Join us for an evening dedicated to the craft, cultivation, and flavours behind organic beer brewing.
Discover how hops are cultivated and transformed into exceptional beers, with:
- Guided tastings: sample a curated selection of local organic brews, including full-flavour 0.0% alcohol options, paired with a delicious menu of small plate dishes
- Sensory workshop: learn to identify hop varieties by aroma and master the basics of beer tasting with local experts
- Guest speaker talks: listen to local growers and brewers about sustainable hop cultivation and the future of organic brewing in our region
Our confirmed speakers are (left to right below) Professor Duncan Westbury, Dean of Land and Property Management; Arthur Wear, Head Brewer at Stroud Brewery; Will Rogers, Group Technical Director at Charles Faram & Co; and Donncha Burke, Senior Brewer at Hawkstone.
About the guest speakers
Professor Duncan Westbury, Dean of Land and Property Management at Royal Agricultural University, has a very strong background in applying ecological principles to habitat creation and management, with specific research experience on the management of agroecosystems to support biodiversity whilst simultaneously supporting ecosystem services within agricultural landscapes.
Arthur Wear is the Head Brewer at Stroud Brewery, a pioneering, 100% organic craft brewery and certified B Corporation based in Gloucestershire. Championing community-centric, ethically responsible brewing, Arthur combines a passion for traditional techniques with innovative, sustainable practices. Known for his creative approach to seasonal recipe development, he frequently incorporates locally foraged, historic botanical ingredients to bridge the gap between historic flavours and modern craft beer.
He will talk about the brewery, the challenges of brewing with organic hops, and the hop varieties in the beers he is bringing.
Will Rogers as Group Technical Director at Charles Faram & Co oversees the Hop Development Programme, bringing new varieties to fruition for brewers across the world. He also advises growers on agronomy, sets our hop quality standards and helps drive technical improvement across the industry.
Donncha Burke, Senior Brewer at Hawkstone, will talk about how Hawkstone is helping to grow the British hop industry. A real success story, Hawkstone really wants to shout about it, and ideally bring more breweries along with it so they can back British farming collectively.
He will also talk about Hawkstone’s Wild Thing collaboration with Wildfarmed, and why regenerative farming is such a good way to farm sustainably, so we can keep enjoying great British beer for generations to come.
Please note that you must be over 18 years old to attend this event (please bring ID) and entry is by advance ticket only. Tickets include all guided tastings (including food), the sensory workshop and speaker talks. There will be 0% alcohol options available.
This is a paid event with general admission £25 and RAU staff and student admission £20. Free parking is available on campus.