We Are Beer People – Details, episodes & analysis

Welcome to We Are Beer People - a podcast all about the many different people who help us enjoy beer.

I wonder how much we stop to think about who is in the pub with us, who's there's having a drink, who's behind the bar, who made the beer you're drink.

And perhaps, the more important question is who is not there? Fewer than one in 20 adults with learning disabilities in England are in paid work.

And that's where the Count Me In Collective comes in. Today's guest, Becky Whinnerah, co-founded the Count Me In Collective with her husband John.

The Count Me In Collective (which you might hear called CMIC or C MIC) is a movement designed to improve the representation and experiences of those with neurodiversities and learning disabilities within hospitality and brewing.

Becky has a background as an artist, a brewer, a landlord, a musician, a lecturer and teacher; and has direct experience as a parent-carer for her children.

Their work begins with networking and collaborations within breweries, pubs and bars, increasing awareness of communities who may not find beer, pubs and bars as inherently welcoming as many of us do.

What started as an idea, has seen several collaborations with Berkshire breweries, a crowdfunding campaign and the creation of a brewery in the back of Reading's Castle Tap pub.

What's been truly wonderful is hearing how much of a difference this is already making to the people that are being Counted In and to the breweries and pubs that are getting involved.

This takes an awful lot of hard work from a collective of volunteers - so if you'd like to help with your time, skills, partnerships, guidance or donations please get in touch with Becky and you can find the details and social media channels at CMIC.UK

With that, I headed to The Castle Tap pub to have a chat with one of the beer people about making beer a place for everybody.

With huge thanks to Cara and the team at The Castle Tap for hosting us and creating such an inviting, welcoming place.

Follow CMIC:

Website: https://cmic.uk

Twitter: @countmeincoll

Instagram: @countmeincollective/

Facebook: Count-Me-In-Collective/

Follow us to stay updated:

Website: www.wearebeerpeople.co.uk

Social media: @wearebeerpeople on X (Twitter) and Instagram

Get in touch on email: wearebeerpeoplepod@gmail.com

Intro/outro music:

That One Time by Midnight Daydream

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to We Are Beer People - a podcast all about the many different people who help us enjoy beer.

Some places are intertwined with particular styles and serves of beer.

Think of foamy pints of cask beer pulled up from a cool cellar with a handpump in a British pub

Travel to the West Coast of the USA and you're at the home of bright crisp IPAs, full of pine and citrus.

When it comes to lagers, these are differentiated from ales by their use of bottom-fermenting yeast at cool temperatures over a relatively longer time, we might think of mainstream examples that are commonly seen at bars. But they have a history that goes back to medieval times when beers were stored, or lagered, in caves for months and months with yeast that happily worked in these temperatures. 

Europe has a rich history of lager production which influenced Bavarian and Bohemian

Today we're chatting with Radim Zvánovec, global brand ambassador at Budweiser Budvar Brewery, the Czech state-owned brewery that is based in the town of Chess Kay bood-yayyo-vitseh at a site where they have been brewing for hundreds of years. The modern brewery has been incorporated since 1895 and uses a celebrated approach to brewing beer that's rigorously followed to this day. Using the same water from artesian wells, malts, hops, yeast and time.

So let's find out a little bit about Radim and his journey into beer, being a global brand ambassador and the wonderful world of lager.

Follow us to stay updated:

Website: www.wearebeerpeople.co.uk

Social media: @wearebeerpeople on X (Twitter) and Instagram

Get in touch on email: wearebeerpeoplepod@gmail.com

Follow Radim:

Instagram: @radim_zvanovec

Twitter: @radim_zvanovec

Follow Budvar:

Twitter: @BudvarUK

Instagram: @BudvarUK and @BudvarGlobal

Year of the Lager

budweiserbudvar.com/uk/yearofthelager-celebration

Intro/outro music:

That One Time by Midnight Daydream

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to we are beer people, a podcast all about the many different people who help us enjoy beer.

As the palpable promise of Christmas builds, many of us will be drawn towards our favourite pubs, bars, taprooms and bottleshops to drink our favourite beers with our favourite people. And curiosity probably got us there, but what was it that sparked that in us?

 Today's guest is Matt Curtis, a journalist, author, photographer, and founder and editor of the magazine, pellicle. It's fair to say that Matt has a curiosity about beer, its history and the people that make it possible. A curiosity that we can all benefit from. And it's from people like Matt that we can learn and discover more about the culture and context around beer.

Matt's just written a book called Manchester's Best Beer Pubs and Bars and we hear all about how he made sense of Manchester after moving to the area by running from pub to bar to brewery and taproom joining the dots of the beer world and helping chart his surroundings.

