Inspired Investment

Investment in the brewery’s setup didn’t come cheaply, but the team was adamant that it didn’t want to cut on this side of the business in order to save up for a later date in the chance that they became more popular.

“We wanted control, it was imperative that we used the money available to express that, so we bought something that represented our passion to make the best beer possible, regardless of our size,” he says. “Yes it’s a longer road to profitability, and we knew we might receive some flack about the size of the investment but that’s natural, and to be expected. But if the beer is good then the beer is good, and that’s what we set out to do,” explains Matteson.

“But if you see the walls on our office, you’ll see where we’ve spent the money, at the detriment of our own comfort elsewhere! We came from an environment before where the answer was often to throw more people at a problem, and it didn’t make any sense. We always knew investment in quality equipment was key and paramount for us. So that’s the route we have taken.”

Mondo Brewing Company in 2016 is, at the time of writing, a four-strong team. Though the addition of a new driver is imminent. Along with Matteson and Palmer the team is completed by brewer Joe Bevan and operations manager Andrew Turner, trusted allies they met during their collective time at London Fields.

For Bevan, however, his initial role at Mondo was that of a delivery driver, but after a van “mishap” on his first day, and upon reversing, doing it again, his duties were aligned to the brewing side, and they’ve never looked back. “It was all premeditated!” states Bevan. During our visit, Bevan is undertaking a wealth of tasks across the brewery alongside Palmer.

The setup, in the most part is semi- to near fully-automated. Something they take great pride in. Once they decide on the brew sheet, the mill grinds the malt, which is usually a mixture of barley, wheat and rye, pushing it in to a pre-masher, mixing with water before it goes into the mashtun.

Spent grain is taken by a company called Bio Collectors that use it for animal feed. Bevan is undertaking the brewery’s grain-out process, and once the grain is crushed, mashed and lautered it ends up in a position ready for collection. It contains little sugar but in its final vessel, it will spontaneously ferment so when it gets to the farm the animals get a good buzz of it. “The cows love it. So when they are lying down, it’s not because it’s raining,” he laughs.

While the cows are enjoying the fruits of Mondo’s labours, their beers are being enjoyed by drinkers across London, and beyond, too. Core beers include the popular London Alt, a 4.8% Dusseldorf-style ale, while Kemosabe IPA ups the ante, complementing its pale James’ Brown Ale.

However, it’s the All Caps! Classic American Pilsner that comprises the bulk of the brewery’s output, accounting for more than half. Featuring a “massive dose of Czech Saaz hops for bitterness and American Cascade hops for flavour and aroma” the beer has been recently commissioned by the Burger & Lobster chain for supply across the growing number of its restaurants.

Mondo also supplies the ‘Indian Pale Ale’ for the incredibly-popular Dishoom portfolio of restaurants, a beer it developed specially for them and one that leverages Southern Hemisphere hops, more than they’ve ever used in a beer before.