Crop update August 2026 – harvest in review
Crop update August 2026: the harvest is now in across the Netherlands, France, the UK and Denmark. Our July update flagged the heatwaves rolling across Europe as combines started on winter cereals …
10 myths about malt and beer – debunked by 120 years of experience
Beer may appear simple, but many long-held assumptions about malt and brewing do not hold up under closer scrutiny. Drawing on more than a century of malting experience, we take …
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Choosing the right caramel malt: temperature, technique, and the full range
The right caramel malt can define the character of your beer. From subtle sweetness to deep colour and rich mouthfeel, caramel malts shape both flavour and structure. Used well, they …
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Celebrating The Swaen with Riet Scheire
Some people have a special bond with The Swaen. That’s why we asked around to see what they had to tell. In a series of interviews you will get to …
Designing a modern Hazy IPA grist: building softness, haze, and hop expression
The Hazy IPA has settled down. The extreme cloudiness and syrupy weight of the style’s early years have given way to something more refined. Soft, juicy, and genuinely drinkable, with …
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After the haze: the styles that always rewarded great malt
For a decade, craft beer ran on intensity. Hazy, tropical, resinous – the glass as a delivery system for aroma. It was a remarkable era, and it produced remarkable beers. …
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120 weird ingredients for our 120th anniversary
At The Swaen, we have spent 120 years transforming grains into greatness. To celebrate this milestone, we’re exploring something unexpected – not malts or methods – but 120 weird ingredients …
Celebrating The Swaen with Andries de Groen
Some people have a special connection with The Swaen. That is why we went out and asked what they had to share. In a series of interviews, you get to …
Crop update July 2026 – heatwave impacts and market outlook
With heatwaves crossing Europe, the harvest of winter wheat and winter barley is now underway. Two-row spring malting barley is developing rapidly under the current warm conditions. We continue to …
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Layered roast — building dark beers without harsh bitterness
There is a version of every dark beer that is too harsh. The bitterness arrives early and sits at the back of the palate long after the last sip. The …
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