 So grab yourself a seasonally appropriate drink and join us as we head into the pub.  

Follow us to stay updated:

Website: www.wearebeerpeople.co.uk

Social media: @wearebeerpeople on X (Twitter) and Instagram

Get in touch on email: wearebeerpeoplepod@gmail.com

Matt Curtis:

• @totalcurtis on Twitter/X and Instagram

Pellicle Magazine

• @pelliclemag on Twitter/X, Facebook and Instagram
• Website: www.pelliclemag.com

Intro/outro music: That One Time by Midnight Daydream

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to we are beer people, a podcast all about the many different people who help us enjoy beer.

If there's one theme in this episode it's the siren song call of the woodsmoke from a distant pub. We meet with Jamie Duffield (who you may know as JD) the canning line lead at Siren Craft Brew.

JD's known for recipe design and innovation - plenty of that at Wild Weather - and most recently with an amazing smoked porter called Fire and Stars (it's available in bottleshops but not currently on Siren's website and I'd recommend you get yourself a can or two!) He's also known for brewing with Spruce Tips and we'll hear about how he's worked with local homebrewers, Reading Amateur Brewers.

We'll talk about his interest in beer and learning all about it and how this has helped him as an assistant brewer at Bingham's and (head brewer at) Wild Weather, as canning line lead at Siren Craft Brew and working behind the bar and in the cellar. As well as generally having that guiding force for finding out how the things he's interested in work.

We recorded this at the George & Dragon, Siren's countryside pub in Swallowfield (known for its amazing food and an incredible line-up of Siren brews), thank you to the team for their hospitality and for the warming glow of the fireplace that drew me in with the welcome of the woodsmoke.

And finally, we have our first live performance on the podcast, I may have asked JD to bring one of his other interests, the accordion, with him to the pub.

Follow us to stay updated:

Website: www.wearebeerpeople.co.uk

Social media: @wearebeerpeople on X (Twitter) and Instagram

Get in touch on email: wearebeerpeoplepod@gmail.com

Siren Craft Brew:

• Website
• X/Twitter
• Instagram
• George & Dragon Pub

JD:

• Instagram

Links:

• Reading Amateur Brewers

Intro/outro music: That One Time by Midnight Daydream

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to We Are Beer People, a podcast all about the many different people who help us enjoy beer.

We are chatting with Andy Barnes, who co-owns Dolphin Brewery with his wife Laura. And they’ve built up quite the reputation; crafting delicious sour beers, that blend seasonal fruits and combine yeasts and bacteria to create unique, in perfectly packaged bottles.

Andy describes how his hobby of homebrewing got out of control - after winning a homebrew competition he went from brewing 25 litre batches to transforming his garage into a brewery.

We recorded the conversation in the hidden gem that is the cellar of the Three Guineas Pub by Reading Railway Station.

Follow us to stay updated:

Website: www.wearebeerpeople.co.uk

Social media: @wearebeerpeople on X (Twitter) and Instagram

Get in touch on email: wearebeerpeoplepod@gmail.com

Dolphin Brewery

• Website
• X/Twitter
• Facebook
• Instagram

Links and resources:

• The Three Guineas, Reading (Fuller's)
• Balance Brewing & Blending

Intro/outro music: That One Time by Midnight Daydream

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Crafting a happy, hoppy rabble of community around beer.

Welcome to we are beer people, a podcast all about the many different people who help us enjoy beer.

We’re at Indie Rabble Brewery and Taproom which has been open now for about six months. And I’m speaking with co-owner Dave Hayward, who also co-owns the two A Hoppy Place bottle shops in Windsor and Maidenhead. Dave and his partner, Naomi, have a great story of following their passion to bring a better balance to their lives and over the past 4 years, building a community of people all around beer. 

Credit as well to the two brewery dogs, Simcoe and Copper, who make the occasional barky appearance.

Follow us to stay updated:

Website: www.wearebeerpeople.co.uk

Social media: @wearebeerpeople on X (Twitter) and Instagram

Get in touch on email: wearebeerpeoplepod@gmail.com

Indie Rabble

• Website
• X/Twitter
• Instagram

A Hoppy Place bottle shops

• Website
• X/Twitter
• Instagram

Links and resources:

• Two Flints
• Windsor & Eton Brewery

Intro/outro music: That One Time by Midnight Daydream

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to We Are Beer People, a podcast all about the many different people who help us enjoy beer.

