Introducing River Festival Partner, BDQ Beer Co.

We are delighted to welcome a new partner of the River Festival: BDQ Beer Co.

Here, we not only celebrate this exciting news, but also - in light of International Women’s Day - the women behind the beer.

Here's the Brewery Chief Jayne with her daughter. With Paul, Jayne set up our first brewery in France, literally digging the foundations (with her baby in a sling) 10 years ago.

A respected member of the brewing industry in France, she is a driving force across every aspect of the business. “I’m not the first woman in my family to run a brewery. 100 years before me, another Jane was brewing in Liverpool. And 100 years before her, my family were running Breweries in Wales. Beer is very much a part of my heritage, and I hope that future generations will be as fascinated as I am. Taking simple ingredients and creating something extraordinary, never fails to interest me.

"When I began this adventure in beer, there weren't many visible women in the industry. People were surprised that I was so actively involved. The queue for the loos at Beer Festivals and industry events was always shorter than the men's and this was the sole advantage. People assumed it was my husband's business and that women didn't know much about beer.

“I run this business in partnership with my husband Paul. We both bring skills that the other one needs, and we split our responsibilities accordingly. Our daughter has grown up with our brewery. Finding a balance between work and family is a struggle for most working parents, I'm lucky I could combine work, family and a passion for beer. I'm also lucky that I'm supported by a great team of other hard-working people".

We can not wait to show you what BDQ Beer Co. have in store for the River Festival. Watch this space!