I'm not on Bluesky all that often but some news regarding the Hop Forward Podcast as I publish Episode 200, which you can listen to here.
hopforward.beer/episodes/emp...
I've decided it's time to call time at the bar on the show after 7 years 😔
Thanks for the support and tuning in 🙏
Anyway 🤷🏻♂️ Maybe I’ll keep doing the pod, maybe I won’t. Need to pull my finger out and actually get some more interviewees on the show… either that or just give it up.
I know a guy (a fellow believer like me) who posts AI generated Christian content (like Bible quotes and stuff) and earns up to 3K a month 😳 It feels iky and wrong to me on every level (and definitely isn’t in the spirit of the faith, IMO).
Lots of these AI accounts are built to drive engagement and followers before they’re sold on to companies who want a ready built account with 100K+ followed all of whine are potential consumers.
It means genuine people putting in a hard days graft don’t get seen or heard.
I agree but I think it’s here to stay (at least for now) as the primary marketing method.
I don’t mind people selling their stuff, using it to share what they’re up to, etc. I think that’s a good thing. But Meta, X, YouTube, etc, reward either high traffic accounts or pay-to-play content.
😔
But I still feel like there’s part of me that doesn’t want to let go 😔 It’s been a huge part of me. I’ve learned so much through it, made so many friends, won business through it.
Am I daft to throw it all away?
Is the fatigue real?
Is anyone listening……..?
Frankly, I’m tired of the digital noise. Maybe that’s part of the problem? 🤷🏻♂️
My kids are older now, doing GCSEs. I’ve just moved to a new house that needs work. I want to get Emmanuales up and running again. And I’ve just taken work on with a brewery that sits right in my niche: beer and belief.
Part of me doesn’t want the show to die. But it’s getting harder amongst all the noise and AI videos of overweight people water-sliding or grannies doing the half pipe to get my content heard.
Is it even valued anymore by anyone? Or is it just more digital noise to tune into.
I’m four episodes off the big 200 but even finding guests, organising recordings and then editing it all together feels like a mammoth task 😓 I feel like there’s a lethargy in the air… not just in my own bones but for the entire industry at the moment.
When I started the show, I was reasonably new to the industry. It felt exciting to be connecting with breweries who were on the rise, had stories to tell, we’re discovering new techniques for the first time.
Even through lockdown, it was amazing to put our so much content into the world.
I don’t know if anyone out there in Beer Land or BlueSky world is listening. I may just be writing this into the ether, casting it into the social media void…!
I’m (once again) at a bit of a crossroad as far as the Hop Forward Podcast is concerned.
I don’t know if this time it really is Time! 🧵
Logged in to Bluesky yesterday for the first time in ages only to see this about @goodchembrew.bsky.social 😨 Pretty shocked. Wishing Kelly & Bob all the best for whatever comes next and the continuation of the brewery 🙏
If you tolerate or ignore these actions you are complicit
If you dismiss or make light of these behaviours you are complicit
If you don’t understand why these actions are problematic, educate yourself
Making a space where everyone is safe, welcome & unthreatened isn’t censorship, it’s decency
My life seems to have become consumed with moving house 😖
Looking forward to going to the trade session of GBBF next week and forgetting all my woes for the afternoon.
Anyone else going?
✨✨ NEW EPISODE ✨✨
Back in March, I did the rounds at SIBA Beer X with my mics to record some conversations about where various businesses were up to, what opportunities they saw, where the challenges lay, etc.
Wide variety of guests with too many characters for a tweet, so go find it online! 🎧
Got me a new episode of the pod this week with Kate from @handbrewco.bsky.social chatting all things brewing, beer and everything in between 🙌🍻
Go listen 🎧 bit.ly/3GULwj2
Sad to read about Little Earth Project stopping brewing 😔 Really enjoyed their beers.
Am keen to explore some more alcohol free beers. Who are making the best AFs in British beer at the moment? (Obviously, I’ve had some from Mash Gang, who I’ve been impressed with… well, the ones that actually look like beer and aren’t teal coloured! 😂)
Best pint of cask ale I’ve had in ages from @kernelbrewery.bsky.social x @redwillowtoby.bsky.social at Walkley Beer Co.
Lovely lacing and a tight foamy head that would make Charlie Bamford proud. Plus a combo of not-exclusively-American hops made this exceptionally moreish given the ABV 🤤
I listened back to it today. We covered a fair old bit of ground!
NEW EPISODE of the Hop Forward Podcast is now LIVE featuring @davidjesudason.bsky.social talking about diversity, equity and inclusion... and The Simpsons!
Plus, I talk to Alix Blease from Lallemand about their 'magic power': ISY Enhance™
LISTEN NOW 🎧 bit.ly/4d1XnYG
It’s been a while since I posted to social media. Most of the time I can’t be arsed because I don’t think the algorithms are ever in my favour 😂
Anyway, for anyone beer related that listens to my pod, a new episode is coming. Been a busy with various things but working on getting one out on Friday.
How have I never had Baby Faced Assassin before?! Lovely drop!
If you're not worth over £/$100million then this might just be the most important video you watch today.
We have to change the narrative and reverse growing wealth inequality. We did it before and we can, and must, do it again.
#taxwealthnotwork #wealthinequality
@garyseconomics.bsky.social
NEW EPISODE featuring Dave from @indierabble.bsky.social and @ahoppyplace.bsky.social musing over the British beer scene, what it takes to run a brewery in 2025 and why they sell a shit load of NEIPA!
📻 TUNE IN: bit.ly/4bCFeQs
JD Vance… what an asshole!!!! I thought Trump was a dick, but the vice president. What a nob!
I logged into Twitter for the first time in a while and had a go with its AI 😂
FUNK YEAH!!! Brand new episode ✨✨
This week I'm joined by Dan Wye from @fyneales.bsky.social Origins to talk all things funk, farmyard and wild fermenation! We discuss barrels, foraging, packaging wild beers, selling them and a whole heap more!
Tune in: bit.ly/3WVKBUK
Further to my one trip keg post, I’ve just been made aware of WDS Group:
wdsgroup.co.uk/keg-keg-poly...
As they say in the video, they’re just scratching the surface at the moment but it’s a start…!
