through her production prowess, but also as a mentor for Women in Beer, too. During her recent talk at Cloudwater in Manchester, Kate explained why art can, and should, be invested in and protected. She demonstrated how Hand Brew Co has harnessed art collaborations to distill the essence and experience of their brew pub into their beer and helped it travel beyond the walls of its birthplace. She also said that when it comes to producing merchandise for your brewery, repeatability is key and not all merch is good merch – especially when it comes to tea towels….

Since being founded by Adam Henderson in 2020, Azvex Brewing Company has gone on to become of the UK’s most respected producers of hop-forward pale ales and IPAs, fruited sours, and imperial stouts. And head brewer Jack Walker has played a huge part in that journey. Known and respected across the land, Jack has helped create a wealth of fantastic beers at the Liverpool-based business. And for that reason, we invited him to speak at our Brewers Lectures in Manchester last month. While he gave us an insight into the brewing process at Azvex during his talk in 2024, this time it was a little different. In 2025 Jack has found himself in the final stages of a coeliac diagnosis and in his lecture he outlines the challenges that has presented for a brewing professional while also outlining some of the misinformation and misunderstanding that surrounds the condition. 

Quality assurance helps ensure all aspects of the brewing process are in place to create a product that both meets and exceeds consumer expectation. And at Round Corner Brewing in Melton Mowbray, head brewer Lara Lopes knows just how important quality control and quality assurance is when it comes to producing great beer.  Lara began her career with AB InBev in Brazil before moving to the UK to join Round Corner Brewing. During her tenure, the brewery has earned prestigious accolades, including two trophies at the International Brewing Awards and two “World’s Best” titles at the World Beer Awards, alongside numerous other international medals and awards. Lara was also named Young Brewer of the Year at our Brewers Choice Awards in 2022 and beyond her brewing achievements, she serves as a judge at international beer competitions. In her recent talk, Lara discussed why QA matters. She highlighted some common challenges for small breweries, suggested simple QA that works and argued why its imperative to make QA a team habit.