Cheers with Nat

Cheering on women in drinks. Each week, I share a cheers and a chat with women who work in the drinks industry — to connect, celebrate, cheer us up and cheer us on.

Season 1 round up & what's next for Season 2! 07/15/2026

Season 1 round up & what's next for Season 2! Welcome back to Cheers with Nat – the podcast dedicated to cheering on women in drinks. When I (re)launched this show back in March 2026, the idea was to have conversations that made us all feel connected, celebrated, cheered up, and cheered on. (So, I hope you’d agree you feel that way when listening!) Importantly though, I didn’t want those feelings to end after each episode. My vision for Cheers with Nat has always been to keep cheering people on… so that’s what we’re going to do in this episode! To wrap up Season 1, we’ll hear from each guest – some in their own words – about what they’ve been up to since we recorded, as there’s always something to celebrate. Please note that there won’t be any new episodes of Cheers with Nat for the rest of summer, but I’ll be busy recording for Season 2, which will launch in September 2026. I’ll also be enjoying a bit of time off, and I welcome you to keep up with my adventures! (I’ll be interrailing through Germany with my partner, Nigel, and will be sharing lots of updates on my Instagram, ) In the meantime, please do continue to spread the word about the show… and be sure to tag me in your posts, as I’d love to know who is listening! I also welcome any guest suggestions for future episodes. Of if you’re part of a business or brand that might be interested in sponsoring a season or a dedicated mini-series, please get in touch via . Thanks, as always, for listening, have a lovely summer, and chat soon. Cheers! Links & things: Ep 1 – is now back in beer, working for in London. Ep 2 – is now representing Swiss wines and tequila across India and working a lot more in food. She’ll soon be in Macau for and has a long-awaited dive trip coming up in the Maldives! Ep 3 – Natalie Chiu and her team at have had a busy summer, from partnering with and , to adding fun new to the Saicho accessories range. They’re also celebrating the full Saicho range now being available in Majestic Wines. And something delicious that Natalie tried recently is , an alcohol-free sparkling pear wine. Ep 4 – latest book, Filthy Queens: A History of Beer in Ireland, was shortlisted for the . Keep up with her latest writing and future book projects on her . Ep 5 – and her team at Agua de Madre have added two limited-edition flavours of their for summer. Plus, their Remedio infusion is across the UK, and their has lots of fun ideas for how to enjoy it in the summer. Ep 6 – been here there and everywhere lately – from the Chianti Classico DOCG area, to Portugal, to Armenia (including to , the Areni-1 cave!). She also recommends we all need to try . Ep 7 – shared that the is now entering its 5th cohort and that the & have been confirmed for the week of October 20th in Manchester. (See you there!) She also shouted out a new-to-me brewery, , and their Boffle barley wine. Ep 8 – of has launched a new podcast – ! She’s also studying towards her and loved trying on a recent visit to Edinburgh. Ep 9 – was named Diversity & Inclusion Champion at the for her work with the OurWhisky Foundation, which also recently welcomed 25 more mentees as the She’s also continued to share her journey of rediscovering her whiskey collection on her Instagram and gotten her first few pieces , too! Ep 10 – been in Japan, no doubt gathering lots of updates to share in her next . And she recently shared on Instagram that she’ll be running the London Marathon next year! Super impressive! | | /episode/index/show/beerwithnat/id/42051200

Victoria Garcia: Senior bartender, film fan, and team player 07/08/2026

Victoria Garcia: Senior bartender, film fan, and team player Welcome back to Cheers with Nat – the podcast dedicated to cheering on women in drinks. It’s time for the final episode of my NYC mini-series! Today’s guest is , senior bartender at You’ll hear how Victoria got her start in hospitality, what keeps her here, and what it’s really like to work at the recently crowned ‘’. She also shares why mentorship matters, what makes a good bartender, the hobby that keeps her grounded outside of work, and more. What stuck with me from this conversation: On her shifts at Sip & Guzzle: “We have a good time” On her love of films: “When I was watching them, I kind of saw the magic of people and what they were capable of doing and their talent. It made me fall in love with people and their passion. And I think that ties a lot into what I do now in hospitality.” On the impact of the ‘Best Bar’ recognition: “We’re really excited and ready for it. We all work in such a cohesive unit that it just works, and it makes sense and we’re prepared. I think what it means for the team is just locking in… We want to enjoy the upcoming weeks, months, years of all of it.” On free pouring: “I count, I eyeball it, I feel the weight of the actual glass, and then I smell and I taste, so I really try to use all of my senses and incorporate it into every cocktail.” On her self-talk before a guest shift: “Yeah, I just tell myself to chill the fuck out and it’s going to be fine.” On what she learned from her mentor Steve: “…not necessarily learning the science and dynamics of how to work behind a bar – obviously that comes with it – but also the emotional and mental part of it, and I think that that’s really important.” On what keeps her in hospitality: “I just love people so much” Links & things: What we’re drinking: Coors Light Where Victoria’s worked: Where she met her mentor Victoria’s film reccs: (1989) Her favourite cocktails: Negroni Vieux Carre Check out the Difford’s Guide data I mentioned Highlights from our last call round: TV recc: Producer we need to know: Where Victoria wants to visit: Japan, Paris, and London Keep up with her adventures to these places Another awesome woman in drinks we should meet: Victoria’s colleague, Recording info: April 2026 in NYC | | /episode/index/show/beerwithnat/id/42000625

