Cheers with Nat – Details, episodes & analysis

For this final episode of the 'Beer with Nat' podcast, we're going full circle… all the way back to Episode #001.

Today's guest is Jaega Wise, Head Brewer at Wild Card Brewery and my very first guest when the show kicked off in November 2018.

We start by checking in with Jaega on what she's been up to since then, including seeing the brewery through the pandemic, launching their new barrel program, hosting a TV series and publishing a book. (Yep, she's been busy!)

Then, as a thank you to Jaega for helping me get the show off the ground all those years go… she gets to turn the tables and interview me!   

We chat all about my career, what I was up to before beer, what I enjoy most about being part of the beer industry and plenty more.

We have a lot of laughs, too. I hope you enjoy listening in.

Here's Jaega…

Today's guest is Helen Anne Smith (they/them), Founder of Burum Collective.

We start by discussing what Burum Collective is all about, what inspired Helen to set it up during the first pandemic lockdown in 2020, the resources they offer currently and what their goals are for the future.

Then we get into what keeps Helen busy alongside Burum, including part-time roles as a bartender and in sales and marketing for Wilderness Brewery and Welsh Mountain Cider.  

Finally, Helen lets us in on what they were up to before beer, how they got their start in the beer industry, and, of course, what they enjoy most about being a part of it.

Here's Helen…

Today's guest is Lorraine Copes, Founder and CEO of Be Inclusive Hospitality, a not-for-profit organization with a mission to accelerate racial equality within the hospitality sector.

We start by discussing what inspired Lorraine to set up the organization, what her day-to-day role as Founder and CEO looks like, and what aspect of her work she's felt to be most impactful so far.

We then hear all about Lorraine's career to-date, as she's spent nearly two decades leading procurement and supply chain teams for some of the country's best-known restaurant and pub groups. She tells us what it's been like to go from managing a team to managing her own business, including the pros and cons and what transferrable skills she brought with her.

Finally, Lorraine lets us in on what she enjoys most about being a part of the beer, pub and hospitality industry.

(Just a quick heads up, this episode was recorded remotely, so the audio quality is not quite the same as previous seasons, but I hope you still enjoy it!)

Here's Lorraine…

Today's guest is Amy Todd, Owner and Analyst of Zymology Labs.

We start by discussing what Zymology Labs does, what inspired Amy to set up the business, and what her day-to-day there looks like.

Then Amy tells us how she got here and the training it took to set up an independent beer quality laboratory – from her chemistry degree in university, to an apprenticeship with the American Brewer's Guild, to roles with Magic Hat and Zero Gravity Brewing in Vermont.

Finally, Amy lets us in what it's been like to go from working for someone else to working for herself, what advice she has for others looking to set up their own business, and, of course, what she enjoys most about being a part of the beer industry.

(Just a quick heads up, this episode was recorded remotely, so the audio quality is not quite the same as previous seasons, but I hope you still enjoy it!)

Here's Amy…

Today's guest is Claire Ashbridge-Thomlinson, Director and Founding Partner of East London Brewing Company.

Claire tells us what her day-to-day role as a Director there looks like, how the business got started, and what it's been like to help navigate the brewery through these incredibly challenging last 16 months.  

We then learn all about her career before beer, what transferrable skills she brought with her, and what advice she has for others looking to start their own business.

Finally, we hear what she enjoys most about her role at East London Brewing Company and about being a part of the beer industry.

(Just a quick heads up, this episode was recorded remotely, so the audio quality is not quite the same as previous seasons, but I hope you still enjoy it!)

Here's Claire…

Today's guest is Dr. Margaux Huismann, Hop Applications Scientist at Totally Natural Solutions.

Margaux tells us what her role at Total Natural Solutions entails, what the business does, and we even do a little tasting experiment with some of their products!

Then we learn what sort of training it took for Margaux to get to this role by focusing in on her academic journey, which saw her move from Wisconsin to Scotland to pursue her Master's in Brewing and Distilling and later PhD in Brewing Chemistry at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh. She tells us all about what it was like to move across the pond, along the with topics of her Master's and PhD theses and the research that each entailed.

Finally, Margaux tells us what she enjoys most about being a part of the beer industry.

(Just a quick heads up, this episode was recorded remotely, so the audio quality is not quite the same as previous seasons, but I hope you still enjoy it!)

Here's Margaux…

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Check out Margaux's recently published paper(s) in the Journal of the American Society of Brewing Chemists here:

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03610470.2021.1937460

Today's guest is Mellanie Struthers, Co-Founder of Draught Drop, the UK's first draught beer delivery service.

Mell tells us what her day-to-day life at Draught Drop looks like, how the business works and what inspired her and her husband to set it up.

We also hear about the many skills Mell brought with her from her previous career… which was conveniently in e-commerce in the food and drinks space!

Finally, Mell shares  what it's been like to go from working for someone else to working for herself, her advice for others looking to start their own business and what she enjoys most about being a part of the beer industry.

(Just a quick heads up, this episode was recorded remotely, so the audio quality is not quite the same as previous seasons, but I hope you still enjoy it!)

Here's Mell…

Today's guest is Sophie de Ronde, Head Brewer at Burnt Mill Brewery.

Sophie lets us in on what her day-to-day role as a head brewer looks like… but she's quick to acknowledge that her experience in the role likely isn't the same as others.

That's because in recent years Sophie learned she's allergic to wheat and barley, so she can't actually spend much time on the brewery floor or even enjoy the products of her labour… but she still loves making beer.

She talks us through how she went from serving beer, to brewing beer, and her time spent as a brewing technologist at a malt producer, too.

Finally, Sophie tells us all about International Women's Collaboration Brew Day, an annual celebration of women in beer that she's been organizing since 2014, and what she enjoys most about being a part of the beer industry.

(Just a quick heads up, this episode was recorded remotely, so the audio quality is not quite the same as previous seasons, but I hope you still enjoy it!)

Here's Sophie…

Today's guest is freelance beer writer Ruvani de Silva.

Ruvani tells us what her day-to-day life as a freelance beer writer looks like and talks us through some of her latest pieces for Burum Collective and Good Beer Hunting.

Then we hear about her many careers before beer, how she made the transition to full-time beer writing, and what advice she has for others looks to follow a similar path.

Finally, as a Brit now based in central Texas, Ruvani shares her thoughts on how the US and UK beer scenes stack up and, of course, what she enjoys most about being a part of the beer industry.

(Just a quick heads up, this episode was recorded remotely, so the audio quality is not quite the same as previous seasons, but I hope you still enjoy it!)

Here's Ruvani…

Today's guest is Cherisse Ketchum, Co-Founder of Gusto Brand Marketing.

To start, Cherisse tells us what her business does, what inspired her and her Co-Founder, Crystal, to set it up, and some of her favourite projects that she's worked on so far.

We then talk about Cherisse's decade-long career in beer and the various roles she's held, before discussing what she was up to before beer and the transferrable skills she brought with her.

Finally, Cherisse shares what it's like to work for yourself, her advice on starting a business and, of course, what she enjoys most about being a part of the beer industry.

(Just a quick heads up, this episode was recorded remotely, so the audio quality is not quite the same as previous seasons, but I hope you still enjoy it!)

Here's Cherisse…