Stirring up Success: From Lab to Distillery
You’ve attended the Worldwide Distilled Spirits Conference (WDSC) 2026 in Edinburgh, the Â׸£ÀûƬ offers practical, science‑led collaboration designed specifically for the needs of distilleries, spirits brands and supply‑chain innovators.
This page gives you a clear snapshot of what we do, why it matters, and how to start a conversation with us.
At the Â׸£ÀûƬ, distilling innovation is led through Lark Hill Brewery and the MicroJoule Testing Hub (MJTH) - a university‑owned, industry‑facing facility that connects academic expertise with real production challenges.
We work at the intersection of:
- Distilling, fermentation and flavour science
- Analytical chemistry and quality validation
- Biotechnology and process optimisation
- Sustainability, decarbonisation and circular economy solutions
Our model is collaborative and applied: projects are commercially relevant and scaled to your needs.
How We Support Distillers & Spirits Businesses
Problem Led Applied R&D
- Proof‑of‑concept projects for new spirits, ingredients or processes
- Yeast, microbiome and fermentation optimisation
- Improving yield, consistency and flavour development
Testing, Validation & Technical Insight
- Microbiological and chemical analysis to support QA and compliance
- Method development and in‑house validation support
- Training teams to confidently use analytical data
Sustainability & Net Zero Innovation
- Reducing energy, water and raw material use
- Valorising spent grains and distillation by‑products
- Developing circular frameworks aligned to spirits production
Talent Embedded in Industry
- Students delivering live industry projects
- Short‑term placements, secondments and funded research routes
- Upskilling teams in emerging distilling technologies
Why work with us?
Companies choose to work with Salford because we offer:
- Specialist facilities and expertise
- Flexible project sizes - from short pilots to long‑term partnerships
- Support identifying innovation funding opportunities
- A proven track record across brewing, distilling and fermentation
We have already worked with many companies, delivering consultancy, proof‑of‑concept projects and commercially launched products.
Typical Projects Start Like This - No long proposals. No unnecessary complexity!
Initial conversation – a focused discussion about your technical or sustainability challenge
Defined pilot or study – scoped to cost, time and commercial relevance
Delivery & outcomes – data, insight or validation you can act on
Next steps – scale up, funding bids or longer term collaboration
Who we work with
Get in Touch
If you’ve seen us at WDSC 2026 and an idea has formed - or highlighted a challenge, we’d love to talk.
Get in touch to explore how the Â׸£ÀûƬ can support your distilling or spirits business at innovation@salford.ac.uk.
We don’t just research the future of spirits. We help you build it.