SIBA Independent Brewer Winter 2025 by SIBA, the Society of Independent Brewers

Issue 24

Winter 2025

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Editor’s comment

Welcome to the Winter edition of SIBA’s Independent Brewer Magazine. to SIBA Members, their teams and even their family, who may have been struggling to cope. Find out more about this new service on page 9, and read more about the wide range of support the LTC can offer for free in our Big Interview with LTC CEO Chris Welham on pages 34-39.

As I sit here on a rainy November day, the longawaiting Budget is less than two weeks away and I, like everyone in the sector right now, am dearly hoping for a less painful outcome for small businesses than last time. The market remains extremely challenging for independent brewers, and at times like these the support, and collective voice, that SIBA can provide has never been more vital. For this reason, SIBA has this year focused on adding to the range of benefits and services it offers Members, and we bring you news in this issue of a new partnership with the Licensed Trade Charity (LTC) that will provide free advice, counselling and mental health support

We also have a particular focus in this issue of the magazine on our Homebrew Members. Alongside our regular Homebrew in Focus section on pages 28-29, we bring you news of the 2026 SIBA Homebrew Awards on pages 16-17 – there is still time to get your entry in if you haven’t already done so, and have the opportunity to get your hands on an experimental new British hop thanks to competition partner Charles Faram. We also meet one of SIBA’s Homebrew Members, Paul Gunn, in our Meet the Homebrewer feature on pages 52-57, to find out more about how he got into brewing, and how he has tackled some of the challenges as a hobby brewer. Elsewhere, we welcome back Vocation’s Gail Lumsden for her second Independent Thinking column on pages 22-23, where she looks at the strategy behind successful innovation in the independent beer market.

Society of Independent Brewers and Associates PO Box 136, Ripon, North Yorkshire HG4 5WW Tel: 01765 640 441 www.siba.co.uk Email: office@siba.co.uk

As we look ahead beyond the festive season, the team at SIBA HQ is already well advanced with plans for indie beer’s biggest event of the year – BeerX in March. Read more about the 2026 event – which promises to be our biggest and best yet – in our BeerX Preview on pages 58-61, and don’t forget to book your ticket at www.beerx.org. Finally, for our Business Profile we caught up with Mark Hayes-Kemp, who along with brother Peter runs Twisted Tree Brewery, launched only last year but already lining up trophies for the quality of the beers they produce (see pages 42-49). It just remains for me to wish all of our readers a happy and successful festive season, and a positive start to the new year. Happy reading! And please do keep sending me your press releases, updates, news and views to caroline. nodder@siba.co.uk so that we can share your experiences, thoughts and successes in future magazines – the deadline for submissions for our Spring magazine will be January 9th. Caroline Nodder Editor SIBA Independent Brewer Magazine

Editor: Caroline Nodder (caroline.nodder@siba.co.uk) Published by: Media Alive Limited Produced on behalf of SIBA by: Media Alive Limited, 2nd Floor, The Red House, 119 Fore Street, Hertford, Hertfordshire SG14 1AX. T: 01992 505 810 Creative Director: Darren Kefford (darren@wearema.co.uk) Studio Manager: Jon Hardy (jon@wearema.co.uk) Advertising Manager: Claire Rooney (claire@wearema.co.uk) Managing Director: Dan Rooney (dan@wearema.co.uk)

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All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or be any other means, electronic or mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of SIBA and/or Media Alive Limited. Whilst every effort is made to ensure that the information in this publication is accurate and up-to-date, neither SIBA nor Media Alive Limited take any responsibility for errors or omissions. Opinions expressed in editorial contributions to this publication are those of their respective authors and not necessarily shared either by SIBA or Media Alive Limited.

www.siba.co.uk | SIBA Independent Brewer | Winter 2025

Contents

News 9-13 SIBA News All the news from SIBA HQ 14-15 SIBA Indie Beer Awards A new partnership will see SIBA winners’ beers showcased on the World stage 16-17 SIBA Homebrew Awards The 2026 Awards are now open for entries 24-25 Membership Update A round-up of the latest SIBA Membership benefits 58-61 Beer X Preview What’s new for indie beer’s biggest event of the year in 2026 74-79 SIBA Indie Beer Awards Results from Wales, Midlands & West and the North West 80-87 Brewery News The latest from our Brewing Members around the UK 88-93 Supplier News Updates from SIBA’s Supplier Associate Members

42-49

58-61 Issue 24

Winter 2025

Comment 7 CEO’S Update Andy Slee, SIBA’s Chief Executive, examines the access-to-market challenge for independent beer 8 Chairman’s Comment National Chair Richard Naisby on the wide range of online support SIBA offers its Members 18-19 The View From Westminster Our regular political update 22-23 Independent Thinking Gail Lumsden, Chair and CEO of Vocation Group, on the secret to sustainable innovation 28-29 Homebrew In Focus Andy Parker from Elusive Brewing explores the origins of Burton Bridge’s DBA 30-33 Guest Writer Beer historian Ron Pattinson looks back at the history of Mild and Bitter 41 Brewery Viewpoint Matthew Hodgson from Great Newsome Brewery bigs up British hops 50-51 Brewery Viewpoint Signature Brew’s co-founder Tom Bott on the importance of the indie beer sector 69 Tech Focus Brewlab’s Dr Keith Thomas explores the effect of electrical current on fermentation 95 Supplier Viewpoint Magnus Valmot from PLAATO. io on data driven insight

Features

BeerX 2026: Preview inside

Cover Our cover image shows the huge crowds at BeerX 2025, our biggest and best BeerX yet. And there is even more to come in 2026! Read all about next year’s show in our BeerX Preview on pages 58-61.

27 Taproom Focus Featuring Warehouse 4 at Gloucester Brewery 34-39 The Big Interview We meet Chris Welham, CEO of the Licensed Trade Charity, to talk about the charity’s new partnership with SIBA 42-49 Business Profile Featuring award-winning start-up brewery Twisted Tree 52-57 Meet The Homebrewer We catch up with SIBA Homebrew Member Paul Gunn 63-67 Business Advice Legal, brand & marketing and consumer insight 70-73 Gold Members Premier Systems and Loughran Brewers 96 Gold & Silver Members Listing of our key sponsors 98 Contacts Key SIBA contacts

www.siba.co.uk | SIBA Independent Brewer | Winter 2025

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CEO's Update

Customers deserve choice

SIBA’s CEO Andy Slee takes inspiration from a recent visit to the Lake District to examine the challenge for independent brewers in gaining access to local pubs… As I write, we are still awaiting the outcome of the Department of Business’s review of ways in which independent brewers can gain better access to pubs and bars across the land.

The picture below illustrates my point. Take yourself for a moment to the heart of the Lake District, surrounded by the hills and a day in the fresh air. To a county with many local independent brewers within easy delivery distance of the pub in question.

Politically, there’s an awful lot for the Government to contend with right now so we are grateful they have found time to review this critical issue for brewers alongside other help they are planning for the hospitality sector. It is the first time in a generation the question has been asked. In the absence of news, I am sharing an article I wrote for the Morning Advertiser recently which articulates our argument. If you haven’t time to read every word, the picture of a beer range taken in the heart of the Lake District, paints 1,000 words… Sat amongst some incredible publicans at the Great British Pub awards recently I was struck by how many of the winners say they put their success down to ‘doing the basics really well’, day in day out. Any business is successful if it provides products their customers want at a price that’s seen as value for money. It’s not rocket science, but so many businesses don’t follow that principle.

What drove the decision to stock beers brewed by a global brewer in a Keswick pub other than one of the logistical reasons cited above? “It’s easier for us, you’ll drink what you are given!”

The beer market in the UK is in the doldrums, still to recover to pre-covid levels. Amongst a range of reasons, my firm belief that our beer market is ‘supply push’ rather than a ‘demand pull’.

Customers can’t have been in the thinking, which is why potential customers near me as I took this picture saw the range, laughed and went elsewhere.

What do I mean by this? Bars in the UK are populated by the same beers from the same global brewing companies with little to differentiate between them.

The same could apply to any locality across the country. And we wonder why the beer category is in the doldrums!

Listing decisions are made for reasons that have little to do consumer demand. A minimum purchase obligation here, a dray efficiency there, or the promise of a life changing piece of dispense kit. The last person often considered are the 77% of pub-goers who want to see local beers on the bar. Or the two thirds of drinkers, according to Kingfisher, who would like to experiment with new brands.

I won’t embarrass the pub involved by naming it, but I will praise Greene King for their more enlightened approach in a pub nearby. A range of global and GK beers together with local brewery favourites combine to make the Dog & Gun in Keswick the busiest pub in the town. With trade so challenging, can today’s pubs afford not to give customers a beer range there is strong demand for?

This isn’t a ‘big is bad, small is good’ plea on behalf of Britain’s independent brewers. Beers from global brewers play an important role on any bar. But so does a broad consumer choice, with many drinkers wanting to support genuinely local independent brewers and their range of innovative local beers. Andy Slee Chief Executive SIBA

www.siba.co.uk | SIBA Independent Brewer | Winter 2025

Chairman’s comment

SIBA strengthens support SIBA’s National Chair Richard Naisby looks at the wide, and growing, range of online tools and support that SIBA offers its members… The Society of Independent Brewers and Associates was formed (as the Small Independent Brewers Association for those with long memories) to enable independent brewers to achieve matters which individually would elude them. The most obvious, and most highly rated in every annual survey, is the ability to speak as a unified voice to those in power. By combining our collective efforts we are greater than the sum of our parts and have achieved much good for the industry over the last 45 years. SIBA is ceaseless in its efforts for the independent brewer. For a long period, SIBA existed as little more than the above – a lobbying organisation with a social aspect and the occasional, friendly beer competition. In recent years, we have made strenuous efforts to broaden and deepen the scope of SIBA operations. In BeerX, we have the largest beer-focused trade event in the country. We are actively seeking to expand BeerX, both in the range of the domestic scope, but also to incorporate a collaborative, international element. A bigger, more vibrant, yet still focussed BeerX will be of benefit to all members. The SIBA Toolbox, hosted on our website, is due for review. We welcome suggestions and contributions. While the team work on the revisions, I thought I'd highlight some of the many, and evolving, ways in which SIBA can help your business. (And if you haven't had a look in the Toolbox for some time, I urge all members to re-visit as this column is not nearly

big enough to encompass the full range of benefits contained therein). The Brewing Tools and Advice section contains handy shortcuts for existing brewers and invaluable tools for startups. Whether it is recipe formulation, a costings guide, HACCP tools or a guide to the duty changes, this is where you'll find it (along with, I note, some guides to now-outdated HMRC documents which have some, possible, historical interest but will probably get cleared up in the review). The labelling guide is regularly updated as the regulations change frequently. Among the most valuable benefits are the two SIBA 'Portals'. The Napthens portal has been live for some years but it is regularly updated. Napthens provide a comprehensive range of relevant legal subjects – on issues ranging from trademarks and licensing to Health & Safety and Employment and HR. We often urge members to seek Napthens’ help when trouble first appears on the horizon, since their expertise in insolvencies and related matters is often accessed at too late a stage. This remains true but their ongoing webinars also provide a way of keeping abreast of matters without engaging quite so directly. Remember that for SIBA members the first hour of consultation on any new subject is free-of-charge. This is often enough to determine whether an issue is worth pursuing in more depth and sometimes the mere sight of a solicitor’s letter can provide a quick resolution. The newest portal is the 'LTC Wellbeing Portal'. We have entered into partnership with the Licensed Trade Charity to provide support for all brewers. If the Napthens portal is there for backup of your commercial business, then the LTC is there for the backup and support of you and your staff. The LTC dates from 1793 when

Winter 2025 | SIBA Independent Brewer | www.siba.co.uk

a group of publicans set out to help people from the trade. A couple of centuries of wise investment later and the LTC is able to support several schools and people who work, or have worked, across the licensed trade sector. For those who missed the excellent presentation given by Chris Welham (CEO) at BeerX, I can heartily recommend the FAQ section of the portal, both for the fascinating history and breadth of support available. SIBA doesn't have a 200-year history yet, but I hope that members will agree that the assistance we offer to breweries is now second to none. Cheers!

Richard Naisby Chairman SIBA

SIBA news

SIBA and Licensed Trade Charity (LTC) announce partnership to support brewery owners and employees SIBA has launched a new partnership with the LTC which will bring a wide range of wellbeing and practical support services to SIBA Brewing members, their employees, and families. “The LTC has a long and respected history of supporting those who work across the hospitality sector, and we are thrilled that their expert services will now be available to SIBA members via a dedicated members’ portal,” said Andy Slee, SIBA Chief Executive.

Through this partnership all employees at SIBA Member breweries will have access to a confidential portal offering a range of resources and support - including wellbeing, financial advice, and practical assistance, with each individual able to create their own secure login to access the services confidentially. “We’re delighted to partner with SIBA to extend our support to independent brewers and their teams. Running or working in a brewery brings huge rewards but also unique pressures, and we

want every member of the SIBA community to know that expert help is available whenever life becomes challenging. Whether it’s financial worries, mental health support, or practical guidance, the LTC is here to ensure that nobody in the brewing sector has to face difficult times alone,” said Chris Welham, LTC Chief Executive Officer. Find out more about the LTC services available in our Big Interview with Chris Welham on pages 34-39.

New SIBA Headquarters officially opens in Ripon Rt Hon Sir Julian Smith KCB CBE, Member of Parliament for Skipton and Ripon, officially opened the new SIBA Headquarters in Ripon at the end of September. Julian visited SIBA’s new premises on Dallamires Lane, where he was welcomed by Chief Executive Andy Slee and members of the SIBA team, including North East Regional Director Joe Joyce of Harrogate Brewery. The visit included a tour of the facility, as well as discussions on the future of independent brewing in the UK and key industry concerns ahead of the Budget. Speaking at the event, Julian said: “I am grateful to open SIBA’s new office here in Ripon. Independent brewers are a cornerstone of our local and national economy, and I am proud that Ripon is now home to an organisation doing so much to support them. I look forward to seeing SIBA continue to thrive and champion the best of British beer.” The new office will serve as a hub for SIBA’s operations, bringing together staff and resources to better support its members and industry partners. Andy Slee, SIBA Chief Executive, welcomed Sir Julian to the new headquarters for the trade association: “Sir Julian has been a keen supporter of our sector for many years. It was great to welcome him to our new office in Ripon and share with him the opportunities and challenges facing Britain’s independent brewing sector. We know we have a friend in Westminster.”

www.siba.co.uk | SIBA Independent Brewer | Winter 2025

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SIBA news

Bragdy Twt Lol and Bragdy Cybi beers named best in Wales at inaugural Indie Beer Cymru Awards Bragdy Twt Lol (The Trefforest Brewery) and Bragdy Cybi have taken home the two Overall Golds in the inaugural Indie Beer Cymru Awards respective cask and keg competitions. Twt Lol won the Overall Gold in the cask beer competition with their ‘Pretty Fly for a Magpie’ IPA, described as a ‘very hoppy, bitter but smooth IPA with an incredible amount of aroma’. Bragdy Cybi won the Overall Gold in the seperate keg beer competition with ‘6 Sitra’, which contains six varieties of hops including the American Citra hop, which impressed judges with a ‘fruit salad of flavours and fruity citrus undertones’. The Indie Beer Awards took place ahead of the opening of the first ever Indie Beer Cymru festival, in Haverfordwest. SIBA competitions chair Anneli Baxter helped run the awards and was on hand to congratulate the winners: “The quality of beers across the competition was incredibly high so huge congratulations to all the great breweries named winners in their style category – with so many great

beers in the running you should be truly proud of taking home the win. But I want to give particular praise to our two Overall Gold winners who were named the ‘best of the best’ in our final round judging – huge congratulations to Bragdy Twt Lol and Bragdy Cybi.” Indie Beer Cymru is organised by Welsh brewers from SIBA, building on the success of the hugely popular Indie Beer Scotland event in Glasgow – which took place in September. The festival is the latest from the Indie Beer campaign, which seeks to highlight genuinely independent breweries across the UK. See the full list of winners from Wales on pages 74-75.

Bank Top and Big Trip take home top awards at the Indie Beer Awards North West The two top awards in cask and keg at the Indie Beer Awards North West have been awarded to Bank Top Brewery in Bolton and Big Trip Brewery in Manchester, in what was a hard-fought competition of the region’s best beers. Bank Top brewery took home the Overall Champion Gold in cask for the second year running, this time with their strong brown ale ‘Hercules’ which impressed judges with nutty caramel notes and an aromatic, spicy hop aroma. Collecting the award on behalf of the team was Ben Sweeney from Bank Top: “It’s been a phenomenal year for us, we picked up national Gold from SIBA earlier this year so to have an even better performance at the North West Awards than last year honestly means the world to me and the team. We were in this same room last week picking up the Bolton business award for hospitality so

to perform like this in the Indie Beer Awards today is absolutely unbelievable.” Big Trip were named the best in keg, taking home the Overall Champion Gold for their ‘WTAF’ New England style IPA, a big hazy IPA with flavours of pineapple, mango and peach from the combination modern American hops. Simon Chantler had this to say about Big Trip’s big win: “Very, very, very pleased to win, just great to be recognised amongst all of these great brewers in the room today, and thank you to SIBA for organising and all the hard work you guys have put in with these awards –

absolutely fantastic.” Hosting the awards on behalf of SIBA was Andy Slee, SIBA Chief Executive, who said: “Massive congratulations to all of this year’s winners and in particular Big Trip who beat the best of the best in the hard-fought keg competition, and Bank Top – who managed to take home the Overall Cask Gold for the second consecutive year. The Indie Beer Awards are meticulously organised and judged by experts, with the region’s very best beers fighting it out for medals.” For the full list of winners from the North West see pages 78-79.

www.siba.co.uk | SIBA Independent Brewer | Winter 2025

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SIBA news

Twisted Tree and Gloucester Brewery scoop top awards at Indie Beer Awards Midlands & West The two top awards in cask and keg at the Indie Beer Awards Midlands & West have been scooped by Twisted Tree Brewery in Oxfordshire and Gloucester Brewery in Gloucestershire, in a recordsized competition judging beers from across the Midlands and West of England. Twisted Tree Brewery’s ‘The Bark Side’ Black IPA wowed judges in the Cask beer competition, taking the Overall Champion Gold with a beer where “Rich roasted malts meet vibrant hops, delivering notes of coffee, dark chocolate, citrus, and a resinous finish.” The Overall Champion Keg beer was awarded to Gloucester Brewery’s ‘NEIPA’, a New England style hazy IPA which they say is their “most heavily hopped beer, bursting with an incredible tropical fruit aroma and a luxuriously soft, rounded mouthfeel.”

Andy Slee, SIBA’S CEO, was on hand to dish out the medals and had this to say of this year’s winners: “In what was our biggest ever Midlands and West awards – with well over two hundred and fifty beers judged in cask and keg – the quality across the board was truly outstanding. Massive congratulations to all of today’s winners and of course Twisted Tree and Gloucester who were named the best of the best and take home the Overall Champion Golds. A

huge well done!” All the winners of the Midlands & West Indie Beer Awards will now go on to the National Finals at the BeerX UK event in Liverpool, March 2025. For the full list of winners see pages 76-77, and read more about top award winner Twisted Tree in our Business Profile on pages 42-49.

SIBA and Punch Pubs & Co strengthen ties between local brewers and community pubs through Beerflex partnership SIBA and Punch are delighted to be strengthening the relationship between local brewers and the community pubs they serve. To help Publicans and Management Partners make a more informed choice of local beer available to them, Punch has introduced an online ordering system in its supportive local pubs. With promising early results, the hope is to roll out the scheme to more pubs. SIBA’s Chief Executive Andy Slee said: “We know that 70% of drinkers want to see a local brewer on the bar so we are delighted to work with Punch to make our members’ beers as broadly available as possible through the Beerflex scheme. We thank them for their continued support.” Punch Pubs & Co CEO Andy Spencer added: “Local beer and community pubs go hand in hand. Our partnership with SIBA helps ensure our Publicans and MPs can easily access the fantastic range of beers being brewed in their area. It’s great to see the early success of the online portal and the positive impact it’s already having on sales and engagement within our participating pubs. We’re proud to be supporting local breweries and giving our operators even more tools to deliver an exceptional guest experience.” One of the pubs proudly championing local beer through the scheme is the award-winning Anglesey Arms in Chichester, Punch’s Pub of the Year at the 2025 Great British Pub Awards. Regular users of Beerflex, Dom and Shell Roberts – the pub’s Management Partners – have made local suppliers such as Hogs Back, Flower Pots, and Langham breweries a key part of their offer. The West Sussex-based pub’s operators said: “Championing local brewers is a big part of what makes our pub special. Our guests love discovering new beers from nearby breweries – it gives us a real point of difference and helps keep our offer fresh and inspire those moments. The portal makes it easy for us to find and order the right beers, and we’re thrilled to see Punch investing in this partnership.” www.siba.co.uk | SIBA Independent Brewer | Winter 2025

The SIBA Indie Beer Awards

Champion Indie Brewers from UK set their sights on USA’s World Beer Cup The top award-winners from the SIBA Indie Beer Awards will now have the chance to take on the World as part of a new initiative that will see SIBA fund the entry of their winning beers into the World’s largest beer competition…

In a new transatlantic partnership between independent brewing trade associations, Champion brewers from the UK are going to have the opportunity to go up against the best that the USA and rest of the World have to offer at the World’s biggest beer competition – The World Beer Cup. National Champions from the UK’s leading bottled and canned beer competition, the Indie Beer Awards, organised by SIBA, will have their beer entered into the World Beer Cup – organised by the American Brewers Association (BA) - fully funded by the British trade association. Fourteen Breweries from across the UK will have the opportunity to go up against the best beers in the World, in a competition that last year attracted over 8,000 entries from across the Globe. The UK hopefuls come in a huge range of beer styles; including ‘Studio Lager’ from London’s Signature Brew, ‘Werrrd!’ hazy pale from Electric Bear Brewery in Bath, ‘Ground Stump’ coffee porter from Twisted Tree Brewery in Oxfordshire, the alcohol free ‘Nirvana Pils’ from Nirvana Brewery in London’s and many more. “Some of the best beers in the World are being brewed in the UK right now in a huge variety of styles, from homegrown bitters and stouts, to international beer styles like American IPAs or Germanstyle lagers – this partnership is an opportunity to increase the number of UK breweries in the running at the World’s biggest beer competition and I want to wish all of the entrants the best of luck at next year’s competition,” said Andy Slee, SIBA Chief Executive. The UK entrants will be air-freighted to America next spring in temperature-controlled containers to ensure the beer arrives at the awards judging in perfect condition. The final judging will take place in the weeks before the World Beer Cup Awards ceremony in Philadelphia on the 22nd April 2026.

