What the website says…
We came together with a passion to create the beers that we want to drink, but to also be a part of the movement… to help drive craft beer forward, make a difference along the way and take great, flavoursome beer to the masses
Our take on Big Hug Brewing…
It’s clear that Big Hug Brewing have big hearts. There seems to always be a social aim or objective that runs alongside their brewing, particularly focused on homeless initiatives which they have championed or contributed to. There’s more about this in our interview.
Their beers are crowd pleasers, subtle, balanced and smooth so as not to be divisive, and the range offers loads of options so that you are guaranteed to find something to love. They don’t tend to put out niche specialist beers, though they have tried to make a splash with their flagship White IPA (part weiss, part pale ale), which is something pretty unique in the market.
As self-proclaimed Hobo brewery, they are hoping to find a home in Brighton in the not-too-distant future.
A bit of history…
Big Hug Brewing started life in 2014 when four friends and colleagues in the drinks industry – Matt, Dan, Chris and Henry – teamed up to give birth to the company. True story: Big Hug were almost called Bear Hug, apparently a nod to Dan’s excellent hugs, but then they noticed there was a company already operating under that name in America. Big Hug fitted the bill though, and they brewed their first beer, a White IPA, that year.
All but Matt Williams have since found themselves busy with other projects or moved on to new jobs, so Matt now runs a pretty much 360° model single-handedly.
Is it local?
We’re giving Big Hug Brewing a little leeway here. Matt runs operations from Brighton, and a lot of their sales are focused regionally into pubs across the town and Sussex. That said, as ‘Hobo brewers’ (as Matt likes to put it), they partner with different brewers on their beers and are quite open about the fact that they move around a bit. They are currently working with Portobello Brewery in London, The Great Yorkshire Brewery and Ramsgate Brewery. Matt has dreams to open a Big Hug tap bar within Brighton or nearby in East Sussex, so their focus is local even if their brewing isn’t strictly done in Sussex.
Our favourites 🍺
What The Helles delivers a clean, crisp and refreshing hit with an earthy undertone. Malted barley breadiness coats the tongue along with some subtle sweetness – and there’s something almost rural about the flavour, like the smell of hay bales. Have a roll in that during the summer. 😉
Given the abv of nearly 5%, Back To It IPA is a dangerously sessionable beer. The colour of the can is apt given the light, grassy and piney notes. It promises tropical flavours, but for us it’s closer to lime citrus. Love the hop finish, earthy and moreish. The Pave The Way pale comes very close to this list as well, as it’s similar in style to the Back To It, with a less citrusy flavour; it slides down really light on the palate.
c/o Portobello Brewing
Unit 6 Mitre Bridge Industrial Estate
Mitre Way
London
W10 6AU
07979 802433
c/o Portobello Brewing
Unit 6 Mitre Bridge Industrial Estate
Mitre Way
London
W10 6AU
07979 802433
What the website says…
We came together with a passion to create the beers that we want to drink, but to also be a part of the movement… to help drive craft beer forward, make a difference along the way and take great, flavoursome beer to the masses
Our take on Big Hug Brewing…
It’s clear that Big Hug Brewing have big hearts. There seems to always be a social aim or objective that runs alongside their brewing, particularly focused on homeless initiatives which they have championed or contributed to. There’s more about this in our interview.
Their beers are crowd pleasers, subtle, balanced and smooth so as not to be divisive, and the range offers loads of options so that you are guaranteed to find something to love. They don’t tend to put out niche specialist beers, though they have tried to make a splash with their flagship White IPA (part weiss, part pale ale), which is something pretty unique in the market.
As self-proclaimed Hobo brewery, they are hoping to find a home in Brighton in the not-too-distant future.
A bit of history…
Big Hug Brewing started life in 2014 when four friends and colleagues in the drinks industry – Matt, Dan, Chris and Henry – teamed up to give birth to the company. True story: Big Hug were almost called Bear Hug, apparently a nod to Dan’s excellent hugs, but then they noticed there was a company already operating under that name in America. Big Hug fitted the bill though, and they brewed their first beer, a White IPA, that year.
All but Matt Williams have since found themselves busy with other projects or moved on to new jobs, so Matt now runs a pretty much 360° model single-handedly.
Is it local?
We’re giving Big Hug Brewing a little leeway here. Matt runs operations from Brighton, and a lot of their sales are focused regionally into pubs across the town and Sussex. That said, as ‘Hobo brewers’ (as Matt likes to put it), they partner with different brewers on their beers and are quite open about the fact that they move around a bit. They are currently working with Portobello Brewery in London, The Great Yorkshire Brewery and Ramsgate Brewery. Matt has dreams to open a Big Hug tap bar within Brighton or nearby in East Sussex, so their focus is local even if their brewing isn’t strictly done in Sussex.
Our favourites 🍺
What The Helles delivers a clean, crisp and refreshing hit with an earthy undertone. Malted barley breadiness coats the tongue along with some subtle sweetness – and there’s something almost rural about the flavour, like the smell of hay bales. Have a roll in that during the summer. 😉
Given the abv of nearly 5%, Back To It IPA is a dangerously sessionable beer. The colour of the can is apt given the light, grassy and piney notes. It promises tropical flavours, but for us it’s closer to lime citrus. Love the hop finish, earthy and moreish. The Pave The Way pale comes very close to this list as well, as it’s similar in style to the Back To It, with a less citrusy flavour; it slides down really light on the palate.
Big Hug Brewing Interview: Hobo Huggers
May 1, 2021
BBB sink a couple of cans with Matt Williams, Director and co-founder of Big Hug Brewing to learn about them and their social impact ... Read Full Article