It could be the start of the UK version of Breaking Bad as bearded chemicals expert Talfryn Provis-Evans surveys his new toys at London Fields Brewery.
The 28-year-old has the enviable task of brewing a host of beers ranging from IPAs to sours and weiss beers to no-alcohol, fermented beverages, but he has to make eight varieties by September when the brewery and taproom opens – and his equipment has only arrived recently.
The kit Provis-Evans, managing director Martin Entwistle and the rest of the team in Hackney, east London, have agreed on is a custom-built Kaspar Schulz; a decision made in consultation with sister brewer Brooklyn Brewery.
Here are the details that has Provis-Evans drooling: it’s a fully automated system that can make any kind of fermented drink, and that includes all types of beer. The hardware also includes a SchulzRocket (calm down Trump!), which can inject 20g/litre in a single dry hop (40g/l in double dry hop).
The biochemist-turned-brewer began his career at St Peter’s Brewery in Suffolk six years ago, but because “country life didn’t agree with me”, he moved to London to work at Beavertown and Crate before taking the head brewer role at Redchurch.
Even in terms of which contemporaries he likes, it is the smart ones that complete the formula for him.
“I rate Garage Project in New Zealand. I like them because they apply a lot of science to what they do. They work closely with universities and as a scientist, I find that pretty cool. I’m totally hitting up my old professor to see if he needs any beer-related research done.
“I also like what Harbour (in Cornwall) are doing. I like the main brewery, but it’s their farmhouse site – it’s dedicated and built to do weird and wonderful stuff.”
Complete renovation
So what’s happening at London Fields Brewery? The collection of sites under the railway arches has been given a £2.1m boost – £1.5m of which is on the brewkit and associated necessities.
A complete renovation of the taproom is set to open to the public in September, which is where customers can come and drink the core beers – outsourced for production – and the new specials that Provis-Evans and his team of two will be working on.
The kit will be fully visible to those in the taproom through a glass housing – along with the new duo of senior brewer Kath Stratford, whose CV boasts the likes of Howling Hops, Fourpure and Meantime, plus former London Fields Brewery sales team member Alex White.
St Albans-born Provis-Evans says of his chemical sisters: “Kath’s fun and loves getting involved and Alex has done her exams to become a brewer – we’re starting from a cool squad of people and all have a similar vibe.”
He adds: “We’re going to do a variety of styles to test the kit. It’s all about the versatility of it. We could do anything with it. We could even make a sake or a kombucha if we wanted.”
He explains the company hopes to have eight very different beer varieties available for the grand opening.
Provis-Evans also exclusively reveals three of the beers he hopes to have ready, which are a 3.5% ABV sour titled Grapefruit Dead, a cloudy lager by the name of Keller Lagerfield at 5% ABV and a New England IPA called Gluten Tag (6.5% ABV) that, as the name suggests, will use a host of glutens.
The head brewer says there will also be low and no-alcohol beverages available in the second production run, but they will not simply be beers that have little or no alcohol.
Provis-Evans reveals: “We don’t want to mimic beer. There’s people doing that and that’s cool. We want to make a fermented beverage that you feel satisfied drinking anywhere. It’s not a soft drink but will be fermented and we will employ our souring tank to make it.”
The company, which is owned by Carlsberg in a joint venture with Brooklyn Brewery, has possession of other nearby railway arches that have been converted into two indoor spaces that can be host to a multitude of events, such as weddings and live music gigs.
Managing director Martin Entwistle took on the role two years ago and, along with Provis-Evans, who began in January 2018, is close to seeing the plans come to fruition.
Entwistle reveals the history and what London Fields Brewery hopes to achieve: “London Fields opened in 2011 as the first brewery in Hackney in 100 years. Like all good ideas it was formed at a pub – the Dove in Broadway Market.
“Hackney Hopster Pale Ale was the first beer and Love Not War came soon after – just after the London riots kicked off in this road, among other places. The head brewer locked himself in here and brewed a beer as a mini protest against what was going on outside so it was called Love Not War.”
With seasonal beers being very much the identity of the new brewery, Love Not War will be rebooted on the anniversary on the London riots.
The core range of Hackney Hopster, 3 Weiss Monkeys and Broadway Boss are produced at Truman’s Brewery in Hackney Wick.
Entwistle adds: “We will continue to outsource because the brewery here is not big enough.”
Of the takeover by Carlsberg and Brooklyn Brewery in 2017, he explains: “This is very much a stand-alone business.
“We get a lot of autonomy. Talfryn will lead what beers we make and we want to build our own culture and way of winning in this world, with a team of beer enthusiasts.
“However, the guys at Brooklyn have been great. They introduced us to the Kaspar Schulz kit and have supported me and Talfryn. They are there giving us advice and support whenever we ask – and it’s that way round. When Eric Ottaway (Brooklyn Brewery chief executive) came here, he said it felt like home. Why wouldn’t we listen to their experience and input? They’re great guys.”
The edge over rivals
Does London Fields Brewery now have an edge over other craft beer rivals?
Provis-Evans says: “Every good brewery in London focuses on quality and we’re no different but I feel we have versatility in the kit we have. We could do anything fermented, we could make sake, for example, or kombucha – all these wonderful things. That’s one advantage that I find really exciting.”
Another thing visitors to the taproom will be able to enjoy is a 12-metre long mural – yet to be painted at the time of this interview – by artist Luke McLean.
Entwistle explains: “Designs are something that help us stand out. We have an artist who grew up round here called Luke McLean. His studios were next door to taproom. He draws all of our designs and packaging.
“It’s an impressive home and we want our taproom to be a fantastic experience and be at the centre of the community.”
There will also be a permanent food residency offering barbecue goods such as brisket, ribs and burgers plus vegan and vegetarian options too. Entwistle says it will be “stripped back, simple food to go well with beers”.
There is a desire to offer “great beer, great food, great art and great music”.
One of the event spaces under the arches has already played host to a music festival, with plans for many more in the future.
Entwistle says: “Recently, we had three relatively well-known bands play here – The Lottery Winners, Junodream and Blossom Caldarone.
“We sold tickets at about £5 each to make it a community event. We want people to come and have fun. It’s not about maximising money, it’s about building the brand.”
On the future for booming craft beer sales, both gave their opinions.
Entwistle says the future is bright: “It will carry on. Mainstream may be the best-selling but there’s craft beer everywhere – and in some places in Hackney, it’s only craft beer that is available.
“Drinkers are showing want they want. They want flavour, they want small batch and they want variety.
“I have respect to those providing larger volumes. There’s nothing wrong with brewing a really good lager, pale ales, session IPAs – it’s broadening people’s drinking.”
Provis-Evans adds: “I grew up on mainstream brands. You drink that heavily through uni then brew your own. What Tesco is doing is really good. The idea of getting mixed fermentation IPAs in Tesco is amazing.
“The variety of drinks will push craft beer to more mouths.”
And if the head brewer comes up with the addictive formula everyone wants, what will he do seeing as his remit is, essentially, specials and seasonals?
He explains: “If something hits... we’ll brew more of it.”
• In the original version of this story, published in The Morning Advertiser print edition on 22 July, we stated, in error, the taproom would open on 9 August but is actually expected to open in September.