Features

Bourgogne des Flandres -- Flemish Burgundy -- is a blend of strong brown ale and lambic beer that was brewed in Bruges until the 1950s. Now Anthony Martin, grandson of the founder of the John Martins group that owns Timmermans, Belgium's oldest lambic brewer, has restored the beer to its city of origin with a new brewery that uses open fermenters in the Flemish farmhouse style

Added: Saturday, April 30th 2016

Restaurants will attract more customers if they serve beer with food, according to the Society of Independent Brewers that speaks for Britain's independent producers. SIBA says one in three people would visit restaurants more often if they served good beer. The organisation is seeking meetings with top restaurateurs to discuss the vast range of beer styles now available in Britain.

Added: Wednesday, April 20th 2016

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

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

Two degrees courses at Nottingham University's Brewing Science Department is attracting students from big and small breweries as well as people keen to make brewing a career. Research work on the courses includes analysing the best use of water, yeast and hops. Some of the investment in the courses comes from SABMiller and this could be affected by the takeover by AB InBev

Added: Friday, March 4th 2016

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

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

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

Breandan Kearney, annointed Beer Writer of the Year by the British Guild of Beer Writers, is an Irishman who has settled in Ghent to write about Belgian beer and has quickly acquired a big following for his forthright views and tastings on his blog Belgian Smaak. He is seen picking up his award at the guild's annual dinner.

Added: Friday, January 29th 2016

David Grant, managing director of Moorhouse's of Burnley -- famous for Pendle Witches Brew -- says the town has fought back from the nightmare of riots in 2001 and now a real community spirit is aiding the brewery to build its sales. But the beer market is changing and the brewery has had to sell three of its six pubs. Grant is critical of Progressive Beer Duty that doesn't help a company of his size

Added: Monday, January 18th 2016