Keeping the Flow:

For Gipsy Hill’s Sam McMeekin, it can be worth sacrificing a little cash in return for getting it sooner. “We had one large customer to whom we gave a small discount in return for shorter payment times,” he says. “If you can negotiate, let’s say, a one percent discount to move from 90- to 30-day terms, you should do it. And actively review your customer base to see who’s up for that.”

Other debtors, though, might not be so able to pay. For Lost & Grounded’s Alex Troncoso, a little understanding goes a long way. “We try to be supportive,” he says. “We might put together a payment plan, and split the payment over 12 weeks or whatever. Most customers really appreciate that. Handling it the wrong way is a really good way to destroy that relationship.”

If all else fails, according to Sara Barton, see what other brewers have to say. “You might hear that you need to watch out for so-and-so, stuff like that,” she says. “Brewers do tend to keep each other warned.”

There’s one very good reason why taprooms have become such a crucial part of modern British beer: they provide access to immediate payment. Some breweries, particularly those that are well-established, benefit from an estate of pubs.

It’s a huge advantage to have this sort of direct access to market, says McCardle, but – as Barton adds – it’s no guarantee. “Businesses like Black Country brewery Batham’s, who have ten pubs, can sell all their beer into those,” he says. “We have to be a bit more on our toes because we’re mostly in the free trade.”

They do own one pub, though – but it’s rarely been a guaranteed money-spinner. “We’ve supported our pub, The Marquis of Granby, a lot of times through the brewery,” adds Barton. “We allowed it to build up a load of debt with us to keep it going. It’s a rural pub, so not huge in terms of turnover, but now it’s doing alright.”

When cash flow is a worry, it can seem sensible to cut back on investment in brewery equipment – but that’s short-term thinking. “You should always have a CapEx programme going on, that’s part of being in this business,” McMeekin says. “Even if it’s just about repairs and renewals. Not maintaining your equipment is just the start of a steady decline.”