First there was a pub, In Sowerby Bridge. There was a van,
And a Yorkshireman Who filled it with beer.
The best and most exciting European brews, All for those Sowerby Bridge taps.
That’s how it all started. Ian Clay, a van, and his mate Andrew. They had a thirst for adventure and discovery. They stuffed that van full with treasures. Dutch Pilsners and German wheat beers. Lagers, lambics, and everything in between.
Big names these days, but not then. Things like Lindeboom and Kwak, Duvel and Chimay, Timmermans, Erdinger and Schneider Weisse. Good beer from across the sea.
Somewhere along the way it all got serious. Ian’s son James joined in. A quest for the best beer became a company dedicated to it. James Clay & Sons. Curation and conveyance.
Beer has changed a bit these days. American IPAs took the world by storm, and James Clay & Sons were there. British beer pulled itself up by the bootstraps to become world class once more, and James Clay & Sons were there too.
Now, discerning drinkers look to Japan or Norway, and they’re remembering that European heritage too. And, you guessed it. James Clay & Sons are still here.
Finding, discovering, tasting, exploring, curating and importing. Defining tastes and trends based on the only measures that ever mattered. Quality and taste. Not the rare and unique just for the sake of it, but beers good enough to grace the taps of that Sowerby Bridge pub, and the taps, fridges, cellars and shelves of customers all over the country.
These are our brands. Our good beers. Our stories. The treasures we’ve collected from around the world.
We hope you enjoy them.
Founded BY: Augustinian Hermit Monks
Founded: 1328
Origin: Munich, Germany
Package:
Augustiner Brau
There’s a number adorning every bottle of Augustiner.
1328. The year the Augustiner monks first began brewing beer at their monastery, near Munich. An occupation designed to keep their hands busy, their minds on prayer, and their thirst quenched. And to raise a few coins for the coffers at the same time.
It stayed that way for nearly 500 years, with the result of their efforts sold at the monastery tavern in the city - much to the delight of the locals, who developed quite a taste for the revered beer that flowed from Augustiner’s barrels.
During the 1800s, the brewery had passed into private hands, but that same number still marked each bottle. A reminder of Augustiner’s heritage and history. It’s a tradition that has seen the brewery well into the modern era too, with substantial investment, and an expanded, contemporary brewhouse that’s made Augustiner a bastion of Munich beer culture.
Whether it’s the Lager Hell, the classic Pils, or the celebratory Oktoberfest brew created for the festival each year, an Augustiner beer is an exercise in quality and tradition. So here’s to the next 500 years.
Ayinger BREWERY
Founded BY:
Johann Liebhard
Founded: 1877
Origin: Aying, Germany
Package: Bottles + Draught
In a nation renowned for brewing excellence, Ayinger are one of Germany’s benchmarks. Owned and operated by the same family since 1877, they’re a prime example of the small, industrious brewing enterprise that makes Bavarian beer a touchstone for quality worldwide.
Bavarian culture doesn’t just emphasise great beer, but celebrates ideals worth striving for. Produced in the picturesque Alpine town of Ayinger, their regional beer styles are the ‘cement’ that binds the community together, helping build deep roots and forge lasting connections. Something we could all do with a bit more of these days.
Traditional-style recipes such as Lager Hell, and unfiltered Kellerbier sit alongside celebrated cult classic Ayinger Celebrator, an award winning, hearty Doppelbock.
Only one in ten Ayinger beers make it out of Germany, making a dark brown bottle of Urweisse or Maibock found lurking behind the bar a prize worth coveting.
Founded by:
Luc Van Honsebrouck BACCHUS
Founded: 1955
Origin: Kortrijk, Belgium
Brouwerji van Honsebrouck have a long and storied history. Once the site of the Sint-Jozef Brewery, their current building dates back to 1793. The cellars were the only thing to survive when English, French and Spanish soldiers razed the village a century before, and the theme of rebirth is a fitting one.
The modern brewery came into being in the early 20th century, with the Van Honsebrouck family taking over brewing in the local style. The region has only a few definitive styles, and Bacchus is one of them. The Flemish red-brown brew sits alongside many of the signature tastes of the area.
