A decade of thinking, brewing, and doing things a little differently.
This June, as part of our year-long celebrations, we’re marking 10 Years of Good Ideas – a tribute to the bold, brilliant, and sometimes slightly bonkers thoughts that have shaped Good Chemistry since day one. Because every milestone starts with an idea. Some started as scribbles on scrap paper, some arrived in the middle of the night, and some in the middle of a pint. Here are 10 of the best.
10 Great Ideas in 10 Years:
Our Design Aesthetic (2015)
From day one, we knew we wanted Good Chemistry to look and feel different. The industry back then was still dominated by a fairly traditional visual language, and yes, the occasional bit of unfortunate graphic design. We had a vision for something clean, bold and contemporary.
Our original branding felt pretty revolutionary at the time. Our bottle labels, keg badges and cask pumpclips utilised clear and striking graphics. We wanted to show drinkers exactly what to expect – visual percentages for Hoppiness, Maltiness, Bitterness, Sweetness and Body, the five elements we felt were most universal across beer. Our aim was to make every badge and label to stand out and be an expression of our passion, and of course, a nod to the ‘Good Chemistry’ we were brewing up.
Over the years, our visual identity evolved. We refined our colour palette, bringing in brighter pops of colour. We updated typography twice, added tasting notes, and improved readability across everything from pumpclips to packaging. Each iteration brought us closer to something that felt authentically us – a brewery that takes beer seriously but isn’t afraid to be fun!
As we approached our tenth anniversary, we faced a daunting question: how do we update our identity while keeping our soul?
The decision to undergo a brand refresh allowed us to refine our voice, sharpen our visuals and build something fresh for the future, all while keeping our core values and what has always made us ‘us’. It was just a little terrifying. Our original branding was pretty iconic and had been with us from the beginning, albeit with a few tweaks here and there, and we worried about losing the connection to our roots. This idea required courage, enthusiasm and maybe a little push from those around us.
With the confidence and polish that comes from ten years of growth, the update has brought us closer to what we always wanted Good Chemistry to be and reflects who we've become. It’s still undeniably us at Good Chemistry, but it feels bolder, clearer and more future-facing. We’re pretty chuffed with it!
Sustainability as Standard (2015)
From day one, sustainability has been woven into our business as one of our core values. We’ve committed to a journey of continuous improvement, not one big idea but hundreds of adjustments, changes and tweaks. It’s the often-overlooked changes in the brewery that amount to massive impacts over time.
We've examined every aspect of our production process, from water usage, reusing heat, utilising green energy, packaging choices and cutting waste. Each small improvement adds up, and we've found that being environmentally responsible often goes hand-in-hand with efficiency and quality.
It’s not always flashy expensive stuff, just good ideas and good practice. Our commitment is constant and ever-evolving as technology and our understanding improves. It's a journey without an endpoint, but one that feels increasingly urgent and important.
You can read more about our sustainability advances on our blog from just over a year ago here.
East Bristol Brewery Trail (2016)
In the early days, our little bit of East Bristol felt off the beaten track, just slightly dodgy-looking industrial estates and, for most people, an unexplored area. Instead of waiting for people to seek us out, we gathered together our neighbours and made a map. East Bristol Brewery Trail turned a cluster of small, new-ish breweries (in fact, at GC we’d only been selling beer for three months by the time of the first one!) into a beer destination. Some of the breweries have changed, but the Trail’s still going strong. It’s become a highlight of Bristol’s social calendar, and the biggest beer event in the city.
Think While You Drink (2016)
We’re really excited to be reviving Think While You Drink as part of our celebrations of 10 years of Good Chemistry. These free entry, thought-provoking evenings allow curious drinkers to explore the past, present and future of our industry. They dig into everything from history, sociology, beer, brewing, pubs and wider drinking culture. It represents our belief that beer culture should nourish the mind as well as the palate.