We’re a few miles outside of Reading in England at the Hogwood Industrial Estate in Finchampstead and I’m delighted to be joined today by Ruth Mitchell, Managing Director at Elusive Brewing. Ruth has a huge amount of experience across a variety of roles, working at Adnams, West Berkshire Brewery, Utopian Brewing and of course Elusive to name a few. On top of that, Ruth’s a qualified beer sommelier a certified cicerone and all round great person, so who better to talk with about beer and what it’s like working in beer and brewing.

Follow us to stay updated:

Website: www.wearebeerpeople.co.uk

Social media: @wearebeerpeople on X (Twitter) and Instagram

Get in touch on email: wearebeerpeoplepod@gmail.com

Elusive Brewing:

• Website
• X/Twitter
• Instagram

Ruth Mitchell:

Ruth's on Instagram (and twitter archived) as Beerfaerie - or, of course, in person!

Links and resources:

• Adnams
• Charles Wells
• WBB Renegades Twitter (now called Renegade Brewery with new owners)
• Utopian Brewing
• Brave Noise
• Link to this year's IWD2023 Malt Miller homebrew kit (a new one with Burnt Mill Brewery in 2024)
• Siren Craft Brew
• Good Chemistry

Intro/outro music: That One Time by Midnight Daydream

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nobody leaves Prize Old Ale in the corner.

Welcome to We Are Beer People, a podcast all about the many different people who help us enjoy beer.

Today’s guest is Henry Kirk, a much celebrated brewer and a big proponent of well-brewed beers rooted in history. Henry's brewed at Fuller's and Dark Star amongst others and is now setting up his own brewery project, Sunken Knave. So join us as we discuss Henry's journey into beer, the importance of time, drinking in dressing gowns, securing Gale’s Prize Old Ale and future plans with Sunken Knave.

Website: www.wearebeerpeople.co.uk

Social media: @wearebeerpeople on X (Twitter) and Instagram

Get in touch on email: wearebeerpeoplepod@gmail.com

Intro/outro music: That One Time by Midnight Daydream

Timestamps:

• Getting into beer 2:34
• Brewing at Fuller’s 13:23
• Return to Dark Star 28:01
• Brewing philosophy and approach 40:00
• Discovering and brewing Gale’s Prize Old Ale 49:04
• Onto pastures new 1:13:50
• Brewing at Hand Brew Co and Sunken Knave 1:14:13

Links and resources:

Joseph Holt

Harvey’s

Laine Brew Co

Fuller’s Brewery

Dark Star Brewing Co

Hand Brew Co

The Prince Albert, Brighton

Evening Star, Brighton

The Harp, Covent Garden, London

Sunken Knave Brewery:

• Website
• X/Twitter
• Instagram

Worthing Pubs website

Martyn Cornell’s article in Good Beer Hunting on the history and re-re-rebirth of Gales Prize Old Ale (November 2023)

Indie Beer Feast at Sheffield Beer Week

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Welcome to we are beer people, a podcast all about the many different people who help us enjoy beer.

In this first episode you'll get to hear what the podcast is all about and meet your host, Rob Cadwell, before we start meeting guests.

Follow us to stay updated:

Website: www.wearebeerpeople.co.uk

Social media: @wearebeerpeople on X (Twitter) and Instagram

Get in touch on email: wearebeerpeoplepod@gmail.com

Linktr.ee/wearebeerpeople

Useful episode links:

Reading Amateur Brewers

Intro/outro music:

That One Time by Midnight Daydream

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to We Are Beer People - a podcast all about the many different people who help us enjoy beer.

Today we have a special episode where I headed to SIBA's (the Society of Independent Brewers and Associates) annual AGM conference and exhibition, BeerX, in Liverpool where I got to meet many of the fantastic beer people.

It includes brewers, suppliers, associates as well as speakers and is one of the few times when brewers get a chance to take a moment and meet each other. A big thank you to Ken and Adam at Mysterious Brewing who invited me to join them and hopefully they didn't regret that decision.

Whilst I was there I had a short chat with five of the beer people so today we'll hear from:

• Neil Walker, Head of Comms and Marketing at SIBA
• Axel Jany from Weyermann maltsters
• Jon Cox who works at Willis European, stainless steel brewing, bottling and processing equipment
• Tom Bacon from BarthhaasX
• Paul Corbett from Charles Faram

We talk about SIBA's new branding, how they got into their role, what their role is like and what they've been excited to be talking about and sharing at SIBA Beer X

So with that, grab yourself a beer and let's have a chat with some of the beer people.

Follow us to stay updated:

Website: www.wearebeerpeople.co.uk

Social media: @wearebeerpeople on X (Twitter) and Instagram

Get in touch on email: wearebeerpeoplepod@gmail.com

Intro/outro music:

That One Time by Midnight Daydream

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.