Issue #2

Roughly three months back, I launched my first post trying to frame the UK’s current culture of mixed, wild, and spontaneously fermented beer producers. I have long been meaning to continue this project with a follow-up post focusing on specific producers, but I’ve been a little side tracked with wanting to revisit some of my initial points. 

Firstly, I began to group producers that focus solely on the production of mixed/wild/spontaneous beers from those who also have an additional focus on clean beer production. At the time, I was unsure on whether these distinctions would be needed and whether it would be something I’d continue. However, after listening to many of these different producers speak on the subject, I’ve decided against using a form taxonomy in this way. These beers are already quite niche but diverse, so any further pigeonholing can fail to frame them in the way they deserve. It also neglects any production methods, which is a far more significant difference between them. 

Secondly, using “mixed”, “wild”, or “spontaneous” is a mouthful for an overall topic, and is very dependent on the process used. I have recently been enlightened by Matthew Curtis’ use of ‘British Wild Beer’ and feel this is a far better way to get at the topic. Initially it might feel broad, but I’m finding it to be inclusive of the producers that I’ve been looking at. It is also a more open term to different production methods that might be used. British Wild Beer encompasses the more rustic character of these beers as well as their sense of place. Whilst ‘wild’ infers an obvious link to wild yeast, I don’t feel it particularly denies the use of more commercial/domesticated strains, so long as it is contextual to the deviation from a monoculture of saccharomyces.

My general thinking with these two points is that, whilst having a nomenclature might initially seem a constructive way to discuss this topic, I think it may currently be too restrictive and fail at representing what the UK has to offer. 

And lastly, whilst researching this topic, my list of producers has grown considerably, and I was surprised how many new producers have begun to enter the fray. I have been updating my original post with these names and will continue to do so, but it was a very pleasant discovery of how the UK is really thriving in this little corner of beer production. 

Hopefully, my next post on this topic won’t take so long to get to as I already have something cool in mind.