An interview with Petra Wetzel, West Beer

An interview with Petra Wetzel, West Beer

Posted on: August 25, 2016

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I was delighted today to again meet with Petra Wetzel over lunch at The Royal Scots Club and learn more about this fascinating business woman.  We are delighted she will be our second guest speaker of the Liaison Lunches series at The Royal Scots Club and I look forward to her talk enormously on Thursday 10th November.

I ask her some questions over lunch:

  1. What got you started in the Brewing Industry?

German-born Wetzel, 38, and her father Herbert, an engineer by trade, famously coined the idea for a Scottish “Bavarian-style” brewery while having a drink in the Ubiquitous Chip in Glasgow in 1994. Something of a beer connoisseur, he ordered a pint of Tennents, took a sip and winced.  “He asked me what the best Glasgow lager was and I realised I didn’t know,” she recalls. “In Germany every village and town has a good brewery. It’s something people are proud of and want to show off to visitors. He couldn’t believe that a city like Glasgow didn’t have its own brewery.”  The brewery went into administration in 2008 when I was working in a law firm so I took the decision to leave that job and buy the business back as I did not want to see it end.  Almost two decades later, housed in the historic former Templeton Carpet Factory, is the product of that light bulb moment.

  1. Do you feel the Brewing Industry is very male dominated and how did you find being a female in this industry?

It used to be more of a male dominant industry but not anymore.  I think personally being female, German and knew nothing about beer was an advantage for me and made me unique.  It works in my favor as we do things differently and people remember me.

  1. What motivates you?

My son and money to have nice holidays.  Also making a difference and touching people in such a way we deliver then a nice meal, good pint and they enjoy the experience.

  1. Would you recommend the Industry to others and in particular young people?

Yes 100% as it is fun, creative and offers excellent job opportunities as you can take beer all over the World.  I would especially like to see more women enter into the industry.

  1. Who would you most like to see drinking your beer?

The Queen!