Mandy Naglich: Professional taster, author, and silent retreat regular 07/01/2026

Mandy Naglich: Professional taster, author, and silent retreat regular Welcome back to Cheers with Nat – the podcast dedicated to cheering on women in drinks. We’re continuing our four-episode mini-series from NYC! Today’s guest is , an author, journalist, and professional taster. Mandy tells us about the daytime TV icon she aspired to be when she grew up, and the winding career path she navigated in pursuit of her passion for broadcast journalism. We also discuss what it means to be a professional taster and how Mandy became one, what inspired her to about the topic, and how she trains bar teams with her tasting skills. The we get into Mandy’s , her love of travel, how she stays grounded outside work, and more. What stuck with me from this conversation: On the why behind her book: “If I can help a couple people be more thoughtful about what they’re tasting every day, that felt really exciting to me.” On how scent makes us human: “About 20% of our genetic code is dedicated to us decoding different aromas… Like what makes us human – what our bodies and genetic code is built to do – is to decode scents around us all the time. It’s what’s keeping us safe, it’s what’s letting us know what we’re eating, it’s what’s letting us know what environments were in. So I think it’s something that’s so important and really ignored. And when you think of what’s making you a person and what makes you different to the person next to you, so much of it is how we smell the word and we just don’t think about it.” On her social media: “My goal isn’t to make these beautiful things, it’s to hopefully communicate knowledge in a way that is memorable and – it’s such a buzz word, but – snackable. Someone can watch it, remember what I said, and then go to a party and be able to repeat it like they’re a knowledgeable person. That’s what’s important to me.” On what travel gives her: “What it does and [how] I’ve seen my life change is, really, understanding people better.” On why she loves silent retreats: “We don’t realize how little silence is in our life… being in silence, I can feel my brain function differently. I love a good podcast, I always love learning. But I really try to monitor how much time I have someone else’s ideas in my brain rather than my own brain producing ideas.” Links & things: What we’re drinking: Mandy’s ‘special brew’ (a tea blend made on the day at Nomadworks where we were recording!) Listen in to learn why tea is great for ‘waking up’ your palate for a tasting! Mandy’s work: Her book – (don’t miss we chatted about!) Where she travelled (just in April!): Lisbon – visiting and groups Amsterdam – to prep for Barcelona – to judge the and speak at Vancouver – for the announcement Highlights from our last call round: Podcast recc: Producer we need to know: Where Mandy wants to visit: National parks in the US & the Cotswolds in the UK Another awesome woman in drinks we should meet: Recording info: April 2026 at Nomadworks in NYC | | /episode/index/show/beerwithnat/id/41913085

Tara Hankinson: Brewery co-founder, customer experience whiz, and loves a chilled red 06/24/2026

Tara Hankinson: Brewery co-founder, customer experience whiz, and loves a chilled red Welcome back to Cheers with Nat – the podcast dedicated to cheering on women in drinks. We’re continuing our four episode mini-series from NYC! Today’s guest is Tara Hankinson, co-founder and co-CEO of . TALEA was founded with a mission to bring craft beer to a broader audience – and you’re about to hear exactly how they’re doing it. From brand voice, to customer experience, to collaborations and partnerships, Tara tells us how her early inspiration and entrepreneurial spirit snowballed to get her where she is today… and she’s got loads of great insight to share. What stuck with me from this conversation: On getting to where she is now: “This is probably my 5th or 6th career post-undergrad, so it’s not as linear as most people think. I think a lot of people expect to find that dream job at age 23, 24 and that’s just not practical. So, it took a bit, but I love it now. And I think Leann and I are actually good at it. Both because of all the non-linear starts and stops we’ve had in our career and because we are very agile and flexible and have built this business from the ground up.” On her initial vision for a business: “I had always loved wine, and I felt such a connection to the experience of going to a great winery and wine tasting. And that high end hospitality-forward experience had never been a part of the beer world that I had explored. So that was kind of my original kernel for getting interested in beer.” On being data-driven: “Nowadays, you can export every Google review you’ve ever gotten and put it into Claude or Gemini and say, what are the positive trends, what are the negative trends, what’s the biggest opportunity in our negative reviews to turn this experience around. That didn’t exist when we started the business, but I think just thinking of customer experience as something you can quantify, you can use data to make decisions and make investments.” On TALEA’s brilliant beer descriptions: “This is meant to be relatable and approachable and to convince you to stay on the beer side of the menu versus the wine and cocktails that are on the back.” On collaborations and partnerships: “I think [they’re] a way in which we are continuing to challenge the preconceived notions of what craft beer is and who it’s for.” On what the business is here to do: “In its simplest form, we are trying to give people little moments of joy.” Links & things: What we’re drinking: TALEA’s (and their as a back up!) TALEA's: , and Latest collaborations Other shout outs: An early inspiration: A mentor: Highlights from our last call round: Podcast recc: Producer we need to know: Where Tara wants to visit: Germany Another awesome woman in drinks we should meet: from the New York Brewers Guild Recording info: April 2026 in NYC We recorded in the basement of Talea West Village… right next to a rather noisy ice machine that decided to chime in part way through our conversation! The background noise settles soon after, so please do hang in there. (And thanks for your patience and understanding!) | | /episode/index/show/beerwithnat/id/41778775

Courtney Iseman: Drinks writer, media consultant, and obsessed with creative people 06/17/2026