As part of our first Bristol Beer Week back in 2016 we hosted four talks across two evenings at the brewery in St Philips, showcasing work on the cultural significance of the British beer renaissance, craft beer and gender (that we were involved in), and the science behind both the pint glass and your hangover! In 2017 alongside academics we hosted brewers Stuart Howe and Jonny Mills, talking about their wildly different approaches to their work.
There was a slight hiatus after that, as running a growing business rather took over, till we resurrected Think While You Drink at the end of 2023 with David Jesudason at The Good Measure chatting with Boak & Bailey about his latest book, Desi Pubs.
And now we’re back! Partnering with the Drinking Studies Network and University of Bristol, our first talk in this new series was at the end of April at a packed-out Robin Hood, and our next are coming soon: Tue 24th June at The Greenbank in Easton, and Tue 22nd July at The Famous Royal Navy Volunteer. More details can be found on the TWYD webpage and we hope to see you there!
Good beer has always been about more than what's in the glass - it’s also about conversation, connection and culture – so Think While You Drink feels like a natural part of our commitment to thoughtful, community-focused business.
Christmas Brewers Market (2016)
The Christmas Brewers Market emerged from a beautifully simple idea: let’s invite a few breweries from across Bristol to GCHQ and see if people want to come and buy their Christmas beer directly from us.
In our early days, when most breweries didn't have regular taprooms or can shops, we created a community marketplace that showcased the best of Bristol brewing under one roof. In the run-up to the event we really had no idea if people would be interested in trekking out to see us and shopping direct… It was a genuinely scary moment, especially as we’d invited four other breweries AND a food trader to join us for the day. But come you did, in droves, braving cold and wet December weather to support local businesses and take home fresh beer for Christmas (as well as enjoy a pint, some curry and our breweries doing guest dj slots while you shopped!). This market helped us realise we could sell directly to customers from our brewery, despite being in a heavily industrial area of the city. It also mirrored the collaborative spirit that we’d seen at East Bristol Brewery Trail.
In 2017 we ran our Christmas Collaborative Market, bringing in partners from outside brewing that we’d worked with over the year – and most of the breweries we’d welcomed to GCHQ the year before opened their own doors to sell direct, foreshadowing the taproom and shop scene Bristol now enjoys.
Kokomo (2017)
Kokomo is a perfect example of how you never quite know where a good idea will take you.
Back in our early days, we had this idea for a big tropical IPA. We promise it was a little more groundbreaking at the time. Inspired by The Beach Boys’ hit from the ‘80s, we called it Kokomo Weekend. We wrapped an identity around it and made a huge deal out of it. It was our first beer with a proper story, as we tried to evoke images of sun-soaked beaches and sipping cocktails by the pool in rainy old Bristol in Winter 2017. After donning Hawaiian shirts for the brewday, we handed out Hawaiian lays to our customers, built an interactive map and got everyone excited for the launch.
The response to those bold tropical flavours was amazing, but there was call for something a little more sessionable. We decided to make something accessible for any day of the week while keeping all those sunshine vibes - Kokomo Weekday was born at 4.3%.
Today, Kokomo Weekday is our best-selling beer by a considerable margin. It's become the backbone of our brewing schedule, the beer that keeps our brewers busy and you lovely customers happy. Meanwhile, you may know that the original Kokomo Weekend has become an annual celebration - a limited release that sells out almost as quickly as we can package it.
It's remarkable really. What began as a straightforward idea grew into the bulk of our brewing schedule and, in a way, became the foundation of our business.
You can read more about the Kokomo story in our previous News post here.
Opening The Good Measure (2018)
While breweries have obviously had their own pubs for decades, it was still relatively uncommon for small independent craft breweries like ours to make the step into operating their own venues. When we opened The Good Measure in Redland at the end of 2018, it felt a little bit like a leap into the unknown.
