WYLAM RESIDENCY TAP

This month we’re showcasing Wylam Brewery on our residency tap! This brewing powerhouse should require very little introduction!
We recently spoke with Wylam head brewer, Ben about where they’ve come from and where they’re going!

You are one of very few breweries really nailing both keg & cask! Staying at the forefront of modern beer, whilst remaining true to your cask roots is no easy feat. Has this been a natural progression or has it been more calculated than that?

It’s actually been more of a natural progression. The head brewer of Wylam prior to myself was very traditional and stuck in his ways. He moved on around 10 years ago which then gave me the freedom to progress my own ideas and start to slowly shift into the new world beer program.
Brewing traditional cask alongside more experimental / hop-forward beers did not come without its criticism from the old and new drinkers but it was a worthwhile pursuit as we are now very highly respected for our ability to produce and provide for both markets (especially by stateside brewers).
Learning my trade through traditional methods has given me the knowledge to present a well balanced finished beer whatever the chosen style maybe.

Newcastle is one of the top destinations for beer in the UK, partly thanks to your stunning brewery space and the amazing By The River site. Can we expect any Wylam expansion outside of the north east in the near future? A Wylam Glasgow tap has a great ring to it!

Expansion at Wylam will consist of the installation of six new 50hl DPVs which will be completed by autumn this year. That’s it, we have no further plans for expansion. We have seen the unfortunate results and drop in product quality when an independent brewery decides to turn their outfit into a 24/7 slurry machine and this is something that myself and my brew team want no part of. For us It’s about producing the highest quality liquid possible, not churning out mediocre junk to fill supermarket shelves.
By The River is a 25hl / 6 tank brewery with no plans or room to grow. It has the potential to exist on the banks of other rivers which is maybe something to think about further down the line...

What would be your desert island beer and why?

I hate these sort of questions...what’s your favourite record, what’s your favourite beer etc...but I’ll say DE GARRE TRIPEL as it’s possibly the most beautifully balanced beer I’ve ever consumed.

Our Wylam residency tap launches on 1st May in six°north bars.

wylambrewery.co.uk