‘‘ I’ve always been fascinated by bacteria and their ability to adapt to situations that we are completely unable to deal with. I think that they’re the closest we are ever likely to find to alien life.

I left school at 16 and worked in medical microbiology while I studied part-time. Switching sectors to work in the brewing industry cemented my interest in the subject, so I kept studying part-time and earned a degree in industrial microbiology.

Brewing is an entirely microbiological process. In terms of product quality, many problems experienced by brewers come down to a microbiological hiccup of some kind. Spoilage microorganisms adversely affect the beer’s flavour or smell. They can also affect the performance of the yeast during fermentation.

In the brewery, microbiologists are the ones with magnifying glasses and sample kits who are walking around the site to see what’s going on. The integrity of the plant is as important to quality as the process itself. If there is a faulty pump or a leaking door seal, you have to spot it because it could be a source of contamination.

The challenge is to ensure that microorganisms in a sample you have taken have not come from the environment in which you were working. You could end up dumping thousands of pounds worth of beer because you have picked up a microbe from a puddle next to where you were sampling.

As a consultant, my day-to-day work involves troubleshooting, investigating problems and auditing breweries. I have travelled across Europe, America and to Australia to visit breweries and attend international meetings as a specialist.

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