How big brewers make craft beer: Inside Meantime’s Pilot Brewery

Meantime’s newly-launched Pilot Brewery, which will produce a new craft beer every two weeks, has the potential to change the face of the London brewers’ portfolio.  

That’s according to Ciaran Giblin, Meantime brewmaster, who told the Publican’s Morning Advertiser (PMA) in an exclusive video that the Pilot Series of brews would allow the business to constantly look and change its repertoire of beers.

“The problem with growing breweries is one of supply, you have to keep the pubs and the bars stocked with your main beers,” he said.

“But that limits what you can do with small and innovation beers. This really allows us to constantly change and look at our repertoire of beers.”

Meantime Pilot Series

For pubs, it means the brewery will be able to frequently produce new types of beers, which could, in the future, result in larger limited-edition brews or even see brews take a permanent seat in Meantime’s portfolio.

Watch our video to find out what Meantime will do with the Pilot Brewery in the future.

Meanwhile, Meantime is set to be sold to Japanese beer behemoth Asahi in a deal estimated to be worth hundreds of millions of pounds, as part of AB InBev’s takeover of SABMiller.

The deal will also see Peroni and Grolsch move over to Asahi as AB InBev aims to address any potential regulatory issues that could occur through its purchase of SABMiller, which is the largest takeover of a UK-based firm and the fourth largest in corporate history.

Future Trends: Beer and Cider

The PMA will host its first Future Trends: Beer & Cider event in London on 22 June, where experts from across the two segments will come together to discuss the latest and potential future innovations.

Speakers include president and CEO of the US Brewers’ Association Bob Pease, representatives from the British Beer & Pub Association and the National Cider Makers Association as well as leading analysts.

Bob Pease told the PMA earlier this month that the UK’s craft beer scene had to work on gaining better access to pubs if it was to experience the same success seen in the States.

To see a full agenda visit www.FutureTrendsBeerandCider.co.uk or book your place now by getting in touch with Joanne Horton by email at joanne.horton@wrbm.com or by phone on 01293 6190 403.