Craft Beer Rising 2013
We’re only two months into 2013 and already the beer festivals have begun.
An exciting little happening kicked off January in Leeds called the ‘Brew-denell Beer & Ale Festival’. It was a small perfectly formed affair offering 20 to 30 different ales over the 3 day weekend and resided in legendary music venue Brudenell Social Club (hence the name).
Rolling into February we see the shift down to London and Craft Beer Rising take up the mantle. With the exhibitors list showcasing a variety of indie and bigger nationals from Saltaire Brewery to St Austell it’ll be an interesting mix. With a banner that includes the words beer, music and street food it grabbed my attention straight away. On hearing Norman Jay, Good Times head honcho would be playing well that was my attendance decided!
Organisers of Craft Beer Rising, Daniel & Sam, kindly agreed to answer a few Q&As, to delve a little deeper into the behind the scenes preparation in anticipation of the event next weekend.
Q: Please tell us a little about yourselves and your connection to beer that brought you to organising Craft Beer Rising for the first time in 2013:
CBR was born out of my 2 existing businesses. I have worked in booze all my life starting my career working on Allied Domecq brands before sales and marketing roles at Bacardi and for the last 7 years helping run Elastic. Elastic is a below the line agency specialising in on-trade activation, experiential marketing and events. In addition to this I took on a Punch lease 3 years ago, The Old Nun's Head, which began my initiation into good beer. Before 2010 I was a generic lager boy, and I got into good beer at the best time. I got to discover all these great traditional ales on top of all the innovation coming out of the states. Then the new wave of UK craft guys hot on the tales of the US and now the bigger breweries following behind playing catch up, combine this with further innovation in Europe and beyond you can safely say that global beer innovation has ever been so exciting.
The best thing about it was I had no bias to styles, or leaning towards a stereotype I was just into great beer. We started putting beer festivals on at the pub and what surprised me as a marketer was that the demographic of people getting into the category was a lot younger than I thought. I also went to a couple of established festivals and putting it bluntly they were not for me. So I thought there must be people like me into great beer without stereotype, that also liked great food and decent music. So Chris Bayliss (my partner at Elastic) and I spent sometime thinking about the concept. We had taken our Clients to many, many festivals, and helped produce the Boutique Bar Show, so thought a mixture of trade and consumer would be ideal, stick in some street food, plonk it all in an old brewery in Brick Lane and hope we break even!! In June 2012 Craft Beer Rising was born
Q: Beer festivals in the UK are often associated with the Campaign for Real Ale organisation. In 2012 we saw a number of independent beer events pop up around the country - from the International Manchester Beer Convention (IMBC) to Leeds International Beer Festival and in 2013 the Liverpool Craft Beer Expo and your Craft Beer Rising event. Is there something going on to fuel this?
This change in tide is predominantly down to consumer demand. Consumers demand more choice, more diverse tastes. Consumers want to know exactly what they are putting in their bodies what it is made from, how it is made, who is behind it, where has it come from. The leaning is towards artisan, small batch, limited addition. People buy into brands, and how they make them look and feel, people like discovery and there is no better category for all of this than beer.
So as the consumer changes, producers (brewers) change to meet their demands it follows suit that the gatherings to attract these people also change.
Q: Your exhibitors list covers indie brewers with the likes of The Rat & Offbeat Breweries to larger nationals such as Sharps and St Austell. Is there a particular ethos to picking your exhibitors and can you share this with us?
We did not pick our exhibitors we opened the festival up to all producers of good beer some saw the benefits of our event and some didn't. Again I go back to the consumer our aim is to attract new people into the category, lager wine and cocktail drinkers. Our job is to provide an even playing field (all brands get the same site space), and let the liquid do the talking.
I want consumers to see brands they recognise, some they have heard of and some they haven't. As you know it is subjective but we do not want to get drawn into the debate, our aim is to take good beer to the masses.
Q: I noticed you have a trade element intertwined into the festival - Can you tell us a little more behind the purpose of this?
Brewers have to justify their attendance to the event, so doing some business at CBR is very important. I want people to win new contracts, meet new suppliers and grow their brands and businesses. I think there are 1009 breweries in the UK, in our current economic Climate I do not think there is another industry spear heading entrepreneurialism, creating jobs and contributing to the countries coffers so successfully, in my mind we are just a conduit to fuelling business, helping breweries tap into new areas and grow in capacity. We are proud with our list of attendees from Harvery Nics and Waitrose to Mitchell and Butler, Fullers, Punch and a host of independent cocktail bars and multiple operators, our hope is that deals are done.
Q: The venue choice, The Old Truman Brewery on Brick Lane, is a stroke of brilliance. With the new Truman brewery re-emerging in 2010 bringing back to life one of London's historic brewery operations it emphasises the heritage of UK brewing as Craft Beer Rising is held at their original site; which was their home for over 300 years. As the venue now houses more than 200 small, creative businesses, including renowned music retailer Rough Trade, you've a venue which shouts its historic brewing; as the 49-metre chimney stack with 'Truman' rises up over the artistic creators below; and combines a cutting edge atmosphere. Why did you choose this venue and what do you think it will bring to the event?
This was a no brainer really. We have done events at the venue before; there is a great natural footfall, awesome transport links as well as surrounding bars and hotels. They are also a great venue to work with; they have really supported our event and have even helped us market it so a big thank you has to go to the Truman Brewery Team
Q: You mention that there will be 'some of the capital's best street food vendors' at Craft Beer Rising. Can you provide a heads up on who will be on site?
In my opinion the best: The Ribman, Fleischmob, Mother Flipper Burgers, Hix's Fish Dogs, Hartland Pork Pies, Moon's Green British Charcuterie
Q: I see you've booked legendary soul, funk and Good Times sound system head honcho Norman Jay MBE. How important is the musical element of the beer festival to you and why?
People would pay £10 just to see Norman Jay, we wanted an inclusive music policy and Norman Jay transcends generations while still remaining credible and relevant. It is another thing us Brits are good at festivals so wanted to bring this element to CBR. It also helps beer fans convince their mates who are a bit unsure to come and again helps bring new people into the category.
Q: Can you reveal any more of your musical line up?
London Disco Society, Peter Paphides Vinyl Revival BBC Radio 6, Simon Ward Radio 2, Signature Brews Acoustic Stage
Q: One of your event partners is Heriot Watt University. Their International Centre for Brewing & Distilling is the only organisation in the UK to offer both Honours and Masters degrees in these subjects. It's the first time I've seen a university partner with a beer festival, I'd love to know the motivation behind this, can you share? Does this mean we'll be seeing some live demos from the university at CBR?
It is about bringing the myth of brewing out in the open, there will be live demos and also tastings and educational sessions from Alex Barlow, Melissa Cole, Thinking Drinker (Ben MacFarland and Tom Sandham) and Ryan Cheti.
Q: As a final insight, what are you both currently enjoying drinking on the craft beer front?
I am really into my stouts and porters at the moment Flying Dog Gonzo Stout as well as the Darkstar Imperial Stout, Bristol Beer Factory Milk Stout and The 2 Cocks Puritan also loved the Brodies and Kernel IPA, and you can't beat a Thornbridge Wild Raven. But my session beer is a Hogsback TEA. Sam wanted to add Oakham Citra too. Norman Jay's Giant 45 Radio Show:
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