Winter 2025 | SIBA Independent Brewer | www.siba.co.uk

The SIBA Indie Beer Awards

World Beer Cup Competition Director Chris Williams welcomed the partnership: “We at the World Beer Cup are proud to partner with SIBA in bringing some of the UK’s best beers to the world stage for the 2026 World Beer Cup. The UK’s brewing and cidermaking heritage is rich and time-honored, and it’s inspiring to see two organisations that champion independence and excellence come together to celebrate the best of the best. The World Beer Cup is about more than competition; it’s about connection and celebrating the craftsmanship that unites brewers and cidermakers around the world. We’re excited to welcome SIBA’s Indie Beer Award winners to the world stage, and I wish all of them the best of luck. I hope to see many of you in Philadelphia next Spring!” The World Beer Cup launched in 1996 to celebrate the art and science of brewing, this global competition continues to create greater consumer awareness about different beer styles and flavour profiles while promoting international brewing excellence. The Brewers Association (BA) in America and SIBA in the UK both champion independent breweries of varying sizes, lobby Government on both sides of the pond for a fairer deal for brewers, and of course allow independent breweries to work together for a greater impact in tough beer markets.

Road to the World Beer Cup 2026 ■ April – Dec 2024: Regional Indie Beer Awards judged across the UK ■ 19-20 March 2025: Indie Beer Awards Final Judging & Ceremony in Liverpool (UK) ■ 11 Nov - 12 Dec 2025: World Beer Cup registration ■ 23-27 Feb 2026: Beers due to the UK consolidation hub ■ 8-20 April 2026: World Beer Cup judging rounds ■ 22 April 2026: World Beer Cup Awards ceremony in Philadelphia (USA)

Last year SIBA launched the hugely influential Indie Beer campaign, with an aim to support the growth of the independent brewing sector by helping consumers find greattasting indie beer, brewed across the UK, by truly independent breweries. The campaign was launched in response to Global buyouts of previously independent breweries causing confusion amongst consumers.

www.siba.co.uk | SIBA Independent Brewer | Winter 2025

SIBA Homebrew Beer Awards 2026

Closing date for registering: Friday 23 January 2026

Homebrewers can get their hands on the latest experimental hops in this year’s SIBA Homebrew Beer Awards Homebrewers have their chance to help decide the future of a new hop variety by entering this year’s National Homebrew Beer Awards which is now open for registration… SIBA has partnered with hop merchant Charles Faram to give homebrewers access to the latest experimental British hops called CF243. Early feedback shows it offers orange peel, spearmint and intense honey flavours. Entrants will have the chance to brew a Single Malt and Single Hop (SMaSH) beer with the new hops and provide valuable intelligence on how they perform. “We have a pioneering hop development programme which breeds new unique varieties to find the next generation of hops,” explains Paul Corbett, Managing Director at Charles Faram. “We’re looking forward to placing some of these in the hands of homebrewers to see what they can do with them. Their feedback will be vital in determining the future of this new variety.” The SIBA National Homebrew Beer Awards

2026 will give the winner the opportunity to scale up their recipe on Copper Beech Brewing Company’s 1,400 litre brew kit, with the beer being made available in their taproom. “At Copper Beech we pride ourselves on using locally sourced ingredients and we’re really looking forward to trying out the latest cutting edge British hops and seeing what our innovative home brewers can make with them,” said Dan Lawson, Director at Copper Beech Brewing Company. The competition is free to enter for SIBA Homebrewer members and is now in its fourth year. It gives amateur brewers the chance to have their beers judged by the UK’s best professional brewers, sommeliers and experts at BeerX in Liverpool – the UK’s biggest beer and brewing trade event in March 2026. “By entering the Awards you also get to join SIBA as a homebrewer member which gives you access to a range of opportunities to pursue your brewing aspirations,” said Barry Watts, Head of Public Affairs at SIBA. “We’re really fortunate to have the chance to access these special hops this year but also give homebrewers the opportunity

Winter 2025 | SIBA Independent Brewer | www.siba.co.uk

to share their insights to develop them further.” Homebrewers who have registered for the competition will be able to get hold of the experimental hops via The Malt Miller, with also have a wide range of ingredients available. “The SIBA Awards not only give homebrewers the opportunity to put their skills to the test, but also to become part of the wider brewing community. We’re excited to see how they use these new hops, and their insights and experiences will be just as valuable to us all as the innovative beers they create,” said Robert Neale, Managing Director of The Malt Miller. SIBA’s Homebrewer membership was launched in 2022 and is open to all amateur brewers across the UK who want to improve their brewing skills. Along with entry to the brand new Homebrew Beer Awards, membership includes a quarterly magazine with a dedicated home brew section edited by Andy Parker of Elusive Brew and access to SIBA’s brewing tools and advice as well as access to regional and national SIBA events and beer competition judging.

SIBA Homebrew Beer Awards 2026

2026 SIBA Homebrew Beer Awards Who can enter? You must be a SIBA Homebrewer member to enter. Closing date for registering: Friday 23 January 2026 The Beer Style: The Single Malt and Single Hop (SMaSH) beer can be any style you want but must only contain the experimental hop provided for free via The Malt Miller (postage and packaging costs apply) and one malt and yeast chosen by you with a target strength of 4-6% ABV. Entrants must send 3x bottles or cans (any size). When sending your bottles or cans of beer in for judging you will also be asked to supply information on what style you have chosen (referencing the appropriate BJCP style), whether the beer is bottle conditioned, whether it is meant to be hazy and what the estimated or target abv is. Malt: Any Hops: Charles Faram experimental hop Adjuncts: none Yeast: Any ABV: 4.0 – 6.0% ABV Style: Any Judging: Will take place at BeerX on Wednesday 18 March and all Homebrewer members get free entry to BeerX. The prize: The winner will have the opportunity to brew the winning beer at Copper Beech Brew Co in Worcester during the summer of 2026. SIBA will cover hotel and travel for the winner to attend a day at Copper Beech. You’ll need to record and provide a copy of your recipe. The beer will be brewed and packaged and made available through the taproom.

For more information on SIBA Homebrewer membership or to join please visit www.siba. co.uk/homebrewer/

More information on the 2026 Homebrew Beer Awards can be found at www.siba. co.uk/2025/10/22/siba-homebrew-beerawards-2026/

Please see the online application form for full National Homebrew Beer Awards 2026 Terms and Conditions

www.siba.co.uk | SIBA Independent Brewer | Winter 2025

The view from Westminster

The view from Westminster “Pubs to stay open until the early hours in push for UK growth” screamed the headline a few weeks ago in the national newspapers. This was met with wide ranging ridicule and hostility from the hospitality trade. Some said it would do nothing to help a pub sector hit hard by high taxation and falls in consumer spending. Others pointed out that there would be little point staying open if they couldn’t afford the staff or there were no customers to serve. This is, of course, all about the Government’s proposed licensing changes following a taskforce review. But the reality of these initiatives are very different to what the headlines suggest. I’d recommend reading the licensing policy taskforce report to understand how these changes may benefit pubs, brewers and the wider hospitality sector. They are not really about late night opening – we already have that in the licensing laws. Instead they are seeking to enable and support businesses do what they do best – to serve the local community.

The proposals include several things I know will be useful to brewers. This includes an amnesty to review unnecessary licensing conditions, increasing the number of Temporary Events Notices (TENs) and resolving issues with outdoor trading and pavement licenses. It also recommends sensible changes to the objections process for license applications and changes including re-introducing proximity tests and greater evidence standards. It also puts economic growth as a key objective and places the responsibility of addressing issues, such as from new housing developments close to hospitality venues, on the developers rather than the pubs, clubs, bars and restaurants that were there first. This so call Agent of Change would mean, for example, that the developer would need to tackle any noise issues for new residents by installing sound proofing instead of the pub next door that might have been located there for generations without any complaint. SIBA submitted a response to the consultation and also argued that ensuring that small businesses can set up and grow as

Winter 2025 | SIBA Independent Brewer | www.siba.co.uk

well as maintaining the variety of different venues should also be an aim of the licensing changes. One of the issues that has raised the most concern in the proposals is the suggestion to get rid of the hard copy local newspaper advertising requirement. Advocates argue that while we want to see a strong local media, with declining paper circulation and the rise of digital publications it is difficult to reconcile the extra cost on businesses. And there will continue to be critics who argue that these changes won’t help address the other issues of high taxes for pubs or market access for small breweries. They are right but these continue to be fought for in different ways. Despite the strong arguments from breweries and the hospitality sector the announcements in the Autumn Budget are deeply challenging for the industry. There were two major issues for pubs and brewers – Business Rates and alcohol duty. On Business Rates the Chancellor chose to announce a discount of 5p instead of the 20p in the pound maximum reduction allowed

The view from Westminster

Despite the strong arguments from breweries and the hospitality sector the announcements in the Autumn Budget are deeply challenging for the industry. There were two major issues for pubs and brewers – Business Rates and alcohol duty.

under the law – which would have been comparable to the existing relief rate. This, coupled with the revaluation, means that a pubs’ rates will increase on average by 15% next year and further over the next few years. On alcohol duty, the Chancellor increased it by RPI on 1 February 2026 (which is 3.66%), ignoring our calls to widen the Draught Relief. Working with Eddie Gadd (from Gadds’ Brewery), we’ve updated our duty calculator so you can quickly and easily see what the new rate will mean for your business. You can find this on the Toolbox.

As you know, separately the Government has been reviewing the market access for small breweries and we expect further information on the future of this review soon. As it’s a different department (it’s the Business and Trade Department looking at this and not the Treasury) it wasn’t really expected to be part of the Budget. As ever, if you want to know more or have any views on any of these issues please do get in touch using the details on this page. Equally, if you’re interested in hosting an MP visit please let me know.

Barry Watts is Head of Public Affairs and Policy at SIBA. He covers political relations and policy for SIBA members. He can be contacted at barry.watts@siba.co.uk or 07977837804.

www.siba.co.uk | SIBA Independent Brewer | Winter 2025

NT T I INK NG

DEPE

Independent Thinking: Gail Lumsden, Vocation Group

Innovation with Impact: Keeping Beer Relevant

Gail Lumsden, Chair & CEO of Vocation Group, has a wealth of experience in senior roles within the drinks industry, including at Diageo and SABMiller, and as the now CEO of Vocation Brewery. Here, she shares her business insight and ideas on where independent brewers need to focus in order to succeed in a tough market… Despite the UK’s rich and longstanding beer culture, the category risks losing relevance amidst changing consumer habits, tastes and preferences. At the same time, international brewers are increasingly shaping the future of a category that’s so central to our national heritage. Innovation plays a critical role in the health of the beer category, and it is independent breweries who are best placed to adapt to shifts in consumer and customer needs and lead the charge in shaping the narrative and future development of the UK beer market. A thriving beer category relies on more than just one ingredient. As highlighted in the autumn issue, quality and consistency at every consumer and customer touchpoint are essential and when combined with purposeful innovation, they create a stronger platform for growth. As independent brewers, we have agility and authenticity on our side. However, for innovation to be impactful, it needs to go beyond new product development alone. This means encompassing all aspects of the offer from service, to engagement and experience – all while staying true to your brand and values. When consumers spend their hard-earned cash on “new” beer, it needs to deliver functional, emotional and social benefits that they value and are meaningful to them. Most consumers aren’t seeking gimmicks, but innovation that broadens or enhances their experience, challenges perceptions and pushes boundaries. Examples include Haruka, our crisp, modern IPA inspired by Japanese brewing tradition that uses pale and Vienna malt and flaked rice to create a clean, dry base. Similarly, our white stouts, such as Naughty & Nice White Chocolate & Raspberry and Bread & Butter Pudding, flip the script by replacing dark roasted malt with light Vienna malt to create a rich and indulgent stout that’s the colour of an IPA.

Winter 2025 | SIBA Independent Brewer | www.siba.co.uk

Innovation that Matters

Gail Lumsden, Chair & CEO of Vocation Group, is a board-level leader with expertise in strategy and driving profitable growth. Drawing on her extensive experience in board and non-executive roles, as well as senior executive positions at Diageo and SABMiller, she’s responsible for leading Vocation and championing growth, quality and innovation.

Independent Thinking: Gail Lumsden, Vocation Group

Core and More Core beers build the trust and loyalty that’s essential for driving repeat purchase, consumer familiarity and brand meaning. New product development, meanwhile, drives excitement, discovery and new value. Crucially, you need both – your core beers are the anchor that holds you steady, while innovation is the sail that catches the wind. Without the anchor, you drift. Without the sail, you stall. Renovation vs. Innovation It’s also important to distinguish between renovation and innovation – both play important, but distinct roles in keeping brands and the category relevant and engaging. Renovation involves incremental changes. At Vocation, the role of renovation is to ensure our existing core brands remain fresh, relevant and engaging and that we continue to appeal to our core craft beer drinkers by refining what we’re already known for, in areas such as higher-ABV beers, hop-forward IPAs and rich and indulgent stouts. To mark our 10th anniversary this year, we brought back ten fan-favourite beers chosen by drinkers in an Instagram vote – a great example of renovation. We focused on subtly updating and evolving them to ensure continuous improvement in quality, consistency and design. While relatively small in terms of the category overall, the return of

Boddington’s, now under the custodianship of JW Lees, is a timely reminder of how passionate and values-led revitalisation can breathe new life into a much-loved heritage brand.

Most consumers aren’t seeking gimmicks, but innovation that broadens or enhances their experience, challenges perceptions and pushes boundaries.

Purposeful Innovation

beers like Imperial Affogato Stout play a key role in maintaining loyalty and interest. Innovation, by contrast, drives broader strategic goals. It leverages what your master brand stands for – in Vocation’s case, bold and flavourful beer, to engage a wider range of drinkers with beers that are appealing and tap into different needs and occasions. This is key to growth, especially for smaller independent breweries. When done well, innovation borrows the credibility of your brand and its core beers, then returns it intact with added interest. By offering something new and valuable, it helps to grow fame, expand reach and stretch the price ladder, without diluting or distracting from who you are and what you stand for. Powered by People Sustained innovation across every dimension of a business relies on teams who believe in and have a passion for the brand. When people care deeply, they notice details, push for better, and protect the heart and soul of the brand as it scales.

The best innovations strengthen your brand, grow the category and broaden beer’s relevance and appeal – opening it up to new people and occasions, while staying true to your brand values. Innovation should be engaging and easy for drinkers to understand and connect with. It should inspire your team as much as your consumers, because energy on the inside creates momentum on the outside. When done well, innovation ‘returns with interest’ to what’s at your core – driving trial and recruitment, trust and growth across your portfolio. Reclaiming and Growing Beer’s Appeal Beer can absolutely reclaim its relevance, and independents are best placed to lead that charge by combining agility and authenticity with 360° innovation anchored in a strong brand and core range. It’s about renovating to delight loyalists and innovating to engage new drinkers in different occasions at scale. Put simply, purposeful innovation keeps beer alive by keeping it relevant. So, let’s make the next chapter of British beer bold, flavourful and unmistakably ours.

www.siba.co.uk | SIBA Independent Brewer | Winter 2025

Co & Scot Eng veri N o l a l a ng rth nd nd ern , W , Ire ales lan d

IS YOUR BREWERY MISSING OUT?

SCAN HERE TO JOIN!

Offering a range of Membership benefits from as little as £3.15 per week, SIBA, the BIG Voice of Independent Beer is the one stop shop for Independent Craft Breweries. SIBA are committed to ensuring that our Members’ are equipped with the Tools, Legislative advice, access to market and insight data required to run a successful Brewing business. Look out for the * to see what you could be saving by joining SIBA.

See how SIBA Membership can help your Brewing business

SALES

Various opportunities for increasing sales within the on and off trade accounts through direct delivery, resources or exclusivity at prestigious events

PROMOTION Exclusive access to promote your beers at prestigious events such as the British Guild of Beer Writers Awards, BeerX and much more. Access to the BGBW event would cost a single brewery *£4k, with other events costing much more. INDIE CAMPAIGN Stand out from ‘big beer’ by increasing visibility on your brands with discounted Indie bottle Caps, Cask Crowners, Keg Promo fix - assuring consumers that they are buying from an Independent Craft Brewer.

INTEL

Raising the bar for your brewery and beer by obtaining invaluable industry information and data

REGIONAL MEETINGS Access to quarterly meetings, with presentations from industry experts and members of the SIBA Management Team, with complimentary food and beer for you and your fellow brewers. LOBBYING Securing Support & Advice via Political representation with a user friendly synopsis of Government Legislation available to members.

An option for all SIBA members to develop on trade sales by supplying to large pub operators at a price band of your choice and with favourable payment terms. The average Beerflex Member generating *£15k turnover. Note: Beerflex is only open to Full or Provisional Brewing Members

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GOVERNANCE Eligibility to take a seat at the table of SIBA Board Directors, helping set the strategic direction of the trade association. BREWING IN BRIEF Weekly email newsletter, containing member news, Industry news and upcoming events. A snap shot of the week in brewing. CRAFT BEER REPORT Opportunity to contribute towards data insight and analysis on brewing businesses and the industry, providing invaluable data for your business planning. membership@siba.co.uk

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BUSINESS

From Legal issues, to user friendly calculators and Tools, SIBA has its members covered in all areas with the Business Benefits, potentially saving each member a substantial amount of time & money

HR & EMPLOYMENT Covering all areas within HR & Employment, SIBA Members have access to an array of Templates to customise to their own business branding in addition to a 30 min *free* HR consultation with a team of HR experts. Estimate value exceeding *£3000. SIBA LEGAL HELPLINE: 0845 671 0277

BUSINESS ADVICE & ACCOUNTANTCY FREE one-hour consultation from Johnston Carmichael, who offer brewers a wide range of services, from payroll and accounting to corporate finance, taxation and business strategy. LEGAL ADVICE Members can contact the dedicated SIBA Legal Helpline, facilitated by Napthen’s Solicitors for 1 hour FREE advice. With legal specialists covering England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland ensuring no eligible SIBA member goes without. There is no limit on the number of times members can contact the helpline. Potential saving of *£200 per call.

ACCESS

COMPLIANCE Assisting members with legal compliance, a number of Tools are available for members to customise to their own business needs. From HACCP and traceability tools, H&S guides, a practical guide to labelling your draught and packaged products and Insurance guidance to ensure you are fully covered. Est value in the region of *£3000. COSTING TOOL A Tool aimed at smalled brewers whom perhaps are unable to justify the expense of accounts personnel. Members can access at any time the Brewery Costing Tool to ensure that your sell price is calculated to run a sustainable business. DEBT RECOVERY & DISPUTES Debt recovery & insolvency are hot topics at the moment and members can access free of charge template letters to customise and issue. Saving on average *£500. ALCOHOL DUTY In addition to ensuring Independent Brewers voices are being heard in Government, SIBAs Political team supply members with user friendly guides and simplified Duty calculators.

Unlocking access to exclusive SIBA Member Benefits, resources and everything SIBA, via the SIBA Members Toolbox, whether it be entering Awards to accessing the legal portal, potentially saving each member in excess of *£5000

LEGAL PORTAL Taking away from our members the stress and pressures of being kept up to date on Legislations. The SIBA Legal Portal, in collaboration with Napthens Solicitors contains every day legal documents tailored to Brewing Businesses. INDUSTRY SUPPLIERS From brewery equipment to ingredients, to business saving experts and promotional items. Members can find a SIBA Supplier Associate Member for every business need from the SIBA Trade Directory.

EXCLUSIVE SERVICES Access to a range of discounts and offers - from Business & Commercial, Brewing Services & Capital equipment, SIBA have a range of offers provided by our Supplier Members. Saving *£’s. JOINT PURCHASE SCHEMES From glassware to beer mats and bar runners - SIBA are able to offer its members promotional items at competitive rates. WEBINARS Opportunity for you and your team to attend an unlimited number of live & recorded webinars covering a range of subjects. Saving *£80 per webinar.

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AWARDS With Beer Competitions for cask, keg and packaged judged by beer sommeliers and Business Awards judged by industry leaders, members have unlimited entries into SIBA Competitions with winners having the opportunity to be included within exclusive event promotions and to liaise with buyers and retailers across the UK *£450 (based on three entries into similar awards) FREE ADVERTISING Forget Facebook Marketplace - SIBA Classified Ads is the place to advertise everything and anything Brewery related. From equipment for sale or a wanted section, all ads are free to members. Job vacancy? Find the right candidate by posting for free on the SIBA Jobs Board. *£85. CASK REPATRIATION INC ORANGE LABELS Protecting your assets with cost effective semi-permanent labels to affix to containers keeping track of your containers across the country! BEERX Owners of the UK’s largest Independent Brewing Trade Show, members can access SIBA’s flagship event FREE. A forever expanding Trade Show showcasing the best beer industry suppliers and packed seminar schedules, from workshop to informative seminars led by key industry personnel - saving *£65, based on 2x Delegate Passes membership@siba.co.uk

01765 640441

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Taproom Focus: Gloucester Brewery @ Warehouse 4

Taproom focus with Neil Walker SIBA’s Head of Comms & Marketing Neil Walker highlights one of his favourite taprooms to visit in the UK…

Name: Gloucester Brewery @ Warehouse 4 What’s on offer: A range of the brewery’s awardwinning beers are served in the main bar, and on the mezzanine at a unique self-serve bar, alongside a range of cocktails and fresh food and a packed calendar of events. Location: Fox's Kiln, West Quay, The Docks, Gloucester GL1 2LG Opening hours: Monday 12–11pm Tuesday 12–11pm Wednesday 12–11pm Thursday 12–11pm Friday 12pm–12:30am Saturday 12pm–12:30am Sunday 12–9pm Gloucester Brewery’s impressive taproom looks over the brewery and is housed inside an expansive and beautifully converted brick warehouse building, offering the freshest beer in a superb space. As well as the award-winning range of beers the taproom serves via the main bar they also have Gloucestershire’s only self-serve bar up on their mezzanine floor level, a novel concept that creates a point of interest for people looking to try a range of beers – or an experience which is a little bit different. A packed calendar of events, extensive gin and cocktail menu, great food and of course the range of brilliant beers makes this a taproom with mass-appeal and which remains busy throughout the year. I’m a big fan of their 3.9% ABV Gloucester Gold; a light bright Golden ale that’s crisp and lightly bitter with floral and tropical aromas. A great beer all year round, but particularly good when the weather is warm enough to make use of the taproom’s adjoining beer garden.

www.siba.co.uk | SIBA Independent Brewer | Winter 2025

Homebrew in focus

Burton Bridge Brewery: DBA, Burton Ale Andy Parker from Elusive Brewing, a former British Guild of Beer Writers’ Brewer of the Year, examines the brewing pedigree and rich history behind a West Midlands cult classic, DBA (Draft Burton Ale)… Burton upon Trent is steeped in brewing history and is the birthplace of perhaps, after lager, the world’s most popular beer style - India Pale Ale. Today only two of the old Burton breweries remain operational - Bass (owned by Molson Coors) and Marston’s (owned by Carlsberg). Large brewing tanks and former brewery buildings still dominate the town’s skyline and the smell of mashing grains and boiling wort often wafts through the streets. Geoff Mumford and Bruce Wilkinson, who met whilst brewing at Ind Coope in the 70s, purchased a pub in Burton in the early 80s. They renamed it The Bridge Inn and installed a microbrewery in an outbuilding to the rear. Burton Bridge Brewery went on to build a solid reputation for producing traditional cask ales and the pub remains popular to this day. The pub’s eventual owners hired Emma Cole and Al Wall in early 2024. Emma (Brewery Manager) and Al (Head Brewer) were tasked with building and installing a new brewery and bringing operations up to date, continuing to brew Burton Bridge beers alongside Heritage Brewing Company recipes, which the same owners had overseen the development of at the now closed National Brewing Centre. Whilst that new brewhouse has yet to be installed, pending ongoing planning discussions, Al has continued to brew on the original kit. It’s fair to say that this kit is somewhat ramshackle and provides a daily test of Al’s engineering skills! It’s a testament to both those and his brewing pedigree that Burton Bridge Brewery is turning out some of the country’s best cask beer.

