The Fab Four Episodes
A four part mini series exploring the world of the four main ingredients of beer, Hops, Malt, Water, and Yeast.
Dec. 15, 2025
The Fab Four: Malt With Ben & Simon of Muntons
In the final episode of The Fab Four series, Martin sits down with Ben Saward and Simon Whittington from Muntons to explore the malt that shapes every beer we drink. They break down the malting process of steeping, germination, and kilning, and explain the differences between base malts, specialty malts, roasted malts, and adjuncts. The conversation dives into brewing science, malt extract, consistency, kernel size, modification, and how malt affects everything from lagers to hazy IPAs. Ben and...
Dec. 1, 2025
The Fab Four: Water with Iain Kenny of Murphy and Son
This episode is Part Three of The Fab Four Series, where Martin breaks down the core foundations of brewing with industry experts. Martin is joined by Iain Kenny of Murphy & Son for a practical and approachable look at how water treatment impacts beer. They discuss how water chemistry shapes beer styles, the challenges brewers commonly face, how to build accurate water profiles, and the importance of brewing salts and chloride–sulphate balance. Iain also explains Burtonisation and highlights u...
Nov. 10, 2025
The Fab Four: Yeast With Paul Malcolm From WHC Lab
In this episode of The Beer Rep Chats With, Martin continues The Fab Four mini-series exploring the four core ingredients of beer, this time focusing on the unsung hero of brewing — yeast. Joining him is Paul Malcolm from WHC Lab, a biotechnology company based in Ireland that’s leading innovation in yeast and fermentation. Together, they dive deep into how yeast shapes the flavour, aroma, and mouthfeel of beer, and why it deserves far more recognition than it gets. Paul explains the difference...
Sept. 15, 2025
The Fab Four: Hops With Will Rogers from Charles Faram
Part one of a four part mini series from The Beer Rep Chats With called The Fab Four, exploring hops, malt, water, and yeast. In this episode Martin speaks with Will Rogers from Charles Faram about the history and sustainability of British hops. They discuss the unique qualities of British hops, the changing demand in the beer market, and the innovative breeding programs aimed at developing new hop varieties. Will shares insights into the challenges faced by hop growers, the importance of sustai...