The Modern Brewer Podcast

Is pulse cooling the game-changer that we’ve all been waiting for? In this episode of The Modern Brewer Podcast I, Chris Lewington, chat with Jassa Amir-Lang and Alex Marschall about the future of cooling beer and its impact on sustainability. From energy efficiency to environmental impact, this episode delves into the factors that could make pulse cooling the next truly implementable innovation i...

Ever looked East? The Asian beer market has been in many breweries expansion plan for years…but should it? In this episode of The Modern Brewer Podcast, join me, Chris Lewington as I’m joined by with brewing veteran Neil Playfoot to explore the ins and outs of the Asian beer market. From China's “booming” beer market to the rise of IPAs, Neil shares his insights on everything East of Europe....

Keeping history alive, the Burton Union Join me, Chris Lewington and Thornbridge’s Rob & Ben as we discuss how they keep an old brewing system alive as part of their brewery’s future. We get into the nitty-gritty of how they acquired such an amazing piece of brewing history, what brewing on this system is actually like and how it affects the final beer!  This is a groundbreaking project that I...

I'm bringing you cutting-edge research conducted by myself (Chris Lewington), Gipsy Hill Brewery, Pneumatech & H&M Compressors & Pumps. We set to see if nitrogen at 99.5% purity is fit for purpose in a craft brewery set-up. This is the first of its kind research and it is being first aired on the Modern Brewer Podcast. This episode will also divulge the optimum usage of Nitrogen a...

💃🎉🎈 Happy 1 Year Anniversary Everyone!!! With me is Alix Blease from Lallemand, this episode is targeted at brewers looking to repitch their yeast.  We will cover everything from start to finish and by the end you should have the confidence, understanding and know-how to stop the dreaded pitch and ditch and start maximising the yeast you purchase. If you are already repitching your yeast, don’t...

Is AI at the forefront of the next industrial revolution? And how does that affect the brewing industry?  With me is Ankur Napa who has worked for ABInBev, SABMiller & United Breweries as a brewer and senior data analyst.  In this episode we go cover:  What is Artificial Intelligence (AI) What current tools and systems can it replace in brewing?  How will this affect brewers/breweries?  Real-l...

Commissioning is one of the most intense, stressful and rewarding aspects of brewery management. And it is a poorly covered subject, which this episode is going to end.  In this blockbuster episode, Chris Lewington (host) and the amazing Edina Bálint (Commissioning brewer at SSV) discuss everything you need to know about commissioning.  Topics we cover Project steps of a typical craft brewery turn...

Refrigeration is a part we all rely on, but how well do you know your refrigeration plant? Do you know what refrigerant it uses? Some refrigerators contain chemicals that have a global warming potential 2500 times higher than the same weight of CO2. And are you aware of upcoming legislation changes that will impact the craft brewing industry? In this episode we will cover: - Why this topic is impo...

In part 2 we deep dive into 6 essential flavours and taints commonly found in beer. After this episode, you will be able to: - Know what they are - How to describe them - Where they originate from - How to remove them (if desired) Key flavours and taints covered: 🧀 Isovaleric  🗑️ Mercaptan  🧈 Diacetyl 🖌️ Acetaldehyde  🩹 Phenolic 4EP  (Honourable mention of 4VG) 👶 Butyric Acid  00:00 Introducti...

Everything you need to know on how perform sensory analysis on your beer, how to set up a sensory program and who should be involved. Key topics covered - A high-level view of what sensory is, what it aims to do and why is it so effective - What are the key aspects and/or rules of sensory - Who should be involved in sensory? - How do you train people in sensory? - Types of Test Chapters 00:00 Welc...

We deep dive into key ways to progress your career both in brewing and if you want to move industry.  Adam Mills is the host of 'Adam Makes Beer' a hugely successful youtube channel promoting professional brewing, he is also the Director of Brewing Operations at Sonder Brewing in Ohio, US.  In this episode we discuss: E ducational growth habits P ersonal/professional traits for success D...

In a new one-off format, I go solo on the show and share with you all the details of a real world brewing problem to see if you can solve it. You will get the breweries problem as it was described to me. A full understanding of their CIP routine, their yeast and fermentation practise and the actions they took to help diagnose it. What do you think caused the issue? And how would you solve it? 🌱 S...

We need to STOP purchasing CO2 for our breweries. The technology exists and for the first time ever is affordable to the craft brewer. In this episode, we go over one of the most exciting technologies available to a craft brewer— CO2 Recapture. Me, Kim & Frederik Dalum (Dalum Beverage Equipment) and Jan Paul (Brewery Consultant) discuss: - What is CO2 Recapture, how does it work and what are t...

