EP-163 Jaega Wise of Wild Card Brewery

You may have already heard of Wild Card Brewery’s Jaega Wise—especially
over the past few months, as she’s positioned herself as a prominent
anti-sexism campaigner within the British beer industry. I had hoped to
highlight the great work Wise is doing within this field in this episode,
but was also keen to learn more about her history as a brewer and her
businesses plans for future expansion.

The danger with conversations like sexism in beer, as Wise and I discuss,
is that too often the din of conversation can drown out voices, like hers,
which are far more relevant and important to these vital conversations that
we’re having. While it’s crucial that every effort is taken to create a
platform for these voices, it’s equally important to know when it’s time to
pipe down and let these voices be heard. And to all the dudes listening in
right now, I’m talking about you and me.

Wise originally hails from Nottingham, in the British Midlands—the “land of
the Pale Ale,” as she puts it. She speaks passionately about the region’s
pub culture and how it raised her into the world of beer. It’s an industry
she kind of just fell into, after studying Chemical Engineering at
Loughborough University. Wise is also a musician, currently fronting a
London based rock band as a singer. Oh, and she’s a TV host, providing her
wealth of beer knowledge on Channel 5’s The Wine Show.

Despite all of this attention, she appears to be at her happiest and most
content when she’s working at her brewery, based in Walthamstow, North East
London. When she’s not brewing, you can usually find her in the taproom
which, along with neighboring businesses like Pillars Brewery and God’s Own
Junkyard, has become an important hub for the local community. That sense
of community has been key to this brewery’s growth too, as it raised
£300,000 last year, aiding it’s expansion to a new site this spring.

Wild Card’s five years of existence has not been without its obstacles,
however. Wise is quick to point out the challenging margins available for
cask beer within the current UK market. And, she concedes that despite
trying not to succumb to trends, the pull of those such as New England IPA
have been too great to resist. Listen in.