The style relies on ancient storage methods and mixed fermentation to extend its lifespan, undergoing maturation in oak barrels which develop a mildly sour and fruity taste. By cutting young beer with old, Brouwerji Van Honsebrouck find the perfect balance. And when a little fruit is introduced, as with Kriek or Framboos, then it can’t be beaten.
Package: Bottles + Draught
BERLINER PILSNER
Founded BY: Volkseigener Betrieb
Founded: 1902
Origin: Berlin, Germany
Berlin, du bist so wunderbar!
Every Berliner badge carries the breezy salute to the German capital, and the beer itself is about as good a representation of Berlin’s hyper cool work-hard play-hard mentality as you could hope for.
Though the beer is an icon in its own right, the brewery who do the legwork, Schultheiss-Brauerei, have been doing their stuff since 1842, and Berliner itself was marketed as a traditional pilsner before its recent incarnation. And these days? It’s the city’s best selling beer.
21st century Berliner is a beer that’s bang up to date, a crisp pilsner perfect for sipping anywhere from a drizzly British barbecue to a Brooklyn rooftop party. Every can is adorned by the instantly recognisable Berlin Bear, one of the city’s famous visual markers. You can’t miss it.
Wonderful sounds about right.
Package: Draught + Cans
Founded BY: Jules
Lefèbvre
Founded: 1989 Origin: Brussels, Belgium
Package: Bottles + Draught
Blanche De Bruxelles
If you’re going to put a Belgian icon like the Manneken Pis on your label, you need to be sure to have an iconic Belgian beer to put inside the bottle too. And with Blanche de Bruxelles, ‘iconic’ is just about right.
First produced in 1989, the beer harks back to the brewery’s founding in the 19th century. Blanche de Bruxelles inherits the genes of sessionable beers quaffed by local miners.
Beers that also gave them a fortifying daily dose of essential vitamins B1 and B12. A wholesome start for a beer that’s so damn tasty.
geuze boon
Founded BY: Frank Boon
Founded: 1978
Origin: Lembeek, Belgium
Package: Bottles + Draught
Oude Geuze is what started it all. Based on the lambic style, and synonymous with Brussels brewing, it was a beer that a 21 year-old Frank Boon loved. So much so, that when Oude Geuze started to fall out of favour, he was determined to keep it alive. He bought Rene De Vits’ geuze in 1978, acquiring the building, an arsenal of oak lambic barrels and a whole lot of dust and cobwebs.
It didn’t take too long before Frank realised Boon needed more space. A new brewery hall, built in Lembeek, was quickly followed by its first true lambic brew. And from then things went from strength to strength, mastering the blending, mixing and ageing that are the hallmarks of a truly great lambic. The delicious balance of old and young, augmented by fruit if you like, but never simple. Never basic.
In 2012 succession of the Boon legacy was secured; Frank’s eldest son, Jos Boon, joined the brewery after graduating from KU Leuven as a bioengineer, specialising in brewing and malting. Then in 2017 Jos’ younger brother Karel joined the brewery after studying Applied Economics at KU Leuven.
The business has also expanded to include four brewhouses, alongside joining the Belgian Family Brewers Association. Since 2021, Jos and Karel have been at the helm following Frank’s well-deserved retirement.
What a legacy, all because of one man’s love of geuze.
Founded BY:
Founded: 2005
Origin: Bruges, Belgium
Package: Bottles + Draught
Xavier Vanneste Brugse Zot
An important beer in a nation of important beers, Brugse Zot has been a family affair since 2005. The beer is the preserve of the renowned De Halve Maan brewery, (that’s Half Moon, not Half Man), the only brewery in Bruges, the beautiful and historic capital of West Flanders. That makes Brugse Zot the city’s ‘Townbeer’, and luckily it fulfils its role admirably.
Brugse Zot comes in three forms, with the complex yet balanced Blond as its flagship, a rich Dubbel brewed from six different malts and Sportzot, a delicious alcohol-free beer based on their Blond rounding things out.
