Marion Sauvebois talks to Arkells master brewer, James Arkell, about blazing a trail in the world of beers – and winning awards

ACROSS the generations, the secret to John Arkell’s ancestral recipes have been whispered down the family line with express instructions to continue Swindon’s glorious brewing tradition.

And his descendants have obliged, turning the Arkell’s brand into a household name far beyond the confines of the farmer cum brewer’s hometown.

While remaining firmly rooted in his forebears’ legacy, over the past three years trailblazing master brewer and youngest son of chairman James Arkell, Alex, has made it his business to shake the mould. Complacency, after all, was never in the Arkells’ vocabulary.

And his fresh ideas, hop-infused recipes and decidedly stateside approach to the art of beer-making have earned Arkell’s national recognition on an unforeseen new scale – with two gold awards and a silver gong in what has been hailed a record-breaking year.

In 2014, the brewery picked up gold for its 1843 craft lager, in the pale and golden lagers category, at both the Small Independent Brewers’ Association South region and national competitions.

“It’s rewarding to get a bit of appreciation for what I always thought was very good beer,” said 29-year-old Alex.

“It’s a year old. And winning an award for keg beer, for something that’s more alternative, is a pat on the back for me.

“What sets us quite apart is our heritage. We are interested in retaining as much of the old equipment and processes as possible. Coming from such an old established business as Arkell’s I have a desire to bring new flavours and take things in a new direction. I want to keep our staple beers, invigorate our newer beers and make a whole range of exciting products.

“The team I’ve got behind me have done it their entire lives. They’ve got the experience, knowledge of the brewery and equipment.

“So what I can bring is new ideas, techniques and recipes. It’s really exciting for me. I think there’s a very bright future here.”

Arkell’s Hurricane beer also received a silver award at the SIBA South regional finals last November, in the craft beer in keg category.

The 1843 craft lager will go forward to the national awards in 2015.

Despite his early achievements a mere three years after rising to Master Brewer, Alex’s career was certainly not set in stone.

Although keen to be ‘around beer’, he certainly took a roundabout way to join the family business.

After studying philosophy at university and a spell as an Arkell’s tenant in Oxford, he eventually started training to become a Master Brewer in Chicago and Munich four years ago.

“I’ve always wanted to be around beer. But I never grew up thinking I wanted to be a brewer. I never thought ‘I’m definitely going to be the man making the beer’.

“I was an Arkell’s tenant when I was 23 and I ran a pub in Oxford. I did a bit of time as area manager for the business. That’s how I’ve fallen into it. “I developed a real passion selling it and looking after it.”

It was while in America, which has seen a resurgence of real ale and craft brewing, that he was introduced to the country’s love of distinctive hoppy flavours and lager.

“The Americans don’t make real ales as we know it but they’ve had a huge revolution there.

“It’s an exciting time for us to be making new beers and coming up with new recipes. There has been an explosion of real ale and craft brewing in the industry and an interest in real ales. There are all these new breweries and a lot of them are making lagers.

“It was interesting to go out there and see what they were doing. It’s inspired me and I’ve used their techniques and American hops here.

“One of the big differences between American and Britain is that Americans love very bitter and hoppy floral beers. That’s coming through in England and we’re more hop forward. So that’s what I’m trying to do.”

This foray into the American craft beer world inspired Alex to experiment and eventually create the 1843 lager – a gamble in a country where lager is too often considered as a lesser brew.

“I just think there’s scope for exciting flavoured lagers. 1843 is probably more sweet and malty than hoppy and that’s what people want from a lager.”

As for Hurricane, also a keg beer, Alex produced it two years ago in collaboration with his predecessor Don Bracher.

The beer is still brewed in much the same way as it was when John Arkell first made it from barley grown on his farm in 1843.

The business is now chaired by Alex’s father, James Arkell. His brothers George and John are managing directors and deal with international and national sales and exports respectively.

Since his assent to master brewer Alex has created dozens of guest ales, one limited edition brew for each month of the year.

His next project will see him embrace American influences.

“For my next really exciting beer, I would like to make a really hop-forward American ale and see how it sells.

“Brewing is somewhere between art and science. It’s cooking at a basic level but the science is getting the consistency and quality.

“I make the best quality beer that I can possibly make. It’s always a fingers-crossed moment when you see how it’s going to be received.”