Amy from Hipsters and Hobos shares her knowledge about beer and foraging

Meet the Women in Beer: Amy Rankine from Hipsters & Hobos

5/3/2018

Part 3 of our Women in Beer series for International Women's Day

Today more than ever people care about not just how their food is made but the people and stories behind it. Scotland’s burgeoning food markets and street food festivals are all about eating and drinking local. Amy Rankine takes things to a whole new level foraging ingredients for local brewers and her very own “wild confectionery.”

You can meet Amy and taste the fruits of her foraging at the Women in Brewing Beer Fair on Thursday 8th March. Read on to learn more about foraging and its role in today's craft beer scene.

A walk on the wild side with foraged beer and confectionary

When not studying towards her MSc in Gastronomy at Queen Margaret's University, Amy can be found out in the woods with dog Ru, doing a rekkie for upcoming brewing collaborations and guided foraging walks. She's sourced ingredients for many local brewers including Campervan Brewery in Leith.

Gastronomy and forager specialist in Scotland

Amy Rankine, Hipsters and Hobos

With the desire for reconnection and ‘local’ increasing, craft beer is well placed to fill this need"

Is working in the beer industry different than what you thought it would be?
I’ve been always quite involved in the scene in general, my first degree was food science at Heriot-Watt University and we crossed over with the brewing undergrad, and through being involved with the Brewing Soc & speaking to breweries, I’ve been reasonably exposed for a good ten years or so.

Is this really a golden age of Scottish beer?
The industry growth and public interest at the moment give some breweries the chance to get the recognition they deserve as well as allowed for expansion and creation of new breweries. I’m not sure that we’ve reached peak beer yet but I’d certainly hope that it becomes well placed and continues to break down barriers.

What is the most exciting thing about the future of brewing in Scotland?
With globalisation people have become more dissociated with their food & drink - much of it is ‘placeless’. Beer is something that can help to address this - you can pop down to your local brewery, speak to the brewer, see the kit. Through using other ingredients - such as foragables - we can bind beer to the land and thus help people rediscover this lost link. With the desire for reconnection and ‘local’ increasing, craft beer is well placed to fill this need.
Likewise the transparency you can see in the brewing industry is missing from many others - I think this is something that will become increasingly important for consumers.

Do you think that people are more open to try new beer styles lately?
Yes, partly due to things like #tryanuary, also with the wide range of potential offerings alongside the fuss generated by one off brews.

Winter shanks bursting out all over - these little babies are breakfast bound with some eggsies! #fungi #mushrooms #foraging #wildfood #winter

Una publicación compartida de Amy Rankine (@hipstersandhobos) el Ene 24, 2018 at 9:19 PST

What’s the current beer trend?
I recon pastry stouts still have a bit to run, a move to IPA or PA from DIPA but still with a whack of hops is about, and I’d expect to see more farmhouse and foraged in 2018.

Quick Beer Q&A

Where do you like visiting for beer? I’ve had some good Lithuanian beers so I’d like to pop out this year - I think Vilnius is a place to keep an eye on!
Favourite kind of beer? Can’t beat a thick malty choc stout.
Warm beer or cold beer? I’d say more room temp than warm.
Best food to pair with beer? Completely depends on the beer, but I think you have more room with beer than with wine to get something that really brings out the best in both.