A move from the corporate world to craft beer is path trodden by many of this sector’s brewers, business owners and beer professionals. And since taking the plunge for herself, Catherine Webber has become a well-known and much-loved figure in the fantastic fabric that is beer and hospitality.

Catherine is the brand and business development manager at Attic Brew Co. Celebrating more than four years with the Birmingham brewery this year, Catherine previously worked for Mondelez International in food safety, quality and training before the world of beer would come calling…

A love of cask beer, and an active presence in UK beer festivals would lead Catherine into the industry. The founder of Brum Beer Babs, she’s also now an integral part of the team at Attic Brew Co.

Founded by Sam Back and Oli Hurlow, the brewery is built on hard graft, creativity and community. What started in an attic in Kings Heath has grown into the largest independent brewery in the West Midlands. A brewery that is still owner-operated, still self-funded, and still grounded in the community.

In this episode we speak about her role at the business and how strong core range has been a focal point of the company’s ongoing growth and expansion. We discuss those early days drinking in Birmingham and how early experiences with figures such as Andy Parker and Brian Dickson gave her a sense of belonging.

We also speak on Catherine’s work, alongside friends and industry peers, to make the beer industry a more inclusive and diverse environment but why more needs to be done, too.

When you’ve worked in the fields of technology, restaurants, modelling and music management, where do you turn next? For Michel Lu, that meant the world of drinks. And he’s on a mission to bring the diverse, rich tapestry of Asia, and the untold myriad of flavours it boasts, to consumers through a series of drinks designed to showcase just that.

Michel Lu is the founder of The Orientalist Spirits. A company described as the world’s first premium pan-Asian craft spirits company.

They produce a range with an award-winning collection of artisanal spirits crafted from only the best premium ingredients sourced directly and ethically from the Orient.

But for this drinks business founder, Michel’s story is far from conventional. And that’s why this week we’re taking a brief departure from the world of beer to shine the spotlight on spirits.

Before entering the world of drinks, Michel was the man behind Elite Model Management’s success in Asia, where he personally managed supermodels like Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, and Claudia Schiffer.

Michel also created the world’s first Asian girl band, Jungk, in collaboration with music legend Malcolm McLaren.

After exiting the entertainment industry, Michel co-wrote a movie script, launched a record label, and built a mini empire in the food and beverage space.

He’s has also made a mark in the tech industry as the Asian director of a New York-based tech advisory and venture fund and is currently exploring the exciting opportunities presented by robotics, artificial intelligence, and other Web3 technologies.

But in today’s episode we’re looking at his plans for The Orientalist Spirits. Later this month London will host Taste The Orient. A collaboration between London Cocktail Week founders Hannah Sharman-Cox and Siobhán Payne and The Orientalist, its a first-of-its-kind event that brings together 45 of London’s leading Asian bars and restaurants.

We discuss how his career to-date has led Michel up to this point, the challenges and opportunities presented by working with countless Asian ingredients and why starting a drinks business is his own way of leaving a legacy.

It’s looking like some more excellent weather for much of the UK this weekend. And with higher temperatures and blissful sunshine, there is also an increased appetite for refreshing beautiful beverages.

And while we primarily focus on the wonderful world of beer and brewing here at The Brewers Journal, it’s important to take time to look at the excellent innovation taking place across the wider world of drinks.

So at our Brewers Congress last Autumn, we invited the team at Botivo to share their story. Botivo, which is non-alcoholic, is an intensely refreshing aperitivo with a bittersweet backbone, herbal notes and a tang of citrus.

A big-sipping drink hand-blended in small batches at Lannock Farm, the Botivo blend of five raw ingredients takes over 1 year from start to finish.

And the production manager at Botivo is Francesca Nikita Corradin. In her career Francesca has brewed across Europe and joined Botivo as a production supervisor in December 2023 before being promoted to production manager earlier in 2025.

In London she was joined by Sam Paget-Steavenson, co-founder of Botivo, to share their experiences and expertise in creating and building a non-alcoholic brand.

In addition to talking us through the process, they explained that we live in a world of moderation and we’re constantly told that less is better.

So as a result, they created a drink that brings the true craft and depth of flavour we all see in the alcohol category to the non-alc category. And this meant using real ingredients, no flavourings and low intervention techniques.

Image Credit: Botivo/Steven Joyce