Winter 2025 | SIBA Independent Brewer | www.siba.co.uk

Homebrew in Focus columnist Andy Parker

Homebrew in focus

DBA, Burton Ale

Specification: OG: 1.047 FG: 1.010 ABV: 4.8%

Target Water Profile:

Mash pH 5.3 Burton water is well documented. Aim to increase chloride content slightly.

Malt Bill (Mash at 67°C for 60 minutes) 4Kg Maris Otter (97%) 100g Crystal Medium Dark (2.5%) 50g Chocolate (0.5%)

Boil (60 Minutes)

25g Pilgrim @ 60 mins 25g Celeia @ 0 mins 25g Savinjski Golding @ 0 mins 50g Mandarina Bavaria @ 0 mins

Fermentation (7 days)

WLP023 Burton Ale Yeast Ferment at 19°C for 7 days then rise to 21°C for a diacetyl rest before crash cooling. © Matt Curtis

One of those beers, Draft Burton Ale (DBA), is something of a local cult classic. Following the announcement by Carlsberg that they were to stop brewing DBA under the Ind Coope brand, interested parties started a campaign on social media to find a brewer to produce this iconic ale. Geoff and Bruce Wilkinson were involved with the original beer at Ind Coope and felt it important that the beer returned to its Burton home. Following a trial brew, the new beer made its debut at the Burton CAMRA Beer Festival in March 2015. It became a firm favourite, with many saying how much like the original beer it was. Al explains the backstory of the current recipe: “There was a lot of back and forth on DBA when I started, as it's a beer that so many people have views on. Whilst many people felt it was close to the original, some were saying that it was darker than it originally was whilst others felt that the flavour wasn't quite right as they remembered it having more pithy orange notes. This turned out to be because the original recipe used Styrian Goldings, and this hop variety had since been renamed. There was more than one Styrian Golding.” Al continues: “It wasn't until Paul Corbett (Managing Director, Charles Faram Hop Merchants) pulled Bruce to one side during their annual hop walk and told him that the Celeia he was using was Styrian Golding C, and that the Styrian that was used back then was actually Styrian Golding S, which is Savinjski Goldings. When asked how best to recreate this hop profile, Paul advised that if we really wanted to hit the right level of pithiness to use both, and supplement this combination with some Mandarina Bavaria to add the orange top notes.”

The recipe was duly updated and today’s DBA is said to be very reminiscent of the original beer. It has notes of toffee and orange pith, with a soft bitterness and fruity undertones. The work undertaken to master the modern interpretation of DBA is a great example of how ingredients change over time and trying to recreate heritage recipes often involves a bit of guesswork and trial and error. Al covers all angles in his approach to brewing historic recipes, taking a more creative approach: “I don't think it's just about taking an old recipe and sticking with it fanatically, as with more modern ingredients there will be changes and variances which would lead to an entirely different product. At the end of the day, we have to enjoy the beer and be happy to put our name on it. I find it more interesting to read blogs and articles around a beer, if someone has written about it, or even speak to people who’ve tried it to gain an insight into how they remember it. We are quite lucky that there is a local brewer and beer historian called Ian Webster who has been an amazing source of information and direction during my research.” Plans to install the new equipment are progressing, as Emma explains: “We are in talks with the local Planning Authority to have our brewery building signed off, so that we can demolish some of the older outbuildings and replace them with a more modern building to house a newer (and larger) brewing system. As part of this building and modernisation work, we want to install a new Burton Union system, so that we can use a traditional Burton heritage fermentation system to produce our beers. This would help us achieve a higher level of authenticity with our brews, and we’d be the only brewery in Burton upon Trent with a Burton Union system.”

www.siba.co.uk | SIBA Independent Brewer | Winter 2025

Guest writer: Ron Pattinson

A history of Mild and Bitter Beer historian Ron Pattinson delves into the fascinating history behind two classic British beer styles, and finds a few surprises along the way… The two stalwarts of the post-WWII pub trade, Mild and Bitter, have a long and somewhat surprising history. Changing almost beyond recognition over the last 200 years. Many factors shape the evolution of beer styles. In Britain, it was mostly war. More specifically, the increased taxation and government-imposed restrictions that came along with it. Leading to radical changes in the character of British beers in the first half of the 20th century. While 1955 to 1985 was one of the least dynamic periods in British beer. With strengths and recipes remaining much the same. How different were the Milds and Bitters our forefathers? Let’s take a closer look.

Winter 2025 | SIBA Independent Brewer | www.siba.co.uk

Brought up in the brewing town of Newark-on-Trent, Ron Pattinson is a beer historian and travel writer. For several happy decades he has lived in Amsterdam, along with his wife and two sons. For longer than he cares to remember he’s been researching British beer history, spending many carefree hours in archives. He is the author of 50 or so books. Far too many for him to be able to remember all their titles.

Guest writer: Ron Pattinson

Mild Like most modern drinkers, I totally misunderstood the original meaning of the term “mild”. Let’s get this out of the way first. It wasn’t “lightlyhopped” or “low-strength”. Those are just modern interpretations. To an 18th-century drinker, “mild” simply meant an unaged Ale or Beer, drunk within a couple of weeks of racking. While “Stock” indicated ageing of anything from a year to a decade Before 1800, “mild” was used as a modifier of the actual style. For example: Mild Porter and Mild Beer, as well as Mild Ale. Only in the beginning of the 19th century did Mild Ale really solidify as a specific style. Early Mild Ales were a totally different beast from today’s. Coming in a wide range of strengths. From (relatively) weedy X Ale to full-throttle XXXX Ale Truman Mild Ales in the 1830s Apparent lbs hops Attenuation / qtr

Beer

Style

ABV

X Ale

Mild

1072.3

1021.6

6.71

70.11%

hops lb/brl

IBU

2.33

59 68

XX Ale

Mild

1077.3

1024.4

7.00

68.46%

2.77

XXX Ale

Mild

1086.4

1016.6

9.23

80.77%

4.00

XXXX Ale

Mild

1113.6

1045.7

8.98

59.76%

7.5

4.35

Source: Truman brewing record held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document number B/THB/C/115.

X Ale, the weakest of the set, still clocks in over 6.5% ABV. Today, we’d consider that an insanely strong Mild Ale. XXXX was getting on for 9% ABV. How “mild” is that? Strength isn’t where the dissimilarities with today end. Transported back 200 years, you’d first be struck by the colour of Mild. Not dark, but pale. Brewed from 100% pale malt. The taste would come as even more of a shock, with a level of bitterness closer to that of a modern IPA. Along with plenty of sweet malt. The stronger versions resembling a current Barley Wine. In 1880, the Free Mash Tun Act transformed the system of beer taxation. Moving from a tax on malt to one based on the gravity of the wort before fermentation. But that wasn’t the most significant change. Under the previous regime, a sort of Reinheitsgebot was in force. Permitting only water, malt, hops and sugar. The new rules allowed anything food safe. Brewers grasped the opportunity. Experimenting with unmalted grains and new brewing sugars. Both quickly became standard elements of most Mild recipes. During the second half the century, gravities gradually slithered down. By 1900, in London X Ale had fallen to around 1050º and stronger Milds had disappeared. While something strange was happening with the colour. Sometime in the late 1800s, Mild started darkening. The exact date varied, depending on location. Initially, not as dark as today, more a semidark shade: 10-12 SRM. How was this achieved? By the use of crystal malt, sugar and caramel. No. 3 invert sugar becoming a key ingredient in brewing Mild. The First World War had a huge – some might say catastrophic effect – on British beer styles. Stifling restrictions were imposed on both the quantity and strength of beer which could be brewed. In 1918, the gravity all of a brewery’s output couldn’t average more than 1030º. Should a brewer wish to brew something stronger, another beer had to sacrifice its gravity. Mild, being the biggest seller, was the obvious victim. Leading Whitbread to brew Milds at 1038º, 1024º and just 1011º. That last one wouldn’t have intoxicated an ant. After restrictions were lifted in the early 1920s, Mild gravities never sprang back to their pre-war levels. Massive increases in taxation (more

than ten-fold between 1914 and 1924) made beer at the old strengths too expensive. London X Ale was now around 1042º and cost 6 pence per pint. (Compared to 2 pence per pint for a 1052º Mild in 1914.) And was either semi-dark or properly dark. For the more priceconscious, there was a cheap and cheerful Mild at 4 pence per pint. Though it was just 1028º to 1030º and maybe 3% ABV, if you were lucky. Finally. A beer a modern Mild drinker could relate to. Outside London, this cheaper type of Mild was often the standard. Adnams Mild was just 1029º and, with a following wind, 3% ABV. Colours varied wildly from region to region. Except in Scotland. Where Mild was simply extinct. Second World War government decrees forced gravities down. Again. By the late 1940’s, the average OG of UK beer was scraping along in the mid-1030ºs and many Milds were only 1027º. Strengths rose a little in the 1950s, to around 1030º. Higher, 1036º, Iin the West Midlands, where Mild retains a strong following to this day. Most Milds were now properly dark. In some areas, such as London, really dark, closer to black than dark brown. Though, on both sides of the Pennines, brewers often made a dark Ordinary Mild and a pale Best Mild. Other than Lees, who did it the other way around. See how one Mild Ale changed over the years: Whitbread Mild Ale 1837 – 1973 Year

Beer

Style

ABV

Apparent Attenuation

lbs hops/ qtr

hops lb/ brl

1837

Mild

1072.6

1033.8

5.13

53.44%

6.05

1.87

1855

Mild

1067.9

1023.5

5.86

65.31%

9.27

2.99

1875

Mild

1062.3

1017.5

5.94

72.00%

6.54

1.73

1893

Mild

1062.0

1020.0

5.56

67.77%

7.47

2.02

1905

Mild

1053.5

1013.0

5.35

75.68%

5.00

1.17

1914

Mild

1052.1

1010.0

5.57

80.80%

6.04

1.29

1925

Mild

1042.2

1010.0

4.26

76.30%

5.91

1.14

1939

Mild

1033.6

1010.0

3.12

70.24%

8.27

1.10

1949

Best Ale

Mild

1029.1

1010.0

2.53

65.64%

6.73

0.81 0.69

1955

Best Ale

Mild

1030.4

1008.0

2.96

73.68%

5.56

1965

Best Ale

Mild

1030.4

1008.8

2.86

71.05%

5.13

0.64

1973

B. Mild

Mild

1030.8

1008.5

2.95

72.40%

4.41

0.58

Source: Whitbread brewing records held at the London Metropolitan Archives.

The 1970’s beer was a mere shadow of the 1830s edition.

www.siba.co.uk | SIBA Independent Brewer | Winter 2025

Guest writer: Ron Pattinson

Bitter Or Pale Ale, as it was usually called within a brewery, was first brewed in the 17th century. However, the type of Pale Ale brewed until the end of the 18th century, has no real connection with the current style. Other than the name.

It was the same with hopping. A stock Pale Ale received boatloads of fresh East Kent hops. While a Light Bitter made do with a few good quality English hops, bulked out with lots of cheaper American and European ones.

Since it was an Ale in the original sense of the word. That is, very lightlyhopped. Pale Ale totally changed in character at the end of the 18th century, when exports to India began. Needing some protection to survive the arduous journey, the hopping rate was dramatically increased.

After the shackles came off in 1880, adjuncts and sugar became commonplace. Principally, flaked maize and No. 1 invert sugar. Used, In the case of stronger Pale Ales, to keep the colour and body light.

Initially, this new type of Pale Ale was only intended for export. But, from the 1830s, it was also available in the UK. Significantly, it remained a Stock Ale, Aged for a considerable period before sale. However odd it might sound to modern ears, Pale Ale and IPA were, initially, never sold fresh. Usually consumed at 9 to 12 months old. That’s in the UK. In India, 18 months, minimum. As an example, early Pale Ales from Combe, a large London brewery.

IPA BPA

Year IPA

ABV

lbs Apparent hops/ Attenuation qtr

After the war, only a few brewers, mostly in Burton, persisted with Stock Pale Ales. Light Bitters had won the day. Though many still bore the name Pale Ale. The Second World War brought more reductions in gravity. For example, Whitbread Pale Ale dropped from 1048º in 1939 to just 1034º in 1948. Only now, in a world of low gravities, did crystal malt make an appearance in Bitter. Presumably, in an attempt to add back some body.

Combe Pale Ales in 1839 Date

As with Mild, the First World War was traumatic. Production of the strongest Stock Pale Ales ceased. Whatever the name they were sold under, by the end of the war, only Light Bitter-style beers were being brewed.

hops lb/brl

IBU

1056.8 1007.0 6.59

87.67%

26.60

5.88

148

Pale Ale 1056.0 1007.0 6.48

87.49%

22.67

5.61

135

Source: Combe brewing record held at the City of Westminster Archives, document number 789/264.

They have the typical attributes of early Pale Ales: a very high degree of attenuation and an insane level of hopping. As Stock Ales, these underwent a long, secondary Brettanomyces fermentation, drying them out even more. Bottled Pale Ales, such as Bass, could have 98% apparent attenuation. In the middles of the century, a new type of Pale Ale appeared. Not aged, but sold fresh, like Mild Ale. Called Light Bitters or Running Bitters. ”Running”, like “mild”, meaning unaged. These were considerably lower in gravity than Stock Pale Ales, 1045º to 1050º, compared to 1060º to 1065º. A lot cheaper, too. The wholesale price of a gallon of Bass Pale Ale was 20 pence, while Light Bitter cost just 12 pence, the same as standard Mild Ale. Fancy Burton Pale Ales like Bass were mostly drunk by the middle classes; the working man could afford Light Bitter. Grists for both types were simple: 100% pale malt. Posher Stock Pale Ales used the best pale ale malt. Light Bitters, on the other hand, employed lower-quality pale malt, sometimes mixed with mild malt. For reasons of economy, obviously.

When brewing restrictions were lifted in the early 1950s, many brewers took the opportunity to brew a stronger Bitter. Leading to such beers as Fullers London Pride and Young’s Special. Did Whitbread Pale Ale, a standard Bitter, change much over time? Whitbread Pale Ale 1866 - 1973 Year

Beer

Style

ABV

Apparent lbs hops hops lb Attenuation / qtr /brl

1866

Pale Ale 1061.8

1016.1

6.05

73.99%

14.02

4.41

1875

Pale Ale 1058.2

1014.7

5.75

74.76%

18.11

5.04

1893

Pale Ale 1061.2

1018.0

5.72

70.60%

11.04

3.04

1904

Pale Ale 1063.4 1022.0 5.48

65.32%

12.97

3.87

1918

Pale Ale 1035.2 1008.0 3.60

77.26%

9.99

1.62

1925

Pale Ale 1046.6

1010.0

78.56%

7.50

1.49

4.85

1939

Pale Ale 1048.2

1012.0

4.79

75.10%

7.33

1.41

1948

Pale Ale 1034.4 1008.5

3.43

75.29%

6.42

0.91

1955

Pale Ale 1039.9

3.96

74.94%

5.59

0.91

1965

Pale Ale 1039.3 1008.8 4.03

77.61%

5.54

0.87

77.37%

4.63

0.71

1973 Trophy Pale Ale 1035.8

1010.0 1008.1

3.66

Source: Whitbread brewing records held at the London Metropolitan Archives.

Quite a lot, it turns out. An 1860s drinker would most likely have found 1973 Trophy rather thin and insipid. www.siba.co.uk | SIBA Independent Brewer | Winter 2025

The big interview: Chris Welham, CEO, Licensed Trade Charity

Charity champions Chris Welham cuts a familiar figure in the hospitality sector, having worked within it for 30 years in a variety of roles including heading up brewery Wadworth. Eighteen months ago he joined the Licensed Trade Charity (LTC) as its new CEO, and has hit the ground running with an ambitious plan to double its fundraising efforts and the support it offers to members of the trade within five years. Part of the strategy behind this five-year plan is to partner with other organisations from the sector to build awareness of the support the LTC offers to the workforce, families of those working within the trade and even retirees who find themselves struggling. As part of this strategy SIBA has teamed up with the LTC to make the LTC’s package of free wellbeing, mental health and practical financial support more easily accessible to its Members, their families and their workforce. Independent Brewer’s Editor Caroline Nodder spoke to Chris in early November about what this support looks like, how to access it, and what else the LTC can offer at a challenging time for the sector…

Winter 2025 | SIBA Independent Brewer | www.siba.co.uk

The big interview: Chris Welham, CEO, Licensed Trade Charity

When was the LTC founded and how has it evolved since then? “The LTC was founded in 1793 by 10 licensees who got together and said, ‘You know what, we need to create a fund here to help people in the trade’. And they set up two of the three founding charitable objects at that point, the reasons why we exist. One was to alleviate poverty for people who work in the trade or who have retired from the trade, and the second one was to alleviate ill health. And that's what they started to do. In 1794 the MA [Morning Advertiser magazine] came into being, and that generated enough money in the early years to pay the pensions of a small number of people, and that was helping to supplement the funds. It was all set up with really good intentions. And then in 1803 the third charitable object came along, which was to educate children from the trade, because there were orphans of publicans who needed help and support. And those licensees said, ‘You know what, we should open a school’. So the school was gifted to them by a distillery owner. And ever since then, the charity has been educating children from the trade. It wasn't actually until I think 1954 that the charity opened up the education for children outside of the trade. And nowadays, we've got about 10% of our pupils here who get discounts and scholarships and bursaries as families from the licensed trade.” So how do the schools fit into the charity structure now? “We now have three schools. One in Ascot [the original school], one in Hassocks in West Sussex and one in Begbroke, North Oxfordshire. Those last two schools are special education needs schools for children with an autism diagnosis. So their model is local authority funded. The children that go to those schools have all got educational, health and care plans, and then we run the school and we charge the local authority per child for the children to be educated there. They get incredible care. And both schools have got an 100% record of placing children that go there into either further education or into work. So this is where the charity has been generating money, educating kids, all for the benefit of two things. One is to help beneficiaries in the licensed trade who need help, or their families, and people who are retired from the trade. So if you're a licensee, or you're someone that works in a pub or bar or a brewery, we help your family as well, and we help those people that have been retired from the trade as well. And the second group to benefit is kids. It's unleashing their potential and transforming their lives.” What do you see at the LTC’s key purpose and mission now? “Our key purpose is effectively those three objects that I mentioned, which is to alleviate poverty, to alleviate illness from people within the trade, their families and those retired, and also to educate kids from the trade. But our overriding mission is to transform lives and unleash potential. People come to the charity because they're in a time of crisis, and we literally, last year, transformed the lives of 40,000 people. And we awarded grants and services of up to £2 million pounds last year. We had 4,000 people come through our helpline, and the result of that touched 40,000 people. This

How to access support from the LTC If you, a member of your family, or someone on your team needs urgent support with their mental health and wellbeing or is struggling financially or with ill health call the LTC Helpline now on 0808 801 0550.

year, we're going to have about 5,500 people come through our helpline. So it is increasing - people are coming to us for so many different reasons.” When did you join the LTC and what has been your focus since you took over as CEO? “I came here 18 months ago, and one of the key briefs was to try and raise the awareness of the charity. And with the team and our Trustees, we devised a five-year strategy, which was all about three things. One, reaching more people, two, helping more people and three, raising more funds. So the reaching more people bit is about beneficiaries who don't know about us, people like SIBA members that now have the opportunity to hear about LTC and how we can support them and it allows us to help those people. And then alongside that, we're looking to raise more money so that we can do more of the above, and the raising more money bit can come in the form of donations from people, from businesses fundraising, and from the schools. All the surplus revenue from the schools goes to charity services, so where we run the school profitably, all of that is reinvested in charity services and the school itself. Then we've also got some foundational assets that we've established over many, many years that generate a revenue feed for us and also some capital gain. And we take that money as well and that goes into charity services. So the model is basically everything that we do - we don't have shareholders, we don't have owners - it's all for the benefit of people that need help. We turn over about £30 million a year, and there's about £2 million worth of grants and services that we awarded last year. My aspiration is that we double that within five years. So I want to be awarding at least £4-5 million and supporting north of 80,000 people. Because of all of that stuff that we do that generates all that revenue, we cover all of our overheads. The schools, the investments, the fundraising, it allows us to operate with a level of infrastructure that's paid for. What it means, and this is where we might be slightly different to some other charities, is that any donation that we get, 100% of that donation will go to a beneficiary, because we're not diluting it with covering overheads. Since I've been here, it's all been about scaling up the marketing and charity services and to be able to do more so that people do hear about us, and also to ensure that we're ready to be able to take on further schools as well. We’re in a position at the moment where we are actively in legals on two more schools.” What kind of support do you provide? “It’s split into three areas. It's emotional support, it's practical support, and it's financial support - but it straddles two things, it's remedial support, and it's preventative actions as well. So the remedial support is where someone's in a crisis, they come to the helpline, and what we offer there is from an emotional perspective, support from qualified counsellors, who are trained clinicians that can give those people that counselling either there and then or can arrange counselling to take place either in person or online. Continued on page 37

Access the LTC wellbeing resource hub via this QR code for information and support on a range of issues and to download resources to help educate your team. Sign up as a Friend of the LTC free using this QR code and receive regular updates on their services and support as well as a range of discounts and benefits on everyday goods and services. Continued on page 37

www.siba.co.uk | SIBA Independent Brewer | Winter 2025

Part of the

The big interview: Chris Welham, CEO, Licensed Trade Charity People come to the charity because they're in a time of crisis, and we literally, last year, transformed the lives of 40,000 people.

There's an eight-week waiting time at the moment for the NHS to get counselling, with the LTC it’s 24 hours. If you contact the helpline, you've got something that is going on in your life, in terms of suffering from an abusive relationship, you've had a bereavement, you're suffering from ill health, you've got financial worries, whatever it is, it often will manifest itself in mental health issues. As they spiral, you need to be able to get to someone quickly, and we can literally provide that. There's support we offer around stress, anxiety at work, loss of a loved one, financial worries, as I say, relationship issues, people who've had car accidents, addiction, you name it. We also provide counselling for people who have lost their houses, lost their jobs, and need a solution to that. We provide grants, maybe to pay deposits, to pay for the first month's rent, to be able to kit the house out with furniture, etc, as well as the counselling. We've also introduced, in the last 12 months, a new facility where you can refer somebody in your brewery, your pub, your taproom, who you believe needs support, but they aren't in a position to be able to pick the phone up themselves. So you can make a manager referral, and then the charity can then reach out and speak to that person.” Have you noticed any change in the demand for your services as a result of the recent financial crisis? “Yes, I think so. It’s a sad thing, but it means that we're going to be really busy, which is a good thing, but it's really clear at the moment that it's really hard to make a profit. You're seeing it all the time in terms of pubs and breweries – they might be busy, but that doesn't necessarily mean they're profitable. And that's leading to businesses taking decisions on hours, shifts, days of the week they're trading, early closing, all that means shedding workforce. I think unless the Chancellor pulls a rabbit out of the hat at the end of November, I can't see that getting any easier.

