The Pellicle Podcast

Mental health is a seldom talked about subject within the brewing industry. Perhaps this is because the demographic working within brewing skews highly male, and men are infamous for often being unable to discuss this topic adequately. Thankfully, in more recent times, the discussion is becoming more open and more frequent—valuable indeed, considering how tumultuous the past couple of years have been on our minds, as well as our bodies. In this discussion recorded at FyneFest 2022, host Matthew Curtis is joined by Miranda Hudson of Duration Brewing, Vik Stronge of Magic Rock, and Dominic Driscoll of Thornbridge. The panel discusses a range of points within the subject of mental health, from setting boundaries within the workplace, to managing the mental health of our colleagues, employees and friends, as we try to make the beer industry a safer, friendlier place to work.CW: Topics discussed include depression and alcoholism. If you’re struggling with your mental health we urge you not to suffer alone, and recommend contacting an organisation such as The Drinks Trust or The Samaritans for support.

Throughout this month we’ll be bringing you our panel discussions from FyneFest 2022, kicking off with a fantastic, in-depth conversation with Fyne Ale's managing director, Jamie Delap. Founded in 2001 by his parents Jonny and Tuggy Delap, the day-to-day running of the brewery passed on to Jamie when his father passed away in 2009. The following year, Fyne Ales held a small gathering for a few hundred people on the family farm within Glen Fyne, where the brewery is located. They even brewed a special beer for the event at 3.8% ABV, hopped with a new variety of hops from North America called Citra. The event was a huge success, and today FyneFest sees over 3000 people travel from all over Europe (and even from the US) to attend. The beer didn’t go down too badly either, and was eventually given the name Jarl. It now accounts for well over half of the brewery's total production volume. In this conversation Jamie and I discuss everything, from these origins, to how the pandemic affected the brewery, to how it's looking at taking on challenges such as the cost of living crisis, and the means of making the brewery more sustainable. Jamie is undoubtedly one of the keenest minds within the UK brewing industry, and it was a true privilege to have such an open and honest discussion about these issues during the business of the festival. We’re pleased to say we’ll be back at FyneFest in 2023, with a whole new host of guests and topics to discuss. Tickets are available now from FyneFest.com, and trust us when we say this is an event you don’t want to miss. We look forward to seeing you in the Glen later this year. Special thanks to Fyne Ales for hosting us at the event, and for being one of our pro-tier Patreon supporters. Pellicle is supported by our Patreon subscribers—please consider helping to keep our independent magazine and podcast sustainable with a monthly, or yearly donation. If you are interested in sponsoring future episodes, please get in touch.

At the beginning of the year I arrogantly tweeted that this would be my “year of podcasts.” For various reasons I ended up managing to produce less than half of my target number of 20 episodes, but I hope that those who’ve been waiting for new episodes have enjoyed what we’ve managed to publish this year. This brings us to one of my favourite, and our most popular episodes, now in its third edition: our beers, w̶i̶n̶e̶s̶ and ciders of the year. Why are wines struck out, you ask? Simply because when recording myself talking about this year's favourites I didn’t find myself vibing with my selections. I don’t want to disappoint our listeners, and I didn’t feel there was enough conviction (or indeed, knowledge) about my favourite wines of the year to warrant including them in the show. This is something I’ll figure out in future years by hopefully bringing the rest of the team into this episode somehow. Either way, I’m considering shaking up this format a little next year. What this did give me is plenty of space to talk about my favourite ciders—as well as sharing a few thoughts on how my cider drinking has changed this year. I also reveal a handful of my favourite pubs in 2022, before ploughing into another bumper beer list—with no less than 10 beers—including announcing what I'll be awarding my coveted beer of the year prize. This being our third edition I also decided to hand out a few accolades, including cider/cidermaker of the year, brewery of the year, new brewery of the year, as well as naming the beer I enjoyed more than any other over the past 12 months. Initially, these will only be revealed on the podcast, so make sure you listen in to find out which beers really rocked my world in 2022.Thanks to all of you for listening this year. Here’s to a fantastic holiday season, and a promise from me to deliver all of those long awaited episodes in 2023.Pellicle is supported by our Patreon subscribers — please consider helping to keep our independent magazine and podcast sustainable with a monthly, or yearly donation. If you are interested in sponsoring future episodes, please get in touch.

I’ve never given Birmingham the credit it’s due. The City of 1000 Trades knows and loves its beer. And yet, for some unknown reason, for many drinkers who live outside the area it doesn’t rank among the UK’s top beer towns. As I learned on my most recent visit, this sentiment is neither fair nor accurate. In reality, Birmingham has not only a thriving but a varied scene. In the town centre you can hop from proper pubs such as the Post Office Vaults or The Wellington, to craft beer joints like Tilt or Kilder, or to brewery taprooms such as Dig or Burning Soul. Like a lot of bigger cities, however, some of the best beer in modern beer culture lies beyond this periphery. Neighbourhood bars and bottle shops are becoming cornerstones of the suburban communities, as are its breweries. In Stirchley, to the south of central Birmingham, the scene is thriving, and it’s here where Glasshouse Beer Co. has made its home. Founded in 2018, the brewery has quickly established itself both locally, and in some of the more beer savvy venues around the UK. This is largely thanks to its mastery over hazy pale ales, which range from sessionable table beers, right the way through to almighty DIPAs. There’s far more to this young brewery than a bit of fuss though, and it’s already dialling in other styles, from lagers, to barrel aged sour beers. I sat down for a fun, beer fuelled chat with founder Josh Hughes, lead brewer Dave Sharp, and head of sales Josh Mitchell. We cover a lot of ground, talking about the brewery and the beers themselves, to digging into why Birmingham’s beer scene doesn’t get its fair share of the limelight. Seeing as its four blokes sat around the table (a classic beer podcast scenario, one might say) we also take time to discuss the recent reckoning within craft beer, and how groups like ours can take proper accountability and action in light of accusations of sexism and workplace abuse. Pellicle is supported by our Patreon subscribers — please consider helping to keep our independent magazine and podcast sustainable with a monthly, or yearly donation. If you are interested in sponsoring future episodes, please get in touch.

