In this episode of The Beer Rep Chats With, Martin sits down with Matt Gorecki from Zapato Brewing to explore the realities of building an independent brewery in today’s UK beer landscape.
Matt shares the story behind Zapato Brewing — from early days working in hospitality and beer festivals to launching a nomadic brewery, navigating the pandemic, and building a thriving taproom inside a converted Victorian mill in Marsden.
The conversation dives into the challenges facing independent brewers today, including market saturation, the dominance of big brands on tap lines, the evolution of craft beer trends, and why balance and complexity matter more than hype.
They also discuss collaboration culture, the rise and fall of double IPAs, British vs international hops, and Zapato’s plans to finally install their own brewing kit and expand production.
If you’re interested in independent beer, brewing philosophy, or the future of the UK craft beer scene — this episode offers an honest and insightful perspective from someone deeply embedded in the industry.
Links:
Subscribe to the Podcast: https://linktr.ee/TheBeerRepChatsWith
Zapato Website: https://zapatobrewing.com/
Chapters
00:00 - 03:21 Introduction & The Origins of Zapato Brewing
03:22 - 05:41 Building Zapato During the Craft Beer Boom
05:42 - 08:17 Early Brewing Experience & Collaboration Philosophy
08:18 - 10:32 Creating the Zapato Taproom in a Victorian Mill
10:33 - 16:29 Why Zapato Brewed as a Nomadic Brewery
16:30 - 22:29 Challenges Zapato Faces in Today’s Market
22:30 - 28:31 Growth Plans & Expanding the Zapato Brand
28:32 - 33:15 Developing Zapato’s Beer Styles & IPA Approach
33:16 - 41:25 Zapato’s Brewing Philosophy: Balance, Depth & Identity
41:26 Wrap Up & Outro
