Nant Fawr Brews – Détails, épisodes et analyse

Porter is a fantastic beer style. Dark, tasty... and never far away from a story (many of which may not be accurate!). Even the name itself - Porter - is often misunderstood (listen to the episode to understand why).

Joining me on this episode is beer writer Martyn Cornell who has written many excellent books on beer, plus is the creative force behind the incredible Zythophile blog (where you will get happily lost in hours and hours of beer knowledge, history and research).

Martyn knows his Porter. In fact in June he's publishing a new book all about it! In this episode he shares his vast knowledge. For example, did you know that at one stage Porter was as popular as lager is today?

Martyn is a very effective beer historian and researcher and he loves to find out the real truth behind what we might think are well-known beer facts from history... but often don't add up.

This episode focuses on Porter as a style, and reveals so many fascinating stories from its history, but we also talk more widely about beer writing, beer history and home brewing.

Buy a Porter and enjoy it while you listen!

Check out Martyn's amazing blog:

zythophile.co.uk

...and also his brilliant books:

Around The World in 80 Beers

and

Amber, Gold & Black

A concept episode. Can an interesting beer lead you to discover an interesting bit music you otherwise would not have found? What about the other way around?

Former guest Ransom (a musician, author and podcaster) joins me to find out.

This is Brews n Tunes #1 (yep, it worked so well, we're definitely doing it again at some point).

Here's the concept. Ransom picks a bit of music to inspire me. I pick a beer to inspire him. Using his choice of music as a starting point I go on the search for a new beer for us both to try that relates back to it. Ransom does the same, but he's hunting for music somehow related to the beer I chose him.

Go with it. It works, I promise.

And boy, do we end up in some interesting places. Abraham Lincoln, a musician who pretended to attend a university to teach himself music, a brewery in a fake castle... and an absolutely astonishing revelation about San Miguel that I bet you don't know... yet.

Grab a beer - with or without alcohol - give yourself 36 mins, find somewhere comfy and join our fascinating conversation...

What does it take to start a tap room and brewery that is loved by the local community but can also run as a sustainable business?

Beer and brewing is a hobby for many, but taking it to the next level and making a living out of it is a big step. It's one that John Jackson did not take lightly.

John's brewery and taproom - Wild Parrot Brewing Company in Pasadena, California, USA - took a while to go from concept to actuality, because he took his time and did it right.

His story is fascinating and funny at times, but also instructive and thought-provoking. Beer and community are in his heart, but his head is screwed on tight.

There are brewing, business and life lessons galore in this episode... plus once you've listened, you'll truly understand why "pandemonium" is in the title of the episode.

Enjoy.

To check out Wild Parrot, go to:

www.wildparrotbrewing.com

Why do beer bottles and cans look the way they do? Do we choose beers only with our tastebuds... or are we more influenced by branding and marketing than we care to admit?

Ben Dunning is Course Leader & Senior Lecturer BA(Hons) Graphic Design (Visual Communication and Illustration) at University of West London. So, when it comes to design he knows his stuff.

He's also a good friend of mine, my brother-in-law and a beer lover. So we came up with an idea. Wouldn't it be fun to pick 3 beers each and talk about why they look the way they do? With Ben's expertise he could weave in some design theory and together we could analyse the bottles and cans we choose to drink in an entirely new and revealing way.

I had a feeling this would be fun and fascinating and it really is. From legend beers and local upstarts to infamous newcomers and jump-out-at-you-from-the-beer-fridge curveballs, they all have a design story... and they've probably all been telling you things (subconsciously) that you didn't even realise.

Grab a beer, find a comfy spot and have a listen - you will never look at a beer quite the same way again!

Des de Moor knows his stuff. A hugely respected beer writer, critic and author, he has decided to write the book about Cask Beer that fills the gaps in all of our knowledge of this legendary ale style.

Des's new book - 'Cask Beer: The Real Story of Britain's Unique Beer Culture' - is out today, August 1st 2023.

