Blakemere Craft Centre producing its own beer

Mar 10 2011 by Antonia Merola, Chester Chronicle

A SMALL brewery tucked away in a corner of a craft centre in Cheshire is now producing more than 100,000 pints of real ale a year.

Colin Stubbs, who founded Northern Brewing based at Blakemere Craft Centre in Sandiway, is as proud as punch of what he and business partner Mike Hill have achieved in less than eight years.

When Colin was made redundant after 20 years as a software development manager for a large industrial distribution company, he decided he wanted to work for himself and set about turning a love of real ale into a successful business.

“When I was made redundant I knew I wanted to work for myself,” he said.

He went to college in 2003 to learn how to brew his own beer and in August that year he founded Northern Brewing and assembled his equipment in an industrial unit in Runcorn.

His first brew – a Northern 45 – was made in late December 2003.

Early in 2004, Colin’s friend Mike Hill joined the fledgling enterprise and a year later, as the brewery had outgrown its premises, they moved the operation to Blakemere Craft Centre.

The business has steadily grown and today sells 30 or so different beers to pubs throughout the North West.

Ale lovers may have supped a pint of Northern Brewing’s finest in their local – the most popular include Navajo, Deep Dark Secret- CAMRA’s champion beer of Cheshire 2008/09 -Summit Special and Blakemere Gold.

And fans will soon be able to enjoy Northern Brewing’s best in their own home, as the brewery is opening a shop at Blakemere.

Colin and Mike will be selling bottled conditioned beers direct to the public for the first time through the shop, which they hope to open in April.

Colin said: “Real ale is the only sector in the pub trade that is growing.

“What we do is really a craft enterprise. Real beer only consists of four ingredients – water, hops, barley and yeast – and that is all we use. It produces a genuine flavour, not influenced by additives.”

Blakemere Craft Centre is organising a Battle of the Beers at the Coach House Bar and Restaurant in June and is looking for local brewers who would like to take part.

Contact 01606-883261 for more information.