Courtney Iseman: Drinks writer, media consultant, and obsessed with creative people Welcome back to Cheers with Nat – the podcast dedicated to cheering on women in drinks. We’re about to kick off a four-episode mini-series from my recent visit to NYC! Today’s guest is , freelance drinks writer and media consultant. Courtney shares how her childhood love of Broadway turned into a degree in journalism and screenwriting and, later, a career as a writer. We also learn how she went from writing about fashion to craft beer, and the surprising parallels between the two. You’ll hear about how she spots trends and makes connections, the many hobbies that keep her grounded outside of work, and lots more. What stuck with me from this conversation: On a dream piece of work: “The first time I wrote a story for Full Pour… I opened the contributors page, and to see my name next to some of these writers that I absolutely worship…that is, I think, the biggest deal. To see your writing in the company of writers that you’ve admired for so long. It is a pinch me moment.” On a focus of her writing: “My whole thing with my writing – whenever I can – is I really like to bring in other subcultures and other things that speak to people and help break down the rigid ‘bearded white dude’ thing in beer.” On how she helps businesses as a consultant: “Everyone has a story. You’re not getting out there because maybe you haven’t identified it. Here’s how you do that. Here’s how you pitch yourself… so it’s just kind of giving them a toolkit.” On freelancing: “It’s not for everyone and it absolutely has its challenges and its downsides. Absolutely. But it is the only life for me. And I do ultimately love it.” On what piques her interest: “Whether it was in theatre, music or fashion, I’m obsessed with creative people.” On how she stays grounded outside of work: “I want to be consuming art every day” Links & things: What we’re drinking: Courtney’s work: (She’s pretty prolific! See all her work ) (right here on Substack!) Highlights from our last call round: Podcast recc: TV (& podcast!) recc: Hacks (watch in the & the ) & Producer spotlight: Another awesome woman in drinks we should know about: Other topics Courtney touches on: Brewers she was starstruck to meet: Dan & Martha of One of her favourite publications: Craft beer’s Recording info: April 2026 in NYC We recorded in a private room in a co-working space in NYC… that happened to be right next to the kitchen! That said, apologies for the occasional chat and clinking in the background. | | /episode/index/show/beerwithnat/id/41669275

Lucy Do: Micropub owner, community builder, and finds magic in the mundane 06/10/2026

Annabel Smith: Beer taster, women-in-beer pioneer, and swimmer 06/03/2026

Lotte Peplow: Beer ambassador, judge, and field hockey fan 05/27/2026

Jane Peyton: Drinks educator, novelist, and befriender 05/20/2026

Ep 10 – Erika Haigh: Sake educator, relationship builder, and marathon runner 05/13/2026

Ep 10 – Erika Haigh: Sake educator, relationship builder, and marathon runner Welcome back to Cheers with Nat – the podcast dedicated to cheering on women in drinks. Today’s guest is Erika Haigh, founder of . Erika talks us through her career to date, including how her work in wine led her to discover her true passion for sake, and how she went from opening London’s first dedicated sake bar to setting up a boutique fine sake merchant. A true sake educator, Erika tells us about her training, both within and outside of the classroom, helps us to bust some sake myths, and reflects on her role as a representative of Japanese culture more broadly. You’ll also hear about her recent TV appearances, her love of travel, how she stays grounded outside of work, and more. What stuck with me from this conversation: On running a small business: “Primarily, I do think it really revolves around human relationships. I think it’s about cultivating and nurturing relationships I have. Whether… it’s with those producers in Japan or it’s with the beverage buyers or sommeliers in the restaurants I partner with or it’s my team… I do think a lot of it is relationship building is really what I do.” On helping people through hospitality: “I do think the world of food and beverage is about brightening people’s day to day” On finding and following her passion: “I had a few things happen that led me to realise that you only live one life, why not make your passion into a job… I thought why not just make something I love into something I dedicate myself to day to day. So I started off in the world of wine, but quickly transitioned to sake when I really felt that I could make an impact with my background.” On opening a sake bar: “You really could not find a place like a wine bar or a pub for a pint of beer that you could go to very casually to enjoy sake. Of course, there has been sake in the UK for a decade or two, but it was purely in Japanese restaurants or somewhere very premium perhaps. You know, there wasn’t this casual offering that people could just rock up to and have a glass of sake, so that is truly what I wanted to open.” On being a small business owner: “I think every single business owner – regardless of whether they’re in hospitality or not – will tell you that every single day is filled with challenges, but it’s truly about how you tackle those challenges and just knowing that everything you can figure out. Or at least having that confidence… that’s what’s key.” On the importance of education: “I think it’s just basic human nature that you don’t really want to approach something that you don’t really know much about. You don’t want to seem foolish… And especially in the UK where there are so many other drinks available, why would you seek out sake. So with that, I think education comes first and foremost, [on] how delicious these drinks are and also how varied the world of sake is.” On representing Japanese culture beyond sake: “It’s always great for me to travel and its wonderful for me to be able to eat these things and go to this location, but it if stops with me, I feel like that would be quite a shame. So, yes, I do like to chat about the sake, but I always involve an element of something about the culture or the history, as well.” On combining her love of running and travel: “I love travelling after booking a running race. It also keeps me very responsible, let’s say, because the days leading up to the race, I can’t drink as much. And then I get to overindulge after the race because, you know, we’re celebrating. So it keeps me in check. But again, you see more of the city and you just have this sense of accomplishment… so it adds to the fun of travelling there, as well.” Links & things: What we’re drinking: Where Erika’s worked: Co-founder of Founder of Where you can catch Erika on TV: Sake education options: Mai Sake ‘Mai Traveller’ newsletter: Sign up ! Podcast recc: Book recc: by Asako Yuzuki Recording info: April 2026 in London | | /episode/index/show/beerwithnat/id/41237740