What a brilliant excuse to talk all things Cask with such a global authority. Our conversation dispels myths, unlocks hidden history and - perhaps most importantly - brings to life the unique heights that this traditional style reaches.

A well-brewed, properly looked after and carefully served pint of Cask Beer is simply magical. It gives you a drinking experience that no other beer style can.

Listen to this episode, get enthused... then go out to your local Cask-friendly pub and sample a pint or 3 of Cask (and why not order Des's book while you do - link below):

Order your copy of 'Cask Beer: The Real Story of Britain's Unique Beer Culture' here

There's a contradiction at the heart of beer, drinking and pub culture. Sharing a drink with your mates, or even just with the people you only ever see down your local... is great for your mental health. Support, community, conversation and laughter are all good positive things.

And yet...

Alcohol is dangerous. Sadly it is that simple. It's too easy to drink to self-medicate or attempt to ease anxiety is a non-healthy way.

All of which makes this episode about beer and mental health absolutely fascinating. Emma Inch is a highly regarded beer writer and critic... and also a mental health professional. She is about to launch a podcast called 'Same Again' which will explore this exact subject, so I wanted to talk to her about it and support the discussion she is trying to enable.

As well as mental health, we discuss Emma's beer writing (she has written with some legends in the game, let's put it that way) and she has some cracking recommendations on beers to try from near and far.

Plus, as an industry expert, Emma has some insightful thoughts on the current state of the UK beer scene.

Get comfortable, grab a beer and enjoy listening to this one...

To find out the latest about 'Same Again' and all of Emma Inch's other work and projects, follow her on Twitter (@fermentradio)

Steve Dunkley (aka Beer Nouveau) has done everything you can do in beer. From glass collector to cellarman, home brewer, commercial brewer, taproom owner, beer writer, critic and everything else in between. He is just a hugely respected grassroots beer expert... and I'm so grateful to have him as a guest on Nant Fawr Brews.

We cover a lot in this episode. First up, #LabelsOff, which is Steve's brilliant new initiative to bring the fun of blind tasting back to beer... but with a purpose. The aim is for everyone to be able to understand beer styles better and, as a result, be brave enough to move past the hype, bluster (and often confusing) label-speak that has gone a little over the top. Move beyond the hype and you find brilliant beers made by smaller breweries that will only survive with our custom.

Steve and I also discuss the overall state of the UK brewing industry. Few are better placed than Steve to comment. There is fascinating stuff here on what new beer duty rules mean for the industry and the kind of future they might bring.

Finally, Steve gives some lovely insights on what all brewers can learn from finding out more about brewing's incredible history. In particular, he makes a great case for seeing hop creep as an essential benefit of cask brewing, not something to be managed out of the process with modern methods.

...and his final sign-off advice for home brewers is one we all need to engrave on a sign and put up in our kitchens / sheds / garages... so make sure you listen all the way to the end for that one.

To find out more about Steve and Beer Nouveau, follow him on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/BeerNouveau

To learn more about #LabelsOff and to get involved, follow the project on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/LabelsOffUK

Do you dismiss no and low alcohol beer as something you'd only have as a last resort? This episode may convince you that it's time to change your mind...

A recent concussion left me off the booze for a while (and also partly explains why there hasn't been an NFB episode in a few weeks). But in a way, I'm grateful. It made me look again at low and no alcohol beer... and that led me to an old friend and a new episode.

A Glimpse Of A Better Future

Years ago, I was one of Dry Drinker's early customers. I was training for a marathon and wanted to lay off the alcohol for a while. I searched online and found a local company - Dry Drinker - specialising in low and no alcohol beer. I ordered a box and the owner himself - a guy called Stuart - turned up on my doorstep to deliver the beers. We got chatting and he shared his vision for a future where low and no alcohol beers would be comparable in range and quality to traditional beers... and that we would all be drinking a lot more of them.

