In 2025 year RedWillow Brewery raised a glass to 15 years of brewing bold, balanced beers. They marked the milestone with a packed calendar of collaborations, reimagined classics, and monthly giveaways, as well as a recent haul of prestigious awards.

And at our Brewers Choice Awards in London next month Toby McKenzie, who started the business with Caroline McKenzie, is shortlisted for our prestigious ‘Brewer of The Year’ accolade.

So what better time to revisit our conversation with Toby from last year? Starting out in 2010, RedWillow Brewery has long since established itself as a leading light in UK brewing. Founded by Toby and Caroline McKenzie, the business has grown and evolved without ever undermining its core values.

To mark this prestigious anniversary last year, RedWillow launched a year-long series of collaborations with some of the UK’s most respected breweries, including DEYA, Lost and Grounded, The Kernel, Thornbridge and more.

These limited-edition beers rolled out throughout 2025, showcasing the creativity and community spirit that continues to drive the UK craft beer scene.

And for Toby, the occasion gave him and the team the opportunity to reflect on a job well done. A brewery that was inspired by their early peers is now one that is revered and regarded by countless others.

In this episode we take a whistle stop look back on the brewery’s journey to-date and discuss the creativity, passion, and friendships that make this industry so special.

Consistency, quality and reliability are all characteristics that brewers strive for in the beers they produce.

They are also attributes that consumers seek out when navigating the tap lines and bustling fridges across UK bottle-shops.

A sense of familiarity, and trust, is something that more and more drinkers desire when spending their hard-earned money on the beers they love.

And for Pietro Maltinti, head brewer at Deya Brewing Company in Cheltenham, those qualities are what he calls the “secret sauce” that make the brewery’s range of beers such as Steady Rolling Man, Boost and Magazine Cover so popular. Beers that been dialled in, evolved and improved over time.

In this episode he tells us that Deya’s ethos is about treating the ingredients and brewing process with due care and attention and how to be part of a team where the head brewer should never try to a “hero” who does everything themselves.

Instead, Pietro says the secret to a successful brewery is the team behind it. And you nurture that by focusing on coaching your staff, fostering internal talent, and ultimately trying to build systems that make a head brewer like him no longer needed on the brewery floor.

Richard Bradbury is the managing director at Theakston. An independent, family brewing company founded in 1827, the business is located in the Yorkshire Dales market town of Masham, North Yorkshire, controlled by 5th generation direct family descendants of the founder, Robert Theakston.

As one of Britain’s oldest established family brewing companies Theakston is famed throughout the country and overseas for its wide range of premium ales brewed in their historic Victorian tower brewery. The business is chaired by Simon Theakston, with his son William joining the company in 2024.

And since 2023, Richard Bradbury has led the business operations in that role of managing director. As guardian of an institution known for such storied beers as Old Peculier, he is more than aware of the rich history Theakston boasts. A story that encompasses everything from world wars to economic highs and lows, and even takeovers and buy-backs throughout nearly two centuries of brewing.

But as the business approaches such an important landmark in 2027, the focus at Theakston isn’t one of reflection but of relevance. And the company continues to ably demonstrate how to respect its heritage but operate highly effectively across the modern hospitality landscape.