Ep 9, pt 2 – Becky Paskin: Drinks journalist, change maker, and heavy lifter 05/06/2026

Ep 9, pt 2 – Becky Paskin: Drinks journalist, change maker, and heavy lifter Welcome back to Cheers with Nat – the podcast dedicated to cheering on women in drinks. In this episode, we’re continuing our conversation with Becky Paskin, and founder of the . If you haven’t yet heard of this episode, do start there, then come on back here for more. For those of you that are caught up, we pick up right where we left off – with the experience that led Becky to say “never again”, including what happened 6 years ago and its impact since. Becky then tells us more about her latest project, , along with her tasting events and TV work. And we have lots of fun with our last call round – quick questions, not so quick answers this time around! I also wanted to share a content warning that we do discuss a cancer scare and how Becky has since learned to put herself and her health first. As you can probably tell, we touch on a wide range of topics in this conversation and I’m incredibly grateful to Becky for being so open and honest throughout. What stuck with me from this conversation On the learnings from her experience calling out Jim Murray's sexist language: “…the amount of messages I received from women off the back of this one incident made me say to myself – maybe this is a promise and driving thing really – never again. I will never let a single woman experience the sort of things I’ve just experienced and I will never let the next generation of women coming into this industry experience the sort of things that these women are telling me they have.” On priorities: “You can keep giving yourself to others to make them happy and you can keep putting yourself into work, thinking that those accomplishments are going to make you happy, but you have to prioritize yourself. Whatever that looks like for you as an individual. Put yourself first every single day… and the rest of the day can be for anybody else. But if you don’t put yourself first, no one else is going to.” On this conversation: “I just want to put it on the record that I think the questions that you’ve asked in this podcast… they’ve been the most insightful and interesting questions I’ve ever been asked in my career.” Links & things On calling out Jim Murray’s sexist language: , Sept 2020 Felipe’s article in Forbes – Becky’s resulting power anthem – Taylor Swift, “” Becky’s Brighton reccs: And the story behind “” Where you can catch Becky on TV: ITV Love Your Weekend ITV This Morning Channel 5 Harvest on the Farm On the gym: Becky’s Nat’s Becky’s book reccs: Nonfiction before the gym: by Karen McNeil (Luma recommended this book in Ep 6, too!) Fiction before bed: Sarah J Mass & series Rebecca Yarros series Becky’s travel bucket list: Tasmania (paging to get Becky over there!) Recording info March 2026 at in Brighton | | /episode/index/show/beerwithnat/id/41147785

Ep 9, pt 1 – Becky Paskin: Drinks journalist, change maker, and heavy lifter 05/01/2026

Ep 9, pt 1 – Becky Paskin: Drinks journalist, change maker, and heavy lifter Welcome back to Cheers with Nat – the podcast dedicated to cheering on women in drinks. Today’s guest is Becky Paskin, and founder of . We had so much to talk about, this episode will be coming at you in two parts! In this first half, Becky tells us how she got her start as a drinks writer, what it takes to make a living as one today, what an editor actually does, and why she believes they don’t get nearly enough credit. We also dig into her distilling qualifications – why she pursued them and how they’ve informed her work. Lastly, we explore why she’s such a passionate advocate for diversity within the drinks industry, along with the work she’s doing to drive real change. What stuck with me from this conversation On looking back: “We can always look back on what could have been, but so long as you’re always following your heart and your interests and what makes you happy, I don’t think you’re ever going to regret your decisions.” On being an editor: “…a lot of people think that’s a really glamorous thing and that the best thing you could possibly be doing is writing, but I genuinely think editing is a much greater skill.” On the advice she received after gaining her qualifications: “’Learn it, have it under your belt, but forget about it.’ So I’ve tried my best over the years to just think simply, just break it down and create frameworks and systems within the way I speak about whisky to simplify it for audiences as much as possible, while still making everything true.” On the importance of diversity: “I feel like no two people have the same palate and it’s all based on experience, and that’s why diversity in drinks is so important because people bring different experiences of different flavours to the table… I think we should be celebrating individuality a lot more than we actually do within the drinks industry.“ On the OurWhisky mentees: “I’m so proud of all of them. Somebody said, can you give me an idea of a success story from the Atonia Programme and I said, I can’t give you just one. There are so many of them – 250 women have gone through our programme and they’re all doing amazing things and I’m proud of each and every one of them.” Links & things What we’re drinking: A 2015 sample bottle of Bruichladdich’s , a 23-year old aged whisky aged in a Château Latour Wine Cask Where Becky’s worked: Big Hospitality, now Her ‘hats’: for mentorship image library report Qualifications Becky holds: CIBD People shout outs: , who gifted Becky the whisky we’re tasting , who supported Becky during her GCD studies , who gave Becky some advice after completing her GCD , who Becky mentions during our discussion about the importance of diversity in drinks, especially when it comes to tasting , founder of The Academe who runs The Power Room for Becky’s mentees , who works with Becky on The OurWhisky Foundation More to follow soon from part 2… Recording info March 2026 at in Brighton | | /episode/index/show/beerwithnat/id/41076440

