Beavertown will throw open the doors to its new brewery, Beaverworld, early next year. Capable of producing up to a mind-bending 500,000hl per annum, the facility is the culmination of a journey seven years in the making. Here, Logan Plant, founder of Beavertown, tells all. 

By next year, the evolving, mutating landscape that is the UK brewing industry will have transformed once more. In London in particular, where there were a handful of breweries when Beavertown opened back in 2011, is now home to in excess of 100. And in 2019, Beavertown will have a second place to call home, too.

Beaverworld will be able to output up to 500,000hl per annum from its new brewery, which will be housed in a 129,000sqft building on a six acre plot in Ponders End. The build, which commenced earlier this year, comprises space for a brewhouse, packaging, warehouse, logistics hub, offices and visitor centre.

It’s a major project and one that will mark yet another milestone in the evolution of London’s brewing landscape. Only 500 metres down the road from Camden Town Brewery’s facility, Enfield will be home to two brewing powerhouses. And for Logan Plant, founder of Beavertown, he can’t wait to get started.  

“The dream has always been to create something otherworldly. It has been years in the making and the goal has been to do something that I feel is unique to the industry here in the UK,” he explains. “The scale is beyond my dreams as a humble homebrewer back in the day. We wanted to work with the best in the business, and we’ve been able to do that. It’s a fortunate position to be in.”

The notion of expansion, of growth, has been on Plant’s agenda since starting the business back in 2011. From a home brewer, to kit at Duke’s Brew and Que, Hackney Wick and then Tottenham Hale, Beavertown has been defined by growth. And the latest chapter of that story has involved the addition of another character in the form of Heineken. The brewing giant took a minority stake in the London business last year and with it, has helped inform the way Plant, his wife Bridget and Beavertown approach the future. 

“The world has become a small place. We’ve all worked hard in this business so the opportunity we’ve given ourselves with this wonderful brewery and brand has allowed us to work with the best,” he says. “You look back around two, two and a half years ago when we were expanding in Tottenham. We would be putting all the money back into Stainless Steel but we were faced with the unavoidable issue of running out of space. We were limited by where to go next.”

At that juncture, it became clear that further expansion at the Tottenham Hale site was a no-go. A hurdle that many breweries face when that adjacent unit is no longer available, or the idea of just squeezing in just one more FV is shot down.  So several years ago, Plant and Bridget looked at the options available. But the plans that would have cost £10m became £20m and then £30m, and then £40m…..

They asked themselves what can they do and how can they do it. Plant says It was very clear to Bridget and he that they would maintain control, regardless of who they worked with. They wanted the support but to be allowed to crack on, too.

He adds: “We spoke to seven or eight different groups. We had close to a year of conversations, understandings red lines, limits and opportunities. And we arrived at a partner in Heineken that ticked all of those boxes that we wanted. 

“They were very clear about the red lines. Their expertise and routes to market were there for all to see. On a human level there was a connection, too. We needed to work with like-minded individuals, people with a good heart.”

So with these positive conversations and the opportunity there to take, Plant had to make the decision of a lifetime. 

“I didn’t want to stand still I didn’t want our team to stand still. I believed we had a once in a lifetime opportunity,” he says. “So why would I, in my right mind, sit still and stagnate. I can’t be content with that, I’m not that kind of guy. I’m driven by making a difference every day and what we do, how we do it, and who we do it with.”

Plant adds: “The aspirations of what we wanted those few years back could probably have been raised through the bank or asset finance. But when the scope of the project grew, we knew we needed to look bigger. 

“My blood is Gamma Ray blue and Lupuloid pink. To stay in control, but benefit from the expertise Heineken offered was a no-brainer.” 

Such support manifests itself in the ability to brew something close to 88 million pints a year. Something that Plant finds daunting, but exciting. Just don’t ask him to think of those volumes in Olympic-sized swimming pools, that’s when the panic sets it.

