REUBEN Crouch has swapped food for drink.

After more than seven years as general manager at Ludlow Food Centre he has joined Hobsons Brewery as their new commercial director, swapping award winning local food for award winning local beer.

Hobsons believe in sourcing locally using hops that are grown seven miles from the brewery and instigated a programme for local farmers to grow Maris Otter barley for their brews, so it made sense to hire locally as well.

The new boy is getting to grips with the brewery, but wasn’t quite expecting his induction to include the challenge of running to work after his company car got delayed.

In his first week he has also experienced the role of a brewer, drayman and ‘dogs body’, with a day’s brewing, weighing out the hops to digging out a very steamy mash tun, delivering cask beer to pubs in Herefordshire and helping to assemble the new Green Hop Beer gift packs.

“I believe in mucking in, and there’s no better way of getting to know a business than completely immersing yourself in it,” he said.