Ep 8 – Elizabeth Townsend: Brewery owner, teacher, and travel lover 04/22/2026

Ep 8 – Elizabeth Townsend: Brewery owner, teacher, and travel lover Welcome back to Cheers with Nat – the podcast dedicated to cheering on women in drinks. Last week, you heard from Amélie, the founder of the Women in Beer mentorship programme. This week, you’re going to hear from one of the mentees! Today’s guest is Elizabeth Townsend, co-owner of . Elizabeth shares how she went from studying music at university to opening a brewery with her partner, taking us through her portfolio career and how it gave her the confidence to do what she does today. We also discuss how her role in the business is evolving, how she stays grounded outside of work, the life changing network she’s grateful to be part of, and more. What stuck with me from this conversation: On portfolio careers: “I’ve had quite a portfolio career. Some might say I haven’t stuck at things for very long. But I like to think of it as just doing different jobs, I pick up different skills – it’s made it possible to do what I do now.” On working with her partner: “We have complementary skills that work together and mean that I can do all the logistics and the sales and the PR and that kinda thing, and he brews the beer and absolutely nails that…. and I think running a business is something I’m good at. Can I say that?” On an early inspiration: “My parents would never talk me out of anything. They’d give me their opinion, and I might take it or I might not take it. But I appreciated that they also took risks and I saw that… I’ve never actually thought about that before. But ya, I think that’s what it was.” On learnings from her time at Decca Records: “I had to learn how to stay calm under pressure, make sure that I had an awareness of what was going on. You know that feeling when you get overwhelmed and you start to panic and you can’t think straight. That was really good training of just being like, ‘No, things will work out. Just think straight and you’ll be fine.’ And I think over the last couple of years I’ve gone, ‘I literally don’t know what do to here.’ But it’s having faith in yourself that you will figure something out.” On the importance of passion: “Everything that I’ve done in my career so far has been something that I’ve wanted to do. And it’s been interesting. And I think having an interest in what you do is really important.” On the Women in Beer mentorship programme: “Having the Women in Beer network has been life changing for me in that it’s given me the ability to see other people doing the things I’m doing.” Links & things: What we’re drinking: Kerroo x Colbier Elizabeth & Nick’s brewery: Where she worked before: One of her best pieces of work there: Listen Podcast recc: Pellicle podcast: (Nat’s addition: ) TV reccs: Who she’d love to share a drink with: Jessie Buckley Recording info: March 2026 at BeerX, Liverpool | | /episode/index/show/beerwithnat/id/40970300

Ep 7 – Amélie Tassin: Founder, coastal walker, and impatient in a good way 04/15/2026

Ep 7 – Amélie Tassin: Founder, coastal walker, and impatient in a good way Welcome back to Cheers with Nat – the podcast dedicated to cheering on women in drinks. Today’s guest is Amélie Tassin, founder of and . Amélie shares how her career in marketing began, what led her to focus on beer, and how the social group she started after moving to Scotland grew into a festival, a mentorship scheme, and an awards programme – you’ll hear the whole story! We also discuss what drives her, what helps her to rest and reset outside of work, and plenty more along the way. What stuck with me from this conversation: On her early inspiration: “When I was like 17/18, I was always going on the road with my dad to visit wineries and distilleries in the southwest. We were stopping in nice restaurants to have food. I had the Michelin guide on my knees in the car… And I thought it was absolutely amazing – the food, the details, the passion of the people.” On the idea behind the Women in Beer Festival: “The idea was to bring a few breweries up to Edinburgh, invite them on panel discussions, let them talk about what they know. Not talk about the fact of being a woman, but talk about what they know about the beer industry and their skills in the industry. It was very much visibility. It was creating role models for the younger generation, as well. For them to imagine a career was possible in the beer industry.” On what drives her: “If nobody’s doing it, well, I’m gona do it because I don’t want to wait.” On what the mentorship programme funds, and why: “We also pay for the travel and accommodation of our mentees when we ask them to go to their WSET qualification, for example, or when we invite them to do a field trip to network with their peers. Because, again, if we only offer those chances to people that can afford it, we’re not changing the system… We are paying for that because we need to have people coming from all backgrounds and it’s very important.” On why she loves working in drinks: “We’re very lucky to work with something that is so emotional and so artistic – like drinks, and the making of a drink – and that provokes so much emotional reaction in people, as well. It’s a fantastic industry.” Links & things: What we’re drinking : The & brew with Women in Beer UK & Amelie’s beer-specific marketing agency: Amelie’s social group, and more: - see all mentors & all 2025 winners Drinks publication recommendation: Book recc: Recording info: March 2026 at BeerX, Liverpool Oddly, the can opening and cheers sounds didn’t get picked up by the mic this time, so that’s why they’re not there! (I think my mic is on its way out (after 8 years!), so I'm currently shopping for a new one to fix these issues. Thanks again for bearing with in the meantime!) | | /episode/index/show/beerwithnat/id/40805485

Ep 6 – Luma Monteiro: Wine communicator, pottery obsessed, and loves a challenge 04/08/2026

