Stuart Howe spent 14 years with Sharp’s Brewery in Rock, Cornwall. But 11 years into his career at the business, it was acquired by Molson Coors in the February of 2011 in a deal worth £20m.

Pocket money in the context of today’s buyouts and acquisitions. And with this, Howe moved on from his role as head brewer at Sharp’s to take up the broader role head of craft brewing and innovation within the business

This position meant Howe was given control of the operational aspects at Sharp’s, as well as Molson Coors’ owned Franciscan Well in Cork and a microbrewery in Burton, William Worthington.

Charged with optimising quality, the procurement of raw materials and increasing capacity and capabilities, Howe’s brief was far reaching. But the call of a role driving success in a smaller brewery was impossible to resist.

“It got to the point where I looked for something where I had more direct control. It was important to be in with a business where I felt like a leader when it came to brewing, and that’s why I eventually took the Butcombe job in 2015. They were looking to kick on and move forward. That fit well with me,” he explains.

Howe joined from Sharp’s where production increased from 10,000 hectolitres per year to 400,000 during his tenure. Speaking at the time of his appointment, he said his passion is “to make great beers”, something he felt he almost didn’t have time for at Molson Coors. But what was also key was the ability to have control, something he may now have finally found several years later at Harbour.

Howe’s tenure at Butcombe was brief, but he is keen to point out that this was no means a negative reflection on his time there.

“I wasn’t unhappy. The beer at Butcombe was better than ever and the business was growing strongly. But when the opportunity to join Lost and Grounded, and brew on a brand new Krones brewery came around, it was something I could not pass up,” he says.

But at the end of 2016, Howe’s time at the Bristol-based brewery had been and gone.

“Once the brewery was up and running, they didn’t really need someone like me to do the tasks I was carrying out. I felt guilty taking a head brewer’s wage for doing the basics so it made sense to me to lighten the financial load on a fledgling brewery,” he explains.

But that, as they say, is in the past and the 2011 Parliamentary Brewer of the Year is starting the year as head brewer at Cornwall’s Harbour Brewing Co, and the company’s founder Eddie Lofthouse is excited about the road ahead.

“2016 has been an exciting year at Harbour HQ. We installed a new kit in January, moving from a 10bbl plant – with 140bbl of tank space – to a 30bbl plant with 400bbl of tank space. That expansion was supposed to see us through a few years of growth, but in August we reached capacity both mentally and physically,” he says.

Lofthouse explains that the company had to reduce the varieties of beers it could offer, so to keep up with demand on a few of its beers.

“It was never the plan, nor will it ever be, to be a single brand beer factory but we could see things moving that way and we could see our creativity and flexibility disappearing. So it was at that point that we started to plan our next phase of growth,” he says.

Commenting on the context behind hiring a new head brewer, he says that identifying that if the brewery wanted to continue to grow, and still have time and capacity to brew a full range of innovative and exciting beers, then it needed more space, tanks, equipment and people.

Lofthouse says: “We quickly worked out how we could make space, but knowing what equipment we needed isn’t as simple as it used to be. Should we invest in more tanks; a separator; upgrade the canning line? There were lots of questions and everyone seemed to have a different answer.

“We knew at that point it was the right time to bring in an experienced head brewer to help inform our decision making around capital investment and also to help us keep improving our recipes, processes and procedures.

“2017 will see us, yet again, invest in a range of new equipment, what that is yet to be decided but the purpose of the new equipment is simple: To continue to improve our beer quality; to allow us more time to be creative; to brew a wider variety of beers and to continue to increase production output to meet demand.

“I could go on for ages about the things he has achieved in the past, but what is the point? That is all history. It’s what we can achieve together in the future that is exciting! Stuart is as passionate about making great beer as anyone I have ever met, he has an unhealthy obsession with water chemistry, and the technical abilities to help us make world class beer,” says Lofthouse. “Our aim at Harbour has always been to make the best beer we can, beers that are exemplary versions of style, and that takes knowledge, passion and a meticulous eye for detail.”

Early in 2017 will see the brewery launch a new range of 330ml cans and bottles, as well as revisiting its core range of cask beers in addition to creating four new cask beers to replace its current offering. Harbour is also designing a range of monthly specials to fit the season.

Lofthouse adds that Howe will also be heading up its, as yet untitled, new project.

He says: “The aim of the project is to develop our teams knowledge and passion around specific beer styles. They will research the history of the style, acknowledge outstanding versions, decipher the ideal flavour profile, and then look to brew a version with consummate elegance. 

“By identifying the perfect ingredients, method and processes our version maybe a classic take on the style or an innovation of such. Stuart and his team of brewers will keep a blog of the whole process, and for those who have read Stuarts previous blog can be sure it will be both interesting and entertaining!”

For Howe, the latest step in his brewing career appealed for a number of reasons.

“Harbour is well funded, which is key. Funding has stifled creativity at some breweries I’ve worked at. You know you can brew beers people that people want but you can’t afford to. That isn’t an issue here and that is so important,” he says. “The scope of the brand being mine is also very important. In some previous roles, the scope wasn’t as such.”

He adds: “ Harbour has never really had a head brewer as such, more lead brewers, so this is a great role to have. The main thing the business needs is for someone to be in charge. Lots of people are looking for direction. For a business of its size, Harbour is a complex machine, you need someone to bring order to the organised chaos that can sometimes exist.”

But one area the head brewer isn’t envisaging any issues is when it comes to the water supply to the brewery.

“Some parts of the UK have evil water which even the most complex treatment systems can’t fix. but here we have a spring that needs little adjustment. It’s a much easier ride,” he says. “I am completely obsessed with water and the impact it has on brewing. You go around the country and make tea. Sometimes it’ll be great, sometimes it’ll be delicious. Sometimes not so much. It’s the same with beer, simply because there is so much of it in it!”

The UK landscape has changed beyond recognition in the 20 years Howe has been brewing beer, but is aware more than ever of both the challenges, and opportunities that exist in the industry.

“The market we are in demands diversity but quality still needs to exist, and consistency needs to exist. You need someone to ensure that the liquid is as strong as the branding and everything else around that,” he says. “We are seen as high quality brewery, and we want to adhere to that.”

Howe adds: “We want to appeal to people that are keen on beers not just the casual drinkers that are happy with the first thing they see in the pub.

“I will be looking at developing examples of certain styles rather than the weird and wonderful. I want to sticking to classic styles so we are starting with a Belgian Blonde and also a Helles lager. When I was 18, I was a weird bloke that all my mates took the piss out of as I was importing beers from Belgium so it’s good to see “normal” people loving beer as much as I do. .

“However, it’s got to the point that there are so many new beers being brewed that someone is likely to have already done it. It’s innovation for innovation’s sake and you find yourself being asked why you’d want a round wheel when you can have a square one.”

But while the industry continues to develop and transform around him, you get the impression that Howe is focused firmly on the task at hand, and that’s brewing beer to the best of his abilities.

“I need it to be successful. I will happily work every second to make sure the beer is good and the business is successful. I don’t just want it, I need it. I can’t move again, it’ll kill me!”