Q: Chris, when did you start Wriggle Valley Brewery?
A: We started in a garage and a large metal shed in 2014, after a trip to New Zealand. The brewery was located in Ryme Intrinseca near Yetminster, and a couple of our beers pay homage to this (Ryme Rambler and Ryme Nomad).
Q: How many years have you been brewing beer?
A: I dabbled in home brew for a few years, making beers with my home brew equipment and whatever I could borrow at the time. These were the early days when the stuff you made at home was from kits!
Q: Did you need any formal training to get into this industry?
A: There is no obligation for formal training, but I spent a week away on a residential course and have spent many hours watching Youtube clips and reading books about brewing beer. I think formal training helps to understand the legal obligations of becoming a food and drink producer; which is very important with regard to food standards and safety.
Q: How many varieties of beer do you make?
A: There are many different styles of beer out there and we have brewed 22 different beers to date. These range from Standard British Bitters through to Porters, Stouts, IPAs and Saisons. There are endless possibilities when making beer.
Q: For somebody who knows very little about beer, can you explain the difference between some of these?
A: Different styles require different approaches. There are many different malts and yeasts out there to choose from, each lending a different characteristic to the finished product. For instance, our best bitter ‘Dorset Pilgrim’ has 2 different malts and 2 varieties of hops, and is brewed using a traditional English ale yeast. Our mild ale uses 8 different malts of different levels of roast, with only one type of hop.
Q: More and more people are drinking beer in the UK. Why do you think this is?
A: I think more people are drinking beer now because the quality and choice is so much better now. Commercial British beer produced by large breweries was pretty dreadful when I was growing up. Social media has had a great deal to play in this as well.
Q: Have you noticed any recent trends/changes in the world of brewing?
A: The trend for small microbrewers to use cans for their beer has recently taken off big time. When I brewed beer a few years ago anything in a can was considered garbage. But nothing could be further from the truth now. Despite this, I still have a bias against cans!
Q: What’s your favourite Wriggle Valley beer?
A: My favorite beer changes with my mood, I think. At the moment, ‘Wallonian Wobbler’ 5% Belle Saison is my favorite. This is followed closely by ‘Golden Bear’.
Q: What’s the best way to enjoy a pint?
A: In my opinion, the best way to enjoy beer is with food. The two go together so well. If I were to drink a pint on its own though, I would go for a slightly stronger beer. I can’t stand these so-called session ales.
www.wrigglevalleybrewery.co.uk