Ep 6 – Luma Monteiro: Wine communicator, pottery obsessed, and loves a challenge Welcome back to Cheers with Nat – the podcast dedicated to cheering on women in drinks. Today’s guest is Luma Monteiro aka on Instagram and Head of Marketing at . We start by discussing the many hats Luma wears, how she first got into wine, and how she got to where she is now – by building both her wine knowledge and her business expertise. Luma then tells us what motivates her, the message she hopes her journey shares with others, the new hobby she’s obsessed with outside of work, and lots more. --- What stuck with me from this conversation: On her focus: “I’m very organised and I do think I have to be because I do so many things at the same time. And I’m very focused. I’m like, ‘This is where we are going, don’t divert from the plan. This is where we are going to go.’" On what motivates her: “You want to feel included. You want to feel represented. You know. I’m Brazilian, I’m Latina, I’m not white. You know what I mean. So, you do need these things to push you in places that normally it’s not easy… I think that motivated me even more than the knowledge. Because I’m like, what now? We have to change the game… and sometimes it has to be you. Who else is going to do it?” On her impact in the industry: “I do think the importance of being influential is what do you do with it, what is the message you are sending to people. For me, my motive forever will be ‘everyone can do it’. It doesn’t matter where you came from, it doesn’t matter where you are. And that is what motivates me to move on and do my things and be focused.” On why she loves working in drinks: “I do love a challenge, you know.” --- Links & things: Luma’s Instagram: What we’re drinking: Luma’s day job: Luma’s studies: WSET & in Wines Brazil’s only MW (currently!), Competitions Luma judges at: Where she switches off: Book reccs: by Karen MacNeil by Mark Kurlansky TV recc: Celeb to share a drink with: Beyonce with a glass of (not Sir John as we say in the episode, oops!) --- Recording info: February 2026 in London Apologies for the few occasions where the audio quality dips a bit. I think it may have been an issue with my mic connection that I didn’t catch at the time. This conversation is really worth a listen though, so please do bear with! --- | | /episode/index/show/beerwithnat/id/40766980

Ep 5 – Nicola Hart: Founder, foodie, and fascinated with fermentation 04/01/2026

Ep 5 – Nicola Hart: Founder, foodie, and fascinated with fermentation Welcome back to Cheers with Nat – the podcast dedicated to cheering on women in drinks. Today’s guest is Nicola Hart, founder of . Nicola starts by telling us all about Agua de Madre’s signature product – water kefir – including what it is, where she first discovered it, and what led her to start making it herself. From there, we discuss how the business has evolved over the years, why Nicola traded a career in film-making for one in fermentation (and the unexpected parallels between the two), what keeps her grounded outside of work, and lots more. --- What stuck with me from this conversation: On functional drinks: “Everybody’s understanding now, people are drinking less or rather they’re just wanting to add value to their water. I mean, in the past, I would only ever drink water. I didn’t ‘get’ fizzy drinks – until now.” On film-making vs building a drinks brand: “All those skills you get – from organisation, making things happen, you’ve got a budget. In fact, I’d say that probably working in the drinks world is much tougher. Because in film production, you might have a 10-week production time when it’s 24/7, but then you have the downtime before that when you’re working with the script and raising the money, and then you have the downtime after when you’re editing. Getting a drink to market is absolutely non-stop. It’s intense.” On learning new skills and building a team: “It’s about age and experience and listening and knowing that you don’t know everything. That kind of helps… But also trusting your gut, as well. Trust your gut is pretty much one of our lines. ‘Get a good gut feeling’ is what it’s about. And more and more that comes back.” On advice for other founders: “Just start. Just do the first step. Obviously, you learn on the way… Actually it’s just starting and having passion, commitment, and knowing that it’s going to be a long haul – it’s not going to be a sprint – and to stick with it.” On what keeps her in the drinks industry: “Well, its compelling, isn’t it? It’s compelling to see the business grow. Especially now it seems to be. I’m enjoying the adventure. I’m enjoying the ride and, boy, what a ride.” Links & things: Agua de Madre We were tasting the (scroll down) Early inspiration & stockists Doug McMaster’s (now closed) Sam & Sam Clark’s Nicola’s latest film project (2023) Based on the book by Elizabeth Fremantle Local restaurants getting some love (makers of my fave cinnamon roll in London!) Madres on the dance floor with Nicola’s podcast reccs: (getting its second shout out on the show!) with Ed Little BBC’s The Food Programme – ‘’ episode Nicola’s book reccs: Tim Spector’s Check out Tim & Nicola’s Instagram Live by Sandor Ellix Katz by Claire Strickett & Bert Blaize by Bruce Holsinger Recording info: January 2026 in London Apologies for the typing noises at certain points, Nicola’s colleague Yasmin was diligently taking notes during our recording! --- | | /episode/index/show/beerwithnat/id/40689180

