Women of WoT
HELENA ADEDIPE
EKO BREWERY
‘British culture is so diverse, so it is important to show drinkers that there is something for everyone and that anyone can be part of this community’
Tell us a bit about yourself and your role in the drinks world?
My name is Helena, and I am the co-founder of Eko Brewery - an African-inspired craft brewery.
You’ve talked publicly about your logo and how it represents your intention to spotlight the African continent in your brews. How important do you think it is to British beer culture and beer culture generally to diversify and embrace different techniques and ingredients?
I think it is extremely important as British culture is so diverse, so it is important to show drinkers that there is something for everyone and that anyone can be part of this community. In addition, craft beer sets itself apart from the mainstream because it is all about experimenting with different ingredients and exploring flavours. We are only reinforcing what is already out there, but just doing that with ingredients and hops many are not familiar with.
You were recently included in Cloudwaters “Beer with Big Ideas” pack which saw your beers available in Tesco nationally. How important do you think it is to the wider craft scene for larger breweries to champion smaller producers?
This was an incredible experience and enabled us to reach communities who didn’t think the craft beer scene was accessible to them. This is the type of reaction that can happen when larger breweries collaborate with smaller ones like ourselves.
‘The UK has loads of room and opportunity to grow.’
You’ve credited your experience in the US, of microbreweries and beer festivals, for creating the cornerstone for your love of craft beer. What do you think the UK can learn from the US craft scene?
It can be easy to try to compare the two scenes, but the US craft beer scene is so macrocosmic that it might be a little unfair. But from personal experience, there are more accessible places for home brewers to learn how to refine their skills. My partner, Anthony, learned how to brew at Ubrew in London and got some great advice from experienced and new brewers alike. Since it has closed down, there are not many places where I feel new brewers can learn outside of their own homes and build on that community elements. In that respect then, I think the US brewing scene community is more accessible, but the US are also decades ahead in terms of experience, so the UK has loads of room and opportunity to grow.
Tell us about someone in the industry that inspires you, or just deserves a shout out?
I have met some great women and men since starting Eko, but I am still forever in awe of the women in our industry who continue to thrive; Apiwe from Tolokazi beer in South Africa (https://tolokazibeer.co.za), Jaega from Wild Card (https://www.wildcardbrewery.co.uk), Julie from Neptune (https://www.neptunebrewery.com) and Emma from Merakai (https://www.merakaibrewing.com) to name a few. They not only produce great beers and they are really putting in the work to affect change. More than that though, they are also such nice human beings, so special shout outs to them.
What is your favourite beer you’ve made so far and what's your favourite beer to drink right now (yours or someone else's)?
My favourite beer that we’ve made so far has to be our Eko Pale 3. It was part of our range of single hopped pale ales. It’s brewed with South African hop, Southern Passion and it was beautifully smooth, full of flavour and refreshing. All the things you want in a pale ale.
For what I am drinking right now, it’s going to be a shameless plug, but I’ve been drinking our Eko IPA. It’s our newest beer - brewed with cassava and hopped with three South African hops. A great one for the summer.
Buy Eko beers here: https://www.ekobrewery.com/shop
