Issue #1

I love how people romanticise their passions. But there is no exact point where mixed, wild, and spontaneously fermented beers grabbed my interest. There was no world-shaking first encounter. A friend didn’t guide me through my first sip of geuze. Instead, as I slowly learnt about beer styles, two things about lambic production stuck with me:

1. These styles are often called ‘ancient’ for their reliance on spontaneous fermentation. 
2. The unique, protected environment of the Pajottenland and Zenne valley makes these beers unreplicable anywhere else in the world.

I now accept that, while these points of provenance and age sound cool, they are limiting. They may be true for lambic production. But they are limited for wider mixed and wild fermentation beers. I say this to defend the skill it takes to make these beers. They are as different and nuanced as any other style can be. They are a world of their own that can be both modern and universal. So, I want to focus on the makers’ varied production, philosophy, technique, and results. 

With this in mind, I’d like to start a series of posts focussing on the breweries and blenders making mixed and wild fermentation beers in the UK. The goal would never be to rate or compare these producers, let alone with the wider world. I can’t imagine a more futile project. Instead, I’d like to document the culture in the UK. Also, I want to record their variety and the different techniques used. 

I’m not sure if this is an important distinction yet. But, in case it matters later, I’ve split the following list of UK producers I’m watching into 2 groups. I want to note that the applications of groups A and B should not imply a difference in dedication or value to each other. Yet, it’s an important distinction to keep in mind. 

Group A contains the names of those whose approach and identity are primarily focussed on mixed/wild ferm beers. They produce many styles. Some may be clean beers. But, they are largely known for their mixed/wild fermentation output. 

Group A:

Balance – Manchester

Crossover – Hertfordshire

Epochal – Glasgow

Little Earth Project – Suffolk

Mills – Gloucestershire

Our Brewery – County Antrim

Scatterlings – Surrey

Tempo Terra – Surrey

Wilderness Brewery – Powys

Then in Group B, we find the following UK breweries. Mixed/wild fermentation might be key to their identity. But their production focuses on ‘clean’ beers. Currently, we can break these down into further sub-sectors. But this again should not reflect on their quality or commitment. It is only to map where these breweries and projects interact.  

Firstly, we have the likes of The Kernel and Burning Sky. Despite their volume, they have an equal, if not greater, sense of identity in their mixed/wild fermentation beers as in their clean beers. In both cases, these breweries have long made such beers. So, they fit seamlessly within their craft.  

Secondly, there are the likes of Deya and Duration. They have made a name for their high-quality clean beers. But they also run mixed/wild fermentation projects with great dedication. 

Thirdly, we have names like Pastore and Vault City. They are known for their production of sour beers. Their range includes a blend of quick/kettle sours with complex, barrel-aged, mixed-fermentation beers too. 

Group B:

Beak – East Sussex

Brewery of Saint Mars of the Desert – Sheffield

Burning Sky – East Sussex

Burnt Mill – Suffolk

Cloudwater – Manchester

Deya – Gloucestershire

Duration – Norfolk

Left Handed Giant – Bristol

Pastore – Cambridgeshire

Orbit Beer – London

Simple Things Fermentations – Glasgow

The Kernel – London

Vault City – Edinburgh

Wild Beer – Kent

Yonder – Somerset 

These subcategories are very much fluid as the breweries continue to develop. At the time of writing, Beak has no mixed/wild ferm beer. But it has made some great ones before. I hope they revisit this. Also, this group is also more likely to either grow or shrink, so I will try to keep this updated or revisit the topic down the road.  

Both lists are by no means complete and I’m sure I’ve missed off some great names; if there are any names missing, please reach out.