Ep 4 – Christina Wade: Beer historian, spooky girl, and castle person 03/25/2026

Ep 4 – Christina Wade: Beer historian, spooky girl, and castle person Welcome back to Cheers with Nat – the podcast dedicated to cheering on women in drinks. In today’s episode, you’ll hear from beer historian, . We start by discussing how she turned her childhood dream of being a “castle person” into a career as a historian, and how the history of beer – and women in beer more specifically – became her focus. Christina then shares how her award-winning books came to life, the beer history myth she’s determined to bust, and what she’s working on next. We also learn why she believes it’s so important to share her work outside of academia and how she rewired her writing style for a broader audience. Lastly, you’ll hear about some of the new hobbies that keep her grounded outside of work, given that her hobby eventually became her work. --- What stuck with me from this conversation: On her childhood dream: “My family saved up lots and lots of money to be able to take me to Ireland after that because I just fell in love with medieval history. And I went to Bunratty Castle and, I think I must have been 10, and I looked at my mother and I said ‘I want to be a castle person’, you know I want to study this, this is what I want to do. And I want to do it here.” On citing sources as a historian: “It was really important to me to make sure that I had sources that other people could read. I’m not just saying this and you can trust me. You shouldn’t trust me. You shouldn’t trust anybody unless they can provide their sources and you should look at those sources, if you’re so inclined.” On how her first book came about: “I really want to read this book, so I’m going to write this book, because I want to read it.” On writing for different audiences: “You’re gatekeeping to some degree. You’re choosing what information to include and what not. And your audience is trusting you with that and that’s a lot of power. So you want to make sure that you’re writing something that’s worthy of that, that they can engage with, that’s still having the academic rigour that you would write for an academic audience but then in a way that speaks to them. So I write how I speak, so I write like I’m talking to my friends in the pub over a pint. And if I can’t say it out loud and have people understand it, then it needs to be re-written.” On the importance of listening in her work: “… it’s also being able to gauge what your audience wants by not only speaking to your audience, but listening. I think that’s a really important part. So it’s not only writing the media, its also consuming the media. And listening to people’s voices and seeing what are they interested in.” Check out the episode to hear how this influenced the focus of The Devil’s in the Draught Lines! Links & things: What we’re drinking A nice little from The Beer Nut Collaborator Liam K’s website, The brewers, Christina’s work (CAMRA, 2024) Winner of The British Guild of Beer Writers Best Book in 2024 (Nine Bean Rows, 2025) Winner of The British Guild of Beer Writers Best Book in 2025 Shortlisted for The André Simon Award 2025, selected from over 140 submissions Recognition for Christina’s work In addition to the awards for her books, mentioned above, Christina was also named Beer Expert of the Year in the 2025 inaugural People who inspired Christina’s future work And the rest of the team Christina’s book reccs – a shout out to fellow Irish beer writers! by Donal Fallon by Ali Dunworth What she’s watching His & Hers Stranger Things Recording info: January 2026 in Dublin Sorry for some of the background noises, we had the window open in my hotel room 😅 /episode/index/show/beerwithnat/id/40603165

Ep 3 - Natalie Chiu: Founder, podcast superfan, and lifelong learner 03/18/2026

Ep 3 - Natalie Chiu: Founder, podcast superfan, and lifelong learner Welcome back to Cheers with Nat – the podcast dedicated to cheering on women in drinks. In today’s episode, you’re going to hear from Natalie Chiu, co-founder of . We explore how Natalie’s lifelong love of food and her fascination with science led her to train as a flavourist… and how an unexpected twist during her and her husband’s PhD programmes set them on the path to creating Saicho. In addition to learning all about the business and the many roles Natalie plays within it, you’ll also get a mini tea masterclass, hear the long list of podcasts that keep Natalie grounded outside of work, discover what she enjoys most about being part of the drinks industry, and a whole lot more. --- What stuck with me from this conversation: On wearing her many hats in the business: “It’s such a joy, because every touch point is just so different. And it’s nice to be able to see everything from conception of the product, to production, and then to release. And then seeing people come back and tell us they enjoy it, it’s such a humbling experience.” On Saicho’s impact: “Creating Saicho is actually allowing people to have those moments. Because it’s looking at something to appreciate it… Often we’re so fast – in terms of eating, consuming, moving around – there’s so much going on. And, actually, creating that and being part of that experience of slowing people down is just amazing.” On starting the business: “Neither of us are business backgrounds. We’re both scientists and we were just figuring things out. So we learned along the way.” On how the market has changed: “Whenever we go out to see consumers and we’ll do tastings, we used to get a really confused faces about sparkling tea. Now, it’s people are actively seeking out sparkling tea. It is such a difference just over the couple of years we’ve been around.” On advice for her younger self: “Something that I definitely think is important to get through and start a business is to make sure you have grit and perseverance through those challenges. I think, for me, not giving up is probably one of the most important things… And then finding your people. Whether or not you’re looking at hiring your first person and continuing to hire people. Finding people that fit when you’re looking for advisors or investors. It’s important to find those people that fit with you. And I think trusting your gut is often the best thing.” Links & things: Saicho Sparkling Tea We were tasting the , which was a seasonal, but is now part of the core range Try them all Check out University of Nottingham Natalie's podcast reccs: And one TV recc for good measure Emily in Paris (I wholeheartedly agree with this one! 😄) Recording info: December 2025 in London --- | | /episode/index/show/beerwithnat/id/40488010

Ep 2 – Karina Aggarwal: Brand strategist, scuba diver, and cancer survivor 03/11/2026