Unfortunately, we are definitely seeing that the impact is not just financial, it's the impact of the strain that's putting on people's lives. And then, of course, that impacts relationships. It impacts people's productivity. And then that manifests itself in all of those emotional, wellbeing challenges. And the thing is, we are firm, financially stable, so we're going to be around for another 200 years. We want to be able to do more and help more people. And we're in a position to be able to do just that.” What does your new partnership with SIBA mean for our members? “I went up to BeerX in Liverpool earlier this year, and did a presentation, and showed a video of the sort of support that we provide. And suddenly the feedback was, ‘Wow. We didn't know anything about this!’ And it struck a chord with a number of people. We also had a common trustee, Paul Hegerty, so And [Slee, SIBA CEO] and Paul were interested in the two organisations working more closely together. The fact that SIBA Members have got breweries, and pubs, and taprooms - that's right in our sweet spot of people that we should be helping. So we then decided to develop this Virtual Employee Assistance Program where Members can got through a link to our website and there's all the information and collateral there that they can use and download. We've got a resource hub on the website where people can take collateral posters, social media, assets, etc, and use them within their own businesses, just to create some visibility of who we are and want we can provide. It's all completely free to access for any member. So the wellbeing platform is within the LTC website. And you go on there and you register for free, and then you can become a friend of the LTC. And when you do so, it means that we can then send regular updates on what we're doing to keep things front of mind. Continued on page 39

www.siba.co.uk | SIBA Independent Brewer | Winter 2025

The big interview: Chris Welham, CEO, Licensed Trade Charity

And you then get access to the wellbeing platform, and that's run by a third-party provider, a company called CIC (Counselling in Confidence). Within that platform, there's about 6,500 pieces of content - podcasts, and videos, newsletters, all sorts of things on areas from bullying, to housing, to finance, to addiction, and so on. And there's great stuff there that can be used from a preventative perspective. And you'll also get discounts by becoming a friend of the LTC, on everyday stuff like travel, hotels, gym membership. And then in addition to that, there's the helpline that you can ring - 0808-801-0550 - and if you've got an urgent need, then do ring that helpline, because you can get help straight away.” What else is new at the LTC for 2026? “We're really putting our foot on the gas in terms of the awareness stuff, so you'll be seeing more and more about the charity on social media for example. We've got our wellbeing conference that we're doing again in April. We did the first one this year, and we had some research done by KAM Insights on the state of wellbeing within the hospitality sector. It showed that 72% of the workforce in the sector in the last 12 months have had some kind of mental or financial wellbeing challenge, which is extraordinary. And mental health accounts for 48% of sick days. That’s equivalent to 1.5 million sick days a year, which is costing the industry £146 million. So the research was really, really good because it gave us case studies and examples of why focusing on people's wellbeing is so important. The wellbeing conference helps to shine a light on all of that. And as a result of the conference, we launched a wellbeing calculator, and that's on our website as well. So if you go on there, you can work out the cost of absenteeism for your business. Then in August next year, we're going to be doing a John O’Groats to Land's End fundraiser. You can take part at any stage of it and do as much of it or as little of it as you want. But we're going to be involving 90 pubs throughout the country, and there'll

be SIBA breweries that we will be calling at on the way down the country, highlighting personal wellbeing, etc, giving it a real focus, and raising a load of money. And in September, we're looking to take 30 industry people, raising as much money as we can, to walk parts of the Great Wall of China. So there's some fun stuff that's coming up, which will help people to get engaged with the charity. And we're also doing something else, called Micro Hive. Micro Hive is a facility where the pennies in your salary that you get each month you donate to charity. So let's say you were being paid 100 pounds and 30p then that 30p each month you can elect to go off to the charity. And we're starting to roll this out across the industry. Then we will also have our awards dinner again, we had 300 people there this year, which is fabulous, and it's just a really great way of celebrating fabulous stuff that people are doing within the sector to raise money for the charity, but also focus on the wellbeing of people.” What are you most proud of that the LTC does or has achieved? “In July we had our Colleague Celebration Day, where we got all three schools together here at Ascot and all the charity team and celebrated what we do. And I said then that the thing that I'm most proud of is that every day, people here, we all wake up in the morning and think about what we're going to do that day. And I know that somewhere, somehow, a decision I take, or the actions that I make that day are literally going to change someone's life. That gives you such a great purpose in terms of what we're doing. And the thing that I'm really proud of is, as an organisation, we all just want to do so much more of it. And the other thing I'm really proud of is the work that the teams do in the schools, and the way that the children come out the other end of their education, well rounded individuals that are ready to face the wider world.”

www.siba.co.uk | SIBA Independent Brewer | Winter 2025

Brewery viewpoint: Great Newsome Brewery Brewery Viewpoint

Brit Hop! Great Newsome Brewery’s Director Matthew Hodgson on why the team there are championing British hops… After a summer filled with 1990’s music nostalgia, “Buy more Brit Hop!” seems appropriate and is certainly our mantra here at Great Newsome Brewery. That isn’t surprising when you consider that not only are we brewers but also run a small family mixed farm; so, we have a great affinity for anything grown on these fair isles. A couple years back I attended a hop walk in Herefordshire. As we strolled along the tour of the hop yards, with the hop bines towering above us like a giant “Wonder Wall”, we came across a gap in the crop where once clearly hops had been growing. On enquiry it turned out that the particular hop variety in question had been grubbed out and the farmer was considering his options, potentially no longer growing hops on that area, possibly replacing hops with more lucrative apple trees. The hop yard I was told had been established around 70 years. I must admit I was taken aback by this, on our farm we grow annual crops but for a hop farmer planting crops it is much more of a long-term generational commitment. The farmer will clearly only grow hops if they are profitable and there is a demand for them, with any decision not to grow them not taken lightly. It made me think that as brewer’s, we should all be concerned for the future of British hops and for the people who make the long-term commitment on their land to grow them. Thinking about what we could do to help, on return to the brewery, I sat down with our Head Brewer, James and looked at what hop varieties we use across the range of beers we brew. Even though Great Newsome could be categorised as leaning more towards brewing traditional styles of beer, I found it surprising what proportion of non-British hops we used.

Great Newsome Brewery’s Director Matthew Hodgson

When we started on our brewing journey over 18 years ago, rightly or wrongly we found one of the most effective ways of getting citrusy notes or exciting aromas into our newly created beers was to use typically bold US hops, albeit in conservative amounts. I felt like our hearts were telling us that to switch to using more British hops was the right thing to do but our heads were telling us not to mess with things, particularly in our core beer range. It was a big decision and one we decided to put on the back burner. More recently both James and Joe from our brewing team attended a net zero workshop arranged by the CIBD (Chartered Institute of Brewing and Distilling). The workshop covered many of the topics you would associate with net zero such as saving energy, cooling efficiencies and heat recovery plus it also asked attendees to make pledges on how they would get their brewery’s closer to net zero. One of the easy wins and pledges the guys came up with was a switching to UK grown raw materials. As we have always used British grown malt, (we grow malting barley right here on the farm) then the attention once again returned to hops. The organisation British Hops reports that only as far back as 1962, the UK grew approximately 8,200 Ha (about 10,000 football pitches) of hops. By 2007 this had declined to 1,060 Ha and is currently only around 500Ha on just 42 farms. Why the decline? Well, it can be attributed to a number of reasons, changes in consumer and brewer preferences, competition from imported hops and a potential image problem. So, here at Great Newsome Brewery we are making our pledge to use more British hops. British hops are to beer what Britpop was to music - a bold reclaiming of identity, subtle swagger, and homegrown character. In 2026

Great Newsome Brewery’s Head Brewer James Hodgson

any new seasonal beers we create will be brewed with 100% British hops. This doesn’t mean that beers have to be bland and not hop forward, new British hops such as Olicana, Jester and Harlequin produce some really exciting beers packed with aroma and character. Not only that but we are working on a careful programme of gradually switching all non-British hops in our core range over the next 5 years, carefully still protecting the character and identity of the beers that our customers have come to love. I agree that for some brewers this isn’t possible for example you’d be hard pressed to find a British hop substitute for Citra in a heavily hopped beer. So, as brewers let’s all give “Brit Hop” a little more love and help the British hop industry “Live Forever”. Find out more at www.greatnewsomebrewery.co.uk

www.siba.co.uk | SIBA Independent Brewer | Winter 2025

Business Profile: Twisted Tree Brewery

Putting down roots Mark Hayes-Kemp and his brother Peter Kemp started homebrewing in their teenage years, and only took the leap into commercial brewing in 2024. As one of the newest start-ups in the market, and without external investment, the brothers now brew roughly once a week while still juggling their day jobs – Peter helps manage the estate on which the brewery is housed and Mark is a paramedic. But despite their modest operation, the duo have already demonstrated brewing prowess that led to their second ever beer winning at both the regional and national finals of the SIBA Indie Beer Competitions - and they are in the running again this year with black IPA The Bark Side, for the 2026

Winter 2025 | SIBA Independent Brewer | www.siba.co.uk

finals at BeerX. The brewery specialises in these dark beers the brothers have always loved since their homebrewing days, and operates on such a small batch system that they are able to continue to experiment in the way they have always done. With ambitions for further organic growth over the next two years, the pair have already launched a taproom on site which opens one weekend a month to showcase Twisted Tree’s range alongside brews from some other independent local brewers who have formed a supportive community around the newcomers. Caroline Nodder from Independent Brewer spoke to Mark back in November to find out more…

Business Profile: Twisted Tree Brewery Brewery Basics

Name: Twisted Tree Brewery Founded: 2024 Location: The Tusmore Estate, Bicester, Oxfordshire Annual production: 220HL Production split: 80% cask, 20% small pack (keg only for taproom) Head Brewer: Mark Hayes-Kemp & Peter Kemp (joint) Total Staff: 3 Core beers: Trunk IPA (4% ABV British IPA), The Bark Side (6% ABV black IPA), Dark Rootgasm (10% ABV Imperial stout) & Limb Lust Lager (4.4% ABV Pilsner lager) Number of pub/taproom sites: 1 taproom

We wanted to start up in probably a little one barrel plant or something like that, just doing something to make our hobby a bit more professional, and now we are in a six barrel place. So it’s sort of snowballed!

What led to the founding of Twisted Tree?

How did the business develop from there?

“Me and my brother [Peter Kemp] came from a homebrew background, where we'd been brewing beer since we were in our teens, growing up. We had a little 25 liter system where we'd brew. I think the first time y ou make your homebrew, you think, ‘Oh God, this tastes like vinegar’. And then the second time you go, ‘Oh, this actually tastes aright. How hard can this be?’ I was 15 when I had two allotments and started trying to use the produce off those to make beer and wine - blowing up things of cider in my parents’ airing cupboard! So I'd say the idea of the brewery had probably always been there somewhere festering in the background. And we eventually decided that enough was enough, and that our beers were better than the ones we were drinking at pubs, and we should try and sell it….as everyone does in their drunken stupor drinking their own homebrew! So that is how we started out. We wanted to start up in probably a little one barrel plant or something like that, just doing something to make our hobby a bit more professional, and now we are in a six barrel place. So it’s sort of snowballed!”

“We spent a good couple of years trying to find a site, and unsuccessfully managing to get one, because it's really expensive to have a site, and it's very expensive to have a commercial brewery compared to just brewing your own beer. But we got really lucky. My brother works for the Tusmore Estate where we brew, which is a big estate owned by a billionaire in the UK. And they had some farm buildings that were just derelict and rotting away and they said to my brother that they would rather he put them to some use than they just wasted away. So it went from there. What we were hoping would be a double garage, with a one barrel system, led to a big, almost 200sqm brewery and a six barrel system that we struggle to keep up with!” And when did you launch the taproom? “It was about six months later, so only in 2025, we opened the taproom. There was never any intention to, but we were getting enough people saying, ‘We want to come and drink there and see your set-up’. So it started with a few bits of wood nailed together, like a good old fashioned taproom, nothing fancy, just some bare wood nailed together with a sign above it saying, ‘this is a bar’, really.

Continued on page 45

www.siba.co.uk | SIBA Independent Brewer | Winter 2025

Shaping the landscape of the British beer bottle industry for 150 years

Racking your Brains

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Business Profile: Twisted Tree Brewery

We open one weekend a month, that’s all. Me and my brother both have other jobs, this isn’t our full time ventures. We just try and dabble on the side, although it might as well be full time! So we open once a month but we do a few specialist or private events in between that here and there as well. I'm actually a paramedic. So outside of this, I work for the NHS, and I work for the local racetrack Silverstone just down the road where I also work as a paramedic. So between that we try and brew once a week. The estate that we're brewing on are really supportive. So that's led to us being able to grow fairly naturally. And the fact that we’ve still got our day jobs, has allowed us to continue to do it as we wanted, because we enjoy it and that's why we're here. It's a hobby in the first instance, and then a business in the second. I don't know if those lines are becoming blurred. They probably are. But we don't necessarily rely on it as an income yet. We can brew according to what we need. So if we have lots of orders come in and we run out of beer, we might brew a couple of brews a week. If nothing comes in the next week, we put it off and we brew the following week.” What is the ethos behind the beers you brew? “The first brew was an Imperial stout. And then we brewed a coffee stout, that was 6.9%, and then we realised that we needed to be able to sell beer to people! We needed to brew the sort of stuff that people enjoy, rather than what the minority like us like. But we do like our dark beers. So our ethos is probably just brewing what we like. We want to have a slight edge to it. We're small enough that we don't need to produce for the masses, like some of the larger or regional brewers that need to produce that volume. So we can just brew 8-10 casks in a brew, which means that actually, in our local region we can still sell them, whereas the big regional ones can't do a bigger brew and sell that many dark or strong beers that aren't going to appeal to the masses in the pubs. It's just about brewing what we want, what we like, what we've had history of brewing when we were homebrewers, and what we've enjoyed drinking throughout our lives.If we sell out of something, we brew it again. If we don't sell out of something, we don't brew it again.”

How does Twisted Tree stand out in a crowded market? “It’s bounded about a lot, about how overcrowded the craft brewery market is. I don't know that it is. I don't think it is an overcrowded market. I know that we've lost probably 100 or 200 breweries in the last couple of years since we started. I think the unfortunate thing is that there's a monopoly of bigger brewers that are crowding the market, that don't let the independent brewers have a go. I think if you think that there's 1,700 brewers give or take in the UK, I'd love to know how many coffee shops or how many other independent shops there are, and I think you'd find that actually there's a lot more than there are brewers. I think the trouble is, we struggle with the monopoly of the bigger brewers dominating the markets, and the amount of tied pubs there are that we struggle to get access to. So how do we stand out? I guess one thing is that we're local, we're small, and we can take on that everyone likes shopping locally and supporting small, independent businesses. I guess the other thing is that we set up a brewery, brewed a beer, put it into the SIBA beer competition, and it won the region, and then it won the national category. So that stands us out. And then this year we've brewed another beer, and that's won the regional one as well, going to the national as well. So we can objectively say that actually, we're brewing pretty good beer in a really nice, traditional, local, small batch sort of environment, which I think, again, stands out to our local market.” And what does that mean to you that you won those SIBA Awards? “Oh, it's massive for us. I mean, you can say we're new to the block and we are in terms of professionally brewing or brewing on a scale, but we've been brewing for decades, since we were much younger. And I guess as every brewer would say, you learn from every brew you do. So for us, it's massive. We're a tiny little family brewery so to have someone objective, say, yeah, that's good beer is massive, especially last year - that was our second brew. We'd been open a month, and we won best beer in the country for a flavoured stout. It just gives us confidence to say what we're doing is good.” Continued on page 47

www.siba.co.uk | SIBA Independent Brewer | Winter 2025

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Business Profile: Twisted Tree Brewery

I don't think we have any set goals or aims. I guess in terms of size and scale, we just want to be profitable and survivable.

What does sustainability look like for you? “I think it's really difficult. When we started this business, we wanted it to be, as I'm sure everyone does, a really green business, and as sustainable as possible. I would say that I've been disappointed as to where we're at compared to where we wanted to be at with that. But unfortunately, it just is something that comes at a cost. It's a massive cost. So we'd love to be completely solar for our electric, we'd love to utilise every way of being as green as we want. We're not interested in capitalising and being the next BrewDog. We want to be a really small, independent, sustainable business. And I think we struggle with that. We've got a well underneath the brewery, which we currently use for indirect cooling, and we've got massive plans that we've been battling backwards and forwards with the local authority on for having a water treatment plant so we can use the water under the floor of the brewery, so we're not taking anything off the local water authority. We want to have solar panels, but there's issues with the structure, our building and our landlord, and the possibility of putting them in place on our roof structure. So it's something that we are still passionate about, and we are still really keen for, and we are still working towards. We don't have the financial backing, or we're not big enough to necessarily justify the sort of large scale investment on things like solar that’s needed. But it's something that we see as an absolute priority in the long term definitely.” What do you see as the main challenges you face as a business currently? “I think what baffled us was probably the small margins that there actually are in beer sales. I've never known a business where you deliver something for free and then go and pick it up for free as well. If I order any glasses or bottles or anything for our brewery, we pay a delivery fee, let alone someone saying there's no delivery fee, and we'll come and collect the packaging for free as well. It seems unheard of in any other industry other than brewing. And I don't know how it will change without every single

brewer actually saying, ‘No, that's enough. We're now going to charge a delivery and collection fee’. So the small margins, that bizarre historical thing that happens about delivery and collection, and probably then just trying to balance that with wanting to grow, but also the cost of staff and labour. And trying to balance that in the numbers, whilst struggling to gain access to the wider market due to the amount of tied pubs. We have kept our prices fairly the same as when we started, but that's just us taking a hit on ourselves as costs go up. Again, another massive issue that we find is that when we speak to everybody that comes and visits us, they talk about things when they see it on the news headlines from each government about the beer duty rates going up and how that's going to increase the price of a pint in the pub, and the common misconception is that a pub pays for the duty on the beer when it's not, it's the brewer that pays. And we have a much, much higher cost of utilities for brewing that beer than a pub will for keeping their door open. So I think that common misconception is that pubs are seen as the poor people who are taking the hit on these government changes, when actually it's the brewers that have taken the biggest hit. It’s all politics.” What is your view on the current state of the independent beer sector? “It's really difficult for us because we only opened in 2024 so we're still very new to the market. I don't think there's any brewery or any business that opened in the last 12 to 24 months that doesn't feel like there's an economic crisis, because opening a new business is inherently very expensive and difficult. But sometimes something like beer is the big thing, and then the next big thing is rum, or gin, or it’s beer again. For me and my brother, who own this company, we think, well, beer has been about for 1,000s of years. It's still here now. We're not worried, and with the way we have planned our business we're happy that we're going to be here to stay, definitely in the short to medium term.’ Continued on page 49 www.siba.co.uk | SIBA Independent Brewer | Winter 2025

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Business Profile: Twisted Tree Brewery

Beer has been about for 1,000s of years, and I think it's a really cool catalyst for socialising and connection. I think it's amazing that there's so many different possibilities.

Are you investing in the business currently and if so, where is that investment going?

What inspires you most about the industry you work in?

“The fact that we haven't paid ourselves a salary yet probably means that we are still investing currently in the business! We are investing across all areas of our business, but that's just based on demand. I think probably the biggest demand, and the biggest investment, is in our taproom, which is probably not surprising. We've spent 12 to 18 months investing in it, and we will probably take a break from that for six months and see where things go, and see what happens, trying to keep it as sustainable and actually profitable as we can, and then go from there. It just depends where the demand is, as to where we invest in our business.”

“Beer has been about for 1,000s of years, and I think it's a really cool catalyst for socialising and connection. I think it's amazing that there's so many different possibilities. The recipes are endless. You can make millions or billions, probably, of different types of beer, and every single one of them would be different. You can also make it as complicated or as simple as you want. We started brewing beer in a wooden barrel in the back of a pub, and we've now got scientists looking at the different chemistry in different beers, in laboratories with microscopes. We're very much more traditional in our brewery, but we're new, and we've won lots of awards for that. I think that's just really cool, that you can do that.”

What are your key goals for the business in 2026 and beyond?

If you had to pick a favourite beer what would it be and why?

“I don't think we have any set goals or aims. I guess in terms of size and scale, we just want to be profitable and survivable. So we want to be able to survive in the current industry and sector, and we want it, obviously, to be profitable so that we can justify doing it. Our biggest goal is probably just to improve our brewery and taproom. We've come into this with funding just from myself, me and my brother, we've not come from a big source of any external finance. So every week, every month, we're slowly improving both our brewery, the equipment and our taproom. I think if we can get it to where we want it to be in a next year or two, then we'll be really happy with that.”

“If I had to pick my favourite beer from our beers it would probably be our black IPA, The Bark Side, because it's just fantastic, and it keeps winning things. So it's doing really well. But otherwise, I don't think I can say that I've really got a favourite beer. And I think that's one of the things I love about beer, is that I might have a favourite beer one week and a different favourite beer the next week. It's about the fact that there are so many different types of beers out there, although generally, the darker and the chewier the beer, the better for me!”

www.siba.co.uk | SIBA Independent Brewer | Winter 2025

Brewery viewpoint: Signature Brew Brewery Viewpoint

Craft Beer’s Difficult Second Album Tom Bott, Co-founder & Managing Director of London’s Signature Brew, looks at why the success of the independent brewing scene is crucial to the future of the whole beer category… Craft beer’s debut was electric. The first album had raw energy. Drinkers were discovering new breweries every week, bars were falling over themselves to stock the latest weird and wonderful styles, and curiosity ruled. There was a buzz, and it was genuine. People wanted to support independent beer. But today? That energy has dulled, and the industry has hit its difficult second album. According to SIBA, 81% of drinkers felt misled when they found out the beer they thought was independent… wasn’t. That is the problem. Most people cannot tell the difference. It is not just about marketing; it is a breakdown in trust. Like with any high, craft beer hit a comedown. Post-lockdown realities and the cost-of-living crisis hit hard, especially for independents. Taprooms have closed, breweries have folded, and those still standing have had to figure out not just how to survive, but how to evolve. We certainly felt the impact ourselves and have had to change course to stay in the game.

Winter 2025 | SIBA Independent Brewer | www.siba.co.uk

Let’s not sugarcoat it, we have lost some brilliant names in recent years. But the truth is, the craft beer market had become saturated. Too many breweries doing the same thing. For every standout beer, there were five forgettable ones, or worse, beers that were genuinely off-putting. That kind of inconsistency dulled the excitement. The sense of discovery that once defined the scene got lost. At the same time, the post-Covid reality for pubs and bars meant they could not take the same risks with their taps. They either had to back what they knew would sell, or sign deals with global brewers that tied their hands completely. And as the market grew crowded with lookalike ‘craft’ products, drinkers naturally started gravitating towards the ubiquitous brands they know - just look at the resurgence of Guinness. Innovation looks different depending on the size of the business. At scale, it might mean finding ways to make processes more efficient or ensuring consistency across thousands of outlets. That has its place. But the real sparks, the new flavours, the cultural connections, the risks that capture imaginations, usually start smaller. Independent breweries ask different questions: how can we make this beer more expressive? How do we create an experience people actually remember, not just drink?

