Thatch the way to top off a brewery!
By: JimOldfield
August 28th, 2012
Locals might have wondered just what was brewing at Palmers Brewery in Dorset recently – when 2,000 bundles of REEDS arrived on the scene…
But there was no fear for the beer – the job was to simply put a new lid on the UK’s only thatched brewery!
A team of four thatchers turned up, bearing almost 2,000 fresh bundles of water reed and set about re-roofing the northern section of the ancient Old Brewery in Bridport.
The last time the job was done was 35 years ago… and two of the current team fixed the roof then!
The job held no surprises for thatchers Ian Hobday and Kevin Trott – who took care of the roof in 1977, when they were just teenagers!
They recalled being given a daily allowance of two free bottles of Palmers’… lemonade!
The Old Brewery was built between 1794-1796 by Dorset rope and net makers, the Gundry family.
In the late 19th century, brothers John Cleeves Palmer and Robert Henry Palmer bought the brewery and renamed it after themselves.
Today, their great grandsons John and Cleeves Palmer still work in the company, which turns out five draught ales – Palmers Copper Ale, Palmers Best Bitter, Palmers Dorset Gold, Palmers 200 and Palmers Tally Ho!
Palmers chairman, John, said: “Thatch is solid and traditional, and it does have charm. I think the Brewery fits in with the culture of what makes Bridport a special place”.
Hand-Pumped link:
www.palmersbrewery.com