I worry about the beer industry, it sometimes keeps me awake at night. Following the unprecedented experience of the pandemic and lockdowns that changed our lives, to the newly realised cost of living crisis, the breweries and pubs we love are up against it. The reality is that many will not survive these challenges, and some already haven’t. While, relatively speaking, things have been pretty good for the past 10-15 years—during which the number of breweries in the UK has more than doubled—now, whether you’re operating a production brewery, or a hospitality business, the outlook is bleak. The cost of everything is increasing, from raw materials such as hops and malt, to chemicals, carbon dioxide, aluminum cans, and the devastating increases to utility bills. That’s even before you’ve considered your staff, and increasing their wages so they can work through this crisis too. When looking at the big picture, it feels like not only are the glory days over, but that we are yet to see the true extent of the damage this will cause to these livelihoods. But there’s always hope. Right? In this episode I decided to take a look at how the cost of living crisis is affecting the beer industry from two different perspectives. Inspired by the classic Red Dwarf episode ‘Confidence and Paranoia’ I listen to both of these internal voices, to try and make sense of what’s happening out there at the moment.This was inspired by the interview featured in this show with William Burgess, co-founder of Gan Yam Brew Co. Based in Kendal, on the edge of the Lake District. Back in February on a visit to the brewery I had the opportunity to William about what it’s like to set up a business during the middle of a pandemic, without really understanding (at this point) how the cost of living crisis was going to make things even worse. But if things are truly so awful, then why exactly are new breweries like Gan Yam deciding to make a go of it at all? Listen on to find out…This episode of The Pellicle Podcast is sponsored by Hand & Heart. We’ve partnered with them to offer listeners of The Pellicle Podcast a free 30-minute advice session. You could be a business owner wondering what the hell DEI means, an employee wanting to upskill, thinking about starting a business, or at a loss of how to develop your current business. To sign up head to www.handandheart.eu/pellicle.Pellicle is supported by our Patreon subscribers — please consider helping to keep our independent magazine and podcast sustainable with a monthly, or yearly donation.

I first met Chris Schooley, and his business partner Steve Clark, back in 2015—not long after they had established their business, Troubadour Maltings, in the city of Fort Collins, Colorado. I had visited malthouses in the UK before, and looked on in awe at their immense scale, but what I found at Troubadour was something different entirely, not just in terms of their smaller scale, but in terms of the quality and flavour of what they were producing. Initially working out of a concrete saladin box that allowed them to produce up to five tons of malt at a time, what I discovered at this little malthouse was familiarity; I saw craft beer in what they were producing. Over time, and repeated visits to the malthouse, I got to know Steve and Chris well, and they became good friends. I would love listening to Chris in particular wax lyrical about the “potential” of barley malt, so much in fact that I credit him in my book, Modern British Beer, for helping me to properly connect beer back to its agriculture. Troubadour has gradually grown into a well-regarded “craft maltster”—as they are known in the US—one of about 70 nationwide. And things didn’t slow down for them in lockdown, when they installed equipment that allowed them to triple capacity, as well as a new roaster that allows them to customise darker malts to brewers exacting specifications. Over their relatively short lifespan they’ve provided malt for large breweries like Odell, Oskar Blues, and New Belgium, as well as smaller breweries including TRVE, Cohesion, and Primitive. Honestly, you’ll have to take it from me that you can really taste the difference in Troubadour’s malt, and the beer it produces. Where often you’ll hear this ingredient forms the “backbone” of beer, for me it’s about more than that. It’s about flavour, and freshness. If you ever find yourself in Northern Colorado seek out a glass of TRVE’s Cold keller pils and taste it for yourself. Beers like this, and how maltsters like Troubadour are working closely not just with brewers, but with farmers—closing the loop on the agricultural supply chain—make me excited for what could be ahead in beer’s future. This episode of The Pellicle Podcast is sponsored by Hand & Heart. We’ve partnered with them to offer listeners of The Pellicle Podcast a free 30-minute advice session. You could be a business owner wondering what the hell DEI means, an employee wanting to upskill, thinking about starting a business, or at a loss of how to develop your current business. To sign up head to www.handandheart.eu/pelliclePellicle is supporter by our Patreon subscribers — please consider helping to keep our independent magazine and podcast sustainable with a monthly, or yearly donation.

A disclaimer: this episode of The Pellicle Podcast is intended as a piece of escapism. Since this episode was recorded in early February, a lot has changed in the world around us. As much as we don’t want to minimize this, we also accept that this is a podcast largely about beer, and other tasty beverages, and this episode is presented very much in the spirit of that.While the majority of our episodes are either driven by an interviewee, or by an idea our host wants to spend a little time mulling over, this time we’ve changed things up. Several of our regular listeners have sent in questions over the past few weeks, which over the next hour Matthew dutifully works his way through. What came as a surprise is that it afforded the opportunity to really dig into what’s happening in beer at the moment, and expand on what that might mean for makers and drinkers alike over the next few months and years. We hope you enjoy this episode. If you enjoyed it and you think we should do it again, or if you have any feedback about the podcast in general, drop us a line to [email protected]. This episode of The Pellicle Podcast is sponsored by Hand & Heart. We’ve partnered with them to offer listeners of The Pellicle Podcast a free 30-minute advice session. You could be a business owner wondering what the hell DEI means, an employee wanting to upskill, thinking about starting a business, or at a loss of how to develop your current business. To sign up head to www.handandheart.eu/pellicle

