It will come as no surprise to many that new breweries are popping up all over world and Germany is no exception to the trend. The Deutscher Brauer Bund (German brewers association) announced in 20…| Hop & Schwein
I was kindly invited by TUM Weihenstephan Chair Brewing & Beverage Technology to give an oral presentation at the annual scientific meeting. Since this event felt like a fairly important milestone in my brewing scientist/PhD journey, it seems apt to document my experience. This post was inspired by my friend Andreas’ recent post about his … Continue reading The time I presented at a brewing science conference in Weihenstephan| Hop & Schwein
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 … Continue reading A PhD in Brewing| Hop & Schwein
Despite a pretty bleak year, there have certainly been some great beery experiences. And Golden Pints seemed like a fun way to briefly sum some of them up. Happy 2021! Best brewery In summer 2020, I moved to Berlin and immediately fell in love with the Hausbrauerei Eschenbräu, tucked away in Berlin-Wedding. I have been … Continue reading Golden Pints 2020| Hop & Schwein
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 … Continue reading MSc Brewing and Distilling at Heriot Watt University: a review| Hop & Schwein
A friend told me recently about a conversation he had with some craft brewers that he met at a local brewery. My pal is a German Braumeister and introduced himself to his fellow industry colleagues as such. Apparently, they retorted with something along the lines of: “Braumeister is an outdated concept and we don’t like … Continue reading Braumeister Syndrome| Hop & Schwein
I recently moved to Berlin. And I’m very excited about this. After an extended spell in Bonn and a short stay in Edinburgh cut even shorter by “The Thing”, I had some fresh perspective and was looking forward to a change of scenery. So I packed my suitcase, jumped on a train and moved to … Continue reading Drinking beer in Berlin| Hop & Schwein
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 … Continue reading A guide to becoming a brewer in Germany| Hop & Schwein
On my recent trip to Nuremberg I spent a day hiking in the fränkische Schweiz – a rural, particularly picturesque region of the southern German Franconia – following the 5 Seidla Steig hiking route. Seidla is Franconian dialect for a 500ml mug of beer and yes, that’s right folks, it’s a beer hike. This is one of the … Continue reading Walking the 5 Seidla Steig – a beery day hike in Franconia| Hop & Schwein
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 …| Hop & Schwein
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) sug…| Hop & Schwein
