Winter opening hours: mon-thurs 9-5.30, Fri 9-8, sat 10-8pm

Want to be a brewer? Think again!

When I was thinking of leaving teaching and setting up Wildcraft, I visited as many breweries as I could. I was desperate to glean information,  to work out how you jump from a small setup in the shed (my other half would say all over the house) to 100's of litres at a time and most importantly, trying to work out if was something I could achieve.  I met some great people along the way and some very good brewers but the ultimate piece of advice that many wanted to pass on was 'Don't do it!'.

Now, for those of you that know me, the easiest way to get me to try something is by telling me not too but in this case, I thought I had better investigate further...

Reason 1: 'Your life will be taken over by it'. I will be honest, this was something that really didn't phase me. I remember sitting one night in the living room, laptop on my lap, marking students work. My other half was a mirror image, sitting across the room and I said, quite innocently how I wished I could be out of education running my own brewery. 'But you will be working all sorts of hours' was the reply. She obviously didn't see the irony of what she was saying as we both then continued to work well into the night!

As it is, yes, the place has taken over my life but thats ok, it will for the first few years but its all part of making sure we do this right! The main difference is that I am myself again, teaching was killing me, I had lost sight of who I was and why I was doing things, I was constantly grumpy and depressed... Not any more!

Reason 2: 'You will just be a glorified caretaker'. To be fair, this one is a true one!  I spend more time cleaning the place than doing anything else (although you wouldn't know it sometimes) and this can become quite monotonous. Having said that, I have been the maker of my own demise here, why wouldn't I put a lovely light coloured floor paint in here which shows up every mark, footprint and stain?

Reason 3: 'Its not as easy as you think, its a big jump'. Well excuse my language but no s**t sherlock. I never expected it to be easy, I was well aware that recipes don't just work first time and that going from a small brew to a big doesn't always transfer how you would think. But thats all part of the fun of it, experimenting, finding the best flavours and making something from them.  Believe me, we have plenty of unlabelled bottles in the cold room that were experiments that may or may not have gone well.

Reason 4: 'Its a crowded market'. This one is very true, that's where I needed something different... Thankfully, I was already planning on using foraged ingredients so this one was thrown out before I had even got past my first half pint!

And that was it... They were the reasons I and maybe you, if you are thinking of setting up,  shouldn't do it.  Having taken those on board, I went ahead and did it anyway and am so thankful that I did.  Even as I sit here now, typing this in a barn that is currently 3 degrees, I think to myself one thing, its so much better than teaching!!

Older Post
Newer Post

362 comments

  • Recovering from a Cryptocurrency Scam: My Personal Experience

    As a single mother seeking to improve my family’s financial situation, I was approached by a company called BTCM Company on Facebook, promoting a Bitcoin investment opportunity with promises of high returns. The offer appeared legitimate, and after being persuaded by their representatives, I invested $330,000, believing it would secure a better future for my children.

    However, after two months, I discovered that I couldn’t withdraw any of my funds. It was then that I realized I had fallen victim to a sophisticated and well-organized scam. Desperate to recover my money, I reached out to several so-called “experts” and “hackers,” but they turned out to be scammers as well.

    Just when I had lost all hope, I came across Icon Assets Recovery through a local community recommendation. Their team was professional, trustworthy, and worked tirelessly to recover my funds within just a week.

    I am incredibly grateful for their prompt and effective assistance. If you’ve fallen victim to online scams, I highly recommend Icon Assets Recovery. Their expertise and integrity set them apart in an industry overwhelmed by fraud.

    For more information, please contact Icon Assets Recovery at:

    Website: https://iconassetsrecovery.com

    Email: service@iconassetsrecovery.com

    WhatsApp: +1 (501) 249-3295

    Telegram: @Iconassets_recovery

    cathy
  • Losing about $605,000 to a fake investment scam was one of the worst experiences of my life. I was completely crushed—emotionally and financially. I had no idea who to turn to, and honestly, I thought the money was gone for good.

    Then I found TROYHACKS CYBER SERVICE, and everything started to change.

    From our first conversation, they were professional, honest, and incredibly supportive. They didn’t make any wild promises—they just calmly explained what they could do, how the process worked, and what the chances were. That honesty meant a lot to me.

    What really stood out was how dedicated and skilled they were. They worked carefully and consistently, and to my absolute relief, they were able to recover my lost digital assets. I still can’t fully put into words how grateful I am. It wasn’t just about the money—it was about getting a part of my life back.

    I can’t thank TROYHACKS CYBER SERVICE enough for their help. They were professional, understanding, and genuinely cared about getting a good outcome for me. If you’ve been through something similar, please don’t lose hope. Reach out to them—you won’t regret it.

    You can contact them directly at [Troyhacks@cyberservices.com]. WhatsApp +1 (260) 237-6241 They helped me when I thought no one could, and I’ll always be grateful.

    Christopher Myers
  • I thought I was being careful, but one click on a fake email and 12.7 BTC vanished from my wallet. It felt like my entire savings had just disappeared into thin air. I was devastated. I thought it was gone forever, until I found Morphohack. Their team didn’t promise miracles, but they acted fast. They traced the stolen Bitcoin through several wallets and found it sitting in an exchange. I couldn’t believe it when they told me they’d recovered it. Within weeks, most of my crypto was back in my hands. It was like getting a second chance. I’ve learned to take security seriously now, hardware wallets, two-factor authentication, everything. If something like this ever happens to you, don’t give up. Get professionals like Morphohack involve, like I did, and it changed everything. I’m grateful for the services of Morphohack. You can reach them via email (Morphohack@Cyberservices . com)
    William Hart

Leave a comment

Close (esc)

Christmas Hours

23rd Dec - 10-6.30

24th-28th Dec - Closed

29th - 30th Dec - 2pm - 6.30pm

31st Dec - 1st Jan Closed

Open as usual from 2nd Jan

Age verification

By clicking enter you are verifying that you are old enough to drink alcohol.

Search

Main menu

Shopping Cart

Your cart is currently empty.
Shop now