Ep 2 – Karina Aggarwal: Brand strategist, scuba diver, and cancer survivor Welcome back to Cheers with Nat – the podcast dedicated to cheering on women in drinks. Before we get started with Episode 2, I wanted to share an exciting update about last week’s guest, Georgia Kelly. In true Cheers with Nat fashion, Georgia has also just moved beyond beer! Last week, on the very day her episode was released, she started a new role as a sales rep for Disaronno. Please do take a moment to and congratulate her, as that’s what this show is all about – cheering on women in drinks. What a start! And we’ve got another incredible guest up next. In today’s episode, you’re going to hear from Karina Aggarwal, better known on Instagram as . Considering one of the things Karina loves most about her work is that no two days look alike, we start by digging into her job as a brand strategist and consultant and what it actually entails. We then go all the way back, discussing her childhood interest in Egyptology (and the surprising parallel with her work today), how she created her current role, the hobbies that keep her grounded outside of work, and more. Just before we get into the episode, I wanted to share a little content warning that we also talk about Karina’s recent battle with cancer, which she’s been very open about on her social media. If you have a loved one living with cancer, like I do, I know these conversations can be tough to hear, but Karina’s story is a really inspiring one. She lets us in on why she chose to share her battle so publicly, the positive impact she’s had on others by doing so, and the life lessons she’s learned from this experience. --- What stuck with me from this conversation: On imposter syndrome: “For me one of the things that has always helped is to know that I’ve done as much as I could from a preparation point of view… The confidence then comes to say, if there’s something that I don’t know, it’s really ok for me to say, ‘Oh wait, that’s an interesting question. Let me try to find out about that. I’m not sure.’ It doesn’t diminish everything else that I know.” On her role as a brand strategist: “It may eventually be about selling the product, but you want to establish what the brand is, you want to know who the right audience is to speak to, and how do you speak to the audience.” On social media: "The idea is not to say this is the best whiskey or the best beer, it’s always to say this for this reason is why I like to drink it or why it’s on my bar." On her journey with cancer: Why she shared it publicly: “I just realised that I wanted people to hear from me. Like, I wanted them to know where I was at at that point in my head. That it wasn’t a sob story. Yes it was a huge thing and I was sort of getting used to it. But that I was ok.” The impact on others: “The other thing that became really important through the journey is that, again, when I first put it out there, I encouraged women to go and get tested. I said it’s not something that we are told and I don’t know why that is… and a lot of women write to me and said, ‘We went. We took our best friends, we took our sisters, we took our mothers. We had been putting it off for a while.’ But it was almost like, if it happened to you, it can happen to us." The impact on herself: “I’ve never been a patient person. I wouldn’t say I am one now. But it did teach me a little bit to, you know, pick my battles a little better. Slow things down a little bit. Not need to be everywhere all at once.” On scuba diving: “I struggle with getting my mind to shut down… but being in the ocean and diving and just looking at stuff and thinking about how the symbiosis is between these things and how it functions, that really calms me. It stops my mind from wondering.” Links & things: Indian indigenous spirits Karina’s favourite comeptitions to judge Book reccs – Recording info: November 2025 in Bangalore, India Apologies for the background noise, we were recording in a meeting room in our hotel in India (we were both in Bangalore for the Brews & Spirits Expo) and we had a bit of company on a few occasions! --- | | /episode/index/show/beerwithnat/id/40374350

Ep 1 – Georgia Kelly: Sales rep, literature lover, and people person 03/04/2026

Ep 1 – Georgia Kelly: Sales rep, literature lover, and people person Welcome to the first episode of Cheers with Nat – the podcast dedicated to cheering on women in drinks. My first guest, Georgia Kelly, is the person that gave me the push I needed to bring this show (back) to life, after a chat at an event way back in January 2025. (Yes, it took me that long to get myself and this project in motion!) Georgia was working for Lucky Saint at the time and said she’d listened to my Beer with Nat episode with as part of her interview prep. (She also said she’d fall asleep to the pod, which I’m still not sure if that’s a complement or not! lol) She really wanted to see the podcast make a comeback – which I’d been toying with, but I’d been wanting to broaden the scope of the show – and she gave the straight-talking advice I needed to get make it happen. More in the episode! A Key Account Manager at DEYA Brewing Company (at the time of our recording), our focus is on Georgia’s career story. From her start as a pot-wash, to working behind the bar, and now to life on the other side of it as a sales rep. We also get into much more, including what she wanted to be when she was little and the thread that runs through all of her roles – her love of people and their stories. --- Editor's note: As of March 2026, Georgia has just started a new sales role elsewhere in the drinks world... listen in to Ep 2 for an update! --- What stuck with me from this conversation: On job searching: ‘I didn’t know even the words to search for for the job. I kept searching rep, and if you search rep it’s not going to come up, because often the words are brand ambassador or account manager’ On the Women in Beer mentorship programme: ‘I think the main takeaway would be feeling like I have a place in the industry’ On how to treat people: ‘Making someone else smile makes your day a lot better, too' On confidence: ‘You realise you can sort of practice being confident by complimenting somebody randomly’ Georgia’s advice in a nutshell: Ask questions, pay attention to the people around you that inspire you (and tell them that they inspire you), and practice your confidence Links & things: Chouffe – & DEYA Brewing Company – & Lucky Saint - & Shout outs to Emma & Kerttu on the team for being super inspiring Georgia’s favourite author and book The Women in Beer & On mental health & hospitality – & Podcast & book reccs The Lock In podcast ‘’ episode by Slutty Chef Recording info: November 2025 at in London Thank you for hosting us! I hope the background noise from this lovely venue adds a bit of atmosphere and isn’t too distracting And apologies for the phone buzzes – I’ll make sure all future guests don’t have their phones on the table! --- | | /episode/index/show/beerwithnat/id/40303765