Speaking of Katie Mather as both a peer, and as a friend, she is someone who continually impresses me. I first came across her work through her old blog, called The Snap and The Hiss, and was enamoured with her writing from the very first sentence. Since then she’s gone from strength to strength, producing a series of wonderfully evocative articles, and taking on editorial roles both at new wine publication Glug and here at Pellicle.Having her on board as a regular contributor alone was a thrill, and if you read her pieces such as this one on the nostalgia of burger vans, or her epic taxonomy of the British bread roll (the most read feature we’ve ever published) you’ll soon understand why. Taking her on as an associate editor deepened her connection to the work we publish. What editors do largely happens behind the curtain, but you can see her influence on pieces such as Josh Barrie’s profile of a very special branch of Londis in North London, or in my own feature about Sheffield’s Brewery of St. Mars of the Desert. We are so stoked to get to work with her, and can’t wait to see what else she brings to our little magazine.But the depth of Katie’s talents don’t end there. In late 2019, she and her husband Tom finally got the keys to their bar, Corto. Based in their hometown of Clitheroe, situated in Lancashire’s Ribble Valley, Corto is part of a new wave of bars slowly emerging within the United Kingdom. Inspired by the food and drink culture of Northern Spain, the bar merges the concepts of craft beer, natural wine, cider and delectable small plates into something that is far greater than the sum of its parts. I’m biased, but you should visit. You’ll be planning your next trip there before you’ve got halfway through your first pint, or whatever’s by the glass on that particular day.As a bonus, before the interview I dig into some of the bigger beer news that’s occurred lately. From Monster acquiring the Canarchy collective of breweries in the United States, to Lion announcing it is to sell UK acquisitions Fourpure and Magic Rock, there’s a lot to dig into. And that’s before I take the chance to chew through the BBC’s recent documentary on Scottish brewery BrewDog, and why I think its behaviour reflects badly on the entire British craft beer scene.It’s a bumper episode, and I hope you enjoy listening. Don’t forget to hit subscribe and leave a rating if you’ve got a second, as this will help more folks find the show. You might also see we’ve got a new logo thanks to our resident designer Tida Bradshaw. It felt like it was time to give the podcast a little spruce up, so we hope you like that. This episode of The Pellicle Podcast is sponsored by Hand & Heart. We’ve partnered with them to offer listeners of The Pellicle Podcast a free 30-minute advice session. You could be a business owner wondering what the hell DEI means, an employee wanting to upskill, thinking about starting a business, or at a loss of how to develop your current business. To sign up head to www.handandheart.eu/pellicleIn the show an article I wrote for Novara Media is referenced, which can be read here: https://novaramedia.com/2021/06/15/could-brewdogs-cancellation-trigger-a-reckoning-across-the-craft-beer-industry/

Look, here’s the truth. I would love it if more of you listened to my podcast, and so please accept this episode as a bribe. I want you to know what my favourite beers, wines and ciders of the year are, and I want you to revel in the joy of experiencing them as much as I did. But if you want to find out what they are, which includes no less than 17 beers (in hindsight, post-edit, I will make this smaller next year) then you’ve got to tune in. I won’t be sharing this list anywhere else.I love making this podcast, it’s become one of my favourite mediums for creativity. This has become especially the case since I switched up the format of the show towards the end of 2020. I’m stoked that those who listen to it enjoy the style, and my off the cuff riffing on our favourite beverages, and I pledge to try and record as many as I’m physically capable of in 2022.I’m especially thankful of the support of both our new sponsor, Hand & Heart, along with our generous Patreon subscribers. Thanks to them I’ve got a bit more time and space to spend more time producing podcasts this year, which means more episodes for you to enjoy! If you’re able to support our content at Pellicle, then please consider signing up to our Patreon. Every penny goes back into making more features and podcasts.Please enjoy this list of things I really enjoyed over the past 12 months, and stay tuned, because we’ve already got more episodes in post production that should be released soon!This episode of The Pellicle Podcast is sponsored by Hand & Heart. We’ve partnered with them to offer listeners of The Pellicle Podcast a free 30-minute advice session. You could be a business owner wondering what the hell DEI means, an employee wanting to upskill, thinking about starting a business, or at a loss of how to develop your current business. To sign up head to www.handandheart.eu/pellicle

A small piece of me permanently exists in the city of Fort Collins, Colorado. Ever since my dad emigrated from the UK and took a job here in 2010 I have visited often, and become more enamoured with the place each time I do so. While it was the beer that first made me form an attachment with Fort Collins (and, indeed, start writing about it) over the years it became more to me than simply a place I visited. Trips were about seeing friends, hiking, relaxing by the Poudre River, and, over time, the beer became less central to each visit. At least, that’s what I convinced myself.The truth is, as a true beer enthusiast it was always about the beer. And I was reminded about how much this matters to me when New Belgium—headquartered in Fort Collins and once the fourth largest craft brewer in the United States—announced its sale to Australian firm Lion in November 2019. The news of this triggered in me a deeply emotional response. So tied had I become to the story, the people and the product of this place that I could not figure out how to deal with it.I had hoped to reconcile these feelings on a scheduled visit in April 2020, but when the inevitable happened and my flights were cancelled, this thought process had to be temporarily paused. Thankfully I was finally able to make my way back to Colorado in November 2021 (and I reflect on this trip during the episode.) This meant I was finally able to visit the New Belgium Taproom, enjoy a pint, chat to my friends who work there, and try and figure out how I feel about the next stage in this brewery’s journey. Those thoughts stowed away, once I returned home I turned on the mic and riffed on those feelings. Is it truly irrational to have a strong emotional response when a brewery you’re fond of sells out? In this episode, I make my best attempt to answer that question.I’m also thrilled to welcome on board a brand new sponsor for this episode. Hand and Heart is a business consultancy focussed on supporting industries including hospitality—and that includes breweries and other beer-centric firms. We’ve partnered with them to offer listeners of The Pellicle Podcast a free 30 minute advice session. You could be a business owner wondering what the hell DEI means, an employee wanting to upskill, thinking about starting a business, or at a loss of how to develop your current business. To sign up head to www.handandheart.eu/pellicleIf the Hand and Heart sound familiar, it’s because they recently published the documentary podcast Super Cool Toxic Workplace, investigating the allegations of abuse and toxic workplace culture at the Danish brewery, Mikkeller. We’re thrilled to partner with a business that shares the values we have at Pellicle, and thank them for their support in helping our own podcast to flourish.

I couldn’t imagine Burning Sky Brewery and Blendery being located anywhere else. Situated in the village of Firle, nestled amid the rolling South Downs National Park, here is a brewery that’s very much of time and a place. The beers it produces—from traditional cask ales, to US-inspired IPAs, and the sublime beverages that come from its barrel ageing program—are a reflection of this, and of the people who brew and blend them. In the latest episode of the podcast, I sat down for a chat with the brewery’s founder, Mark Tranter. With over two decades experience in the beer industry, it was wonderful to get the opportunity to pick his brains, reminisce about some of these experiences, and to find out what the future has in store for Burning Sky.Visiting Firle, and the neighbouring town of Lewes, has become something of an annual pilgrimage for me. The first time I travelled there in 2017, Mark kindly arranged for me to visit the magical Harvey’s Brewery, as well as some of the amazing pubs the town has to offer. On subsequent visits I’ve discovered new treasures, including Beak and Abyss brewery, as well as deciding on my definitive Lewes beer destinations. (The Brewers Arms, The Gardners, and Patch Beer Café, for those interested.) On this trip I was also lucky enough to brew a beer with Burning Sky which we called The Broad Spectrum of Joy, after the first chapter of my recent book, Modern British Beer. The beer was subsequently released a few months later to celebrate its launch. It was during this arduous day of brewing, on a scorching hot July day, that I found the chance to catch up with Mark, and record this conversation, which I hope you enjoy. During the intro of this podcast I also mention another podcast by Kate Bailey, called Super Cool Toxic Workplace. As I alluded to during the episode, this is an essential listen, and more context can be found on episode 25 of The Pellicle Podcast. Find Super Cool Toxic Workplace here.