Brewery viewpoint: Signature Brew

And it is not just beer. Look at fashion, food or technology and you see the same pattern. The real engine room for fresh thinking is progressive smaller businesses. They take the risks, they find new ways to connect with consumers, and often they go on to provide the future growth opportunities for larger companies. But it is not all doom and gloom. The next generation of drinkers is more conscious. They care about the story behind the product, who made it, how it was made, and what it stands for. That mindset goes beyond beer. It is true across food, fashion, music, and more. And when it comes to beer, they want to know it is brewed by real people, not by businesses trading on the image of independence. The challenge, and the opportunity, is connecting with them. At Signature Brew, our bars are packed every week with people who come not just for the beer, but for the culture, the creativity, and the sense of community that surrounds it. It is more than just a pint, it is an experience. So where do we go from here? It is not about who can shout the loudest or churn out the most styles. It is about who can deliver quality that people trust, made by people they connect with. Real connectivity between breweries, venues, and drinkers is what gives indie beer its edge. Independent breweries that pay fairly, care deeply, and create something with real substance are the ones that deserve the spotlight. Not because they tick a box, but because they raise the bar. These days, it is not enough to be small and cool. The real question is, why should anyone care? That “why” has to run through everything you do. It is not enough to say you are local, small-batch or craft. You have to create a quality product and stand for something. For us, that something is brewing beer that makes music better. We have worked with some of the UK’s most exciting artists, from IDLES to alt-J, not for PR, but to create beers and experiences that are as good as the music. That means designing beers with artists, hosting shows in our venues, and building venues that feel like community spaces, not warehouses with pints. For others, the focus might be sustainability, food, fashion, activism, or sport. Whatever it is, it needs to be authentic and visible. Even during lockdown, the spirit behind what we do never faltered.

When restrictions lifted, we launched the Signature Brew Beer Grant, offering up to £250,000 worth of Studio Lager and Roadie IPA to help venues and artists bounce back. It was not a gimmick. It was us backing the people and places that make live music possible. “Beer That Makes Music Better” is our vision and runs through everything we do. A pub just reopened near my home in Tottenham, a beautiful old building that had been shut for years. Seeing it brought back to life was a genuine joy. But when I stepped inside, the taps told a different story. Despite being backed by one of the UK’s biggest pub companies (owned, in turn, by a global brewer), not a single independent beer was on the bar. Nothing brewed locally. Nothing that reflected the neighbourhood it had reopened to serve. That, in a nutshell, is the access-to-market issue. All industries need sustainable access to markets, and beer is no different. Done well, this is a win-win. Venues get greater choice, breweries get fair access, and the ultimate winner is the customer who gets a better drinking experience. And that is the bigger picture. Independent breweries are not just vital to their communities, they are the creative engine of the UK beer scene. Almost every great new beer, style or trend in the past decade has come out of an indie. We take the risks. We experiment. We shape the culture. Indie beer does not exist on the fringes, it sets the pace. If we want a healthy, exciting and future-facing beer industry, we need to create a clear pathway for independents to thrive. That means backing them, investing in them, and giving them the space to grow, not just survive.

As London’s largest independent brewery, we know the role we have to play. We are here to raise the bar, push boundaries, and show what indie beer can be when it is done right, scalable, sustainable and culturally connected. Craft beer’s second album does not have to flop. It can be the breakthrough record. And those of us who care about quality, collaboration, supporting communities and creativity have the chance to shape what comes next. The playing field might not be level, but the appetite for meaningful beer is still very real, and it is up to us to meet it. Find out more at www.signaturebrew.co.uk

www.siba.co.uk | SIBA Independent Brewer | Winter 2025

Meet the Homebrewer: Paul Gunn, Fox Tail Brewing

Meet the Homebrewer: Paul Gunn, Fox Tail Brewing Paul Gunn joined SIBA as a Homebrew Member last year, having, like many homebrewers, fallen into brewing in his kitchen as a hobby to keep him occupied during lockdown. He now regularly brews on a larger kit in his utility room, with the resulting beers being kegged and enjoyed by friends and family in his pub shed where he has installed three draught lines. He spoke to Independent Brewer’s Editor Caroline Nodder back in October about his experience as a hobby brewer so far and what he’s learned along the way…

Winter 2025 | SIBA Independent Brewer | www.siba.co.uk

Name: Paul Gunn Name of brand: Fox Tail Brewing Location: Harrogate, North Yorkshire First started brewing: August 2019 Brew kit: Grainfather G30v3, two GF30 conical fermenters and a glycol chiller Volume brewed: approximately 4HL per year. Favourite style to brew: Stout and Hazy IPA Favourite beer to drink: Hazy IPAs. Northern Monk’s Little Faith specifically.

Meet the Homebrewer: Paul Gunn, Fox Tail Brewing

Let’s start at the beginning. How did you get into homebrewing? “It started during Covid. I needed a hobby, and I like beer so after a tonne of research I bought the MiniBrew all grain system which really gave the best start in all grain brewing from home. My first brew on the system was fantastic; I was hooked on all grain brewing from that point on.” What’s your brewing setup like now then? “After what I learned from the MiniBrew system I wanted to brew bigger batches, so I switched to the Grainfather G30v3. I have two GF30 conical fermenters and a glycol chiller as well so I went from an all-in-one system which made 5 litre batches to an all grain more hands on system where I can brew up to 46 litres at any one time.” Where do you brew? “I do the main brewing in my utility room, which means all washing machines etc are out of service until I finish the brew day. I ferment in my pub shed though which I quite like. It’s nice to know that you have beers fermenting whilst in the pub shed having a beer. So once fermentation is done, I keg the beer in my pub shed, attach it to the gas and leave it to carbonate. Fermentation to tap is about two meters apart.”

that your hobby has. I went through a few names, but Fox Tail Brewing felt right. I got the name from looking at a Hazy IPA. The orange coloured body, the bright white head....it looks like a fox’s tail. That’s where it came from.” As a hobby brewer, what is your day job/background? “I’m an RVP of Professional Services at Salesforce. I manage a team of Technical and Solution Architects across the UK, making sure that we implement our technology in the best possible way to help our customers to be successful with their Salesforce technology stack.” Had any brewing disasters? “Aside from the main ones that homebrewers typically experience, bad brews, oxidisation etc, the thing that’s happened to me twice actually is when I’ve cleaned and sterilised the fermenters before putting the beer in there, I forgot to close the taps at the bottom. On two separate occasions I have gone through a full brew day, put the wort into the fermenter, started it going and walked away...not realising that the tap was open and the wort was just pouring out of the bottom. So maybe a third of the batch was lost before I realised. I triple check everything now!” What, to you, makes the perfect beer?

“Usually kegging. I have a kegerator set up with three taps so I can always have a good selection waiting for me on a Friday. I used to bottle everything though, but as you can imagine, bottling that much beer using a beer gun takes forever. That said though, I do bottle when I’m entering competitions or when I make something smaller batch.”

“I love a hazy IPA. An ABV of between 4-5%, a nice bright orange colour (traditional hazy, not see through hazy), smooth mouthfeel and a good head retention. I really like the hazy beers to have a punchy tropical flavour profile as well. My favourite hazy beers are probably Two by Two - Patterns Pale Ale, Northern Monk - Little Faith and Brew York - Hop Lobster. But there are so many to choose from. Neverending Haze by Stone Brewery is also excellent!”

You mention having a selection ready, what is your go to brew?

Where do you go for information on brewing techniques?

Do you prefer bottling or kegging?

“I always have a stout on tap with a nitro trap and 70/30 gas. That never seems to last very long, so I make that a few times a year. I try to have a Hazy IPA on tap as well, but I’ve not quite got that how I want it. The colour and aromas are great but I just want to nail that flavour. The last tap usually has an experimental recipe on, usually a bitter.” Where did the name Fox Tail Brewing come from? “This is probably the hardest part of homebrewing. You want to think of a name that sits right with you and the beers that you make or the profile

“A variety of places. The brewing community on Instagram is huge and we all help each other out, which is fantastic. There are plenty of videos on YouTube if you’re ever stuck or want to learn a bit more. I’m actually quite forward in asking for advice as well. I’ll happily take my beers to a local brewery and ask for feedback. I’ve spoken to the brewers at Harrogate Brewing and Stewart Brewing over the past year to get some advice and feedback on my beer. It’s the little tips that you pick up which change your beer quality, for example, whisking the dried yeast into a sample of the wort before pitching it into the fermenter….it massively improves the fermentation rate.” Continued on page 55

www.siba.co.uk | SIBA Independent Brewer | Winter 2025

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Meet the Homebrewer: Paul Gunn, Fox Tail Brewing

I went through a few names, but Fox Tail Brewing felt right. I got the name from looking at a Hazy IPA. The orange coloured body, the bright white head....it looks like a fox’s tail. That’s where it came from.”

You’re based in Harrogate, there are loads of great breweries around there who are your favourites? “Yeah, I’m pretty fortunate. There are loads of great breweries not too far from me, Leeds, Masham, Ilkley, Wetherby, York, etc so I don’t have to go too far to choose some local beers. My favourite local brewery would be Harrogate Brewing Co though. I really like the taproom in the summer and they have a new bar open in town now which is great. My favourite beer that they make is Wavey Marms. They used to make a beer called Montpellier Manderina as well which was great. It’s great to see them doing so well in the recent SIBA awards too. Liam (HBC’s head brewer) has actually tasted my beers and gave me some awesome advice. I think he liked my Saison the best.” Where and how do you source your ingredients? “The Malt Miller is my go to for all of my ingredients. I use a combination of the Grainfather recipe tools and the Malt Miller’s recipe generator tool to build my recipes and ingredients. I actually get most of my equipment through them as well. They are very innovative with customisations for the Grainfather. I have a sight glass for my set up which really has elevated the brew day experience for me.” Have you sold any of your beer or is it just for friends and family? “Just for friends, family and my pub shed. I have a three tap kegerator in my pub shed which I try to keep a stout and a hazy on as a minimum. I do put some beers in cans and bottles to share or to take to parties, but I mostly make it for my pub shed.” Have you considered entering your beer into any competitions? “I’ve entered a few actually. I haven’t won any yet, but I’m getting closer each time, the feedback is always positive. I’ve already entered next year’s National Homebrew Competition, I’m entering a stout and a hazy and I’ve also entered the recent SIBA SMaSH CF243 competition.” When did you become a Homebrew Member of SIBA and how have you found being part of the SIBA community? “Only this year, even though I’ve known about SIBA for a while I didn’t realise that they offered a Homebrew membership option until this year when it was mentioned to me when I was on the Ale and Radio podcast. As soon as I heard about it, I signed up. It’s been great being a member and joining the Facebook group, receiving the magazine and I’ve just received the North East Regional Meeting Minutes and the National Update deck which I found to be a really interesting read. I’m looking forward to attending BeerX next year as well.” What techniques have you found most difficult to master as a homebrewer? “Dry Hopping!!!! I have tried so many different ways to do this, one big hop sock, lots of small hop socks, just dropping it into the fermenter to name a few….but for me I just can’t get this quite right. The outcome is never what I want it to be. It may be that I’m missing a step somewhere, or I need to up the hops that I put in the dry hopping, but it’s incredibly frustrating. So any tips would be very welcomed!” How do you juggle homebrewing with your day job/family life? “It’s a hobby and it’s important to make the time! I’m married with two children, I work full time, you need something to give you some time to yourself. So, a brew day, ‘instagramming’, planning the next brew or social content and enrolling in brewing courses are really important to me. I already have a brewing certification from Cornell University and I’m about to start the WSET Level 2 Award in Beer course.” Continued on page 57 www.siba.co.uk | SIBA Independent Brewer | Winter 2025

Meet the Homebrewer: Paul Gunn, Fox Tail Brewing

What is the best piece of advice you received when starting out? “Don’t be afraid to experiment. When you can it’s important to be brave and experiment with your brews. We all need to take cost into account when we do a brew day, but if you can, try smaller batches of experimental beers. I once attempted to make a Key Lime Pie sour. I put about 30 limes worth of rind into the mash and four crushed up big packets of digestive biscuits because I really wanted that biscuit base to the key lime pie in the beer. It wasn’t too bad, a few of my friends really enjoyed them in the summer…they tasted like Lime Haribo Tangfastics but with a digestive undertone.” What do you enjoy most about homebrewing? “So much! I love the brewing experience, when you have a smooth brew day it’s a great feeling. I love being able to innovate either with the beers that I make or with the equipment I use. I created a conditioning chamber with another homebrewer which was designed to slowly warm the bottled beer after cold crashing. But I think the most compelling aspects of homebrewing is the level of control that it gives you over your beer. Commercial beers need to cater to mass preferences, and need to be cost effective to make, but homebrewers have the power to create beer tailored to our individual tastes. That for me really keeps you fully engaged with homebrewing, what should I brew next and what do I want to add to the beer to make it enjoyable for me.” Do you get a lot of feedback through your website and blog? “A little. I tend to publish the blog posts in brewing Facebook groups, on Instagram and LinkedIn quite a bit so I get the most feedback there. The global brewing community can be quite vocal, in a good way of course, so posting blog posts, images or videos of brew days there generates the most conversation.” Would you ever consider going professional in future? “I don’t think so, not yet anyway. I feel that the government needs to be doing quite a bit more to help smaller brewers and local pubs to make the industry become more sustainable. But for me this is a hobby. I love making beer and experimenting with recipes and adding weird

and wonderful things into the brew to see what effect they have. I love reading about what the beer industry is doing and keeping up to speed on all of the new developments like genetically modified yeasts, which could mean that we lessen the hops needed for brewing or how some breweries are repurposing the CO2 generated in the brewery to be utilised elsewhere in the brewery. With that said though, I would love to do a collab beer with a brewery one day, getting my little Fox Tail Brewing logo onto a beer pump in the local bars near me would be fantastic.” Any beer styles that particularly excite you at the moment? “Barrel Aged Stouts and Porters. I’m reading more about barrel aged beers with a reasonable ABV between 4.5-7% which I feel will make them more appealing to consumers. I’m really keen to try some of these. I’ve tried the traditional barrel aged stouts, but they’re very strong ABV wise, so not really for me. I’ve just ordered a hybrid barrel (stainless steel barrel with a charred wooden front) to attempt to make my own barrel aged stout.” Where do you go to drink great beer in your area? “I have two favourite places in Harrogate to go. The Little Ale House, which really is a small bar but always has some excellent craft beers on tap. I also like going to Harrogate Brewing’s taproom and now to the bar that they’ve opened in the middle of the town…although nothing beats a taproom in the summer.” Finally, what advice would you have for new homebrewers? “Dive in! There is such an active and vibrant community out there who are all creating fun beers with great names and pump designs - hobby breweries with their own logos, glassware, stickers even t-shirts. Don’t be shy in joining forums, reaching out to people on Instagram to ask advice and to connect. Everyone that I have met is so keen to help and support. It’s such a welcoming community and you’ll never be short of inspiration or advice. I could give 100s of people shout outs to thank them for the tips and tricks that they’ve given me.”

www.siba.co.uk | SIBA Independent Brewer | Winter 2025

at A te m in nd ust du fo st r th ry e

BeerX UK: 2026 Preview

The UK’s biggest beer and brewing trade event returns to Liverpool on 18-19 March 2026 after a record-breaking 2025 show that welcomed 3,500 attendees across two days.

Growing attendance – 2025 was the biggest ever

3493

BeerX 2025 attendance

This year will see the return of the expanded trade exhibition, which took over all three halls of Exhibition Centre Liverpool for the first time in 2025, and a comprehensive content schedule of educational and informative talks, tastings and panels.

BeerX 2024 attendance

www.beerx.org

BeerX 2023 attendance

2657

BeerX 2022 attendance

2672

97%

of Exhibitors say that BeerX is the UK’s best brewing trade show

99%

f Delegates would o recommend BeerX to an industry colleague

2995

BeerX UK is the UK's biggest beer and brewing trade event and 2026 is set to build on what was a recordbreaking year in 2025, with our biggest ever attendance and a 50% bigger footprint. As well as the expanded trade show you’ll find a packed content schedule and of course the Indie Beer showcase of nine regional bars - perhaps the UK’s best trade-only beer festival. BeerX is also the home of the SIBA AGM and Members' Conference and of course the Indie Beer Awards and SIBA Business Awards 2026, presented by Sunday Times Beer Columnist, broadcaster and author Pete Brown. Add to that an expanding schedule of fringe events and after-parties around Liverpool and BeerX UK 2026 is already shaping up to be a must-attend for anyone in the UK beer and brewing industry. So put it in your calendar now, as BeerX UK 2026 on the 18-19th March is not to be missed!

Winter 2025 | SIBA Independent Brewer | www.siba.co.uk

BeerX UK: 2026 Preview

Event Highlights UK’s biggest brewing trade show

Building on our expansion into three halls in 2025 we’re bringing the UK’s biggest trade exhibition of brewing equipment, technology, raw materials, and services to Exhibition Centre Liverpool in 2026 with many new exhibitors and suppliers to see.

Packed content schedule

Featuring talks, seminars, panel debates and tatsings, our content schedule for 2026 is our most ambitious ever – focussing on sessions that expand you and your teams knowledge in an engaging way, with a mission to help attendees run even more successful brewing businesses.

Indie Beer showcase

9 bars serving hundreds of Regional Champions in cask, keg and bottle & can - the indie beer showcase is the ultimate trade-only beer festival.

Indie Beer Awards 2026

The culmination of 12 months of regional awards and presented by Sunday Times Beer Columnist Pete Brown, the Indie Beer Awards are where the official best beers in the UK are awarded.

SIBA Business Awards 2026

The best beer and brewing businesses currently operating in the UK are named, including pubs, taprooms, retailers and of course a range of brewing businesses.

Fringe events, networking opportunities and after-parties Once the doors close the ‘work’ continues at one of the many fringe events happening across the fantastic city of Liverpool. Check the BeerX website and app nearer the e vent for the latest info.

www.siba.co.uk | SIBA Independent Brewer | Winter 2025

BeerX UK: 2026 Preview

Thinking of exhibiting at BeerX? Attracting 3,500 brewing industry delegates over the two day show, BeerX is the UK’s biggest beer and brewing trade event, showcasing hundreds of different businesses from across the industry - from ingredients and equipment, to business services, consultancy and agencies. With exhibition space available in sizes to suit all businesses and budgets, BeerX is open to operators and supplier companies of all kinds and as well as standard pitch spaces we can create customised setups to better suit your business. Our in-house team work with exhibitors to ensure a setup that presents your company and exhibition stand in the best possible way to existing and potential future customers, which is why 97% of Exhibitors say BeerX is ‘the UK’s best brewing trade show’. Contact events@siba.co.uk to secure your space today

Free Delegate Tickets for SIBA Members SIBA is once again offering free Delegate tickets for SIBA Members and their staff, ensuring that brewing members of all shapes and sizes can attend BeerX in whatever capacity works for them. In order to qualify for a free ticket you must preregister via the website (once live) as Tickets on the door will be at the full face value.

BeerX app makes navigating the event a breeze The BeerX event app makes accessing seminar content, navigating the trade show, viewing the beer list, or even messaging a fellow delegate or exhibitor a breeze. Simply download via the app store (Android + Apple) to ensure you make the most of your trip to BeerX 2026 (please note the new 2026 version of the app is not yet live).

www.siba.co.uk | SIBA Independent Brewer | Winter 2025

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Business advice: Legal

Employment Rights Bill update Oliver McCann from SIBA’s Legal Helpline provider Napthens, gives an overview of how the latest changes to employment rights legislation will affect brewers… The UK Government, through the Employment Rights Bill, is planning significant changes to employee rights which will affect all employers, likely resulting in more cost and more disruption. The breadth of the changes are such, that this article cannot cover all the areas employers need to be aware of. There is a key change causing panic amongst some employers, which you do need to be aware of – the plan to create and launch a new Fair Work Agency (FWA) under the Employment Rights Bill (the Bill). The FWA will unify existing enforcement functions, including national minimum wage, holiday pay and statutory sick pay (SSP). For you, as employers, this means clearer guidance but greater regulatory risk, as the FWA will have more ‘teeth’ than the current bodies that enforce employment laws. What is the Fair Work Agency? The FWA will act as a single enforcement body for key employment rights, replacing overlapping regulators and strengthening the ability to uphold workplace rights. Its core purpose for employers and workers is to: • Improve efficiency • Deter non-compliance • Simplify the landscape It will gradually take on enforcement powers from bodies such as: • HMRC’s minimum wage enforcement team. • The Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate. • The Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA). There is flexibility to expand the FWA’s remit over time, so other employment rights may later fall under its powers. When will the FWA be established? • The FWA is expected to go live in April 2026, subject the Bill completing its parliamentary journey • Its enforcement powers will commence once launched What employment rights will the FWA enforce? • National Minimum Wage (NMW) enforcement, including underpayments, record-keeping and arrears

• Holiday pay and leave • SSP compliance and enforcement • Tips and gratuities – no current designated enforcement body for compliance, but FWA likely to enforce compliance to the Employment (allocation of Tips) Act 2023 • Employment agency/employment business regulations – enforcing rules on agencies and how they supply workers) • Modern slavery and labour exploitation • Enforcement of unpaid tribunal awards or sums agreed under settlements What enforcement powers will the FWA have? • Inspection powers – authority to demand records, enter premises, interview staff • A civil penalty regime – similar to the NMW regime, enforcement officers could issue notices of underpayment requiring the employer to pay sums owed to workers and pay a penalty to government • Tribunal action of behalf of workers: the FWA will be able to bring claims on behalf of workers, and offer legal advice and assistance where someone is, or may be, party to civil legal cases relating to employment or trade union law • Criminal offences: an enforcement regime will require employers to correct their behaviour by way of voluntary Labour Market Enforcement Undertakings and compulsory Labour Market Enforcement Orders (LMEOs). Breach of an LMEO could result in fines or imprisonment • Cost repayment orders: the FWA may impose charges to recover enforcement costs from employers against whom enforcement action has been taken What does this mean for those in the Brewing Sector? Having supported employers across the brewing sector for more than ten years, common mistakes brewing employers make include: • Calculating holiday pay correctly – particularly for variable hours staff which his common in the sector. The FWA will be to enforce employee rights. • Compliance with National Minimum Wage – many employers in the leisure and hospitality sector innocently fall foul of this complex legislation. Typical errors include:

- Charging for live in accommodation - Insisting on a dress code e.g. black jeans/shoes – these count as a uniform requirement and unless the employer contributes to the cost of this uniform, it’s likely to result in a deduction for national minimum wage purposes resulting in an under payment - Training time/travel time (on business) - Not paying for the costs of online training or inductions - Missing a change in a worker’s age entitling an increase - Deductions from pay - Salary sacrifice schemes for pensions or other benefits - A lack of record keeping of employee hours of work/pay - Tip gratuities compliance How can you do to prepare for the Fair Work Agency? The FWA won’t create new rights, but it will enforce existing ones far more rigorously. Employers should use the lead-time to strengthen compliance. Key steps: 1. Audit pay and entitlements: Review holiday pay, sick pay, minimum wage compliance, tip law compliance and agency worker arrangements. 2. Identify compliance gaps: Identify and remedy underpayments before 2026 to reduce enforcement risk. 3. Improve record-keeping: Ensure payroll, leave and working-time records are accurate, retrievable and retained for at least six years. 4. Strengthen governance: Set up a cross-functional compliance group (HR, payroll, legal, finance) with board oversight. 5. Stay informed: Track updates to the Bill and forthcoming government guidance. 6. Take advice: If you have compliance gaps or underpayments are identified, take legal advice on how to mitigate risk by calling the Napthens’ SIBA legal helpline. The Napthens SIBA Legal Helpline number is 0845 671 0277

www.siba.co.uk | SIBA Independent Brewer | Winter 2025

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Business advice: Consumer Insight

Functional drinks: what’s that got to do with beer? Katie Jenkins, Marketing Director at KAM, explores the growing trend for ‘functional drinks’ and what it could mean for brewers…

When you first hear the phrase “functional drinks”, it’s easy to picture a turmeric latte or a neon health shot rather than a pint. But the truth is, this growing category that anyone in the drinks industry needs to be aware of, brewers included. The rise of functional drinks marks a deeper transformation in how UK consumers think about health, emotion, and consumption. These beverages are moving beyond hydration and refreshment to serve a broader purpose: to relax, energise, uplift, or balance. KAM recently teamed up with Club Soda , to launch the Functional Drinks Collective’s new insight report and found that health and wellbeing are now central to consumer decision-making. According to the report, 89% of UK adults say they care about their personal wellbeing, with 65% prioritising better sleep and relaxation, and 55% focused on mental wellbeing and stress reduction. Younger adults in particular are driving this shift, with 74% of 18–24s listing stress relief as a top priority. Consumers are increasingly turning to drinks enhanced with adaptogens, nootropics, and botanicals to fit these goals into their daily routines. The report found that 79% of UK adults are open to trying functional or moodenhancing drinks. Nearly half of UK consumers (46%) say they would choose a functional drink at home in the evening, and 21% would opt for one while socialising as an alternative to alcohol. Moreover, 61% of adults - rising to 80% among 18-34s - say that if they’re moderating their alcohol intake, it’s important that their alternative still provides a “mood-enhancing” or functional effect. This shift is also redefining social spaces. 41% of UK consumers say that having functional drink options would encourage them to visit pubs, bars, and restaurants more often. These beverages are no longer viewed as compromises, but as “experience enhancers” - social options that offer connection and uplift without the downsides of drinking. Let’s start with where we already are as an industry. Over the past few years, breweries have led the charge on Low & No, crafting

alcohol-free beers that actually taste good. That same consumer who’s choosing a 0.5% pale ale on a weekday isn’t rejecting beer; they’re just rethinking what role it plays in their life. Brits are now embracing a more balance approach to alcohol and drinking more flexibly, which gets easier and easier with the phenomenal low and no options now available. The next step is adding functionality, creating drinks that deliver calm, focus, or energy alongside flavour.

and powders, but about thinking about beer (or beer-adjacent drinks) that deliver on flavour, authenticity and new occasion-use cases.

