On the podcast this week, Nick is joined by Craig Thomas, National Account Manager at Abstrax, to take a deep dive into the science, story, and serious hop chemistry behind their innovative hop products—used by some of the most respected brewers in the industry.

Craig shares insights into how Abstrax uses cutting-edge technology to isolate and recreate the essential oils and aroma compounds that give beer its characteristic punch and complexity—providing brewers with another layer of precision and creativity.

Following this, Nick sits down with Julian Shrago, co-owner and brewmaster of the legendary Beachwood Brewing in Long Beach, California. Together, they talk about how Abstrax fits into the flavour profile of West Coast IPAs and the delicate balance between tradition and technical innovation.

The conversation broadens as they explore the current state of the US beer scene—its trends, tensions, and opportunities—and why, sometimes, moving house and judging beer might just be the same thing after all...

👉 Learn more about Abstrax: www.abstraxhops.com
👉 Discover Beachwood Brewing: www.beachwoodbrewing.com

Please note: Abstrax have in no way sponsored or endorsed this episode—this is purely a conversation around innovation, aroma, and application.

THIS WEEK'S EPISODE IS PROUDLY BROUGHT TO YOU BY:
Charles Faram & Co (charlesfaram.com)
Supplying hops for over 150 years, Charles Faram offers a vast range of nitrogen-flushed hop varieties from the UK, Europe, New Zealand, and the USA.

Crisp Malt (crispmalt.com)
Since 1870, Crisp has blended tradition with innovation, producing malts like Chevallier Heritage and Clear Choice Malt.

FOLLOW HOP FORWARD
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On the podcast this week, Nick is joined by Tim Bloomer, co-founder and Sustainability Director for Fell Brewery. Based in Cumbria, one of the UK's most scenic areas, having a brewery that is friendly to the environment is a top priority for this growing brewery. So much so, in 2024, Fell performed a full, all scope carbon footprint analysis of our beer with their friends at Small World Consulting.

Now that the brewery really knows where our emissions really come from, they have been able to make a plan to start meaningfully reducing them.

By 2028, the brewery aspires to have some of the lowest carbon beer available in the world. Make sure you check out their first annual report on progress along with the original footprint analysis performed by Small World.

Nick is also joined by Maltings Manager for Crisp Malt, Dan Clarke, at SIBA Beer X where they discuss why brewers should care about the malting process other than merely tipping the bags into the grist-loader.

THIS WEEK'S EPISODE IS PROUDLY BROUGHT TO YOU BY:
Charles Faram & Co (charlesfaram.com)
Supplying hops for over 150 years, Charles Faram offers a vast range of nitrogen-flushed hop varieties from the UK, Europe, New Zealand, and the USA.

Crisp Malt (crispmalt.com)
Since 1870, Crisp has blended tradition with innovation, producing malts like Chevallier Heritage and Clear Choice Malt.

FOLLOW HOP FORWARD
hopforward.beer | LinkedIn | BlueSky | Instagram

I've stayed in craft beer for over a decade not just for the love of the liquid, but for the friendships. The relationships I've built are what keep me here, the camaraderie amongst brewers and beer professionals. You don’t stick with a job that leaves you soaked in yeast and wrestling with broken equipment unless you’re surrounded by others who have been in the trenches with you. There's nothing quite like trading stories and the mini-dramas over a good, solid pint with your newfound friends at a beer festival or down the local. And when you both wax lyrical about the beer you're sharing, it's pure magic.

Sometimes, on the Hop Forward Podcast, the focus and emphasis is on a particular subject. Over the seven years of airing this show, we've covered a vast array of topics - sustainability, financing, business development, wild yeasts, blending to name a few - and yet some of my favourite episodes are the ones that simply just happened. Discussions that ran away with themselves; recordings that sound like you're eavesdropping on a fascinating conversation in the pub.

Mostly, the focus of the show is on a particular topic—sustainability, finance, wild yeasts, business strategy, blending, and so on. But honestly, some of my favourite episodes are the ones that just happen. Conversations that meander like a pub chat, full of insight and warmth, where you're almost eavesdropping on two people geeking out over beer, life and their mutual appreciation of Tommy Barnes' A Beer in the Loire.

This week’s episode is one of those.

I’m joined by the brilliant Kate Hyde, Head Brewer and Product Director at Hand Brew Co., a 25HL brewery based in Worthing. After working in publishing and fashion, Kate moved to France, discovered brewing, and eventually brought her skills back to the UK, joining Hand Brew Co.

We cover everything from her role at the brewery and its original tower system, to cask beer, the beautiful artwork and artists that Hand Brew Co showcases, and the everyday joys and challenges of brewing professionally.

I hope you enjoy listening as much as I enjoyed recording it.

THIS WEEK'S EPISODE IS PROUDLY BROUGHT TO YOU BY:
Charles Faram & Co (charlesfaram.com)
Supplying hops for over 150 years, Charles Faram offers a vast range of nitrogen-flushed hop varieties from the UK, Europe, New Zealand, and the USA.

Crisp Malt (crispmalt.com)
Since 1870, Crisp has blended tradition with innovation, producing malts like Chevallier Heritage and Clear Choice Malt.

FOLLOW HOP FORWARD
hopforward.beer | LinkedIn | BlueSky | Instagram