New brewers abound… in kitchens, cellars and back rooms!
By: JimOldfield
July 17th, 2012
The brewery boom goes on unabated! The world’s slide into “bust” has passed unnoticed in Britain’s micro-brewery industry – which continues to spawn new players with every passing day. Here’s the latest Hand-Pumped round-up of new kids on the block.
But things are moving so fast that it’s far from comprehensive – so if you know of, or have started, a brewery not mentioned on Hand-Pumped so far, tell us about it by emailing jim@hand-pumped.co.uk
Worcester has its first brewery for 16 years – after local pub the Firefly began turning out its own ale in a back room.
Owner Matt Pugh said he “just wanted to make beer” – so he bought a brew plant from the USA and has already started selling a 4 per cent, hoppy, American Pale Ale.
Such was the demand that he emptied his first barrel in little over a day!
Worcester has not had a brewery since the Jolly Roger Brewery closed in 1996.
In South London, a couple who started a nano-brewery in their kitchen have expanded to launch a full-scale micro-brewery… named after their son!
Victoria Barlow and Duncan Woodhead are looking for premises in Croydon, to house a 12 BBL brew plant being built in Scotland, as they launch the Clarence and Fredericks Brewing Co – which takes its name from their home address and their young son Frederick.
They are hoping to have a range of ales in pubs around their Sutton, Surrey, home before the end of the summer – with a golden ale, a best bitter and a list of seasonal ales planned to launch their range.
Clarence and Fredericks will be Croydon’s second brewery within months, following the establishment of the Cronx brewery in the town, already featured on Hand-Pumped.
Duncan and Victoria have a new website on the way soon, at www.cfbrewing.co.uk and in the meantime can be found on the link below.
In deepest Wales, Llantrisant’s Wheatsheaf pub is pulling in the real ale drinkers – by brewing its own beer using spring water from underneath the building!
Landlord Tom Barlow has invested £10,000 to launch the pub’s Pixie Spring Brewery (the name comes from an old local fairy tale) in the cellar and create core ales Black Army Stout, Deliverance APA and the Prince of Bengal IPA.
Cornishman Tom said: “Deep below Llantrisant is the fabled home of the Asrai Pixies, where ancient stories tell of a magical potion that the pixies would drink to live long and in good health.
“The waters used for this potion were drawn from the natural source which is known as Pixie Spring, the very same spring from which we draw to make our range of traditional beers.”
In Evesham, real ale fan and bar owner Steve Murphy re-opened a defunct micro-brewery – with a Jubilee ale kicking off his venture.
Steve resurrected the brew plant – behind Bar 24, which he runs – after it had been out of action for eight years.
His first ale – Asum Jubilee Ale – is on sale in Bar 24 and is set to make its way to other pubs in the town.
And in Darwen, Lancashire, IT specialist Jason Wakeling has set up the Blue Buzzard micro-brewery in his kitchen, and has now been granted a licence to sell his ales. Although his plant only turns out a quarter of a barrel, his ales have already become popular at local beer festivals, where his Supernova has proved a hit… which goes to show that anyone and everyone can turn their hand to brewing hand-crafted ales!
Hand-Pumped links:
Clarence & Fredericks
The Wheatsheaf:
Blue Buzzard:
