BREWING

 

See Also: BEER; BREWING, DISAPPEARED OR RELOCATED; PUBS

 

Asahi

Fuller, Smith & Turner

The Griffin Brewery's antecedents date back to the mid-17^thC. In 1829 John Fuller, a Wiltshire farmer, acquired an interest in the business. His son John Bird Fuller assumed control of the venture. Fuller, Smith & Turner was set up in 1845 by the younger Fuller and Henry Smith of the Romford brewery Ind & Smith, and his brother-in-law John Turner, who was their head brewer.

In 1976 Fuller's installed enclosed conical fermenters in anticipation of switching its production from real ale to keg. Reg Drury (1939-2015), the company's head brewer, wished to keep on making real ale. However, it was regarded as being impossible to do so in the new equipment because of their shape and the colder temperatures that were involved. Mr Drury engaged in a programme of experimentation. He proved able to devise a technique that involved changing the temperatures and adding regular fresh batches of yeast. In the light of what he had learned, he went on to refine the company's Chiswick Bitter, London Pride, and Extra Special Bitter beers. The brewery adds gypsum to London water to make it suitable for brewing bitters.

In 1999 Fuller, Smith & Turner was 66%-owned by members of the three founding families.

In 2019 Fuller's sold its beer brands Asahi of Japan for £250m.

Location: The Griffin Brewery, Chiswick Lane South, W4 2QB.

Website: www.fullersbrewery.co.uk

The Meantime Brewing Company

Alastair Hook studied brewing first at Heriot-Watt University and then at the Weihenstephan brewing school in Munich. In 2000 he founded the Meantime brewery in south-east London.

Meantime opened the Greenwich Union pub in Greenwich, south-east London.

In 2015 SAB Miller bought the Meantime Brewing Company. The following year the brewery was acquired by Asahi.

Location: The Greenwich Brewery, 2 Penhall Road, SE7 8RX

The Greenwich Union, 56 Royal Hill, SE10 8RT

Website: www.meantimebrewing.com

 

Peter Austin

Peter Austin (1921-2014) was born into a family that was well-established in the brewing industry. He 1975 he left the Hull Brewery, where he had been the head brewer, after the business was acquired by Northern Foods, a food processing company. Two years Terry Jones of Monty Python fame and the journalist Richard Boston invited him to establish a microbrewery at Penrhos Court in Herefordshire. The following year he and David Welsh established the Ringwood Brewery in Ringwood, Hampshire. The beers that they created there included Fortyniner and Old Thumper. Austin went to serve as the initial chairman of the Small Independent Brewers Association. He became influential in helping the global expansion of microbrewing. At the time of his death in 2014 there were 2000 craft breweries in the United States and 1200 in Britain.

 

The Brewer's Company

Location: Aldermanbury Square, EC2V 7HR (blue, red)

See Also: CITY LIVERY COMPANIES

Website: www.brewershall.co.uk

Dame Alice Owen's

Dame Alice Owen's was aided by the Brewers Company. The school's houses were named after brewers.

On Michaelmas Day the pupils of Dame Alice Owen's were given beer money.

See Also: CITY LIVERY COMPANIES Schools

Website: www.brewershall.co.uk/public-news/dame-alice-owens-foundation https://damealiceowens.herts.sch.uk

 

Beavertown Brewery

Beavertown was set up in de Beavoir, hence the name. The business's success caused it to leave the district and move to Tottenham Hale.

https://beavertownbrewery.co.uk

 

Brodie's Brewery

Brodie s Beers was set up in a former brewery by Jamie and Lizzie Brodie.

Location: The King William IV, 816 High Road, Leyton, E10 6AE

Website: wwwbrodiesbeers.co.uk http://williamthefourth.co.uk

 

Camden Town Brewery

The company is a subsidiary of AB InBev U.K.

Location: 55 Wilkin Street Mews, NW5 3ED

Website: www.camdentownbrewery.com

 

Carlsberg

Carlsberg Special Brew

Winston Churchill visited Copenhagen in 1950. It has been claimed that Carlsberg created its Special Brew in honour of him. The beer has brandy notes . This was supposed to have derived from his partiality for the spirit.¹

¹. In the U.K., the beer is brewed by Carlsberg U.K. in Northampton.

London Fields Brewery

In 2017 Carlsberg of Denmark bought London Fields.

Location: 365-366 Warburton Street, E8 3RR

Website: https://londonfieldsbeer.com

 

Eko Brewery

Anthony Adedipe worked as mechanical engineer in the railway industry. His expertise led to his working in numerous countries. Something that he liked to do was to sample beers. While visiting a brewery in Japan, it dawned him upon that brewing was essentially a scientific process that involving the movement of liquids from one vat to another - in essence it was engineering.

While spending a year working in the United States, he and wife Helena embraced the country's craft beer scene. Following their return to the U.K., she bought him a book on home brewing. He joined a brewing group and started to experiment with a variety of ingredients. One of his creations that proved particularly popular was a porter that he named Eko Black. One of its ingredients was coconut palm sugar. Initially, they worked as contract brewers and succeeded in persuading a number restaurants, including the two-Michelin-starred Ikoyi, to stock it. In 2024 the couple a site opened a taproom and started to brew on larger scale.

 

Gipsy Hill Brewery

The Gipsy Hill Brewery's taproom is The Douglas Fir in Anerley.

Location: Unit 5, 160 Hamilton Road, Norwood, SE27 9SF.

Website: https://gipsyhillbrew.com

 

The Kernel Brewery

Evin O'Riordain started home brewing in 2007 after a visit to New York. He appreciated that he desired a clean-tasting and hop-forward beer. Two years later he established the Kernel Brewery.

Location: Arch 1, Dockley Road Industrial Estate, SE16 3SF.

Website: www.thekernelbrewery.com

 

The London Brewers' Alliance

The London Brewers Alliance was founded in 2010 by thirteen member breweries. They included Fuller's and the Stag Brewery

Website: www.londonbrewers.org

 

Redemption Brewing

Redemption Brewing is based in North London.

Location: Unit 16, Compass West Industrial Estate, West Road, N17 0XL.

Website: https://redemptionbrewing.co.uk

 

Sambrook's Brewery

Sambrook s Brewery is based in Battersea on the River Wandle.

Location: 1 Bellwether Lane, Wimbledon, SW18 1UD.

Website: www.sambrooksbrewery.co.uk

 

Truman's Beer

In 2010 the Truman brand was sold to James Morgan and Michael-George Hemus. A facility in Norwich had been charged with preserving various yeast strains. These had been kept in liquid nitrogen.

Location: 1 Priestley Way, E17 6AL.

Website: www.trumansbeer.co.uk

 

Wild Card Brewery

Wild Card Brewery was founded in 2012.

Location: Unit 7, Ravenswood Industrial Estate, Shernhall Street, Walthamstow, E17 9HQ

Website: www.wildcardbrewery.co.uk

David Backhouse 2024