by Andrew
Last week, Jasper and I headed down to Liverpool for BeerX, the largest independent beer trade event in the country. The expo is packed with technical talks from industry experts covering brewing techniques, ingredients, and everything in between. It’s also a great chance to catch up with suppliers, talk shop, and see what’s new in the brewing world.
One of the highlights for me was Charles Faram’s Hops on the Horizon talk. I’ve been keeping a close eye on new British hop varieties, so it was great to sample some that have progressed through the breeding program since Aromafest in years past. Buxton Brewery brewed a New England IPA with a small dose of Harlequin, one of our favourite newer hops, alongside four variations, each featuring different experimental varieties for comparison. There are some really exciting new possibilities on the horizon for British hops.
Meanwhile, Jasper went to a technical session with Crisp Malt, Exploring the Impact of Malt Characteristics on Beer Quality. He picked up some useful insights into different sources of haze in beer and how to either encourage or prevent them, depending on the desired style.
The conference wrapped up with the 2025 Independent Beer Awards. While we weren’t in the running for any awards this year, it’s always great to celebrate the achievements of fellow brewers and see the innovation happening across the industry.
BeerX never disappoints, and this year was no exception. Plenty of inspiration, great conversations, and a few tasting sessions pints along the way, just how we like it!
