Brewery News

News

Thornbridge in £2 million expansion drive

Thornbridge, one of Britain's most successful small independent breweries -- famous for its Jaipur IPA -- has announced a £2 million investment plan to enable it to increase production and add a new bottling line. The new plant should be up and running by late summer at its plant in Bakewell in Derbyshire. Pictured are chief finance officer Simon Walkden (left) and head brewer Rob Lovatt

Added: Wednesday, April 6th 2016

Feature

Bruce's brewery is heading for the big time

David Bruce, famous for his Firkin brewpubs and now chairman of West Berkshire Brewery, has launched a crowdfunding initiative to raise £1.5 miilion to build a new brewery in the Thames Valley. Bruce, seen standing left with his brewery and sales team, plans a new brewery with 10 times the capacity of the existing plant. He has added Renegade craft beers to the existing cask ales

Added: Thursday, March 31st 2016

Feature

Drink Stewart's beer -- or make your own

Stewart Brewing at Loanhead near Edinburgh moved to a new site to keep up with demand for its beers -- 65% in cask form -- but is now installing new vessels as sales are growing 20% a year. As well as its own range, including Gold, 80 Shilling and IPA, its micro plant (pictured) is used by students at Heriot-Watt University and members of the public to fashion their own brews

Added: Monday, March 21st 2016

Feature

Hartlepool family brewer forges ahead

Cameron's brewery in Hartlepool is bucking the trend. While other family brewers are struggling, the North-east company is building for the future with a traditional tied-house system based on its acquisition of the specialist Head of Steam pub chain. It plans to grow both the pubs and its beer range. Left, the handsome 1970s marble brew house

Added: Monday, February 22nd 2016

Feature

Brewery brings back pride to Norfolk beer

Woodforde's Brewery in Norfolk has grown impressively to regional status and has won many awards for such brands as Wherry and Headcracker. It was in the forefront of bringing brewing back to the county following brewery closures at the hands of Watneys and Whitbread. Woodforde's has a new head brewer, Belinda Jennings, whio is busily developing new beers

Added: Tuesday, February 16th 2016

News

Red Squirrel won't say nuts to investors

Hertfordshire brewery Red Squirrel plans to raise £0.5 million through a crowd funding initiative in order to expand its brewery and add additional tap rooms to its current four. The tap rooms allow customers to buy draught and bottled beer and also drink draught in comfortable surroundings. Red Squirrel has won awards from CAMRA and SIBA for its mild, porter and pale ale and needs to add additional brewing kit to keep up with demand for cask and keg beers

Added: Sunday, February 7th 2016

Feature

Annick's Gruut beer is the spice of life

Annick De Splenter is a member of a Belgian brewing dynasty but she has carved a unique route with her Gruut beers that recall the medieval style of using "botanicals" rather than hops for flavour and bitterness. She has just moved to a new site in the centre of Ghent where beer lovers will be able to use her kit to design their own brews

Added: Sunday, January 31st 2016

Comment

New twist in the Meantime soap opera

AB InBev is to dispose of the Meantime craft brewery in Greenwich, South London, as part of the deal to take over its former rival SABMiller. SAB bought Meantime in May this year but now it's up for sale again. There's speculation that Molson Coors, Carslberg or Heineken could be interested in building interests in the fast-growing craft beer sector

Added: Thursday, December 3rd 2015

Feature

Wee George boosts Caley's beer range

Edinburgh's Caledonian Brewery is celebrated for its award-winning Deuchars IPA but it's now expanding its range of beers thanks to the introduction of a small pilot plant called Wee George that, at a cost of £180,000, allows new beers to be trialled and, if successful, are moved to the main brewery. Wee George is run by Ross O'Hara, pictured, a graduate of the local Heriot-Watt University's school of brewing and distilling.

Added: Wednesday, December 2nd 2015

Review

Morse and beer: solving an old 'cold case'

E Morse was not only the name of the celebrated fictional detective but was also one member of a brewing family in East Anglia that ran breweries in Norwich, Lowestoft and Swaffham. Author Eric Dore has investigated the Morse story with the dedication of the great detective and brought the brewing story to life

Added: Saturday, November 28th 2015