Getting open was a massive job even with such a small pub – there was a lot of sanding, a lot of painting, and a run of long days. The whole brewery team (there were five of us at this stage) pulled together, and it felt really exciting. The Good Measure gave us a permanent home in Bristol where we could not only showcase our own beers but also champion other small producers from across the country that we admire. It brought us closer to our community and allowed us to create a space that’s welcoming, inclusive, and genuine hospitality.
Canning Line During Covid (2020)
When the pandemic hit, we needed to adapt. Initially, we pivoted to selling bag-in-box beer from a webshop Dan and Bob put together in a day, but it wasn't a long-term solution. BIB has a pretty short shelf-life, and we needed something that could travel better and reach customers across the country.
The decision to invest in a canning line in the middle of a global crisis was a big one, but it changed everything. It gave us control over our final product, flexibility in production and the ability to ship our beers across the UK for the first time. We went from roller-door sales to a nationwide delivery service in a matter of months. It opened up new opportunities and markets that we've continued to develop long after lockdowns ended.
She Drinks Beer (2021)
Kelly wanted a regular night at the pub for women who enjoy beer. That was it, that’s the idea – like all good ones it was really straight-forward! It’s something Kelly had been thinking about putting in place for ages, and the end of lockdowns seemed a good time to start – everyone was craving human contact again, and supporting pubs had taken on real significance.
It was also important that although we talk about ‘she’ and ‘women’ we clearly and frequently state that we are open to all – that includes transgender, non-binary and gender non-conforming folk. It’s also not about excluding anyone from our pubs, everyone is always welcome at The Good Measure, the Kings Head and our brewery. It’s about creating space for MORE voices in beer, brewing and pubs, not restricting it.
Since starting we’ve hosted three anniversary brewdays to celebrate each year of SDB, and this year held our first open brewday on International Women’s Day in March. Each time we’ve welcomed around 40 women to disrupt the traditionally male brewing space, as well as learn from other women doing amazing things in their own spaces – whether that’s beer and brewing (CAMRA BAD Ladies and George Young, Brewing Director of Bath Ales/St Austell), spirits (Spirited and Women’s+ Whisky Night’s Katy Kennedy), food (Salha’s Sudanese Kitchen and Ashley Community & Housing), or academia (Dr Pam Lock and Dr Amy Burnett).
Last summer Kelly ran a dedicated She Drinks Beer bar at Bristol Craft Beer Festival, pouring beer from women-led breweries from around the country, and giving SDB attendees a chance to get behind the taps and share the love of SDB to festival guests.
The initiative was also a finalist in this year’s Society of Independent Brewers awards, for the inaugural Diversity Champion of the Year.
It’s turned into a powerful movement, one that’s been disrupting the traditionally male pub space, showcasing women-led breweries, and creating a safe space for over three and a half years now. It’s just one way we hope to make the beer world that little bit more inclusive.
Saving The Kings Head (2022)
We've always loved unique, characterful pubs, and when the chance came to save one of Bristol’s oldest pubs, we felt we needed to step up. The Kings Head on Victoria Street, with its historic interior and unique charm, has always held a place in our hearts. Taking on a listed building, particularly a pub, comes with enormous responsibility – we fully appreciate we're just the latest custodians in its very long history, but we’re going to do our absolute best to preserve what makes it special while ensuring it can thrive in the modern world.
Since we re-opened at the very end of 2022 it continues to represent everything we value about pub culture – community, heritage and, of course, good beer! And we’ve been recognised recently by winning runner-up in national CAMRA’s inaugural Heritage Award, and being shortlisted for local CAMRA’s Pub Of The Year award.
10 Years of Good Ideas
You never know what will come of an idea, or the journey it will take you on. Looking back at the last ten years, we're filled with gratitude for everyone who believed in our ideas and inspired us to make them a reality. As we raise a glass to ten years of good ideas, we're already dreaming up what comes next. Here's to curiosity, creativity, and the courage to turn "what if" into "what's next."
Thank you for being part of our story so far.