The start of 2020 was an especially weird time for me—not just for the obvious reasons with the pandemic swirling around us in those early stages—but because right at the cusp of it I signed a book deal. I’d come up with the rough idea and concept for Modern British Beer in 2018, having thought at length about how the emergence of well over 1000 new breweries in the UK had changed our beer culture forever. But what I didn’t realise then was the idea needed time. Some of that was to allow the idea to properly gestate and to become fully formed, but the rest of it was waiting to find the right home for it. That home turned out to be the capable hands of CAMRA Books; the publishing arm of the Campaign for Real Ale, and the gracious editing of Alan Murphy and Katie Button, to whom I am incredibly thankful. In this episode I work through the ideas at the book’s core. I explore how I created my own personal beer philosophy, which I call “the broad spectrum of joy” as well as explaining why my definition of what constitutes beer as being “modern”, at least, in context of the book and how I think about beer these days. I then try to explain (or make excuses for) how I selected the 86 beers to use as case studies which, together, I hope form a solid case for how I feel beer in the UK has changed so dramatically over the past 20 years—but also, in many ways, has stayed exactly the same as it has always been.I’ve also used this episode as a chance to pick up on some current affairs—namely, the controversy presently surrounding Denmark’s Mikkeller Brewing company in the wake of numerous accusations of sexual harassment and toxic workplace culture from several former employees. This situation escalated on the eve of the brewery’s annual Mikkeller Beer Celebration Copenhagen (MBCC) event in late October, which saw over 40 breweries pull out at the 11th hour so as not to associate their brand with the accused. Kate Bernot at Good Beer Hunting has been covering this in some detail for several months, and I recommend catching up on what’s happening by reading her excellent reporting here:https://www.goodbeerhunting.com/sightlines/2021/7/1/former-mikkeller-employees-allege-culture-of-bullying-harassment-and-indifferencehttps://www.goodbeerhunting.com/sightlines/2021/10/29/mikkeller-meetings-a-chaotic-situation-as-brewery-focuses-on-hr-issues-not-survivors-voicesModern British Beer is available now from all good retailers, including several brewery tap rooms and bottle shops. You can get yours direct from the publisher here:https://shop1.camra.org.uk/product-category/modern-british-beer/

It’s been a hot minute since our last episode and for this I can only apologise. Work and life has gotten in the way for too long, however, and I’m pleased to present our latest episode at last. Over the next hour you’ll hear Pellicle co-founder Jonny Hamilton chat to long time friend, and regular Pellicle contributor James Albon. An exceptionally talented illustrator, James has illustrated for the likes of the Wall Street Journal, CAMRA’s Beer Magazine, and for us at Pellicle. You might recognise his work from Eoghan Walsh’s piece on Brasserie de la Senne Zinnebir, or Hollie Stevens’ recent missive on catering, catharsis and collapse. He’s also recently released his latest graphic novel, The Delicacy, which charts a pair of young, ambitious restaurateurs who struggle with the relentless demand of the high end dining world.Jonny and James talk about the book, as well as some of the real world stories in food and dining that draw eerie parallels. It’s a wonderful chat we sincerely hope you enjoy. Stay tuned, as we’ve got another bunch of episodes in the pipeline that we’ll try to get with you as soon as possible.Buy The Delicacy here.

Ever since I first tried the vibrant, deliciously spiced food at its original Leeds site back in 2014, I have been besotted with Bundobust. It’s 100% vegetarian/vegan menu changed my preconceptions of what a modern Indian restaurant offering could look like. Especially one with such a focus on craft beer—which is more often associated with food such as American barbecue (and its many regional variants) or other meat-focused fare. Although it was definitely the eclectic beer offering that first drew me in—and has made me something of a regular—Bundobust helped me understand, and get excited about regional variances in traditional Indian cuisine. A few years ago I probably wouldn’t have been able to tell you what bhel puri was, or about the delights of the (now albeit somewhat ubiquitous) vada pav. But now this style of cuisine feels familiar, and comforting. Perfectly at home in the lively, modern surroundings Bundobust has set it within. But Bundobust founders Mayur Patel and Marko Husak are not content with operating just three successful restaurants. Venues that have received seriously high acclaim in the national press. In 2021 they’re expanding by opening their own brewery, which is housed in a soon to open fourth site on Manchester’s busy Oxford Street. For the past eight months, recently hired head brewer Dan Hocking has been toiling away on a brand new brewing system, fine tuning recipes which finally saw the light at the end of June 2021. I was delighted to have the opportunity to catch up with Mayur, Marko and Dan, and find out why they’ve decided to move into this direction. It was also the perfect opportunity to dig into the origins of the restaurant, as well as ask a few questions about the bigger picture, such as the gentrification of Indian food, and where Bundobust sees itself in relation to that. We also dig into the beers themselves, and where the restaurant sees itself going in the future. Here’s a couple of links to pieces mentioned in this episode:Jaega Wise talking about sexism in the drinks industry for BBC Radio 4’s The Food ProgrammeZarina Muhammad’s article “I Hate Dishoom” for The White Pube

It often dawns on me that, as cool as my job of being a writer is, it’s also pretty-fucking-weird. This never felt more the case than over the past nine months where I worked on not one, but two very different books. Not only is having a self-defined career writing (predominantly) about beer, cider and wine strange, but it’s also quite a lonely experience, and largely revolves around working solo. This has felt especially true over the past 18 months. This—incredibly self-indulgent episode—is part explainer, part therapy session, where I talk about the idiosyncrasies of what I do for a living, my process as a writer, and what it’s really like on my side of the screen. It’s something that I’ve wanted to talk about for a long time, and honestly it felt really good getting it out there. To round out this episode I also read what I consider to be my personal favourite piece of feature writing of my career so far: my profile of Sheffield’s Brewery of St. Mars of the Desert. If you’re interested in writing, especially regarding food and drink, then this episode is for you.You can pre-order Matthew's new book Modern British Beer here.

