Jim Rangeley is the lead brewer of the mixed fermentation Funk Dungeon project at Sheffield’s revered Abbeydale Brewery.

He is also a co-owner of the business, which became an Employee Ownership Trust in 2024. In 2025 Jim celebrates a decade of working in the beer industry and he’s also our very own Brewers Choice Awards ‘Brewer of the Year’.

When not in the brewhouse, Jim is most likely to be found running up a big hill, or recovering from said run in the pub.

So on a rare break from both of those ventures, Jim came to Manchester at the end of last month to share his story in beer.

He discussed the development of the Funk Dungeon, in the wider context of the changing world the business has seen over the course of its history and the transition to employee ownership and also what that means to him.