Brewers Journal Podcast

Simon Rundle. Simon is the founder of Ivybridge, a not-for-profit brewery that is dedicated to providing job opportunities to individuals with learning disabilities. They believe that everyone deserves a chance to succeed. And with every purchase of their beer, customers are not only supporting their mission, but also enjoying a high-quality product, too. The company he started provides paid work,...

There is little over a week left to enter the 2026 Brewers Choice Awards. To enter or make your nomination please visit our website www.brewersjournal.info before the 10th July. Showcasing and celebrating the finest beers and breweries from around the globe is one of the most rewarding parts of the brewing industry. But for these events to happen, breweries need to be prepared to show off their la...

A move from the corporate world to craft beer is path trodden by many of this sector’s brewers, business owners and beer professionals. And since taking the plunge for herself, Catherine Webber has become a well-known and much-loved figure in the fantastic fabric that is beer and hospitality. Catherine is the brand and business development manager at Attic Brew Co. Celebrating more than four years...

When you’ve worked in the fields of technology, restaurants, modelling and music management, where do you turn next? For Michel Lu, that meant the world of drinks. And he’s on a mission to bring the diverse, rich tapestry of Asia, and the untold myriad of flavours it boasts, to consumers through a series of drinks designed to showcase just that. Michel Lu is the founder of The Orientalist Spirits....

It’s looking like some more excellent weather for much of the UK this weekend. And with higher temperatures and blissful sunshine, there is also an increased appetite for refreshing beautiful beverages. And while we primarily focus on the wonderful world of beer and brewing here at The Brewers Journal, it’s important to take time to look at the excellent innovation taking place across the wi...

It’s official. Beer festival season is in full swing. We’re seeing new beers and new collaborations at every turn. What’s even better is that we’re seeing new breweries come to life, too. And in London last week, the capital’s latest brewing business sprung into life. So say hello to South London’s Palindrome Brew Co. Founded by Paul McTernan and Alin Sas, they’re on a mission to make their mark w...

Starting this June we’re opening entries for the 2026 Brewers Choice Awards So what better time to revisit our visit to the 2024 winners of our ‘Brewery of the Year’ category – Wiper and True. The brewery, which is known for beers such as its Kaleidoscope Pale Ale, Milkshake Milk Stout and a wealth of other fantastic creations besides, toasts its 13th anniversary in 2026. B...

Did you catch our excellent recent article? Titled Beyond Aroma: Hop enzymatic activity, diastatic power, and fermentation control , Francesco Lo Bue and Philip Wietstock, Professor and Chair of Brewing and Beverage Technology at TU Berlin, brought together recent research on hop diastatic power with observations on enzyme distribution within the hop cone, to provide a more complete understanding...

The UK beer landscape looks a lot different today than it did ten years ago. We’ve seen breweries and trends come and go. But certain names have stood the test of time by focusing on one thing: quality. Today’s guest is someone who transitioned from a decorated homebrewing career to founding one of the most respected independent breweries in the country. Based in Finchampstead, Berkshire, Elusive...

Welcome to The Summer of Lager. As we race through 2026, the longer, warmer months are fast-approaching. And with that, so does the consumer appetite for cold, beautiful lager. And in Scotland, one of the country’s finest breweries has just launched a new beer that’s sure to be a hit in 2026 and beyond. Independently owned and proudly based in Alloa — the historic brewing capital of Scotland — Wil...

Meet Pete Brown. Pete, as many of you will know, is a British author, journalist, broadcaster and consultant specialising in food and drink. In his latest columns for the Sunday Times he’s discussed everything from supermarket beer to where to turn when nothing catches your eye on the bar. And last year he released his latest book ‘ Tasting Notes: The Art and Science of Pairing Beer With Music ’....