When Cloudwater Brew Co. was founded in Manchester six years ago I was desperate to be the first to get the scoop on this exciting new brewery. This opportunity came in September 2015, when on a typically rainy Manchester day I met a smiling Paul Jones—the brewery’s often outspoken owner and founder—at the entrance of his brewery for a tour, tasting and interview. The article I would subsequently write was published by Good Beer Hunting in January 2016, and was one of the first proper dives into what motivates Jones and his brewery, which at the time was single-mindedly focused on producing what it described as “Modern Seasonal Beer.”On re-reading the article in late 2020 it felt to me like it was written about what could be a different brewery. Yes, Cloudwater is still focused on producing high-quality, seasonally reflective beer, but in the years that have passed since, they’ve become something more. Not only has Jones grown his workforce from just six to over 50 people, but the brewery pays what is an industry-leading wage and is heavily invested in activism. From supporting charities like The Racial Justice Network, to giving breweries like Rock Leopard, Eko and Queer Brewing what Jones describes as a “leg up” by giving them time and space to make beer on its equipment, to its groundbreaking Wayfinder scheme, Cloudwater has since become a great deal more than merely the sum of its parts. This is not without some controversy. The decision to bring sales in house during the pandemic to, as Jones puts it “protect his staff” temporarily cutting off independent retailers from its beers caused a certain amount of ire. This was amplified in early 2021 when the brewery reversed its decision to list in national grocery chains, listing four beers contract brewed by BrewDog, no less, into Tesco. However, this also gave it the opportunity to further the platform of the Black and LGTBQ+ owned breweries it was working with by also giving them a national supermarket listing, the first instance of this happening in the UK. If you also consider that Cloudwater did not make a single redundancy during the pandemic, Paul’s malleability in terms of his decision making might not seem so controversial to some. In this interview we discuss all of this and more. It’s been a busy few years for Paul Jones and Cloudwater, so this felt like the ideal way to reflect on them, on the Manchester scene, and how its own beers have changed and developed during this time. Please enjoy this fascinating, hour long conversation with one of the most vocal members of the UK beer industry.

In October 2016, six months into being a full-time beer writer, I waded into the murky waters of cider writing. On publishing my first piece I was—a little surprisingly—met with a considerable amount of resistance to my view that “cider had an image problem” but there were also positives, which kick-started my journey into cider in earnest. This episode takes a dive into that piece, in which I said that “there needs to be more British cider that takes itself seriously in terms of both flavour and the way in which it presents itself.” It could be argued that we have that now. However, the further I dig to cider culture, the more it feels evident that divisions remain. In this episode I attempt to work out why that is, while also considering that when most people think about cider, they still consider it to be something fizzy and sweet that comes in cans or pints—certainly not 750ml bottles or bag-in-boxes. Consider this a thought experiment in trying to work all of this out, and where UK cider is now compared to where it was five years ago. All opinions within are to be taken with a pinch or two of salt. Listen in to hear what might be next for cider culture, and try to figure out why we can’t all just get along.Read the original cider article from 2016 here: totalales.co.uk/blog/2016/10/23/the-skys-the-limit-cidre-latypique-and-the-uks-cider-renaissanceDig into Pellicle’s cider archive here: pelliclemag.com/home?category=CiderSupport Pellicle on Patreon here: patreon.com/pelliclemagEpisode Host: Matthew Curtis

It's that time of the year where we're making our lists and checking them twice. No, not for Christmas, but for our annual best-of's! In this drink-along Christmas special, join Matthew as he recounts his favourite beers, wines, ciders and meals of 2020 over a couple of cans. It's been a rough year for many of us, but hopefully this will help spread a little bit of Christmas cheer. Thanks again to our Patreon subscribers for making this podcast possible throughout this tumultuous year. If you’re able to support Pellicle with a monthly donation, please head to patreon.com/pelliclemag.Episode Host: Matthew CurtisRead more at www.pelliclemag.com

Welcome you what you could consider the beginning of The Pellicle Podcast 2.0. After much deliberation we've made the decision to switch from a series-based format to an episodic one. We just didn't have the time or the resources available in our current schedule to produce the documentary-style episodes we had in mind when originally launching this podcast. This change will allow us to produce episodes in a more timely fashion, thus keeping the show's momentum going.We've also made a few editorial changes, for example we'll be introducing more long-form interviews. We know a lot of beer podcasts already do these very well, but you know the feeling where you're listening to a conversation and wish they'd ask the question that's burning away at the back of your mind? Well, we're in an advantageous situation where we can do exactly that, and who are we to deny you folks? In addition, our host—Pellicle co-founder Matthew Curtis—will be using the podcast as his personal scratchpad to explore his feelings on some of the bigger (and smaller) topics in beer, wine and cider.Which brings us to our latest episode. Over the past few years the UK's beer industry has been embroiled in debate over whether or not some of its smallest brewers are paying enough tax, and if some of its larger brewers are paying too much. In this episode our host explores his personal feelings on a matter he's spent much of the past three years covering, with few holds barred, and a conclusion that perhaps changes to the duty system should be the least of small brewers concerns. If you enjoy this new format of the show—or you didn't—drop us a line and let us know.In this episode we reference an article on Marston's by Jonny Garrett for Good Beer Hunting, which can be read here: https://www.goodbeerhunting.com/sightlines/2019/12/9/years-of-lying-to-pub-tenants-could-cost-marstons-millions Thanks again to our Patreon subscribers for making this podcast possible. If you’re able to support Pellicle with a monthly donation, please head to patreon.com/pelliclemag.Episode Host: Matthew CurtisRead more at www.pelliclemag.com

Welcome to this special edition of the Pellicle Podcast. Today’s episode was recorded back in February at Cloudwater’s Friends and Family and Beer Festival. It’s hard to believe that such a brilliant event actually happened in 2020, but we’re so glad it did, and we’ll remember that weekend fondly for a long time to come. Thanks again to Paul, Doreen and Connor at Cloudwater for inviting Jonny and I up to host these talks at the festival.In this episode, we chat to Alex Troncoso of Lost and Grounded in Bristol, and Katie Pietsch from WhiteFrontier in Switzerland, as we get into conversation about what makes lager so universally appealing, and contemplate why its popularity has been steadily growing among craft beer consumers who typically lean towards American hops, complex sours, and delectably big stouts.Thanks again to our Patreon subscribers for making this podcast possible, including Cloudwater, who are one of our pro-tier subscribers. If you’re able to support Pellicle with a monthly donation, please head to patreon.com/pelliclemag. Host: Matthew Curtis Guests: Alex Troncoso — Lost & Grounded, Katie Pietsch — WhiteFrontierRead more at www.pelliclemag.com

