Located just down the road from our office, touring this bastion of Bridport life should be on everyone’s bucket list. Why not enjoy one of their speciality beers in a Palmers pub while watching the Guinness Six Nations?

When did you become part of the business and why?

I grew up in Burton Bradstock and went to university in Bristol to study Biology. After I finished my degree, I left the busy city lifestyle behind and decided to come back to Dorset. I have worked in pubs my whole life, from pulling pints to waiting; I enjoy the atmosphere and social aspect of going to a pub and never drink beer at home!I started working here in 1992, my first job was stacking pallets and I have been here ever since. I ran production for 10 years then became head brewer in 2007. Since working here, I have gained a WSET Higher Certificate, a Diploma in Management Studies and an IBD Diploma in Brewing.

What’s your favourite product and what makes you and your product special?

My favourite is real ale but from our range of beers it would have to be the Colmers – I have a real passion for brewing beer and this is the first beer I brewed from scratch, so I am really proud of this one.

What is your relationship with Porter Dodson?

We have been working with Porter Dodson at various events for a number of years. We have worked with them at the Yeovil Show, and Melplash Show to name a few.

Tell us about any notable challenges/successes?

It is always a challenge to stay ahead of the times and to constantly think up new ways to improve the way we work but it is so important that you make sure you do stay ahead.

The brewing process takes a week, so we brew fresh beer almost to order. Brewing the beer to sending it out is a very quick process but this ensures that when it reaches the consumer, it is at its best. This makes the production more of a challenge as we have to predict what we are going to need and when we will need it

Tell us about your plans for the future

We will be brewing two more seasonal beers this year, one in April and one in Autumn. Soon I will be starting the process for this by tasting different beers and getting an idea of the flavours we want for the new beer.

What’s the best thing about living in Dorset?

The best thing about Dorset is the sense of community, as I said, after university in Bristol, I decided I would leave the commute behind and prioritise lifestyle over salary so I moved back down to my home town of Burton Bradstock. The scenery is also fantastic, I have travelled a lot of the world but really appreciate the countryside and coastlines that we have in the UK. I always make sure I walk along the beach at least once week.

A note from the author:

We have been fortunate to work with Palmers at a wide range of events. From bars at agricultural shows to hosting a retirement party in their wine shop in Bridport, their events team is always willing to join in. They have undertaken cooking challenges under the expert eye of Lesley Waters and provided pairings and tastings for our guests, always with a smile and laughter.