Ep40 - Brewing Efficiency and Growth Management - Mark Gammons - Tiny Rebel

04/28/25 • 78 min

What happens when a brewery grows really fast...but still wants to make world-class beer?
In this episode, I sit down with Mark Gammons, Head of Operations at Tiny Rebel, to talk about what it actually takes to scale production without sacrificing flavour, brand or quality.
We dive deep into the balance between efficiency and volume, how Mark manages production, expansion and quality and why your brew team might be more important than the brewery itself.
Expect honest reflections, tried-and-tested formulas for managing production and plenty of practical gems as we cover:
⚖️ Scaling up while staying true to your roots
🍻 How Tiny Rebel’s brewhouse has evolved over time
🧪 Why fermentation and yeast management are still an art
🏭 The not-so-glamorous side of infrastructure and planning
👥 Why team culture matters more than stainless steel
🥴 And what happens when something goes slightly...off
Mark’s been through it all! From small batch brews to running a serious production machine. This episode is a playbook in keeping things real while growing big.
📚 Chapters:
00:00 Introduction and Podcast Overview
02:15 Guest Introduction: Mark Gammons
03:45 Discussing Yeast and Fermentation - AEB
05:28 Mark Gammons' Brewing Journey
06:51 Tiny Rebel Brewery's Growth and Expansion
10:33 Balancing Efficiency and Quality in Brewing
13:57 Challenges and Strategies in Brewery Management
15:01 The Importance of Community and Collaboration
19:37 Infrastructure and Design Considerations
23:12 Scaling Up: Utilities and Capacity Planning
30:26 Maintaining Quality Amidst Growth
40:33 Managing Brewing Deviations
41:48 Volume Consistency in Brewing
42:42 Brewhouse Volume Management
45:08 Manual vs. Automated Brewing
53:38 Team Management and Growth
58:42 The Importance of Taste Panels
01:09:47 Expanding Brewery Production
01:15:29 Concluding Thoughts and Farewell
🎧 Proudly sponsored by AEB – the go-to for Bio-Tech solutions in beer. Check out their brewing yeasts and products here https://www.aeb-group.com/uk
📈 Want to see where sustainability is heading? Check out the 2024 Craft Beer Report: brewresourceful.com/craftbrewerysustainability2024
Chris LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-lewington/

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Previous Episode

Ep 39 - Southwold Square Fermenters™️ at Adnams – Fergus and Dan

Ever wondered what it’s like to brew at one of the countries most historic and respected breweries? Or have you ever wondered what it would be like to manage a dual yeast strain?
In this fun but insight-packed episode, I sit down with Fergus Fitzgerald & Dan Gooderham from Adnams to talk about their truly unique brewing approach, the quirks of square fermenters and the art of managing a dual yeast strain.
Expect great stories, funny anecdotes and plenty of knowledge bombs as we dive into:
🧙 Southwold Square Fermenters
🍺 The magic of managing a dual yeast strain
🇩🇪 A cracking Bitburger story that had me saying ‘get out’
🌿 The ongoing battle for consistency in brewing
💡 Why some of the best brewing innovations come from the most unexpected places
This was one of the most fun episodes I’ve recorded, Fergus and Dan are legends of the brewing scene and are exactly the sort of people you want to go for a beer with.
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction and Apologies
00:36 Vancouver Beer Scene and Future Collaborations
01:13 Craft Beer Sustainability Report 2024
02:54 Introducing Adnams Brewery
03:35 Adnams' Historic Brewing Equipment
05:30 Modern Brewing Innovations
05:32 Meet Fergus and Dan
07:25 Evolution of Adnams' Brewing Process
16:59 Square Fermenters and Yeast Management
47:29 Challenges of Consistency in Brewing
48:22 Natural Ingredients and Brewing
50:59 Yeast Strains and Health
52:32 Belgian Style Beers
55:14 Dry Hopping Challenges
01:04:38 Yeast Harvesting Techniques
01:11:13 Brewing Heritage and Modern Relevance
01:19:27 Final Thoughts and Reflections
Thank you so much to our amazing sponsor AEB, the go to for your Bio-Tech needs - https://www.aeb-group.com/uk/beer
🔗 Craft beer report - https://www.brewresourceful.com/craftbrewerysustainability2024
🔗 Adnams Contract Brewing - [email protected]

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The Modern Brewer Podcast - Ep40 - Brewing Efficiency and Growth Management - Mark Gammons - Tiny Rebel

Transcript

00:00:13.015

Hello everyone, and welcome to the latest episode of the Modern Brewer Podcast with me, your host, Chris Lewington. It's great to be back in the host seat interviewing some of the industry's best and brightest and have them share their knowledge and experiences with me, and it also means you as well. I actually listen to quite a lot of podcasts. I think I listened to probably a lot more before I started this, but you know, more recently I listened to a lot of business