How Tap Social Movement Is Changing Lives Through Beer
Key Takeaways
- Ben Addison shares his journey from working on large automated brewery systems at Purity Brewing to mastering hands-on manual brewing at Tap Social Movement.
- The conversation delves into the technique of hop dipping and how it helps create smoother, more rounded hop aromas in craft beer.
- Tap Social beers are defined by high quality, approachability, and occasional experimentation while remaining accessible to a wide audience of drinkers.
- Scaling up production to supply supermarkets like Waitrose brings unique industry challenges regarding consistency, shelf life, and cold storage management.
- At its core, Tap Social Movement operates as a powerful social enterprise that provides paid employment, training, and career progression for individuals in the prison system.
In this episode Martin speaks to Ben Addison, Head Brewer at Tap Social Movement in Oxford, about brewing beer with a purpose.
Ben shares his journey into brewing, from starting at Purity Brewing and working on large automated brewery systems to joining Tap Social and developing his skills on a hands-on manual brew kit. He also explains how hop dipping works and how the technique can create smoother, more rounded hop aromas.
The conversation explores what defines a Tap Social beer: high quality, experimental when appropriate, but ultimately welcoming and accessible to as many drinkers as possible. Ben discusses the brewery’s growth, supplying supermarkets such as Waitrose, increasing can production and the challenges of consistency, shelf life and cold storage.
At the heart of the episode is Tap Social Movement’s social enterprise mission. Ben explains how the brewery provides paid employment, training and progression opportunities for people who have been through, or are currently going through, the prison system. He shares how people can build confidence, learn new skills and move into brewing, sales, hospitality or their own business ventures.
Tap Social Links
Website: https://www.tapsocialmovement.com/
Insta: https://www.instagram.com/tapsocialmovement/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tapsocialmovement
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Ben Addison?
Ben Addison is the Head Brewer at Tap Social Movement in Oxford, known for his brewing expertise and dedication to the brewery's social mission.
What is the social mission of Tap Social Movement?
Tap Social Movement is a social enterprise that provides paid employment, training, and career support to people who have been through or are currently navigating the prison system.
What defines the style and quality of Tap Social beers?
Tap Social beers focus on being high quality, welcoming, and accessible to as many drinkers as possible, with room for purposeful recipe experimentation.
How does hop dipping work in brewing?
Hop dipping is a specialized brewing technique that helps extract smoother, more rounded hop aromas for an enhanced flavor profile.
