Homebrew physics

Cambridge astrophysicist Will Alston together with his winning tipple. (Courtesy: Will Alston/Thornbridge)

By Michael Banks

An astrophysicist from the University of Cambridge has bagged this year’s Great British Homebrew Challenge award for the quality of his beer.

Seeing off some 200 rival entries, the tipple was created by postdoc Will Alston using rhubarbs from his allotment to provide an extra twist.

Rhubarbe de Saison fermenting. (Courtesy: Will Alston)

The judges for the national competition noted that the beverage, dubbed Rhubarbe de Saison, was “a refreshingly easy-drinking beer with complex flavours that came together well”.

Alston, who studies black holes when he’s not brewing beer, told physicsworld.com that he was “really pleased” with the beer and that it had gone down well with his friends. “I was very surprised [to win] as this was the first competition I’ve entered,” he adds.

As well as bagging the £250 top prize, the brew will now be made by Thornbridge Brewery – which sponsors the prize – as well as be sold in selected Waitrose stores around the UK.

So will Alston be giving up the day job? “I am not going to rush into anything just yet,” he says. “[But] I would love to set up my own micro-brewery one day.”