Beer 'maven' Glenn Payne dies

Beer maven Glenn Payne passed away over the weekend. Payne dedicated himself to expanding the selection of good beer available in the UK and was an influential figure in the brewing industry across four continents.

As well as previously working as a senior beer buyer for the off-trade, he was also one of the founding investors of Meantime Brewing Co and helped shape the craft beer movement in the UK by building relationships with brewers at the forefront of the American craft beer revolution, bringing the likes of brews from Goose Island and Flying Dog over from the US.

For the pub industry, his consistent championing of beers from interesting and progressive brewers such as Beavertown has helped establish the craft beer scene in the UK, bringing all sorts of varied styles of beer into the public consciousness and elevating it.

Payne has been a judge for beer festivals and food awards and was a well-recognised member of the British Guild of Beer Writers.

Meantime Brewing Company brewmaster and founder Alastair Hook said: “The beer world had an evangelist and a saint that worked tirelessly to improve the lot of others by bringing the best out of them by inspiring relationships with people they thought they didn’t know, or better still, didn’t even like.

"The beer industry has seen its tipping point in the noughties…dramatic change that has rendered the customer King. If anyone has read Malcolm Gladwell’s book ‘The Tipping Point’ they will recognise ‘Glenn’ in his chapter about ‘Mavens’…Without the institution of ‘Glenn’ we could still be walking in to our local boozer and getting a choice of warm ale, cold lager or Guinness.”

Beer writer and PMA columnist Roger Protz added: “Glenn's greatest contribution was to change the way supermarkets viewed beer. Before he took charge at Safeway, off-trade beer in the multiples was confined to heavily-discounted brands from big brewers. Glenn introduced drinkers to great beer from independent brewers and showed, above all, that American beer did have taste. He became an expert in the field by visiting major brewing countries to seek out the finest brews. When Safeway morphed into Morrison's, Glenn used his time to good effect by judging at beer festivals, in the US in particular, and by using his experience to help guide Meantime Brewery in London. I will miss his knowledge and experience of the world of beer and his uniquely droll sense of humour.”

The industry will remember Payne as a man who ensured great beer attained its rightful place amongst the great drinks of the world, which he did by bringing people together.