“My saying over the last three or four years is that our mission is to get great beer on every street corner, working with the best people that we can, and to bring as many people on that journey as possible,” he says, “We want to elevate the reputation of brewing in London, in the UK. The penetration of craft beer in the UK is still five or six percent. Then you look to the US and it’s maybe 15. There is still a long, long way to go.”

Beavertown has changed a lot since 2011. Both in bricks and mortar and the people that make up its team. A starting budget of £300,000 allowed Plant to invest in kit and kitchen equipment for its Duke’s Brew and Que brewpub in London. But for Plant, it’s the people that have played the biggest part in his journey.

“Starting out with people like Nick Dwyer, our creative director, and James Rylance on the brewing side made all the difference,” he explains. “If you can bring in people that share your drive and determination, people that want to make a difference, people that have that skill set. It changes everything. 

It hasn’t always been plain sailing, though. Like any growing business, it can take its toll on the human side of the equation. 

He explains: “Have I stayed sane? Some would have their doubts. I have an amazing wife in Bridget. She is everything, and I have amazing kids who are the backbone of everything we do. That is so important.

“I was in two bands before opening the brewery. Being a musician is not too dissimilar to being in beer. You have to give everything to be a musician as it’s your art, and I classify brewing as an art. Music taught be how far I could push myself mentally, and also how far I could push Bridget and the family unit. Sure, I’ve got more grey hairs now, and there were sleepless nights and anxiety. I feel like we’ve held it together, but it’s been touch and go at times.”

Plant’s realisation that during his first four years of Beavertown, he was away from home more than when he was in the music industry was a turning point. As a singer,  a dedication to keeping his voice in top condition meant a moderate alcohol consumption, something that’s easier said then done when representing the brewery at countless festivals, takeovers and other events. 

“In one year of Beavertown I was on the road for nearly 200 days so I had to dial that back in. It was a true crossroads. I’m still Mr Beaver, just singing from a different hymn sheet now!” he laughs. “You have to be very conscious of your surroundings, the people, and I’m very lucky to have a strong family around me.”

And the future is bright. 

From a technical perspective, Beaverworld will house some of the leading brewing technology on the planet. A Krones Steinecker Brewhouse will deliver a maximum capacity of 500,000hl per annum and allow the team to brew in 150hl batches. The five vessel brewhouse features a Variomill, Mash Conversion vessel, Lauter Tun, Wort Kettle, Whirlpool and an Equitherm energy recovery system. The manufacturer is supplying 38 fermentation maturation tanks ranging from 150hl – 600hl in size along with centrifuge, filtration and an automated dry hopping dosing system. 

On the canning front, an automated KHS can line offers capacity to fill up to 30,000 cans per hour (330ml). This increased firepower will enable Beavertown to brew more beer and more beers, than ever before. 

Plant explains: “Gamma Ray, Neck Oil and Lupuloid will be the heroes for forever and a day. These are the beers that built the house, but we will of course be looking a new beers expanding both the core and the seasonals, too.  

“There’s a lot of beer styles we haven’t brewed before such as low and no-alcohol numbers. As I get older, the hangovers get worse so I try not to drink too much during the week. If I can find a good low ABV beer then I like to sit on those as much as possible!”

Although Beaverworld will be capable of production that many, many breweries can only dream of, Plant still considers himself, and the business, very much part of the burgeoning UK brewing scene. 

“Whether you’re starting a brewery tomorrow, or been in the game for years, you need to approach what you do with absolute conviction, determination and to ask yourself how you can differentiate yourself from those around you,” says Plant. “You don’t need to start out wanting to make a Gamma Ray, a Jaipur or a Punk IPA. You need to ask how you can apply yourself and convey your inner personality in the beer you make. Because it’s an expression of your personality, after all.”

He adds: “Look for that freedom and flexibility to express yourself. Don’t feel like there are boundaries, break down those boundaries and look beyond them!”