Recipe Creation

Part of my role at Everards involved writing recipes for both the main brewery and the small batch brewery. While the main brewery focused on commercially proven styles, the small batch brewery gave me the freedom to experiment with flavours, ingredients, and techniques that genuinely excited me. By the end of my time at Everards, I was writing around 85% of the recipes that passed through the brewhouse. Recipe development gave me a much deeper understanding of beer styles and ultimately made me a better beer taster. Researching the detailed descriptions of beer styles (mostly through the Beer Judge Style Guidelines) taught me how ingredient choices, hop schedules, yeast character, and brewing techniques shape flavour, balance, and aroma. I regularly experimented with hop additions, mashing regimes, and unconventional ingredients to better understand how small brewing decisions could dramatically influence the final beer. Some of my favourite creations included a maple nut brown ale, blueberry pancake milkshake IPA, vanilla cream ale, and the Salt and Lime Lager, which became Everards’ highest-selling summer seasonal beer. Inspired by contemporary West Coast craft Mexican lagers, it exceeded expectations and became increasingly popular each year. In 2026, the demand for the Salt and Lime Lager is expected to increase and the brewery has planned to double production. Experiences like this reinforce my appreciation for both creativity and technical understanding in brewing, while also deepening my ability to analyse and evaluate beer styles with greater precision.