James Grundy - Small Beer
#99. Between Teetotal and Tipsy: The Lost Art of Small Beer
Play Time:
46 Minutes
Listen/Watch on all major platforms (and most of the little ones too)
QUICK QUOTES:
“The upper limit for small beer was set at 2.8% ABV. At that, abv, the water alcohol content means the body hydrates more quickly than it dehydrates.”
“I took 2% beer out into the market and people said ‘What do I do with 2% beer? You know I'm either drinking or I'm not drinking’.“
“We were still very much wanting to partake. But finding that 5% plus [beer] just wasn't facilitating that lifestyle that we aspired to lead. And I had a very, very strong belief that there were others who felt the same. They just didn't realize there was something available to them because it hadn't been done for 100 odd years.”
James Grundy, co-founder of Small Beer, joins me to share the fascinating story behind bringing back a brewing tradition that vanished over a century ago. After several years building a gin brand, James partnered with former Fuller's brewer Felix James to revive "small beer" – historically consumed for nutrition and hydration, with an upper limit of 2.8% ABV.
Their mission was simple: create the perfect middle ground between going teetotal and suffering spectacular hangovers from increasingly strong craft beers. What started as weekend brewing sessions has grown into a B Corp-certified brewery that's revolutionised water usage and just launched across 450 M&S stores.
James explains why mid-strength isn't just about less alcohol – it's about facilitating the lifestyle we actually want to lead.
0:00 A brief history of Small Beers
5:40 Bringing back a lost art
9:02 Finding a market
11:14 70% lager
17:53 The Small Beer range
22:50 Brewing up to mid-strength
25:32 Dry Floor policy
28:05 Long lagering & other challenges
29:38 Collaborative brewing & B Corp status
31:40 Launching into 450 M&S stores
34:20 Retail support
35:33 The mid-strength movement
42:06 Finding Small Beer
43:20 The BBQ-Q
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