Devizes devises new Wetherspoon ales
By: JimOldfield
February 14th, 2012
Brewers from around the world have converged on the historic 125-year-old Wadworth Brewery in Devizes this week – to help Wetherspoon’s craft special new brews for sale across its 800 pubs. Among them is David Yarrington, director of brewing operations at the US-based Smuttynose Brewing Co who has crossed the Atlantic to craft a new, Read the full post…
EU sting threatens Cornish nettle brewery
By: JimOldfield
February 14th, 2012
Britain’s only nettle beer brewery is facing closure – because the EU says the centuries-old Cornish Stingers Bitter is NOT ale. The ruling has left its Cornish family brewers facing up to £10,000 in backdated duty, because the drink now falls into a higher tax band. Customs officers have also moved to seize their entire Read the full post…
Sisters are brewing it for themselves
By: JimOldfield
February 14th, 2012
A women-only brewing group has launched its latest offering in Manchester as the girls proved beer-making is not just for men. The 10-strong band who make up Project Venus delivered Venus Gold – a 3.8 per cent light session ale – to a thirsty group at Post Street Beer House on Wednesday night. Project Venus, Read the full post…
Lords of the dance in Southampton
By: JimOldfield
February 3rd, 2012
An historic Southampton pub has opened a new on-site micro-brewery, and celebrated its arrival with… Morris Dancing! The Dancing Man Brewery – the only brewery of its kind in the city – officially launched in the Platform Tavern last week (January 25), with the night of dancing. Landlord Stewart Cross spent £9,000 converting the pub’s Read the full post…
Dodgy beer in Cheshire
By: JimOldfield
February 3rd, 2012
A dodgy beer is being brewed by a Cheshire brewery in honour of a 90s indie-pop band! The Offbeat Brewery in Crewe is planning to brew “Stand Upright” in honour of the band Dodgy, who are set to play a gig in the town later this month. Offbeat’s head-brewer Michelle Kelsall is a big fan Read the full post…
Charity ale honours cancer-hit brewing boss
By: JimOldfield
February 1st, 2012
A special beer brewed in honour of a pioneering brewery boss with cancer, has raised over £6,000 for charity. Cornwall’s Sharp’s Brewery honoured Sheffield’s Kelham Island Brewery founder Dave Wickett with a 9.5 per cent bottled beer called DW – and gave the proceeds of the sell-out brew to Cornish Hospice Care. Sharp’s head brewer Read the full post…
Clash fans start a New Wave beer revolution
By: JimOldfield
January 15th, 2012
What do you do if your two passions in life are punk rock on vinyl, and real ale? Start a revolutionary brewery, of course! Mark Seaman and Andrew Helm set up theirs at Whitwood, near Castleford, West Yorkshire in late 2010… and the Revolutions brewing Co is now enjoying hit after hit with its bevy Read the full post…
Brewery to close as family firm goes after real ale market
By: JimOldfield
January 12th, 2012
Hydes, the long-established Manchester family brewer and pub operator, has decided to close down and replace its historic Grade II listed Queens Brewery, with the loss of a number of jobs. The Moss Side brewery, which turns out 60,000 barrels a year and employs 50 staff, will be canned in favour of a new £2m Read the full post…
Funeral-king-turned-brewer Frank celebras 20 birthdays at once!
By: JimOldfield
December 15th, 2011
When one of Britain’s rarest breweries celebrates its first birthday next month, 19 fellow new-born brewers will be bringing along their barrels too! Such is the real ale boom, that nearly a score of new brewers have set up in and around the Dearne area of South Yorkshire, in the past 12 months. And funeral Read the full post…
Midlands brewery rises from ashes
By: JimOldfield
December 9th, 2011
A Wolverhampton brewery is back in business – two decades after it last turned out ale. Part of the Springfield Brewery in the town has been leased by Andy and Michelle Brough, who are to supply beers to local pubs. The original brewery closed down in 1991 and the building was gutted by fire in Read the full post…