Quintessentially Belgian, the beer has a big body, with fruity banana notes from the yeast blended with complimentary hops.
Secondary fermentation in the bottle leads to a long maturation process and a soft carbonation. It’s a beer that gets better and better.
All sounds pretty clever, right?
The beer takes its name from a historical wisecrack about the city’s townsfolk. Brugse Zot means ‘Bruges Fools’, which also explains the jester that adorns the bottles’ label. They might be fools, but they know their beer.
In June 2018, De Halve Maan were the first family and Belgian brewery to launch a non-alcoholic speciality
Founded BY: Czech-speaking citizens of Budweis BUDVAR
Founded: 1862
Origin: Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
Package: Bottles, Draught + Cans
Classics are what we do best, and they don’t come much more classic than this. State owned, and able to trace their story all the way back to 1265. A true tale of civic pride, over the years the people of Budějovice have fought hard to keep imposters at bay, and to take ownership of their local brewery.
Today the brewery is an incredible example of the fusion between the ancient and the modern. Wort is produced in a brewery at the cutting edge of the industry, and then once fermented the beer is lagered deep underground in the ice cold ancient cellars for months on end.
With beer this special, we’re committed to making sure we can serve it in the UK just like they would in their home town, and we’re extremely privileged to be their exclusive partner for Sidepull served Nefilter. A truly unique beer experience.
Founded BY:
Founded: 1862
Origin: Hainaut, Belgium
Package: Bottles + Draught
Scourmont Abbey CHIMAY
The monks of Scourmont Abbey have been brewing for over 150 years, producing world-class Trappist beer in their austere, peaceful monastery on a wild plateau in Hainaut, one of Belgium’s southern provinces.
For many years, the work of the monks was the cultivation of their fields but, in keeping with other historic Trappist monasteries, the passing of time increased the demands of self sufficiency. This led the brothers to develop cottage industries producing cheese and brewing beer, the latter of which flourished into something rather larger in scale.
And what beer they brew.
Chimay’s recognisable bottles are differentiated by coloured caps, with a red Dubbel, a blue Dark Ale, and a white Tripel, alongside a Gold ‘Patersbier’, intended to be drunk by the monks themselves but now enjoyed by many outside the monastery’s walls.
In their own rather poetic words...
‘Here, in this heaven of peace and silence, where since 1850 Trappist monks have dedicated their life to God, products are made which in themselves, gladden the heart of man.’
Beer has been on Quite a journey.
And we’ve been there Every step of the way.
Founded BY:
Pierre Gobron + Chris Bauweraerts
Founded: 1982
Origin: Achouffe, Belgium
Package: Bottles + Draught
Once upon a time, in the Valée des Fées, two brothers in law turned the first page in the story of La Chouffe. On the 27th of August 1982, in a garage in rural Belgium, the very first tiny 49 Litre batch of La Chouffe was brewed.
CHOUFFE
What starts out as a hobby quickly becomes a full-time adventure. In 1986, armed with a literal recipe for success, Pierre and Chris purchase the farm in which they had been brewing for four years and make beer their livelihood.
By 1992 they were producing ten thousand times more than that first little test batch, and eventually a globally renowned brand was born.
In 2006, the Chouffe Brewery joined the Duvel Moortgat family of brewers, enabling it to continue growing while remaining true to its local identity and roots.
Cheers to success!
Founded BY:
Founded: 1906
Origin: Melle, Belgium
Package: Bottles + Draught
Delirium is hard to miss. All you have to do is follow the pink elephant. If that all sounds a bit Alice in Wonderland, then you’ll be pleased to know the beers are as wild and wonderful as their idiosyncratic image implies.
Delirium
Leon Huyghe
It all started in 1906, when Léon Huyghe settled in Melle, Belgium. Four years later, he acquired a local brewery with several centuries’ pedigree, and history was made.
Whilst a standard pilsner remained the brewery’s mainstay, a line of more divergent creations hit the scene from the 1980s, each sporting a fetching pink elephant.
