Ringwood Brewery | Q&A

Are you curious to know about the people behind the beers you buy? Or perhaps you want to know what inspires brewers to brew and beer bloggers to blog? Our “Q&A” posts are a light hearted way of getting to know people working in, and connected to, the beer and alcohol industry.
Today’s post features Ringwood Brewery.

Ringwood Brewery was founded by Peter Austin in 1978, a man who is revered as “the father of British Micro-brewing”. Ringwood Brewery’s first brewhouse was in a former bakery in the old station yard brewing Best Bitter and Fortyniner for a handful of local customers. 1979 saw the production of Old Thumper, which has since become the flagship brew.  In 1986, having outgrown the Minty’s yard premises, the brewery moved to its present site, ironically the location of the old Tunks’ Brewery which ceased trading  in 1821.
Today the brewery is able to produce circa 40,000 barrels of its renowned and distinctive beers. In addition to Best, Fortyniner, and Old Thumper, we now brew the blonde Boondoggle and the deliciously warming XXXX Porter.

Who are you and what do you do?   My name is Alex Harrison, and I am the marketing manager for Ringwood and Brakspear Breweries.

How did you get into this line of work?   I joined Marston’s as a graduate in 2012 and moved down to Ringwood in 2013.

What is your favourite beer, wine or spirit?   I love tasting all manner of alcoholic drinks and I’m a big fan of gin and tonic. When it comes to beer, probably the best I have been lucky enough to try was Westvleteren 12

What do you think makes a great beer?   A passionate brewer and good company!

What was your first drink and where were you when you had it?   Miller Genuine Draft in Scotland for my sins.

What drink can you no longer face having had one too many?   Tequila

What is your favourite style of beer?   Quadruples, but I’m always happy to try any new beers.

If you had to pick, which would be your top three beers in the whole world?   Westvleteren 12, Mooi and Meedogenloos Ringwood XXXX porter,

What is the silliest thing you’ve done whilst drunk?   I would rather not say!

What is the best part of your job?   Looking at NPD and bringing a new beer from the drawing board to into a pub/bottle!

You are stuck on a desert island, what three things are you taking with you?   The complete works of Shakespeare, a distillery and a boat!

What was the inspiration for starting the brewery?   Peter Austin set up Ringwood, one of the first microbreweries. At that time, brewing was dominated by six giant national brewers, which were converting their pubs to keg beers and taking over and closing many of the remaining independent breweries.

Where do you see, or hope to see, the brewery in 5 years time?   I would love to see an increase in capacity, maybe even a small 3 barrel plant!

Out of all the beers you brew, which is your favourite? Why is that?   XXXX Porter, our Winter beer, it is just so well balanced and rich.

Thank you to Alex and Ringwood Brewery for taking the time to take part.

You can view and buy beers from Ringwood Brewery here.