Welcome to this special edition of the Pellicle Podcast. Today’s episode was recorded back in February at Cloudwater’s Friends and Family and Beer Festival. It’s hard to believe that such a brilliant event actually happened in 2020, but we’re so glad it did, and we’ll remember that weekend fondly for a long time to come. Thanks again to Paul, Doreen and Connor at Cloudwater for inviting Jonny and I up to host these talks at the festival.In this episode we take great pleasure in chatting to two bonafide industry legends: Doug Odell from Odell Brewing Company in Fort Collins, Colorado, and Paul Wood, now retired but formerly of Manchester’s own JW Lees Brewery. Over the next half hour, we chat about how styles vital to the beer heritage of the United Kingdom such as bitter and mild remain as vital today, and tomorrow, as they’ve always been.One additional, very important thing about this episode. At the moment I am not actively supporting JW Lees brewery, due to their stance on beer taxation reform in the UK, and how this might negatively affect many of the UK's small breweries. However, I really enjoyed this conversation, and still consider it having value, hence why I’m sharing it. But not everything I say during this recording is reflective of my present stance—find me on twitter @totalcurtis for a more updated view.Thanks again to our Patreon subscribers for making this podcast possible, including Cloudwater, who are one of our pro-tier subscribers. If you’re able to support Pellicle with a monthly donation, please head to patreon.com/pelliclemag. Host: Matthew Curtis Guests: Paul Wood — J.W. Lees, Doug Odell — Odell BrewingRead more at www.pelliclemag.com

Welcome to this special edition of the Pellicle Podcast. Today’s episode was recorded back in February at Cloudwater’s Friends and Family and Beer Festival. It’s hard to believe that such a brilliant event actually happened in 2020, but we’re so glad it did, and we’ll remember that weekend fondly for a long time to come. Thanks again to Paul, Doreen and Connor at Cloudwater for inviting Jonny and I up to host these talks at the festival.In this episode Jonny Hamilton chats with Khris Johnson from Green Bench in Florida, Andrew Schwartz from Modern Times in San Diego, California and Felix Nash from The Fine Cider Company here in the UK, on what happens when the production of beer, wine and cider are brought together, and what potential experiences does this offers to the curious drinker. This is a fascinating insight into the crossover of beer, wine and cider, and I hope you find this discussion as compelling as I did when I got to sit in the audience and listen in.Thanks again to our Patreon subscribers for making this podcast possible, including Cloudwater, who are one of our pro-tier subscribers. If you’re able to support Pellicle with a monthly donation, please head to patreon.com/pelliclemag.Host: Jonny Hamilton Guests: Khris Johnson — Green Bench, Andrew Schwarz — Modern Times, Felix Nash — The Fine Cider CompanyRead more at www.pelliclemag.com

Here’s something a little different for you. The latest episode of our podcast is spoken word recording of our co-founder Matthew Curtis’ popular article on his visit to Russian River’s brewpub in Santa Rosa, California, for a taste of its revered Pliny the Elder at the source. It’s a short episode at just 13 minutes, but one we still hope you’ll enjoy a great deal.Regular listeners will know that we’ve narrated a couple of our stories before during a couple of the episodes in the first series of our podcast. This time, however, we’ve not only decided to produce a spoken word version of a feature, but also underpin it with a score. One will—hopefully—add a little extra drama and impact to the listening experience. It should go without saying that we welcome all feedback on how this worked (or didn’t) for you.There is intent behind this too, as we wanted to see how viable it would be in terms of time and resources to record scores for the episodes planned as part of The Pellicle Podcast’s second series. The answer is that 12-minute-long soundtracks probably aren’t going to become a regular part of our broadcasting, but hopefully we’ll figure out a more time-sensitive way of adding a little colour and flare to S2 when it’s in post-production. More on that soon.For now, please enjoy this episode, which you can either stream or download below, or via popular services such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and many more. If you’re enjoying our podcasts please subscribe on your app and leave a review if you’ve time, and if you want to help fund more content like this, please consider signing up for a monthly donation via our Patreon page. The track in this episode is called “Sonoma” and is written, produced and performed by Matthew Curtis. We recommend sitting in a big, comfy chair with headphones and a cold class of IPA for an optimal listening experience. Host: Matthew Curtis Read more at www.pelliclemag.comSupport our podcast at patreon.com/pelliclemag

It’s over to my partner in crime Jonathan Hamilton to host this, our final panel talk from FyneFest 2019. This discussion is all about spontaneous, mixed fermentation and wild ales—perhaps collectively better known, for better or worse, as “sours”. He’s joined on the panel by Andy Gibson, who at the time was working for BrewDog Overworks, Steven Smith-Hay from Vault City, Jim Rangeley of Abbeydale’s Funk Dungeon project, and Andrea Ladas, who helped establish the Origins project at Fyne Ales. This episode is a must listen for anyone curious about the production of sour beers, as this is a super fun, and geeky chat. I’ll leave it there but quickly want to say thank you for listening to these talks, and thanks again to Fyne Ales for having us. We’ll see you back in the Glen in 2021. And I’ll be back in a week or two with some more episodes, including yet more panel talks from this year’s Cloudwater Friends & Family & Beer festival. Stay tuned! Host: Jonny Hamilton Guests: Jim Rangeley — Abbeydale, Andy Gibson — BrewDog Overworks, Steven Smith-Hay — Vault City, Andrea Ladas — Fyne AlesRead more at www.pelliclemag.comSupport our podcast at patreon.com/pelliclemag