Meet Red Kellie. Red is joint owner and Head Brewer of the First & Last Brewery. They are a family run brewery, taproom and event space situated in rural Northumberland. The brewery doubles as a community space used for everything from art workshops to gigs and literature events. They brew a wide range of styles from hazy IPAs, through to sours, wheat beers, stouts and Belgian beers....

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...

Meet Andrew Barnett. Andrew is the founder of Edinburgh’s Barney’s Beer. He started his career in brewing aged 16 as a lab assistant at the recently defunct Banks’s brewery in Wolverhampton before doing on to study Brewing & Distilling at Heriot Watt. Various roles in research, production & commercial followed at Whitbread, S&N and The Macallan among others. Starting Barney’s Beer in 2...

Met Tim Bloomer. Tim is the co-founder and sustainability director at Fell Brewery, an independent brewery based in Cumbria. He holds an MSc in Brewing & Distilling from Heriot-Watt University and was Head Brewer at Fell for many years, helping shape the brewery’s beers and processes before moving into a dedicated sustainability role. Tim now leads Fell’s practical, data-led decarbonisation pr...

2026 marks 15 years since Tom Bott and Sam McGregor started London’s Signature Brew. The duo combined their backgrounds in the music industry and professional brewing to create a business that aimed to improve the quality of beer at live music events, collaborating with a raft of world-class artists in the process. And 2026 marks eight years since Tom took part in our Brewers Lectures events...

Next week our first Brewers Lectures of 2026 takes place at the fantastic Full Circle Brew Co in Newcastle on the 25th February. We’ve got a brilliant line-up of industry talent taking part including Jack Walker, the head brewer at Azvex. 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 an...

The role provenance plays in beer is something we rightfully celebrate. It can give the beer an identity and a sense of place. And today’s guest has made it his goal to recognise and toast British ingredients, as well as the agricultural excellence that helps make it all possible. Meet Kirk Stamford. He’s the founder of Atlantic Archipelago, an independent beer brand headquartered in Norfolk. Foll...

Fresh from celebrating the brewery’s latest birthday at the end of 2025, the team at Full Circle are gearing up for another year of growth and evolution. One of the UK’s most revered and regarded modern breweries, Full Circle’s 2025 was characterised by new releases and collaborations to events, community gatherings, and behind-the-scenes milestones. And later this month, we are thrilled to be hea...

When it comes to brewing, what excites you? The beautiful thing about beer is that we all come at it from different directions, with different passions, different opinions. And for Red Kellie, she loves making a wealth of different beers that end up in cask, keg, bottle and can. But it’s working with wild and foraged ingredients where her and team really come into their own. Red is joint owner and...

Fresh from celebrating their triumphant 20th anniversary in 2025, Thornbridge can reflect on another year of growth and evolution. And in 2026, beer fans can expect a raft of new beers including a number of fresh releases from its celebrated Union system. So as we gear up for another 12 months of beautiful beer, let’s take a look back at our conversation with brewery co-founder Simon Webster...

Meet Tamar Banner, a veteran of the craft beer industry, having started brewing professionally in the US in 2001. In more than 24 years of brewing, she has worked in the brewhouse, cellar, packaging, quality, and management. She is currently the brewmaster at To Øl Brewery in Denmark where she manages brewing, packaging, quality and recipe development. Prior to To Øl, she worked for Harpoon Brewer...

From Café Kick to Coin Laundry, and from Moro to Mikkeller, Exmouth Market in London is a favourite spot for many in the capital. For good reason, too… And since late 2019, the Mikkeller Brewpub has been serving the great and the good a wealth of excellent beers.  For fans of brilliant beer there are few experiences more enjoyable than imbibing it at the source. Be that at a brewery taproom, or th...

It’s been another fantastic year for Windsor’s Two Flints… Following on from the recent release of their celebrated collab Double IPA with Ghost Whale’s Ray Hadnett, the brewery has also worked with NZ Hops on their Bract Project initiative. Not only that, they’ve released one of the year’s best dark beers in Heartwood – the barrel aged evolution of their...

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 brewe...