Across the Atlantic and beyond, the movement is already well underway. In the US, CBD and THC-infused drinks are taking up more shelf space, especially in legal states such as California and Colorado. Brands like Hiyo promise a “lifted, cloud-like calm,” while Three Spirit has built a following around complex, botanical blends designed to enhance mood and sociability without alcohol. While Canadian innovators such as Thrive have gone a step further, brewing alcohol-free beers stacked with protein for post-exercise recovery.

For British consumers however, there is currently a credibility gap: only 23% of consumers believe functional drinks actually deliver on their promises. So, authenticity is key. If a brewery is going to launch a “functional” product, it has to taste good, it has to make sense within the brand’s story, and it needs to be honest about what it does. Consumers can smell a gimmick from a mile off.

There are already a small but growing number of beverage brands in the UK who are testing the functional waters too. Collider launched in early 2024, this non-alcoholic beer infuses its Unwind Lager and Session Pale with a proprietary Unwind Blend™ of adaptogens and functional mushrooms, such as lion’s mane, aimed at supporting relaxation without alcohol. Then there’s NuWave, whose moodenhancing alcohol-free beers layer in botanicals and biotics to support gut health, metabolism and sociable uplift, with the claim that these drinks act on GABA receptors in a way akin to the low dose effects of alcohol. Meanwhile, Athletic Brewing (US-based but present in the UK) describes themselves as a unique, precision-brew formula that provides functional energy for mind, body and soul highlighting that their blend is based on UK-organic medicinal mushrooms, sea kelp, fermented Rhodiola, green-tea derived L-Theanine and Hawthorn heart essence. What these examples tell us is that the functional space is not just about vitamins

Looking ahead, we expect a divergence in the market: accessible, flavour-first products for casual wellness seekers, and premium, efficacy-led offerings for informed consumers. As the category matures, “mood-based” menus and recommendations could become standard in both retail and hospitality.

The other challenge is education. While 44% of people have heard of adaptogen-infused drinks, only 13% have tried them. And then there’s price. The report shows that 64% of UK adults say they’d pay more for a functional drink, but the value has to be obvious. It’s not just about the liquid, it’s the story, the packaging, the experience. The same rules that make a craft beer feel premium apply here too. Functional drinks aren’t just for gym-goers or wellness enthusiasts. The data shows people want them for a wide range of moments, from winding down after work to improving focus during the day. For brewers, this doesn’t mean abandoning what makes beer special. It means expanding what it can be. The same curiosity, craftsmanship, and care that define independent brewing can absolutely be applied to this emerging space. The full report is available, free of charge, via the KAM Knowledge Hub. KAM is a boutique research consultancy, specialising in hospitality and retail, running bespoke and syndicated customer research programmes for both pub companies and on-trade suppliers. Find out more at www.kaminsight.com

www.siba.co.uk | SIBA Independent Brewer | Winter 2025

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Business advice: Brand and Marketing

Why Craft Beer needs rest as much as innovation Brand and marketing guru Nick Law has had enough of experimental meme-worthy beers and yearns for the simpler beer styles of old…

During one of my lethargic doom-scrolling sessions on social media, I happened upon a video of someone ‘pouring’ a ‘beer’ slowly into a glass. I use inverted commas because ‘pouring’ is an overstatement. I’m not sure the teal coloured mush that slowly glooped out can be classed as ‘beer’ either. In fact, Duke Wilhelm IV of Bavaria - who introduced the Reinheitsgebot - is probably still turning in his grave as we speak. I won’t name-and-shame the brewery in question but the reaction on social media was as divisive as you can imagine. Battle lines were drawn, exchanges fired and opinions polarised between the why-can’t-beer-be-beer crowd and the just-hook-it-to-my-veins lot. I mean, to be fair to said brewery, they’d certainly achieved the talking point they’d aimed for, even if - in my opinion - it was a cheap shot on goal. Just to hang my flag on the lamppost, I am of the why-can’t-beer-be-beer opinion. But it made me reflect further on some of the conversations I’ve been having surrounding the state of beer in the UK and my observations on where the British beer industry is currently at. Just this weekend, I caught up with some friends who work in beer. One is a fellow brewer, one runs a bar and two are former micropub-owners who left the hustle and bustle of late night sessions, and now work in lecturing and IKEA. Both are much happier now, I’m told. This isn’t just an isolated case - I’ve met a lot of people who are just tired of the industry. Whether it’s the strain of running a business, the eternal cash-flow

woes, the headache of juggling weekends or the quest for the next memeable beer, craft beer just isn’t as fun as it used to be. And as we sat there splitting the G, appreciating that time-honoured black Irish liquid with its thick, creamy head and unapologetically calorific richness, it struck me that Guinness has been one of the backbone beers of my drinking life. I first tasted it one lonely Christmas, having only recently flown the nest, when there was nothing in the house to drink except a case of black gold stashed beneath my housemate’s bed. Honestly, the taste has stuck with me ever since and still remains a go-to beer at the bar. There are other beers that hold similar weight for me, ones I return to time and again. Thornbridge’s Jaipur, with its bright grapefruit and spicy hop character. Bradfield Brewery’s Belgian Blue, the allyear-round Christmas ale: deep purple in colour, crowned with a thick pink head and carrying a light, festive bitterness. And from Britain’s only Trappist brewery, Tynt Meadow - liquorice warmth, rich malt and unmistakable bread-like, yeasty notes. It’s funny how, for a while at least, the talk was all about innovation and not so much about longevity. Conversations revolved around how many grams per litre we could cram into a DIPA. Podcasts dissected haze stability in NEIPAs, and brewing seminars debated whether we should be using actual toasted coconut in those big, chonky dessert stouts or just reaching for the food-grade essence instead.

And, for a while, that was right and fitting. Many professional brewers started out as homebrewers, dissecting books like Randy Mosher’s Radical Brewing with its weird and wonderful recipes. Those conversations pushed back against the era of ‘boring brown beer’ or flavourless ‘yellow fizz’. But somewhere along the way, the pendulum swung too far. Blue meme beers and hazybois have, in their own way, become the new boring brown beer. I’m bored of meme-beer. I’m tired of unbalanced hazy-bois. Give me a pint of Landlord any day, served through a tight sparkler, naturally. It’s telling that Thornbridge’s saving of the Burton Union system has reignited interest among brewers and drinkers alike, in the pursuit of promoting traditional methods and traditional beer styles. How breweries such as Liverpool’s Colbier primarily turn their hand to classic beer styles without all the accompanying jazz. Or that so many of us are rediscovering British hops in our pursuit of the familiar. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for innovation and pushing things forward. But, frankly, my tastebuds are tired and a little burnt out. Craft beer needs rest as much as it does innovation. Maybe what we need now isn’t another Milkshake or Brut IPA (remember those!) or teal smoothie sours, but a quiet revival of Best Bitters, Smoothflow, Porters, and classic styles that simply taste great, have always tasted great, and have happily entertained the masses long before internet memes.

Nick Law is the Creative Director of Hop Forward: a branding, marketing and business consultancy for the brewing industry. Find out more at www.hopforward.beer or email nick@hopforward.beer

www.siba.co.uk | SIBA Independent Brewer | Winter 2025

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Comment: Technical focus

Shock your beers – brew with electro-fermentation Brewlab’s Dr Keith Thomas examines whether new insight into the effect of electrical current on the fermentation process could be harnessed by brewers in the future… Micro brewing, and particularly fermentation, may be considered a sedate occupation compared to some industries. No need for ultrafast, high-speed operations, or robot processing. A gentle, hand-crafted approach with a reliance on the natural processes inherent in mashing and fermentation generates a natural brew with limited input. We do, of course, use electricity to speed up some operations – grinding malt or pumping wort - but nothing we couldn’t do by hand if we really had to. Of course, as responsible brewers in a difficult market, we might usefully look to the future and cast an eye on developments in other areas of similar activity. Of these biotechnology might offer opportunities where we could diversify or adapt useful technologies. No harm in keeping appraised of companion industries. That said biotechnology is diverse and technically advanced. Producing novel enzymes or stem cells is fanciful in a brewing environment but various novel technologies could be adapted in the not-too-distant future. One of these to keep an eye on is electro-fermentation – using electrical currents or charges to stimulate yeast metabolism. For this we aren’t thinking of coupling fermenters to mains power producing Frankenstein treatments or a Christmas light show but somewhat more gentle currents within the wort to stimulate yeast cell metabolism. These currents could be electrical, electrostatic or electromagnetic and targeted to generate a pulsed field both around and within cells. Perhaps more similar to a TENS massage than a torture session. High voltage electrical currents are clearly painful if your touch a live wire but we have plenty of low voltage currents flowing through our nerves and brain to good effect so controlling the intensity is key to their use. Electric field intensities between 20 and 80 kV/cm and voltages of 11 to 60 kV, given in short bursts, are well known to kill microbes and help in sterilizing. The mechanism involved seems to be by destabilizing cell membranes to make them more porous. This lets cell materials leak out and undesirable molecules to enter resulting in catastrophic effects and cell death. Twist the dial though and it appears that lower intensities, below 1kV are sub-lethal and instead of a fatal impact can improve fermentation speed and reactions. How so? Well probably by a less intense response to lethal doses. Lower intensities do open up the membrane but to a limited extent and, in a fermenting broth, allow a faster inflow of sugars and nutrients. Faster inflow means more rapid growth, a shorter fermentation time and more productive brewing. All for a little electrical input. Are there disadvantages? Potentially yes – but also other benefits. Pulsed fields have been found to accelerate chemical reactions speeding up

Power up your yeast

ester formation while decreasing methanol and fatty acid formation so accelerating maturation. Much of this development work has been done for the biofuel and wine industries and includes additional applications to the extraction of sugars from grape must and to increase enzyme action in digesting by products. At present the technology is being optimised for efficiency and practical application as well as overcoming limitations. Electrode corrosion may occur introducing metallic tastes while some undesirable flavour reactions may be accelerated. Establishing accurate control mechanisms is a further requirement with feedback needed to maintain yeast viability by avoiding over stimulation as cells reach the end of fermentation. Is electro-fermentation applicable yet to brewing? To date it seems unlikely to appear as a plug in to standard fermenters at least in the very near future. In particular, the cost benefit is yet to be calculated once the best equipment is identified. Not quite time to add a mains connection to the pipework. Find more from Brewlab at www.brewlab.co.uk

www.siba.co.uk | SIBA Independent Brewer | Winter 2025

Gold members

Winter 2025 | SIBA Independent Brewer | www.siba.co.uk

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www.siba.co.uk | SIBA Independent Brewer | Winter 2025

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Loughran Brewers Select - your connection to the best independent hop producers and growers. It takes a lot of faith in a hop variety to mix up the recipe for your most important beer. But, that’s exactly what DEYA Brewing Company has been doing with ‘Steady Rolling Man’ for the last few years, with their annual release of ‘Steady Rolling Strata’ using Indie Hops Strata®. DEYA first fell in love with the Indie Hops developed variety Strata® during a hop selection visit to the US in 2019. We used our unique connection with Indie Hops to bring Strata® to the UK and Europe, and, in the process, helped DEYA to become one of the first breweries in the UK to brew with Strata®. We’ve watched Strata® - and ‘Steady Rolling Strata’ - go stratospheric since then. 2025’s Steady Rolling Strata was the biggest, hoppiest production yet of this special beer, launching Pale Ale and TIPA versions nationwide with unique merch, venue posters, and plenty of social media buzz. It used the freshest Indie Hops Strata® from this year’s Pacific North West harvest in T90 pellets - and, for the first time for this year’s release - whole leaf. All that meant releasing a beer in the UK brewed with hops harvested in Oregon just months earlier. A tall order. Working closely with Indie Hops, we arranged for Theo & Nils from DEYA to select their chosen lot of Strata® at Indie Hops HQ in Portland, Oregon on 20th September. Strata® was developed by Indie Hops – named for the many layers of flavour it brings to beer – and thrives in Oregon’s unique terroir. DEYA’s chosen Strata® lot was pelletised on the Indie Hops pellet mill, and DEYA’s Strata® was the first 2025 Strata® to arrive in the UK a few weeks later. The result? Beer lovers throughout the UK enjoyed great beer with the freshest Strata® hops on the continent. From farm to glass in a matter of weeks for another mega nationwide launch of ‘Steady Rolling Strata’. A unique collaboration between farmer, hop developer, and brewer, and a celebration of the amazing relationships which make this industry great.

Winter 2025 | SIBA Independent Brewer | www.siba.co.uk

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www.siba.co.uk | SIBA Independent Brewer | Winter 2025

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Cask Pale Ales (4.4% to 5.5%)

Cask Speciality Light Beers

G GOLD CATEGORY CHAMPION: Harbwr Brewery Tenby Best You Best 4.4% G GOLD: Purple Moose Brewery Ltd Glaslyn 4.2% S S ILVER: Bragdy Twt Lol - The Trefforest Brewery Glog 4.0% S S ILVER: Weird Dad Brewery Welsh Bitter 4.2% S S ILVER: S A Brains & Co SA 4.2% Cardigan Brewery Sunny Dai B BRONZE: 4.3% GBC Brewery Ltd B BRONZE: Cwrw Gorslas 4.0%

G GOLD CATEGORY CHAMPION: Bragdy Twt Lol - The Trefforest Brewery Pyncio Pioden IPA ~ Pretty Fly for a Magpie 5.0% S S ILVER: Magic Dragon Brewing Dolphin 4.5% S S ILVER: Left Bank Brewery Zhyto-Rhyg Rye IPA 4.5% Gower Brewery Co LTD B BRONZE: Gower Gold 4.5% Gwaun Valley brewery B BRONZE: Simcoe 6 5.4% Cwrw Otley Brewing Co B BRONZE: Oxymoron 5.5% Harbwr Brewery Tenby B BRONZE: Heist 5.0% GBC Brewery Ltd B BRONZE: Jemima’s Pitchfork 4.5%

G GOLD CATEGORY CHAMPION: Core Of The Poodle Crypt 7.5% S S ILVER: Bragdy Twt Lol - The Trefforest Brewery Blŵbri 4.6% Bragdy Tanat Braggot 5.5% B BRONZE:

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Cask Session Pale Ale (up to 4.4%)

Sponsored by Rankin Brothers & Sons

CATEGORY CHAMPION: G GOLD Weird Dad Brewery CAMRA man 4.2% S S ILVER: Cardigan Brewery Seafire 4.4% S S ILVER: Gwaun Valley brewery Cwrw melyn 4.0% Cwrw Otley Brewing Co B BRONZE: Otley O1 4.0% The Felinfoel Brewery Co Ltd B BRONZE: Hoppylicious 4.0% Bluestone Brewing Company B BRONZE: Stone Cold 4.2% Harbwr Brewery Tenby B BRONZE: Pia Whanga 4.2%

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G GOLD CATEGORY CHAMPION: Gower Brewery Co LTD Gower Power 5.5% S S ILVER: The Felinfoel Brewery Co Ltd Dragons Heart 4.5%

Cask IPA (5.6% and over)

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CATEGORY CHAMPION: G GOLD Left Bank Brewery Rodeo IPA 7.5%

Winter 2025 | SIBA Independent Brewer | www.siba.co.uk

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Cask Session Dark Beers (up to 4.4%)

Sponsored by Rankin Brothers & Sons

G GOLD CATEGORY CHAMPION: Hobsons Brewery Hobsons Pale 4.0% S S ILVER: Charnwood Brewery Blue Fox 4.2% Dancing Duck Brewery B BRONZE: DCUK 4.3% Stroud Brewery O.P.A. 4.0% B BRONZE:

Cask Pale Ales (4.4% to 5.5%) Sponsored by GEA

CATEGORY CHAMPION: G GOLD Salopian Brewery Paper Planes 4.6% S S ILVER: Vale Brewery Gravitas 4.8% Alter Ego Brewing Co B BRONZE: Sidekick 4.5%

Cask Session Dark Beers (up to 4.4%)

Sponsored by Rankin Brothers & Sons

CATEGORY CHAMPION: G GOLD Shipstone’s Beer Company TA Hollow Stone Brewing Co Red Star 4.8% S S ILVER: Wye Valley Brewery Butty Bach 4.5% Towcester Mill Brewery Ltd B BRONZE: Steam Ale 4.5% The Chiltern Brewery B BRONZE: Three Hundred’s Old Ale 4.9% Goffs Brewery B BRONZE: White Knight 4.7% Purity Brewing Company B BRONZE: PURE UBU 4.5% Salopian Brewery B BRONZE: Golden Thread 5.0%

Cask IPA (5.6% and over)

Sponsored by Rankin Brothers & Sons

CATEGORY CHAMPION: G GOLD Twisted Tree Brewery The Bark Side 6.0%

Winter 2025 | SIBA Independent Brewer | www.siba.co.uk

S S ILVER: Blue Monkey Brewery Infinity plus 1 5.6% Alter Ego Brewing Co B BRONZE: Incognito 5.8%

Cask Imperial and Strong (6.5% and over)

Sponsored by UB Plastics

CATEGORY CHAMPION: G GOLD Milestone Brewery Pilsner 4.0% S S ILVER: Loose Cannon Brewery 676 Lager 4.0%

Keg IPA (5.6% to 7.4%) Sponsored by Charles Faram

CATEGORY CHAMPION: G GOLD Black Iris Brewery Don’t Fear The NEIPA 6.5% S S ILVER: Attic Brew Co. Signals 5.6%

S S ILVER: Liquid Light Brew Co Loomer 6.5%

Keg Sour & Wild Ale

Keg Stout & Porter

G GOLD CATEGORY CHAMPION: Liquid Light Brew Co My Own Summer 3.2% S S ILVER: Loose Cannon Brewery Whamtastic 4.5% Little Brewing Company Ltd B BRONZE: Red sky at night 4.5%

(6.4% and under)

CATEGORY CHAMPION: G GOLD Titanic Brewery True Stout 4.5% S S ILVER: Stroud Brewery Big Cat 4.5% Shipstone’s Beer Company TA B BRONZE: Hollow Stone Brewing Co Krubera Mocha Stout 5.2% Stonehouse Brewery Limited B BRONZE: Saturnalia 4.6% Wye Valley Brewery B BRONZE: Nightjar 4.2%

Keg Premium Lager (4.5% to 6.4%)

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CATEGORY CHAMPION: G GOLD Clavell & Hind Clavell Premium Lager 4.8% S S ILVER: Freedom Brewery Helles 4.8% Wye Valley Brewery 1985 4.5% B BRONZE: Milestone Brewery B BRONZE: Helles lager 4.7%

Keg Imperial & Strong Ale (6.5% and over)

CATEGORY CHAMPION: G GOLD Loose Cannon Brewery Abingdon Bridge XB 6.5% S S ILVER: Mount Saint Bernard Trappist Brewery Tynt Meadow 7.4%

Keg Double & Triple IPA (7.5% and over)

G GOLD CATEGORY CHAMPION: Buxton Brewery Ltd King Slayer 8.0%

Keg Speciality & Flavoured Beer G GOLD CATEGORY CHAMPION: Salopian Brewery Lemon Dream Unfiltered 4.5% S S ILVER: Little Brewing Company Ltd The Italian Job 7.5% S S ILVER: Titanic Brewery Plum Porter Nitro 4.9%

Keg Speciality IPA CATEGORY CHAMPION: G GOLD Little Brewing Company Ltd Eton Mess 6.0% S S ILVER: Blue Monkey Brewery Californian West Coast IPA 5.5% S S ILVER: Salopian Brewery White Whale 5.1%

Keg British Ales (up to 6.4%)

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Cask Session Pale Ale (up to 4.4%)

Sponsored by Rankin Brothers & Sons

CATEGORY CHAMPION: G GOLD Bowness Bay Brewing Swan Blonde 4.0% S S ILVER: Spitting Feathers Brewery Thirst Quencher 3.9% S S ILVER: Bank Top Brewery Harlequin 4.2% Big Trip First Crush 4.2% B BRONZE: Lancaster Junction 34 3.4% B BRONZE: Great Corby Brewhouse Tizzie B BRONZE: Whizie 3.4%

Cask British Dark Beers (4.5% to 6.4%)

CATEGORY CHAMPION: G GOLD Keswick Brewing Co Dark Horse 6.0% S S ILVER: Neptune Brewery Abyss 5.0% S S ILVER: Kirkby Lonsdale Brewery Jubilee Stout 5.5% S S ILVER: Lancaster Black 4.5% S S ILVER: Fuzzy Duck Brewery Ruby Duck 5.3% Spitting Feathers Brewery B BRONZE: Rested.When.Expectant 4.9%

(up to 4.4%)

