Features
Country brewer heads for the Smoke
Family-owned McMullen's brewery in Hertford has its eyes on London. It has added to its existing pubs in the capital with four more, including the Old Bank of England next to the Law Courts (pictured). The brewery also has outlets in Essex, Berkshire and Hampshire. Fergus McMullen says food is increasingly important to his pubs but sales of his cask beers, including the historic AK, are doing well
Added: Saturday, March 8th 2014
Bullish Batemans rebrands its 'craft ales' with 140 years of family heritage
Jaclyn and Stuart Bateman are the fourth generation to run the family brewery in Wainfleet, Lincolnshire, and Stuart says he's fed up with being told he's not a 'craft brewer' because it's not a new company. Batemans has responded defiantly by rebranding its ales as craft beers
Added: Monday, March 3rd 2014
Heavy metal beer gets Robinsons rocking
Robinson's brewery in Stockport is a giant of the North-west, with more than 300 pubs and a brand-new brewhouse built at the cost of £6 million. As well as its regular cask ales, Robinsons has won world-wide acclaim for its Trooper beer, an unlikely collaboration with heavy metal rock group Iron Maiden
Added: Saturday, February 8th 2014
More 'live beers' planned in Burton
Marston's top brewer Richard Westwood (pictured) is planning to turn several of the group's beers into bottle-conditioned versions thanks to the brewery's new bottling plant in Burton-on-Trent. And Old Empire IPA is high on the agenda with Owd Rodger a possible contender
Added: Thursday, February 6th 2014
Antwerp: it's city of beer not wine
Bruce bounces back in Berkshire
Legendary brewer and pub owner David Bruce -- of Firkin and Slug & Lettuce fame -- is back in business as chairman of West Berkshire Brewery. He is pictured (far left) with brewer Will Twomey and founders Helen and Dave Maggs. There are plans for a new brewery site and expanded sales, with shares on offer to friends, family and supporters in the Thames Valley
Added: Thursday, January 23rd 2014
Mechelen: beer is the Anker of the soul
The Het Anker brewery dates from the 16th century when sisters in a beguinage brewed beer for the sick. In the 20th century, the owners abandoned Pils and returned to ale brewing and have achieved international success with the Gouden Carolus range. They have even added a version of the beer matured in single malt whisky casks from Scotland.
Added: Saturday, January 18th 2014
Peter Austin: father of micro-brewing
Peter Austin is hailed as the Father of Micro-brewing. Starting with Ringwood in Hampshire in the late 1970s, he built specialist craft breweries throughout the world. His greatest impact was in the United States and Britain where his legacy can be counted on the large number of small breweries operating today
Added: Thursday, January 9th 2014
A brewery that's older than Belgium
Bosteels Brewery, dating from 1791, is older than its host country. It's still family owned and run by the sixth and seventh generations, Ivo and Antoine. They are renowned for their multi-award-winning Tripel Karmeliet, the idiosyncratic Pauwel Kwak served from a glass in a wooden shoe, and Deus, which reaches maturity in Champagne cellars in France
Added: Monday, December 30th 2013