Learn about the hop surplus, hop contracting and how to navigate the hop market as any sized brewer. My guest this week is Douglas MacKinnon, he's a leading writer (MacKinnon Report) on the hop market, one of the most important markets a brewer should understand. Chapters 2:00 - History of hop market 28:00 - Farmer, merchant, brewer model 32:00 - Hop surplus 40:00 - Hop contracting 48:00 - Ne...

We need to STOP purchasing CO2 for our breweries. The technology exists and for the first time ever is affordable to the craft brewer. In this episode, we go over one of the most exciting technologies available to a craft brewer—nitrogen generation. Me, Alex Redpath (Full Circle Brewery) and Craig Smith (Pneumatech) discussed: - What is nitrogen generation, how does it work and what are the option...

This episode has guest Adam Johnson talking us through key topics in brewing and how you can help your brewery save time, money and the environment. The topics we  cover: - Definition of brewing aids and treatments  - Dosage rates and optimisation  - Water BA & T - Kettle finings  - Beer finings  - Haze stability - Foam stability - Sustainability Chapters  01:57 - Intros  06:37 - Definition of...

Joined by Jamie Ramshaw and Dan Cooper of Simpsons Malt, this is part 3 of a 3-part mini-series on understanding one of the most important ingredients in beer, malt.  In the final episode, we tie up all the information learnt in parts 1 and 2 into how to read your Certificate of Analysis (CoA) for brewing. You will learn what parameters are essential to learn about extract, fermentation and flavou...

Joined by Jamie Ramshaw and Dan Cooper of Simpsons Malt, this is part 2 of a 3 part mini series on understanding one of the most important ingredients in beer, malt.  In this episode we start to deep dive into germination, kilning and roasting.  After part 1 and part 2 you know everything you need to know as a brewer in barley and malting.  By the end of the mini-series you will understand in full...

Joined by Jamie Ramshaw and Dan Cooper of Simpsons Malt, this is part 1 of a 3 part mini series on understanding one of the most important ingredients in beer, malt.  In this episode we start to discuss barley varieties, growing conditions, current and future trends in barley. Then we start to discuss the malting process starting with steeping.  By the end of the mini-series you will understand in...

This episode has guest Josh Summers a water treatment expert talk us through these subjects:  - What aspects of water do we need to treat in breweries?  - What can we use to treat them? - Is reverse osmosis the best option?  - How to run your reverse osmosis more efficiently.  Chapters  02:45 - Intros 05:43 - What aspects of water do brewers treat?  07:36 - How to treat suspended solids 12:17 - Ho...

We are joined by Andrew Patteson of Lallemand  to discuss how getting to know your suppliers will make you a better brewer, run a better brewery and help you manage your time easier.  We are blessed in our industry to have technically excellent suppliers, it's time to unlock their potential.  Chapters 02:13 - Intros 09:02 - How Andrew found the switch from brewer to supplier 13:19 - How do yo...

This weeks guest Tanya Kondratyuk who is the quality manager for Northern Monk Brew Co, Tanya is going to guide us through everything you need to know to build a lab from nothing. We will discuss  What pieces of equipment do all breweries need?  What do you need to start building a lab from nothing?  Where can you buy affordable lab equipment from?  What are the most common mistakes made in qualit...

Why do breweries contract brew?  What should you look for in a contract brewery partner?  What is a service level agreement and should you have one? Is it harder to be a contract brewer or have your beers made for you?  This episode's guest is Francesco Lo Bue an experienced brewer who has been on both sides of the contract brewer experience.  Chapters 02:18 - Intros 02:47 - Francesco's...

Should I leave my job? It’s a question many brewers face, and in this episode of The Modern Brewer Podcast, we dive deep into it. Myself, Chris Lewington and guest Horacio Colombo explore the good and bad motivators for leaving a job, how to make the leap, and top tips for acing that next brewing industry interview. This episode was recorded live, offering a fresh format compared to our usual styl...

We learn from expert data analyst Tristan Mobbs why, how and when we should collect data to better our brewery's processes. We also learn: •⁠  ⁠How to stop wasting time •⁠  ⁠How to learn to manage your data quicker. •⁠  ⁠A failed former business adventure of ours 1:35 - The back story  5:00 - Tristan’s career to date 9:27 - Factors to consider before collecting data 11:43 - How to organise da...