Cask Pale Ales (4.4% to 5.5%) Sponsored by GEA

G GOLD CATEGORY CHAMPION: Bank Top Brewery Palomino Rising 5.0% S S ILVER: Weetwood Ales Ltd Jester 4.8% Blackedge Brewing Co Ltd B BRONZE: Blonde 4.5% TJ Morris Brewing Ltd B BRONZE: Love Lane NEIPA 5.0% Spitting Feathers Brewery B BRONZE: Mouth.Pans.Hops 5.0% RedWillow Brewery Ltd B BRONZE: Wreckless 4.8%

Winter 2025 | SIBA Independent Brewer | www.siba.co.uk

Cask British Best Bitter (4.5% to 6.4%)

Sponsored by Rankin Brothers & Sons

G GOLD CATEGORY CHAMPION: Bank Top Brewery Pavilion Pale Ale 4.5%

Cask IPA

(5.6% and over)

Sponsored by Rankin Brothers & Sons

CATEGORY CHAMPION: G GOLD Big Trip Booyaka 6.4% S S ILVER: Tatton Brewery Massive Knut 6.0%

Cask Speciality Light Beers Sponsored by UB Plastics

CATEGORY CHAMPION: B BRONZE Tatton Brewery Lazy Haze 3.7%

Cask Speciality Amber to Dark Beer Sponsored by UB Plastics

CATEGORY CHAMPION: G GOLD Bank Top Brewery Port O’Call 5.0% S S ILVER: RedWillow Brewery Ltd Breakfast Stout 5.6% Spitting Feathers Brewery B BRONZE: Honey Trap 4.1% Blackedge Brewing Co Ltd B BRONZE: Black Port 4.9% Great Corby Brewhouse B BRONZE: Coffee Milk Stout 4.5%

Cask Imperial and Strong (6.5% and over)

Sponsored by UB Plastics

CATEGORY CHAMPION: G GOLD Wily Fox Brewery Dublin Up 4.5% RedWillow Brewery Ltd B BRONZE: Heartless 4.6% Kirkby Lonsdale Brewery B BRONZE: Dark of Side of the Lune 4.2%

Keg IPA (5.6% to 7.4%) Sponsored by Charles Faram

CATEGORY CHAMPION: G GOLD Big Trip WTAF 6.4% S S ILVER: RedWillow Brewery Ltd Cloudless 6.4%

Keg Sour & Wild Ale CATEGORY CHAMPION: G GOLD Lancaster Androids 4.5% Blackedge Brewing Co Ltd B BRONZE: Behind Blue Eyes 4.2%

Keg Speciality & Flavoured Beer

G GOLD CATEGORY CHAMPION: Jennings Brewery Helles 4.5% S S ILVER: SIlent Mill Brew Co Last Ninja 5.1% S S ILVER: RedWillow Brewery Ltd Godless 5.4%

Keg Amber, Brown & Red Ale (up to 6.4%)

CATEGORY CHAMPION: G GOLD Neptune Brewery Hells Canyon 5.3%

G GOLD CATEGORY CHAMPION: Lakes Brew Co Don’t Make Me Run 8.4% S S ILVER: Vocation Brewery Naughty & Nice White Chocolate & Raspberry 6.6% RedWillow Brewery Ltd B BRONZE: Restless 8.4%

Keg Speciality IPA G GOLD CATEGORY CHAMPION: Colbier Brew Co. Arpeggio 4.9%

www.siba.co.uk | SIBA Independent Brewer | Winter 2025

Brewery news

Community growers gather at Stroud Brewery for celebration of autumn Gardeners and allotment holders converged on Stroud Brewery for the annual meeting of the brewery’s Hop Club. The group prepared their home-grown harvests for brewing the annual seasonal special – Brewers Garden pale ale. This is the 16th year of this brewerycommunity partnership beer and, so convivial is the event, that the growers are joined by volunteers who haven’t grown any hops but enjoy helping to prepare the hops for brewing, sharing a pint and the social atmosphere. The hops are grown on plants given to growers by the brewery and the pale ale embodies Stroud’s sense of place and community. Nick Quayle has been growing hops for the brewery in his garden since the first Hop Picking Day in 2009. “It’s such an enjoyable and sociable event to be part of,” said Nick. “I enjoy watching the hop plant grow during the summer – after 15 years, it’s now very well established in my garden and grows up the side of my house and onto the roof!” Heather and Will Swail and their daughter, Erica, got involved as a Lockdown project and have loved it ever since. “During that first lockdown when the weather was glorious, we were frequently out in the garden like lots of people,” said Heather. “So we were delighted to get a free hop plant in return for our donation to the community crowdfunding appeal to save the brewery. Our plant grows over a lean-to and was taking over the washing line until I drew the line at that and insisted on a hard pruning back!” Their daughter, Erica who’s 8 years old (pictured), also enjoys the experience, and sees an added bonus, saying, “It gives my dad a nice break from work.” This tradition started when one of the brewery’s loyal customers offered to grow hops after seeing the small hop garden at the old brewery. Since then, the Hop Club has grown, attracting new members, and Hop Picking Day has become a cherished tradition at Stroud Brewery. This event is a favourite in the calendar for the brewery’s founder and MD, Greg Pilley. “I always look forward to Hop Picking Day. It’s a chance for us here at Stroud Brewery to do something fun with our community, especially as we love sharing the experience of beer making. Coming together to harvest the hops that the members of the Hop Club have grown and share a drink is a good way to mark the turn of the seasons. Plus we get to create a really tasty beer,” said Greg. All growers who prepare their hops at the annual event receive nine free pints of Brewers Garden as a thank you, and volunteers helping on the day enjoy a free pint. Find out more at www.stoudbrewery.co.uk

Arkell’s Brewery and French & Jupps unveil dark heritage beer Ancestry Arkell’s Brewery and French & Jupps have announced the launch of Ancestry (ABV 3.8%), a brand-new cask ale brewed in a collaboration between one of Britain’s oldest family brewers and Great Britain’s oldest maltster. Together, they have crafted a speciality dark heritage beer that celebrates more than five centuries of combined brewing tradition. Brewed exclusively for cask, Ancestry is a smooth, easydrinking, session-strength dark ruby ale. Head Brewer Alex Arkell selected a unique blend of French & Jupps' heritage roasted malts to build a complex flavour profile. The collaboration began in September when Alex and Foreman Brewer Bob Mercer visited French & Jupps’ historic maltings. They conducted an in-depth tasting and analysis of the malts, selecting the most complementary heritage profiles to shape the recipe. In late September, James Marinos from French & Jupps joined the team at Arkell’s Victorian brewhouse in Swindon to help brew the final product - a true meeting of traditions, where French & Jupps’ story dates back to 1689 and Arkell’s to 1843. Ancestry is the product of 518 years of shared tradition and expertise. Alex, a sixth generation family member, said: “It’s wonderful to work with another family business that has such a passion for their heritage and traditions just like we do. We brew our beer in one of the oldest breweries in this country, they malt their barley in the oldest maltings, could there be a better collaboration of brewing heritage?” Find out more at www.arkells.com

Winter 2025 | SIBA Independent Brewer | www.siba.co.uk

Brewery news

Belfast’s Bullhouse secures landmark national distribution deals

Bullhouse Brew Co, Northern Ireland’s largest independent brewery, has announced a significant dual retail expansion, representing a major milestone in the brewery’s national strategic growth. This expansion includes the launch of an exclusive, brand-new beer, Hoppy Days, into 310 Asda stores across the UK via their distribution partner, Cave Direct Ltd. Simultaneously, Bullhouse is deepening its commitment to its home market by listing three beers Pie Face, The Vibe, and Road Trippin' - into 12 key Sainsbury’s stores throughout Northern Ireland. This synchronised deployment across two of the UK's largest retailers is a powerful demonstration of the continued national demand for high-quality, independent Northern Irish beer. Bullhouse Brew Co is celebrating a watershed moment with the nationwide availability of Hoppy Days. This new exclusive release, a 5.0% ABV Hazy IPA, is rolling out into 310 Asda locations across Great Britain and Northern Ireland, including five specific NI stores in Antrim, Cookstown, Enniskillen, Omagh, and Coleraine. The substantial scale of this UK-wide listing significantly broadens the accessibility of the Bullhouse brand to a mass consumer audience. William Mayne, Managing Director of Bullhouse Brew Co, emphasised the strategic importance of this development. "Securing this UK-wide exclusive placement with a major retailer like Asda is a moment of immense pride and validates the quality and consistency we have built over the last nine years, a commitment recently recognised by being named Best Drinks Producer in the UK 2024 by the BBC as well as UK Brewery Business of the Year 2025 by SIBA. This move significantly expands accessibility for independent Northern Irish beer across Great Britain, fulfilling our ambition to meet national consumer demand and prove that independent Northern Irish breweries can compete on a national scale." Find put more at www.bullhousebrewco.com

Battle Brewery toasts success at Battle of Hastings re-enactment Battle Brewery is celebrating a triumphant weekend at the Battle of Hastings Re-enactment event after hosting its own beer hall for the first time under new ownership. The brewery poured more than 2,500 pints during the event on 11th and 12th October with all the beers proving popular, but in particular its 1066 Lager and Battleaxe bitter. Battle Brewery Managing Director Darren Edmonstone said: “We were thrilled to be part of the English Heritage team to help mark this incredibly important battle which changed the course of European history. “It was fantastic to see so many people enjoying our beers, especially our 1066 lager, which celebrates our local heritage in every sip. This success shows how much support there is for quality, locally made beer.” Battle Brewery has undergone a refresh with new branding, strategic direction and ambitious plans for growth. Operating from a new, purpose-built brewery in a beautiful woodland setting, the team prides itself on producing a range of traditional and craft beers made to the highest quality standards. Each beer is crafted using unique recipes that reflect the town’s rich history and character, with all products suitable for vegans and made with locally sourced ingredients wherever possible. Sustainability is also a key part of the brewery’s ethos, with spent grain fed to local livestock, water reused and fully recyclable e-kegs and e-casks helping to reduce transport emissions. Find out more at www.battlebrewery.com www.siba.co.uk | SIBA Independent Brewer | Winter 2025

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Winter 2025 | SIBA Independent Brewer | www.siba.co.uk

Brewery news

Rooster’s celebrates dual Sainsbury’s listings Sainsbury’s has added two beers from Rooster’s Brewing Co’s line-up to its range of independent beers within a selection of the supermarket’s Northern stores. Yankee, the Harrogate-based brewery’s flagship pale ale (4.3% ABV), first brewed over 30 years ago and named as a nod to being the first of its kind to use imported hops from the USA, has been selected along with Hazy Faced Assassin, a hazy IPA (5.7% ABV) launched by Rooster’s in May this year. The dual listing not only reflects Rooster’s continued innovation but also celebrates over three decades of brewing excellence. Founded in 1993, at a time when brown, malt-heavy ales dominated the market, Rooster’s helped redefine British beer with Yankee proving to become a pioneering pale ale that introduced drinkers to the bright, citrus-forward character of American hops.

The launch of Yankee in 500ml bottles across 26 selected stores in Yorkshire takes the Harrogate based brewery back to its roots, as it marks Rooster’s return to the package type for the first time in nearly a decade, with the brewery having been one of the first in the country to install a canning line back in 2014. “We’re proud to have both Yankee and Hazy-Faced Assassin sitting side by side in Sainsbury’s,” said Tom Fozard, Rooster’s Commercial Director. “Yankee is where our story began; over 30 years since it was first brewed it continues to be a very sought-after beer in all pack types. Equally, but for very different reasons, Hazy Faced Assassin is very much a beer of the here and now, so it’s particularly pleasing both have been selected side by side. Both beers embody our love of hops and unwavering devotion to brewing fantastic pale ales and IPAs.” Find out more at www.roosters.co.uk

Phipps NBC raises a glass at Westminster Northampton’s historic Phipps NBC raised a glass to its brewing heritage in the heart of Westminster recently, after Mike Reader, Labour MP for Northampton South, requested that one of the brewery’s classic beers, Phipps IPA, be served as the guest ale in the Strangers’ Bar inside the House of Commons. Attending the event were Johnny Howes, Managing Director of Phipps NBC, and Jeremy Phipps, the eighth-generation descendant of the brewery’s founder, Pickering Phipps, who first established the family’s brewing business in Northamptonshire in 1801. Phipps IPA, a 4.3% ABV traditional English India Pale Ale, is brewed to a recipe that dates back more than a century. With its distinctive balance of full malt body and clean, hoppy bitterness, the beer exemplifies the craftsmanship and heritage for which Phipps has long been known. The brewery’s journey is one of remarkable continuity and revival. From its founding in

(L–R) Johnny Howes, Managing Director of Phipps NBC, and Jeremy Phipps, eighth-generation descendant of founder Pickering Phipps, pictured in the Strangers’ Bar at the House of Commons

the early 19th century, Phipps grew into one of the Midlands’ best-loved brewers, supplying hundreds of pubs across Northamptonshire and beyond. Although the original brewery closed in the 1960s, the brand was revived in 2008, culminating in the opening of the Phipps NBC brewery and Albion Bar in the heart of Northampton in 2014. Today, the company continues to brew traditional cask ales using heritage recipes, local ingredients, and the

same commitment to quality that defined its founder’s vision more than 200 years ago. The beer was featured as part of a scheme run by the All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group and SIBA, which promotes independent British brewers by showcasing their beers in the Strangers’ Bar. Find out more at www.phipps-nbc.co.uk

www.siba.co.uk | SIBA Independent Brewer | Winter 2025

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Winter 2025 | SIBA Independent Brewer | www.siba.co.uk

Brewery news

Adnam’s Dan Gooderham judged Brewer of the Year in Brewer’s Choice Awards Adnams had a special reason to raise a glass recently, with the news that its own Head Brewer, Dan Gooderham, has been declared ‘Brewer of the Year’. Dan was selected from among a pool of brewing talent across the UK and Ireland, as part of The Brewers Journal Awards. His triumph follows a series of high profile awards and acknowledgements for the Adnams brand throughout the summer, including for Ghost Ship Alcohol Free and its Double Ghost IPA. Dan grew up around a brewpub called the Green Dragon in Bungay. His experience nurtured his love of brewing and inspired him to study for a BSc in Brewing & Distilling at Herriot-Watt University in Edinburgh.

Before enrolling in the final year of his degree, he took a voluntary year out to gain hands-on experience in the industry and worked as a laboratory technician with Fullers in Chiswick, West London. He graduated in 2010 and took a position with Adnams in early 2011. In 2021 he took on the role of Head Brewer. Reflecting his passion for his work, Dan said: “That’s a bit of a surprise. Thank you! Well, we’re a sum of our parts, aren’t we. So, thanks to all of the team as well, because we’ve got some super-talented brewers.” Fergus Fitzgerald, Production Director, said: “The entire Adnams team is incredibly proud of Dan. This is such a well deserved honour and a great way to applaud the commitment and passion which Dan throws into his work on our behalf.” Find out more at www.adnams.co.uk

Tintagel Brewery wins Cornwall Living Award for Best Food & Drink Producer Tintagel Brewery is celebrating after being named Best Food & Drink Producer at the Cornwall Living Awards 2025. The small, proudly independent brewery based on the North Cornish coast took home the title at a ceremony recognising the region’s best-loved businesses and makers. The award itself - a beautiful glass piece created by Cornish artist Jo Downs - now takes pride of place in the brewery. It marks another highlight in what has been an award-winning year for Tintagel Brewery, which has already received multiple Taste of the West Gold Awards and been a finalist in the Champion Beer of Britain competition. Founded on a commitment to quality and community, Tintagel Brewery produces a range of beers brewed with pure spring water drawn from its own land. Si Thresh, Head Brewer and Managing Director, said: “We’re absolutely over the moon. As a small, independent Cornish brewery, to be recognised among so many amazing producers means the world to us. A huge thank you to everyone who voted and continues to support independent beer.” For more information go to www.tintagelbrewery.co.uk

Abbeydale founder wins Lifetime Achievement Award Abbeydale Brewery is incredibly proud to share the news that the brewery’s founder, Patrick Morton, was the recipient of the Roger Ryman Lifetime Achievement Award at the prestigious Brewers Choice Awards 2025. The award recognises his immense contribution to the modern beer scene of the UK, and his unique legacy in creating the first Employee Owned brewery in the country. Pat’s career in the beer industry began at Kelham Island Brewery in 1992, where he was instrumental in the creation of many of their popular recipes, before setting out on his own and establishing Abbeydale Brewery almost thirty years ago. The business has gone from strength to strength ever since, and is now one of the largest and most highly regarded breweries in “real ale capital” Sheffield, capable of producing 240 brewers’ barrels per week, employing 25 talented, dedicated members of staff from the local area, and running a successful community pub – The Rising Sun, in Nether Green. It is this legacy that Pat, along with his wife Sue, chose to trust their team of employees with via the creation of an Employee Ownership Trust in 2024. The Brewers Choice Awards, organised by industry publication the Brewers Journal, were judged by a panel of experts from across the industry. Renowned beer writer Melissa Cole, who was one of the judging panel and along with the editor of the Brewers Journal, Tim Sheahan, presented the award, said of Pat’s achievement: “Pat’s commitment to providing the local community with a brewery that represents them and to then make it employee-owned means this award is not just deserved, it’s a great example for others to follow.” Find out more at www.abbeydalebrewery.co.uk

www.siba.co.uk | SIBA Independent Brewer | Winter 2025

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Brewery news

Gosnells Drinks takes over historic venue John the Unicorn

Castle Rock Brewery calls on SIBA Members to back its “31 Pubs in January” campaign

Tom Gosnell (founder) and Cameron McKenzie-Wilde (Sales & Marketing Director) at John the Unicorn

Gosnells Drinks, the Peckham-based brewers of Honey Drinks, has acquired a second venue, taking over John the Unicorn from the Portobello Pub Group. Under Gosnells ownership, existing staff will be retained, and the venue’s name will not be changed. According to founder Tom Gosnell: “It’s part of the fabric of Rye Lane. We love how the unicorn - something mythical, unique and just a bit unordinary - fits perfectly with Gosnells’ left-of-centre view of the world. We want to lean into what makes John the Unicorn iconic, while weaving in the Gosnells DNA - moments of unexpected delight, a bit of playfulness, and that feeling that you’ve stumbled into somewhere rare and prized." Evenings will see the return of the pizza menu alongside Gosnells’ range of Honey Nectars, cocktails, wine, beer and lowABV serves all on the bar. The team is developing an exciting programme of events and activities to encourage people to do

something a bit out of the ordinary - from live music to local collaborations and more. Gosnells Sales & Marketing Director, Cameron McKenzie-Wilde said: “We’re proud of how Gosnells has grown alongside changes and trends in consumer behaviour towards a more balanced lifestyle, especially considering the overall challenges in the drinks and hospitality industries. John the Unicorn gives us the Peckham home we have been looking for and enables us to reach more consumers and grow our community even further. We’re looking forward to the next few months as we grow John the Unicorn into a destination venue for drinks, food, and experiences in South London.” Tom Gosnell adds: “As both a brand and business, we strongly believe in ‘by Peckham, for Peckham’ so there’s an extra layer of pride that we’re taking over such a storied space in our own backyard. And that we get to share it with the community who’s supported us from the start.” Find out more at www.gosnells.co.uk

Orbit Beers gets festive with the return of Jolly Saint Nico London’s Orbit Beers is bringing back festive favourite Jolly Saint Nico - a spiced take on Orbit’s award-winning Köln Lager, Nico. Brewed for Christmas, and Christmas only, this returning customer favourite is part of Orbit Beers’ ever-evolving White Label Series range, brings together the crisp refreshment of a Kölsch-style beer with warming notes of nutmeg, clove, and allspice. Orbit’s flagship Nico is inspired by Cologne’s classic Kölsch style - a hybrid between lager and ale and named in tribute to musician Christa Päffgen, known as Nico. Jolly Saint Nico builds on that tradition, adding festive spice to the delicately balanced malt and hop profile of Nico Lager. Find out more at www.orbitbeers.com.

Nottingham’s Castle Rock Brewery is encouraging fellow SIBA Members to support its campaign, “31 Pubs in January,” which successfully rallied drinkers to support pubs through one of the toughest trading months of the year. Launched in January 2025, the campaign challenged patrons to visit and champion pubs 31 times throughout January, sharing their journey on social media using the hashtag #31PubsInJanuary. “January is a notoriously difficult time for pubs,” said Colin Wilde, Managing Director of Castle Rock Brewery. “We wanted to do something positive, to remind people that pubs aren’t just places to drink, they’re vital social hubs that hold our communities together.” With many pubs facing ever-rising energy costs, increased business rates, and higher employer National Insurance contributions, the campaign highlights the social and economic importance of keeping pubs open. “The pressure on the trade is huge,” Colin Wilde continued. “As independent brewers with a pub group, we share a responsibility and an opportunity to champion the other pubs that pour our beer and provide the spaces where friendships, memories, and communities are made.” Throughout the campaign, the Castle Rock team visited dozens of pubs, highlighting the resilience of publicans who continue to serve their communities despite challenging conditions. The response was overwhelming, sparking conversation across social media and within the local beer scene. Across Nottinghamshire and beyond, participants celebrated the role pubs play in their lives. While the 31 Pubs in January challenge finishes at the end of January, the message remains: support your local and celebrate the role pubs play in connecting people all year round. For more information visit www.castlerockbrewery.co.uk

www.siba.co.uk | SIBA Independent Brewer | Winter 2025

Supplier news

Croxsons strengthens its longstanding values with B Corp certification Leading glass packaging supplier Croxsons has received B Corporation (B Corp) certification, a globally recognised standard that measures social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability. The certification recognises Croxsons as part of a select group of innovative organisations that meet the highest verified standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability. Certified by B Lab, the non-profit organisation behind the B Corp movement, this achievement proves that Croxsons has legally embedded its commitment to purpose beyond profit into its operations. B Corp certification evaluates a business across five key areas: governance, workers, community, environment and customers. The thorough process took about a year to complete, with Croxsons’ longstanding values and established practices providing a solid foundation for the assessment. Tim Croxson, CEO of Croxsons, said: “We have a long history of wanting to make a difference, to our customers, our team and our local and global communities. B Corp gives us the accountability and transparency to demonstrate that we don’t just talk the talk, but we walk it too. It also provides a framework for how we can be even better. As a business, we can’t do everything, but we must do something.” Giving back is fundamental to Croxsons’ culture, with the company’s charitable foundation - The Milk & Honey Trust playing a vital role in its ethos. This dedication to social impact was a prominent aspect of the assessment and reflects the company’s belief in supporting both people and the environment. The certification also reinforces Croxsons’ core values of integrity, responsibility and long-term partnership. The company sees its achievement not as a milestone, but as a natural evolution of its longstanding approach to business, one that already prioritises stakeholders, communities and sustainability in every decision. Tim Croxson added: “Achieving B Corp status felt like a validation of who we are. It wasn’t about redesigning our business, but recognising the way we already work and the values we’ve always held. For us, this is not a moment in time, but an ongoing journey to improve; to be a better employer, a better partner and a positive influence within our industry.” Find out more at www.croxsons.com

Lemontop celebrates a decade of partnership with Charles Faram For more than a decade, Lemontop Creative’s partnership with Charles Faram has thrived, rooted in a shared passion for innovation within the brewing and distilling sector. Known globally as one of the most respected hop suppliers, Charles Faram has long been a cornerstone of the brewing community, and this collaborative journey has been dedicated to reflecting that legacy in every creative endeavour. From the earliest days of designing engaging websites and distinctive brand identities, through to producing polished promotional literature and ambitious international advertising campaigns, Lemontop’s mission has been to help elevate the Charles Faram brand. Working so closely with a company steeped in heritage has given the Lemontop team invaluable insights into the traditions and trends of the industry, allowing them to craft solutions that resonate with brewers and distillers worldwide. A key component of Charles Faram’s brand strategy has been its vibrant and tactile approach to merchandise. From socks and T-shirts to tote bags and playful sticker sets, every promotional item is designed to leave a lasting impression. These memorable pieces not only add a sense of fun and personality to the brand but also strengthen its visibility across breweries, taprooms, and industry events. What makes this collaboration so rewarding, according to the Lemontop team, is Charles Faram’s enthusiasm for creativity and innovation. They embrace bold ideas and imaginative campaigns, while still appreciating the power of clear, concise communication. This balance ensures that each project - whether a digital campaign or a physical showpiece - delivers impact in a fast-moving, competitive market. Working with Charles Faram is more than a professional relationship; it’s a creative partnership built on trust and shared passion for the brewing craft. Every project offers an opportunity to explore new aspects of design and storytelling, helping the brand connect with its audience in meaningful, memorable ways. The Lemontop team are proud to continue supporting Charles Faram as they inspire brewers and distillers around the globe, reinforcing their position as an industry leader for years to come. Find out more at www.lemontopcreative.com

Winter 2025 | SIBA Independent Brewer | www.siba.co.uk

Supplier news

Moody Direct Celebrates 50 years This year marks a remarkable milestone for Moody Direct, a name synonymous with quality and reliability in the hygienic processing industry. Founded in November 1975, the company has grown from a small equipment-focused business into a nationwide provider of solutions across all aspects of hygienic process engineering – and even expanded into selected industrial sectors.