Fast forward 6 years and that guy Stuart is chatting to me again, this time on the Nant Fawr Brews podcast. Things have gone brilliantly for DryDrinker.com in the intervening years and it's all turned out pretty much as Stuart hoped. That's something he deserves some credit for because he showed belief early and made it possible for UK drinkers to access the higher quality low and no alcohol beers that previously only existed on the continent.

Now the "no and low" scene is thriving and the UK brewing community has embraced the opportunity. Tastes, behaviours and attitudes to alcohol are evolving and the market is responding. In this episode, Stuart Elkington (CEO of Dry Drinker) tells his story. There's the lovely tale of what made Stuart first move toward low and no alcohol beer and how that initial pivot turned into a vision and a business that would change his life. We also talk about some fascinating innovation in the industry as relaxation-encouraging ingredients other than alcohol start to appear in completely new types of drink.

Time To Try Again

My recent reconnection with low and no alcohol beer was born of necessity. But the step change improvement in quality I found has already changed the way I drink. One particular brand of beers - Insel Brauerie's Alcohol-Free range - I've found to be so good (honestly better than some traditional beers I've had) that I will look forward to drinking them regularly. My plan is to drink them on a Sunday night so I can try to stick to a 5-2 plan (5 days no alcohol, only drink on Fridays and Saturdays) more regularly.

"My brain doesn't care whether it's got alcohol in it or not, it's the combination of those ingredients, nice and cold... the "Aaah" moment on a Friday evening" - Stuart Elkington, Dry Drinker

Low and no alcohol beer is now good enough that it can deliver what Stuart called the "Aah moment" when you crack open your first beer of the evening on a Friday night. That wasn't always the case, but I genuinely think it is now. What that means for the beer drinker is choice... and an opportunity.

Stuart says that 80% of his customers are drinkers of alcohol, which means they are using low and no alcohol beers as part of a mixed approach. It doesn't have to be binary. I don't think the dividing lines between drinkers and teetotallers are especially useful. We all know it is good to drink less, but that doesn't have to mean giving up entirely (though I understand and respect that approach is the right choice for some).

Have A Drink On Us - A Discount Code for Dry Drinker

If you'd like to have a try of some low and no alcohol beers, then NFB and DryDrinker have got you covered. Use this exclusive discount code and get 15% off at DryDrinker.com. The code is: NFB15

Resources:

Here's a link to the Dry Drinker - https://drydrinker.com/

For a closer look at Insel Brauerie - https://insel-brauerei.de/en/All-beers/Alcohol-free-Series/

My Twitter handle is @ProducerAndy

Simon Oakes is a Cardiff-based musician who, as well as having a bona-fide rock'n'roll pedigree (supporting Phil Collins at Hyde Park no less) is a Geography academic and author. 

But more importantly than any of that, he has - in exchange for a batch of homebrew of his choice - composed the new theme tune for the Nant Fawr Brews podcast. In this episode we're treated to a live performance of the theme, enjoy a fascinating exploration of how beer is responsible for one of the most legendary blues guitar techniques... and hear about beer's role in one of applied geography's finest moments (that's the Cholera stuff). 

Let's rock!... (with a cornet).

I first became aware of Dog's Window thanks to beer writer Melissa Cole, who tweeted that it was producing some of best beer in South Wales. I contacted Lee the brewery owner (in fact the brewery everything... he's a one-man-team) and he kindly agreed to a visit, tour and interview. This is the kind of episode I started this podcast to make. Visiting, talking to, spreading the word of and supporting brilliant breweries here in Wales, specifically in my local area of South Wales. Lee is a hugely inspirational character and his beers are of the highest quality. 

And what's this thing about it being the best brewery in the world? Well, they do, in a very specific way, have a legitimate claim to that title. You'll have to listen to the end of the episode to find out how that works.

Back to the beers - you have to try them. Go to dogswindowbrewery.com, buy some and feel good about the fact that not only will you have some lovely beers to drink... you'll also be supporting the vital grassroots of the brewing industry.

I absolutely loved making this episode and hope to make many more like it highlighting other great local breweries.