When travelling through Glasgow there’s this moment where you cross over the Erskine Bridge and hang a left onto the Great Western Road when the mood seems to change. Shoulders drop, muscles soften, and your brain suddenly feels soft and malleable. Behind you are the twisting motorways and the grey, urban landscape of the city, ahead is the beauty and serenity of Loch Lomond and The Trossachs. Something about passing over the river signifies this, and informs your mind and body that it's time to relax and enjoy yourself.

I’ve made this journey several times, and always for the same reason: to head to Glen Fyne, and to FyneFest. I first attended this festival in 2018, and I’ve been to every single one since. There isn’t a beer event in the UK quite like it, and it’s been a pleasure and a privilege of mine to have hosted meet the brewer talks here since 2019.

We’ve been blessed by glorious sunshine at the last two FyneFests. People who’ve only attended the event post-pandemic will not remember the intensity of the rain that fell in 2019, or how we carried on and enjoyed ourselves regardless. The rain was also conducive to us filling our space with people eager to learn and ask questions about beer, while the sunshine—unsurprisingly—has the opposite effect. Still, it did little to dampen the mood in our miniature auditorium, where a few eager beer lovers arrived to hear us chat to some of the most interesting and intelligent people in beer about some pressing topics.

This year we decided to tackle some tougher subjects, from the price of beer, to sustainability, and even a panel that asked if people are still enjoying beer and the culture that surrounds it. We also recorded these talks, and now happily present them to you in podcast form. While you might not be able to experience the sheer beauty and vibes of the Glen, you can enjoy these discussions, at your leisure.

We’re also very pleased to announce that we will be back at FyneFest in 2024! We’re planning to go bigger and better at this year's event (we might even have our own bar!) but in terms of the talks, we’re going back to basics, focusing on interesting beers, and how they are made. We’re hoping it’ll be an unmissable part of your festival weekend, come rain or shine. Get your tickets for the weekend here.

Please enjoy these podcast episodes, each of which will be published as and when they are ready, rather than to any particular schedule. Don’t forget to become a subscriber via Patreon if you’re able to support this podcast, and our online magazine.

Ep45 — The Great Price Of Beer Debate

From the pandemic to Brexit, the cost of living crisis has impacted everyone’s pockets. For brewers, the price of beer production is through the roof, with rising ingredient costs and soaring energy bills, everything has become significantly more expensive. Perhaps the greatest challenge, however, is passing this cost onto the consumer. Beer is an egalitarian product, and drinkers have always had an expectation that it remains affordable, accessible, and live in hope that it doesn’t become a very occasional luxury.

In this debate, featuring members of the brewing industry and hosted by Pellicle co-founder Matthew Curtis, we’ll discuss the difficult subject that is the price of a pint. From the cost at the bar, to concepts like premiumisation, and whether there’s actually a benefit (or not) to the price of beer going up, no stone will be left unturned. Audience participation will be encouraged—think of this as like Question Time but with much more beer.

Featuring Andy Parker (Elusive Brewing), Charlie Harding (Bonne Vivante Marketing) and Alice Hayward (Cloudwater).

Ep46 — Modern British Lager

Perhaps one of the most exciting things to have happened within the UK brewing industry over the past decade is the birth of modern British lager. Whether they’ve been directly inspired by the brewing traditions of Germany and the Czech Republic, or by more contemporary influences such as the American West Coast, the wealth of great lager beers now produced by British breweries, from Helles, to Baltic Porters and even newer styles such as India Pale Lager, is breathtaking.

For this discussion you’ll join Pellicle co-founder, lager enthusiast, and Heriot Watt brewing and distilling masters alumni Jonathan Hamilton, along with an expert panel of brewers to chat about all things lager. If you want to learn your infusion mashing from decoction, or about things such as the influence and flavour of heritage barley varieties in lager brewing, then this is the discussion for you.

Featuring Colin Stronge (Salt Beer Factory), Reece Hugill (Donzoko) and Hannah Davidson (Jolly Good Beer).

Ep47 — Make Beer Fun Again

We can all agree that the last few years have been tough, and as a result, it can be difficult to find the joy in life’s simple pleasures — of which beer is one of the best. The past decade in British brewing has been pretty exhausting, with thousands of newcomers entering the category, many of whom have been in a race to make the haziest, juiciest, pastriest, and most intense beers possible. As a result, many of us have reached our saturation point within beer culture.

For this panel discussion, Jonathan Hamilton speaks to people from within the beer industry about their own experiences of what we’re calling ‘beer burnout’ and discuss ways in which we can regain joy from the simple pleasure that is enjoying a well made glass of beer. Hopefully, together, we can learn to Make Beer Fun Again.

Featuring Lucy Clarke (Sureshot), Aidy Fenwick (Fyne Ales), and Dominic Driscoll (Thornbridge).

Ep48 — For Beer, For The Planet

There is no getting away from the fact that producing beer is a hugely energy intensive process. The very nature of brewing requires boiling a huge vat of liquid, which then needs to be cooled quickly, and kept at near freezing temperatures for several weeks. The finished product also needs constant refrigeration if it’s to be kept at its best. Other processes connected to brewing, such as the farming of ingredients, and the production of the chemicals used for sanitisation, all add to its large carbon footprint.

In this panel discussion, hosted by Matthew Curtis, we examine what both breweries and the folks who drink their beer can do to encourage breweries to take responsibility for adopting more sustainable practices in brewing. There’s plenty to debate, from the use of organic grains, to carbon dioxide capture and reuse, to the controversial deposit return scheme that is just around the corner for the United Kingdom.

Featuring Sarah Luxon (Wiper & True), Jamie Delap (Fyne Ales), and Sam McMeekin (Gypsy Hill).

Ep49 — Is Independence More Important Than Ever?

During one of our first ever panel discussions at FyneFest, held way back in 2019, we spoke about the importance of independence in brewing. Not only were the results of the conversation inconclusive, two of the breweries represented in that discussion—Hawkshead and Harbour— have since sold out to larger corporations…

With several years having passed since this talk took place, and the brewing landscape also having changed dramatically during this time, we felt it was time to return to it once again and ask: is independence more important than ever? Join Matthew Curtis for a debate featuring an expert panel to work out if there is still genuine value for both breweries and their customers in remaining independent, or if it’s time to sell out and cash in, while there’s still time.

Featuring Darron Anley (Siren Craft Brew), Vik Stronge (Magic Rock), Matt Clarke and Michelle Gay (Lakes Brew Co.)