Testing BeerOver the years, new and exciting techniques and ingredients have found their way into the brewing industry. From new hop varieties and unusual (for England) malts, to methods of brewing beer that not that long ago would have seemed mad to your average brewer.

Which is a shame really, because the brewers of previous generations knew what they were doing. To produce such distinctive, drinkable classic beers with the limited resources available took talent and craft.

The idea of Beer Nouveau is two-fold, firstly to look at the old recipes that these skilled brewers used and to try and imagine how they would have brewed them if they had access to the ingredients that we do today. And secondly, to experiment still further with beer, to come up with new recipes by using as many of the new ingredients and ideas that we can. Whatever we brew though, we aim to produce beer that drinkers will happily have a second pint of.

Beer Nouveau didn’t just start as England’s smallest commercial brewery (weighing in with a brew length of just 42 litres) – it was also one of the UK’s most environmentally friendly operations. Beer Nouveau’s original brewery was made mainly from recycled materials. Even the brewing equipment was hand-made from reclaimed “single-use” eco-kegs, while deliveries were made using public transport and pedal power.

But there’s more to this brewery than a commitment to green thinking. There’s also a bigger commitment: to great beer! Producing a mix of traditional styles based on 19th and 20th Century recipes, to experimental batches containing thyme, sage, passion fruit (and no small amount of passion for the craft).

Steaming Liquor Tank