Great step forward for sustainable barley growing, as Field Forward is launched by Crisp Crisp Malt has announced the largest sustainable agriculture initiative in the UK malting industry. The company’s Field Forward initiative will mark a significant step forward for brewers and distillers looking to advance sustainability credentials of their supply chains. “We’re incredibly proud to launch this bold step towards securing the long-term sustainability of our barley supply,” says Ellie Wood, sustainability coordinator at Crisp. “Field Forward aims for continuous improvement in four key impact areas: soil health, water usage, biodiversity and greenhouse gas emissions. At the heart of the scheme is a data-driven approach to sustainable farming, built around a clear methodology. “The principles behind Field Forward are simple: work in partnership with our growers; gather data; analyse it; share it; agree targets; and drive sustainable agricultural practices.” The initiative was developed through Crisp’s ABC Grower Group, which comprises around 200 farms. Originally formed to ensure high quality barley and dependable contracts to support farmers, the ABC Grower Group has become a well-established, trusted hub of knowledge exchange and agronomic collaboration. Field Forward is being rolled out in partnership with Crisp’s Scottish Grower Group, with the first phase of data collection beginning here. Grower Group members have been surveyed on their farming practices and are submitting data on metrics relating to the four areas of soil health, water, biodiversity and greenhouse gas emissions. This they

do via the Map of Ag data platform. A baseline for the group has been established; key achievements revealed; higher risk areas identified; and opportunities to improve highlighted. “Grower Groups will be able to build a broad picture of the most successful practices in different locations, dependent on their varying topography, soil types and micro-climates,” says Ellie. “Once they have that picture, we can work with our merchants and farmers to set realistic targets for the Group. “The targets will be specific to the context of the Grower Group, and farmers will make their own decisions on how to meet them. The great thing is, through Field Forward, they will have empirical data on which to base their choices. “Field Forward isn’t a tick-box exercise. It tracks the same farms year after year to show real progress over time. It’s about ongoing data-gathering and realistic, measurable targets. It will help build on-farm resilience and secure Crisp’s supply chain for the longterm. In doing so, it will also help secure the supply chains of our brewing and distilling customers.”

From its early days supplying reconditioned dairy processing equipment, Moody’s quickly earned a reputation for technical expertise and customer-first values. Over the decades, the company expanded its portfolio to offer comprehensive supply, installation, maintenance, and refurbishment services for pumps, valves, heat exchangers, homogenisers, high speed separators and other process-critical equipment. Today, Moody Direct’s reach extends far beyond its original niche, supporting food, beverage, pharmaceutical, brewery, and industrial clients with the same commitment to efficiency, quality, and innovation that shaped its beginnings. In 2016, long-standing employee David Tomlinson partnered with Ken Wild to acquire Moody Direct and lead the business into its next chapter. Together, they drove significant investment in people, facilities, and technology, strengthening the company’s nationwide service network and broadening its expertise. A cornerstone of that investment has been the development of a strong, skilled team through Moody Direct’s successful apprenticeship programme. Over the years, the scheme has produced a significant number of talented young engineers – many of whom have grown with the business and remain valued members of the team today. "Having worked for Moody Direct for many years, I understood the standards and values that made us successful," said David Tomlinson, Director. "Ken and I focused on building on that foundation, ensuring we stay true to our heritage while adapting to the ever-changing needs of our customers and technological advances in the industries we serve."

To ensure integrity and transparency, the scheme’s claims will be verified by an independent third party audit, using the Sustainable Agriculture Initiative (SAI) Platform’s Regenerating Together Programme. This is a global standard for sustainable agriculture that can be applied to all crops, in all contexts, across the globe.

In October 2024, Moody Direct entered a new chapter by joining the AxFlow UK family, part of the Swedish based Axel Johnson AB Group – made up of over 200 companies focused on the industrial process sectors, across 35 countries. This acquisition opens the door to even greater technical resources, a wider product range, and enhanced service capabilities.

The merchants involved in the ABC Grower Group have welcomed Field Forward as an opportunity to deliver meaningful sustainability outcomes.

As Moody Direct celebrates its 50th anniversary, it does so with gratitude to its loyal customers, dedicated employees, and trusted suppliers – and with a clear focus on the future.

Find out more at www.crispmalt.com

Find out more at www.moodydirect.com

www.siba.co.uk | SIBA Independent Brewer | Winter 2025

R E L I A B L E C LO S U R E S T H AT H E L P S E A L , P ROT EC T A N D ADD VALUE TO BRAN D S SPILES

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CLIP CORKS

NES STO

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+44 (0)1844 203100 sales@rankincork.co.uk rankincork.co.uk

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Winter 2025 | SIBA Independent Brewer | www.siba.co.uk

Supplier news

Celebrating the future of brewing: HIT Training’s Brewer Apprenticeship Graduation at The Albert Hall The historic Albert Hall in Nottingham played host to a landmark celebration in the UK brewing calendar: the HIT Training Ltd Brewer Apprenticeship Graduation. With 35 proud graduates in attendance, joined by their families, friends, and senior figures from across the brewing industry, the event marked a powerful moment of recognition for the next generation of brewing talent. The day was more than a graduation - it was a showcase of collaboration, innovation, and the vibrant future of British brewing. HIT Training Ltd, renowned for its commitment to vocational excellence, partnered with the International Centre for Brewing Science (ICBS) to deliver an afternoon of technical lectures and industry insights. These sessions offered graduates and guests a deep dive into the evolving science and craft of brewing, reinforcing the importance of continuous learning and innovation in the sector. A highlight of the event was the final of HIT Training’s prestigious Untapped Brewing Competition, where seven talented finalists presented their brews to a panel of expert judges. The competition, designed to spotlight creativity and technical skill among apprentice brewers, culminated in the awarding of a generous prize and the coveted Untapped title. The finalists’ work demonstrated not only brewing excellence but also a passion for pushing boundaries and redefining flavour profiles. Adding further prestige to the occasion, SIBA’s CEO Andy Slee extended a personal

invitation to the Untapped finalists to enter the inaugural SIBA Brewer Apprentice of the Year competition at next year’s BeerX event in Liverpool. This gesture underscores the growing recognition of apprenticeship pathways as vital to the health and innovation of the brewing industry. The atmosphere at the Albert Hall was one of pride and optimism. Industry leaders mingled with graduates, sharing stories, advice, and encouragement. The event served as a powerful reminder of the importance of nurturing talent and creating clear pathways into the brewing profession. It also highlighted the role of organisations like HIT Training Ltd and ICBS in shaping a skilled, passionate, and forwardthinking workforce. As the brewing industry faces both challenges and opportunities—from sustainability and supply chain shifts to changing consumer tastes—the graduates of 2025 stand ready to lead with knowledge, creativity, and resilience. Their achievements, celebrated in such a grand setting, reflect not only personal milestones but also the collective progress of an industry committed to excellence. In the words of one graduate, “Today isn’t just about finishing an apprenticeship - it’s about beginning a journey in an industry that’s constantly evolving, and being part of that evolution.” With the success of this year’s graduation and the momentum of the Untapped competition, HIT Training Ltd continues to set the standard for apprenticeship excellence in brewing. The future, it seems, is in very capable hands. Find out more at www.hittraining.co.uk

Inspiration expands print capabilities with bold new technologies This year has been an exciting year for the team at Inspiration, as the company continues to invest in modern, high performance factory machinery and equipment to expand its print service offering. Originally known for its expertise in glassware, Inspiration is proud to announce its most exciting advancement yet in glassware printing. The company can now offer multi-colour printing on a selection of its most popular glassware products. This new technology enables printing in up to four colours on precisely aligned artwork, while maintaining the company’s short lead times and low minimum order quantities. This development marks an important step forward for Inspiration, reflecting the company’s commitment to innovation and continuous improvement. It’s an exciting new offering that allows its brilliant customers to bring even more creativity and vibrancy to their designs. In addition to glassware, the company has also invested in its clothing printing division, introducing a new Direct-to-Garment (DTG) printing service. This method is not only a more sustainable way to print, but it also enables full-colour designs with a minimum order quantity of just one. This gives customers greater flexibility when it comes to sampling, personalisation, and repeat orders. These latest developments represent an exciting step forward for Inspiration, highlighting the firm’s ongoing commitment to innovation, sustainability, and customer satisfaction. Find out more at www.inspiration-gifts.co.uk

www.siba.co.uk | SIBA Independent Brewer | Winter 2025

! W E

Like the brewing visionaries Anton Dreher and Gabriel Sedlmayr, we at AEB spend a lot of time looking through a microscope searching for the perfect yeast strain to make your beer the best. FERMOLAGER Munich Heritage yeast is the ideal choice for brewing the world’s greatest Lager styles. A hugely versatile bottom-fermenting yeast intended for the production of a wide range of European lager style beers, from the highly traditional Märzen styles of Munich and the more deeply coloured, Dunkles and Bocks and the drier brews of Vienna to more contemporary styles like Bohemian Pilsner and Bavarian Helles.

Apparent attenuation: 78-80% Fermentation Temperature: 10-14°C / 50-57°F Flocculation: Medium-High Alcohol tolerance: 9-10% ABV Aroma and Flavour: This low-diacetyl producing strain, produces low levels of esters, sulphur compounds and higher alcohols, leading to beers with a clean mouthfeel showing delicate noble hop flavours over an underlying malt structure.

www.aeb-group.com

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Winter 2025 | SIBA Independent Brewer | www.siba.co.uk

Supplier news

BFBi Upcoming Events Round-up BFBi Western Section Seminar & Lunch 2026: Exploring the Future of No/Low Brewing at DEYA Brewery Date: Friday 6th February 2026 Location: DEYA Brewery, Cheltenham

New insurance solution from Partners& backs independent breweries with tailored coverage In a significant boost for the independent brewing industry, a new insurance solution has been launched, specifically crafted to meet the unique challenges faced by small and medium-sized breweries. Backed by global insurance giant AXA, this innovative policy goes the extra mile, offering a suite of protections that speak directly to the heart of brewing operations. Key features include: - Product liability cover that extends to North America, a critical market for many UK-based craft breweries. This opens doors for international expansion with the peace of mind that certain legal and financial risks are mitigated. - Product recall cover up to £100,000, a crucial safety net in a sector where reputational damage from a faulty batch can have far-reaching consequences. - Cover up to £10,000 for bursting bottles or barrels—an often underestimated risk that has been recently highlighted in the press. A notable aspect of the Partners& solution includes extended business interruption coverage to include yeast contamination, addressing a hazard that can bring production to a standstill. For breweries, where the integrity of the yeast strain is often the backbone of brand identity, this inclusion is a clear recognition of the nuanced risks these businesses face. This new offering developed by the team at Partners& marks a refreshing shift toward insurance solutions that truly understand the operational realities of independent brewers. With AXA’s backing and a thoughtfully constructed policy structure, it’s a timely solution for an industry that continues to innovate - and needs insurance that can keep up. As independent breweries grow in number and ambition, having comprehensive, industry-specific coverage isn’t just smart - it’s essential. This product offers not just financial protection, but crucially the confidence for brewers to maintain production and innovation. For more information, contact Rebecca Merry, Managing Partner – Schemes (rebecca.merry@partnersand.com), or Richard Grosvenor, Managing Partner – Business Development (Richard.Grosvenor@ partnersand.com)

The BFBi Western Section will kick off the 2026 events calendar in style with a morning of innovation, insight, and industry networking at one of the UK’s most dynamic independent breweries DEYA Brewery in Cheltenham. As the no/low alcohol category continues to surge across the drinks market, this year’s Seminar & Lunch will dive deep into the opportunities and challenges facing independent brewers and cider makers looking to master the craft of flavourful, fullbodied no/low beverages. Seminar Focus: No/Low Beer & Cider Production The seminar programme will feature back-to-back technical sessions exploring every stage of no/low alcohol production. Following the seminars, guests will enjoy a networking lunch and the opportunity to continue discussions with peers, speakers, and sponsors - all within the vibrant surroundings of DEYA’s taproom, followed by a brewery tour for those who wish to see behind the scenes. The BFBi Western Section Seminar & Lunch at DEYA Brewery promises a day of knowledge-sharing, technical insight, and community - celebrating the innovation and collaboration driving the future of no/low beer and cider. Further details, including booking information and the full speaker line-up, will be announced soon via BFBi channels. Additional Events on the BFBi Calendar • Cellar to Seller: Cellar Familiarisation Day – 27th January 2026, Holywell, Loughborough • Northern Section Annual Lunch – 26th February 2026, Aspire, Leeds • The International Brewing & Cider Awards Victoria Warehouse, Manchester 3-5th March 2026 – Judging 6th March - Awards Medal Announcements & Trade Day • National Annual Lunch hosting the IBCA – 20th May 2026, Guildhall, London Visit www.bfbi.org.uk for full event details and registration information.

www.siba.co.uk | SIBA Independent Brewer | Winter 2025

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Winter 2025 | SIBA Independent Brewer | www.siba.co.uk

Supplier Viewpoint: PLAATO.io Supplier Viewpoint

Capacity is a data problem before it’s a capex problem Magnus Valmot, CEO of PLAATO.io, looks at why collecting and analysing the right data is critical to success in brewing… Across the brewing world, there’s a familiar dilemma during the peak season: the tanks are full, demand is strong, and the next instinct is to add more capacity. But more often than not, the real constraint isn’t the hardware - it’s the visibility. At PLAATO, we’ve seen that capacity, and brewing consistency is first and foremost a data problem. When brewhouse, cellar, and packaging data all live in separate systems, and too often in spreadsheets - teams work hard but still operate partly blindfolded. By connecting all the data sources, breweries uncover where time, energy and liquids are being lost; and in the process often freeing up capacity they didn’t know they had. The hidden cost of silos Most breweries collect plenty of data, but it’s locked away: one system operating the brewhouse, another in the cellar, and an entirely different setup on the packaging line. That makes it almost impossible to see the full picture or trace cause and effect across the process. As one quality manager in the US told us, “It’s hard to do this job when you’re flying blind.” When information stays in silos, inefficiencies hide in plain sight. By unifying this data — by connecting the existing PLCs — breweries gain a live, continuous view of performance. They can compare batches, track utilisation, and predict issues before they cause problematic stoppages.

Seeing the brewery as one system For independent breweries, that connected view is a way of supporting tighter quality control and faster analysis. Instead of pulling reports from different systems, their team can now see more of the process in one unified view. A large US craft brewery described the experience of using PLAATO Insights as “really close to what I envisioned with a system like this” - one connected platform that mirrors the way brewers actually think about their process. This isn’t theory; it’s happening today across a growing number of breweries using PLAATO Insights to translate raw process data into daily decision support. From reactive to predictive A successful European brewery recently used Insights to take their operation to the next level. Their goal is simple: boost capacity and improve brewing consistency without adding headcount. By correlating historical mash and fermentation data, they can identify seasonal trends, see that ambient temperature is affecting the process, and adjust parameters proactively. The system can also track flow rates and transfer times, flagging early signs of pump and conveyor wear. The result of Insights is a shift from reactive firefighting to predictive, data-driven control — steadier throughput, fewer stoppages, and more product available when it was needed most. What to measure — and why it matters

•F irst-time-right rate: The share of batches meeting all specs. •P lanned vs. actual cycle time: A clear view of where time disappears. These numbers reveal capacity gains that would otherwise go unnoticed. In many breweries, reclaiming even 3–5% of lost time equals the output of an additional tank — with no capex at all. Allowing breweries to increase production, or as some of our customers have done: reduced working hours while maintaining production. Industrial AI empowering smart beverage production This is where technology can genuinely serve brewers. PLAATO’s approach to industrial AI is practical, not abstract: algorithms highlight deviations, predict maintenance needs, and learn the rhythms of each brewery over time. The result isn’t more data — it’s clearer priorities and faster decisions. As one brewer told us, “You’re turning data into information — and information into practical decision support.” That’s what transformation should look like: actionable, grounded, and scalable. The competitive advantage of clarity Independent brewers have always innovated under constraint. Today, that same mindset applies to information: the breweries that make the best use of their data will adapt fastest, waste less, and grow stronger. Learn more at www.plaato.io/ products/insights

Every brewery, large or small, can benefit from a few key metrics: • Tank utilisation: True time from fill to empty, not just scheduled duration.

www.siba.co.uk | SIBA Independent Brewer | Winter 2025

Gold & Silver members

SIBA Gold members BrewMan

SIBA Silver members Anton Paar Ltd

Breww Ltd

Tertia Rimell tertia.rimell@anton-paar.com

Pneumatic Scale Angelus

Charles Faram

Colorscan Imaging Products

Rankin Brothers & Sons

James Gardner sales@premiersystems.com Max Andrew max@breww.com Charlie Gorham CharlieGorham@charlesfaram.co.uk

Close Brothers Beverage Finance

Nigel Forster nigel@colorscan.biz

Tom Bowdige tom.bowdige@bwpackagingsystems.com

Jim Rankin jim@rankincork.co.uk

Antonietta Miller antoniette.miller@closebrothers.com

Crisp Malting Group

Colin Johnston colin.johnston@crispmalt.com

Croxsons

Tim Croxson Tim.croxson@croxsons.com

ekeg

Becki Mason rebecca.mason@ekeg.co.uk

GEA UK

Beverley Beckley-Lines Beverley.Beckleylines@gea.com

Kegstar

James Bleakley jamesb@kegstar.com

Loughran Brewers Select Digby Fullam marketing@malt.ie

Murphy & Son

Hannah Waterfield christina.crook@murphyandson.co.uk

Napthens LLP

James Allison James.Allison@napthens.co.uk

Thomas Fawcett & Sons

Mungo Fawcett mfawcett@fawcett-maltsters.co.uk

Timo Leukel timo.leukel@rastal.com

Glassware Branding

Richard Ross richard.ross@cnc-group.co.uk

IGC Engineering Ltd

Chris Hamlett chrishamlettigc@onetel.com

Simpsons Malt

LALLEMAND BREWING

Vale Labels Ltd

Matt Riches mattr@valelabels.co.uk

Lemon Top Creative

Andy Mogg hello@lemontopcreative.com

Muntons PLC

Wine Box Company

Vanessa Makings vanessa.makings@muntons.com

Marketing Team marketing@wbc.co.uk

UB Plastics

Andre Cos CoxAndrew@ubplastics.co.uk

Willis Publicity

Carl Andrews Carl@willispublicity.co.uk

Winter 2025 | SIBA Independent Brewer | www.siba.co.uk

Signature

RESIN FLOORS

Martin Inglis martininglis@simpsonsmalt.co.uk

Lallemand Brewing Andrew Paterson apaterson@lallemand.com

Signature Resin Floors

Donna Clayton donna@signatureresinfloors.co.uk

Festival Glass

Kelsey Cheesbrough Kelsey@festivalglass.co.uk

Rastal GmbH & Co KG

Gold & Silver members confirmed as at 30/11/2025

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www.siba.co.uk | SIBA Independent Brewer | Winter 2025

PO BOX 136, Ripon, North Yorkshire, HG4 5WW

SIBA Head Office: 01765 640441

Board of Elected Directors

SIBA Team

Chairman of SIBA Richard Naisby Vice-Chairman of SIBA Anthony Hughes

Andy Slee Chief Executive andy.slee@siba.co.uk

East

Rachel Harriott Head of Membership Services rachel.harriott@siba.co.uk Neil Walker Head of Comms & Marketing neil.walker@siba.co.uk Barry Watts Head of Public Affairs & Policy barry.watts@siba.co.uk Elle Spencer-Blanchard Membership Services Administrator elle.spencerblanchard@siba.co.uk Emma Guneyogullari Membership Services Assistant emma.guneyogullari@siba.co.uk Megan Brecken Events & Marketing Officer megan.brecken@siba.co.uk Forbes Coleman Business Development Executive forbes.coleman@siba.co.uk All General Enquiries contact office@siba.co.uk

Existing members wishing to contact your regional representatives can use the relevant regional e-mail addresses listed below. For individuals, just type firstname.lastname@siba.co.uk

Chair Richard Naisby Ian Rydings Matthew Ashford Tom Foddy

Midlands

Chair Anneli Baxter Anthony Hughes Sam Back Libby Elswood

North East

Chair Joe Joyce Ian Fozard Alex Balchin

North West

Chair Paul Jones Ben Croston John Morrisey

Northern Ireland Chair William Mayne Chris Morris

Scotland

Chair Ian McGrath Jamie Delap Conall Low

South East

Chair Andy Parker Andy Hayward Dave Hayward

South West

Chair Paul Arrowsmith Alan Collyer Paul Dimond

Wales

Philip Thomas Sara Webber Dr Malcolm Herbert

Winter 2025 | SIBA Independent Brewer | www.siba.co.uk

Milton Brewery (Chair of the Board) Leigh on Sea Brewery Oakham Ales Ltd Wells & Co Loose Cannon Brewing Co Ltd Lincoln Green Brewing Co Ltd (Vice-Chair of the Board) Attic Brew Co Goffs Brewery Harrogate Brewing Rooster’s Brewery Ltd Wold Top Brewery Cloudwater Brew Co Fuzzy Duck Brewery Vocation Brewery Bullhouse Brewing Co Modest Beer Brewing Co Beath Brewing Fyne Ales Wasted Degrees Brewing Elusive Brewing Ltd Thames Side Brewery Indie Rabble Brew Co Isca Ales Ltd The Exeter Brewery Branscombe Vale Brewery Bragdy Twt Lol Brewery S A Brain & Co Core of the Poodle

www.siba.co.uk | SIBA Independent Brewer | Winter 2025

Software actually designed for breweries

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