In recent months I’ve become fascinated by the idea of legacy in modern beer, and what kind of impact today’s brewers will have on the next generation of beer lovers. We’re incredibly fortunate for the existence of beers like Timothy Taylor’s Landlord, Harvey’s Best, St. Austell Tribute and Fyne Ale’s very own Jarl—beers with a seemingly timeless quality that will hopefully continue to be enjoyed for decades to come. But what’s next? They say it takes at least 10 years to build a brand, and with many modern breweries focusing instead on limited releases and one-off beers, what are they building in terms of brand and identity? In this discussion we try to get to the bottom of this.I’m joined on this panel by three people who are highly invested in their brands: Tina Breslin, the illustrator behind the compelling cans from Manchester’s Wander Beyond, Andrew Mathews of Vibrant Forest Brewery, known for its equally vibrant artwork, and the lovely Iain Smith, marketing manager at Fyne Ales, who was the person kind enough to let us folks at Pellicle host these talks. It’s a fascinating chat, especially if you’re interested in branding and design as well as the beer itself. And apologies for a little background noise, this was recorded at a festival heading well into the livelier portion of its afternoon. Host: Matthew Curtis Guests: Tina Breslin — Wander Beyond, Andrew Mathews — Vibrant Forest, Iain "Arrows" Smith — Fyne AlesRead more at www.pelliclemag.comSupport our podcast at patreon.com/pelliclemag

You already know how much we love beer, wine and cider here at Pellicle. Something that also fascinates us, however, are hybrids—co-fermentations of beer with wine grapes for example, or blends of beer and cider, which is sometimes referred to as graf. These boundary pushing beverages aren’t just incredibly delicious, but within them also lies potential. Too often the worlds of beer, wine and cider are viewed separately, but I see them as three cards within the same deck. Hybrids provide each of these worlds with an opportunity to understand each other, and, hopefully, bring them closer together in the process. Take this episodes panelists, for example. Jonny Mills of Mills Brewing has caused a stir among hardened beer collectors with his incredible beer/cider hybrids, produced in collaboration with cidermaker Tom Oliver. At Duration Brewing in Norfolk, head brewer Derek Bates is inspired to use seasonal produce within his beers, and has previously made a grape must infused New England IPA with his friends at Verdant Brewing in Cornwall. And before he moved on from Beavertown, my Pellicle co-founder Jonny Hamilton was creating mixed fermentation beers incorporating grapes from Chapel Down winery in Kent. He even got to pour them in California at Firestone Walker’s Terroir Project—a festival of beer/wine hybrids.In this panel discussion, recorded at FyneFest 2019, we dig into the world of hybrid fermentations, discussing their potential, who their prospective audience is, and why they are oh so delicious. Host: Matthew CurtisGuests: Jonny Mills — Mills Brewing, Derek Bates — Duration, Jonny Hamilton — PellicleRead more at www.pelliclemag.comSupport our podcast at patreon.com/pelliclemag

Time. It makes fools of us all. When listening back to this episode I couldn’t decide whether to publish or not, as so much has changed over the last 12 months. However, I feel this episode is still relevant and worthwhile. Perhaps serving as a marker of how we felt about independence in beer in 2019, feelings that have likely intensified significantly over the past few months. Independence is hugely important to me, but getting to the bottom of why it’s so important is challenging. On this panel I’m joined by Eddie Lofthouse, founder of Harbour Brewing in Cornwall, Matt Clarke, who at the time of this recording was the head brewer at Hawkshead Brewery in Cumbria, and Kevin Brooks, who at the time was working for US importer Shelton Brothers, but has recently left to set up his own company, Oasthouse Creative. The reason I was so reticent about publishing isn’t just because during this panel I don’t really manage to gather enough evidence to make a case for independence. But since then, Matt Clarke has been made redundant, along with 14 other staff at Hawkshead, as its owner Halewood Wines and Spirits—who acquired the brewery in March 2017—covered its losses during the financial difficulties created by the pandemic. For me, this signified how important independence is, and what it means: control, or the lack of. In making those redundancies I feel the heart and soul—its people—has been torn out of Hawkshead Brewery. This episode is also evidence of how fast the beer industry moves. To my panelists, if you’re listening, thank you for being on this episode. And, if your opinions have changed since its recording, please drop me a line, as I’d love to get you back on the show to talk about it. I hope you enjoy this one folks — and just a reminder that this was recorded at a festival, so there’s a little background noise, but hopefully it’s not too intrusive. Host: Matthew Curtis Guests: Matt Clarke — Hawkshead, Eddie Lofthouse — Harbour, Kevin Brooks — Shelton Bros. Read more at www.pelliclemag.comSupport our podcast at patreon.com/pelliclemag

Today’s show is part of a series of panel talks recorded at 2019’s Fynefest—The annual festival held by Fyne Ales, at the home of their brewery and family farm in Cairndow, Scotland.In this episode we debate about one of my favourite subjects—cask ale—and why it means so much to both British brewing traditions, and to modern beer culture. Our panelists in this session were Stuart Ross of Magic Rock Brewing Company, Abbeydale Brewery’s Laura Rangeley and Doreen Joy Barber of Cloudwater. Plus, there’s a special guest appearance at the start from Cloudwater’s Jay Krause while we waited for Doreen to find the venue, where we hosted these talks.Fyne Ales have been huge friends and supporters of Pellicle since day one, and it was a privilege to be invited to host these talks. We were gutted not to be able to return to the Glen in 2020 due to the pandemic, but are already relishing returning in 2021 with gusto. Host: Matthew Curtis Guests: Stuart Ross — Magic Rock, Laura Rangeley — Abbeydale, Doreen Joy Barber — Cloudwater, Jay Krause — CloudwaterRead more at www.pelliclemag.comSupport our podcast at patreon.com/pelliclemag

Today’s episode is an interview with Jimmy Hatherley, founder of Unity Brewing Co in Southampton. Jimmy is a good friend of mine, and a fantastic brewer. He established his brewery in 2016, influenced by modern, hoppy beers such as Russian River’s Pliny the Elder and Focal Banger from Vermont’s The Alchemist. His other influence is closer to home, however: Belgium. He’s just as interested in perfecting his crisp, nuanced saisons as he is his intensely hopped IPAs.The other thing that interests Jimmy is building his business—but not in the way you might think. He doesn’t feel the need to grow his business to any greater size than he operates at already. Instead he wants to grow slowly, and laterally, investing in his people and a sustainable, good quality of life for his family, and his employees families. It’s a noble aim, and one that for me is at the core of independent brewing here in the United Kingdom.Stick around after the interview is done as I’ll be reading another feature from our site. This time it’s a piece from Eoghan Walsh, who headed to Rwanda in search of authenticity, and instead went on a journey of self discovery. Host: Matthew CurtisGuest: Jimmy Hatherley — Unity Brewing Co. Read more at www.pelliclemag.comSupport our podcast at patreon.com/pelliclemag

