Dry January 2022 – my experience with some non-alcoholic beers

I completed Dry January for the third consecutive year and used this opportunity to try out some non-alcoholic beers (NAB) brewed in Germany. My friend and neighbour Andreas Krennmair (@der_ak) suggested that I write a blog post to share my tasting notes of some of the more interesting NABs that I sampled. As a brewer, …

A PhD in Brewing

In summer 2021, I started researching towards a PhD in Brewing & Beverage Technology in Berlin, Germany. Having submitted my dissertation and completing my MSc Brewing & Distilling degree at Heriot Watt University in December 2020, I was ready for the next challenge. My motivation to pursue a PhD is to gain a better technical …

MSc Brewing and Distilling at Heriot Watt University: a review

Earlier this month I submitted my dissertation and completed my Master’s degree in Brewing & Distilling at the International Centre for Brewing and Distilling (ICBD) at Heriot Watt University. Now seemed like an apt time to reflect upon the past 12+ months of study and share some thoughts. I hope that this information could be …

A guide to becoming a brewer in Germany

Germany has an apprenticeship scheme like any other that allows young people to gain work experience, learn on the job and earn a bit of money and a qualification. However, the two unique aspects about the German apprenticeship schemes are the prestige it holds compared to similar schemes in the UK, for example, and the …

Transparency in German contract brewing

Transparency is, in my opinion, a key factor that sets small breweries apart from macro breweries. Transparency manifests itself in numerous ways, whether it's a brewery that offers tours to its visitors or whether we consider transparency as an open and honest dialogue between brewers and drinkers about the brewing process, raw materials and industry …

Learning how to brew Kölsch at Sünner Brauerei

After a brief, exam-related hiatus from blogging I thought I'd put some thoughts together about some time I spent recently at Sünner Kölsch, in, well, Cologne. As part of my brewer's training course I am expected to learn about all aspects of beer production and my boss kindly organised for me to go to the …

Brewing in a former Gemeindebrauhaus

So it is no secret that I am a huge fan of Franconia and during my time living and working in Germany I am becoming increasingly fascinated by this region and its unique beer culture. One aspect of this that I came across recently is the Gemeindebrauhaus concept, which dates back to a time when …

A few things that make the German brewer tick

Since I started my brewing course at Fritz-Henßler Berufskolleg in Dortmund in December 2016 I have not only been lucky enough to learn a great deal of theory and science relating to brewing and brewing technology, but I have also, perhaps equally as importantly, learnt about what it means to be a ‘German brewer’, even …