Roger Ryman, the dearly loved and universally respected head brewer at Cornwall’s St. Austell brewery, sadly passed away on Thursday May 28th, 2020, after a battle with cancer. He was 52.

The term “legend” tends to be thrown about a little carelessly when describing those who’ve cast their influence on the brewing industry. When it comes to Roger, the title barely does justice to the impact he’s had on modern British beer. He achieved something that so few head brewers will manage in their careers: the creation of a true legacy.

Roger joined the team at St. Austell in 1999, previously holding a brewing position at Maclay & Co in Scotland, after earning his masters in brewing and distilling at Edinburgh’s Heriot-Watt University. In his first year at St. Austell—when the nation was gripped by the prospect of the rare sight of a total eclipse of the Sun—he brewed a beer to mark the occasion called Daylight Robbery.

That beer would go on to be renamed Tribute, and become the Cornish brewery’s flagship. It would transform the brewery from a 15,000 hectolitre a year regional, to one of national acclaim that produces 150,000hL annually—that’s over 26.3 million pints. But Roger’s legacy wouldn’t end there, after a collaboration with Portland, Oregon’s (now sadly closed) Bridgeport Brewery in 2006 he would return home inspired by US brewing methods, and create Proper Job Cornish IPA, now St. Austell’s best-selling beer.

““He achieved something that so few head brewers will manage in their careers: the creation of a true legacy.””

— Matthew Curtis

Any brewer able to create one flagship brand should go down in history, but to create two is a testament to Roger’s ability and knowledge. That he also developed beers like Korev Cornish Lager, Black Square Russian Imperial Stout, and Big Job, (an IPA released in 2012 that preceded the global brut IPA trend by a good 7 years) as well as stewarding Bath Ales after St. Austell purchased the brewery in 2016, reinforces his credentials as one of the most important British brewers of the modern age.

I was lucky enough to interview Roger several times, including for our own podcast, where we discussed the state of cask beer at length, and for various other features in several publications. I particularly enjoyed our discussion on the idea of legacy for an article in Ferment, which suddenly feels a lot more poignant than it did at the time.

Roger was always a joy to interview because his opinions were so well formed, and eruditely put. He spoke calmly, yet with authority, which also shone through when he spoke in front of an audience. Off the record he cut a slightly different pose, one that was a little more reserved—perhaps even showcasing a little shyness—but also more jovial, and decidedly less serious. My lasting memory will be of him serving behind the bar at the Celtic Beer Festival—an event he helped establish—smiling and joking with his team as he served the beers he helped inspire them to create.

We’ve assembled some additional thoughts on Roger’s crucial, enduring legacy from a collective of other writers below. He will be sorely missed.

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Roger’s influence on British beer in the 21st century cannot be underestimated. He arrived at St. Austell in 1999 and revived a struggling brewery, helping to turn it into the thriving business it is today. What he did there electrified the whole regional brewery sector. By example, he showed companies that were slowly ossifying and resting on their laurels what they needed to do in order to remain relevant in rapidly changing times. For a beer writer, he was a dream—always approachable, a font of knowledge and never too busy to explain sometimes complicated issues in great detail. All the writers who came to know him will miss him as a friend and not just as a brewer of outstanding beers.
—Jeff Evans

A true gentleman, Roger always found time to answer my questions however trivial they might seem. His loss is profound. He was a hugely positive and creative influence on the world of beer who will be much missed.
—Tim Hampson

He was a magnificent brewer, creative, pragmatic, knowledgeable and enthusiastic about his calling, and has has been said elsewhere his creation of Tribute helped save St. Austell, but also showed the way for other family breweries on how to cope with changing times and tastes. I recall lots of other beers: Proper Job, Admiral’s Ale, Korev and all the beers he and his team would make for the annual Celtic Beer Festival. I even brewed with him once, on the small kit in 2006, a Kölsch if I remember rightly, and he took great pleasure in getting me to empty out the mash with a shovel…

I have occasionally read that beer writers shouldn’t be friends with brewers, we should keep our distance, that’s rubbish, when there are people like Roger around it is hard not to be a friend. He will be missed.
—Adrian Tierney-Jones

““Roger recognised the way that beer both joins us to our past and looks forward to our future; the power it has to link generation to generation.””

— Emma Inch

Like all great brewers, Roger recognised the way that beer both joins us to our past and looks forward to our future; the power it has to link generation to generation. He was articulate, entertaining and generous with his time. And, above all, he was a storyteller —both in person and through his beer—and he always knew exactly which stories to tell.
—Emma Inch

Roger was one hell of a character, always welcoming at the brewery, always happy to answer questions. Brewing is always heralded as a by-and-large friendly community, but Roger really went the extra mile to extend the hand of friendship, promote beer and brewing, nurture and care for his brewing team, and act as the perfect company ambassador. To say this is a huge loss to brewing seems an understatement.
—Darren Norbury

Roger was one of the best brewers in the country. His talent, forward thinking and patience helped turn St. Austell around when he joined in 1999—and the positive impact of Tribute and Proper Job on Cornwall and indeed the wider brewing industry is difficult to overstate. I've interviewed him, brewed with him and drunk with him on many occasions. He was always so generous with his time, genuine in his interest, and passionate about his work. It's a huge loss to the industry and the people who knew him, but his legacy is here to stay.
—Jonny Garrett

Knowing Roger was a great privilege, he was a brewer I admired immensely and a friend. He was always on the end of a phone to kindly and comprehensively answer questions, no matter how daft I might have felt they were. His dedication to perfection rightly made him one of the country’s most respected brewers, and he was an absolute ball to go out for a beer with.

I simply can’t believe I won’t be having a pint of ruinous Big Job forced into my hand the minute I set foot inside GBBF when it’s next held, won’t be getting a big bear hug and smacking kiss on the cheek from him again, or be able to debate some obscure, nerdy, intricacy of malt. My heart goes out to Toni, his family, St Austell & Bath Ales and everyone who knew him. We have, quite simply, lost more than a good one, we’ve lost a great one.
—Melissa Cole

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Roger Protz has written a moving, and far more in-depth obituary for Roger here.