Welcome to the question time episode.A few months ago I hosted a panel talk at a bar called Five Miles in Tottenham, North London called Where It’s At. It’s intent? To figure out where the UK craft beer industry is at the moment, perhaps taking stock of it in the process and figuring out how it might look in the future.I’m joined on this panel by three influential people within the world of beer: Ed Mason, founder of the Five Points Brewing Company here in London; Miranda Hudson, founder of Duration Brewing in Norfolk, and Adam Robertson, founder of Verdant Brewing Company in Falmouth Cornwall.Very few topics are left alone in this lengthy debate: quality, independence, crowdfunding, the price of beer—nothing is taboo. It resulted in a very interesting discussion, and at times quite amusing—especially when our host, Mark Hislop of Exale Brewing (formerly Hale Brewery) delivered us some patented Mali-Bomb shots midway through the discussion.Thanks to Dan and Mark of Exale for hosting this discussion. Now that they’re in their new home in Walthamstow, North London, we hope to host another of these entertaining debates soon. Host: Matthew CurtisGuests: Adam Robertson — Verdant Brewing, Miranda Hudson — Duration Brewing, Ed Mason — The Five Points Brewing Company. Read more at www.pelliclemag.comSupport our podcast at patreon.com/pelliclemag

Today’s episode is a bumper special: a narrative exploration of one of my favourite cities in the UK — Leeds. This bastion of West Yorkshire is very special to me, and that’s because it’s such a wonderful place to visit and to drink some very fine beer.During this episode we’ll hear from several key people from within the Leeds beer scene, including: Richard Brownhill of Little Leeds Beerhouse and bar, Brownhill and Co, Russel Bisset, founder and director of Northern Monk Brewery, Katie Marriot and Mike Hampshire of Nomadic Beer, and finally Christian Townsley, who over two decades ago founded North Bar with his friend and business partner John Gyngell—who, together, are arguably two of the most important figures in British beer today.Host: Matthew CurtisGuests: Russell Bisset — Northern Monk, Richard Brownhill — Little Leeds Beerhouse, Katie Marriot & Mike Hampshire — Nomadic Beer, Christian Townsley — North Brewing Co. Read more at www.pelliclemag.comSupport our podcast at patreon.com/pelliclemag

In today’s episode I get to visit one of my favourite places in the world—St. John—a place the late Anthony Bourdain described as “the restaurant of my dreams.” A truer statement has seldom been uttered.I was invited by Will Bucknall, co-founder of Kicking Horse, a beer distributor with a wine industry background, helping to educate and supply some of London’s best restaurants with great beer. The subject of food and beer is one of my favourites, which is unsurprising considering they’re some of my favourite things. Put them together and you have perfection.After Will and I chew on this subject for a while we’re joined by St. John’s co-founder Trevor Gulliver—a man with a great many opinions—and whether you agree with him or not, you’ll no doubt find his views to be thought provoking.This episode was recorded in a working restaurant ahead of a busy service, so please bare with the background noise.And don’t go anywhere once the interview has finished, as I’ll be reading another piece from our website: a rumination on citrus fruit from chef and founder of Nanban Restaurant, Tim Anderson.Host: Matthew CurtisGuests: Will Bucknall — Kicking Horse, Trevor Gulliver — St. John Restaurant Read more at www.pelliclemag.comSupport our podcast at patreon.com/pelliclemag

Today’s episode is a “lost podcast” of sorts. I originally recorded this interview in late 2018 for the Good Beer Hunting podcast. Sadly, I left before it was ever submitted, and it has sat, languishing on my hard drive ever since. Listening back to it recently I decided it was too good not to publish.It features Nick Dolan, Zeph King and Tim Peyton of Real Ale, a small, independent chain of bottleshop/bar hybrids. What’s fascinating is that their business isn’t simply that of a retailer. They’re also in the distribution game, perhaps most notably supplying supermarket chain Marks & Spencer with their own-brand range of beers.While this episode is perhaps a bit more business focussed than we aspired to produce here at Pellicle, it still centres on what fascinates us the most—great food and drink.Disclaimer: In this episode it is stated by the interviewee's that their business, Real Ale, is an owner of Woodforde's Brewery in Norfolk. Please be advised that this is no longer the case. Host: Matthew CurtisGuests: Nick Dolan, Zeph King and Tim Peyton — Real AleRead more at www.pelliclemag.comSupport our podcast at patreon.com/pelliclemag

Today's episode flits between two of our favourite topics: natural wine and lambic—beers own spontaneously fermented equivalent. In this episode you'll hear from Ola Dabrowska and Duncan Sime of Huddersfield-based natural wine shop Kwas, followed by Karel Boon, heir to the storied Boon brewery in Lembeek, Belgium.In our first interview we'll learn how Ola and Duncan came to open a natural wine bar in a West Yorkshire town better known for its traditional pubs and cask ale. Then we'll jump to a busy Hackney pub where we chat to Karel briefly about his family brewery and how it feels to be taking over from his father as he nears his inevitable retirement. Host: Matthew CurtisGuests: Ola Dabrowska & Duncan Sime — Kwas, Karel Boon — Brouwerij BoonRead more at www.pelliclemag.comSupport our podcast at patreon.com/pelliclemag

In today's episode Matthew ruminates briefly on the importance—nay magnificence—of cask ale, before chatting to Roger Ryman, the head brewer at Cornwall's St. Austell Brewery and creator of Tribute, one of the best selling cask beers in the country. Following the interview Matthew reads his article on another of the UK's great cask ales, Harvey's Sussex Best. Host: Matthew CurtisGuests: Roger Ryman — St. Austell BreweryRead more at www.pelliclemag.comSupport our podcast at patreon.com/pelliclemag Editors Note: Sadly Roger passed away in May 2020. Read our obituary to him here.

When brewer Jonny Hamilton told writer Matthew Curtis he wanted to start a magazine, a seed was planted and Pellicle was born. In this episode, our very first—and a pilot of sorts—Matthew and Jonny discuss our magazines origins over a couple of nice bottles of wine and beer. They get there, eventually.Hosts: Matthew Curtis & Jonny HamiltonRead more at www.pelliclemag.comSupport our podcast at patreon.com/pelliclemag