The first, Delirium Tremens, has achieved fame and fortune via a stint as the Best Beer in the World in 2008.
Stablemates like Delirium Nocturnum and Red have been joined by a celebrated Christmas ale, each reaping a haul of awards worldwide for Léon Huyghe’s challenging brewery.
Founded
BY:
Louis Dupont
Founded: 1920
Origin: Tourpes, Belgium
Dupont is a brewery with deep roots. It all started with a Belgian farm dating back to 1759. The farm became a farm-brewery, producing seasonal honey and saison beers for summer sipping. Then along came Louis.
In 1920, Louis’ father Albert Dupont wanted to head off a potential move to Canada. So he bought his agronomist son the same farm-brewery, and Brasserie Dupont was born, along with their take on the popular farm beer - the now iconic Dupont Saison.
Since then, the old farm has weathered wars and depressions that sunk many a small Belgian brewery. And it gained some shiny kit along the way.
Dupont is still family run, with a line stretching through nephews and daughters, and they still produce the Dupont Saison that’s so beloved by brewers and drinkers worldwide. An archetypal farmhouse style, true to its rural roots.
Dupont
Founded BY: Petersen + Dethleffsen Families
Founded: 1888 Origin: Flensburg, Germany
Package: Bottles, Draught + Cans
Flensburger Brauerei
Drive north until everyone starts speaking Danish. Then go back a bit.
These are the directions given for visitors looking to reach Flensburger Brauerei.
As Germany’s most northerly brewery, Flensburger are closer to Copenhagen’s innovative beer scene than they are to the beer halls of Munich and Germany’s brewing heartland. The brewery even draws water from a well that’s fed by an Ice Age spring flowing from Scandinavia. Their coastal-grown barley is buffeted by Baltic winds, not Bavarian breezes.
But they still brew German classics, like the crisp, hoppy Flensburger Pilsner, or the elegant, floral Flensburger Gold, all sealed with a flip-top stopper which give the beers their famous ‘Plop!’. A sound, an advertising slogan, and a local nickname for Flensburger themselves.
An outward-looking, maritime spirit infects everything Flensburger does. The brewery’s brand mark features a ship in full sail, setting out to discover the world. Well the world has already discovered Flensburger’s beers, and they can’t stop the ‘Plop!’
Früh Kölsch
Founded BY:
Peter Joseph Früh
Founded: 1904
Origin: Cologne, Germany
Package: Bottles, Draught + Cans
Früh brew a style distinct to Cologne, the Deliciously drinkable kölsch, a clear and crisp beer similar to lager, but with nuanced brewing methods protected by the weightysounding Kölsch-Konvention, a historic agreement between brewers in the city that ensures quality and consistency.
In a city famed for the style, Früh are considered one of the key players, and their brewerrun bars are some of the most atmospheric places to soak up the region’s drinking culture.
Waiters weave their way through packed benches, carrying trays of beers with which they replace any empty glass they see, unprompted. A beermat on top of the glass is the sign of satisfaction that stops the flow. Even the glassware is unique.
Referred to as a ‘Stange’, it’s an elegant, straight-sided vessel which holds an unusual 200ml measure.
As for the beer itself?
Kölsch has more subtlety and complexity than a pilsner, without some of the bitter notes and a softer carbonation, which makes for a refreshing, light golden ale.
Keep those beer mats firmly on the table, and keep the Früh Kölsch coming.
Founded: 1589
by:
Origin: Munich, Germany
Package: Bottles + Draught
Founded
Wilhelm V, Duke of Bavaria
Hofbräu
Hofbräu has a lot of history. A big, Bavarian bucket of the stuff, accumulated over the last 400 years (and counting). Originally founded by Wilhelm V, Duke of Bavaria in 1589, the brewery’s original home is now one of Munich’s oldest beer halls.
Hofbräu began life as the brewery to the nearby royal residence, and Wilhelm’s son, Duke Maximilian I, gave Hofbräu a helping hand by granting them a monopoly on the production of wheat beer, a style he himself favoured over darker brews. A couple of decades later, the invading army of King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden were all set to burn the place down, but for the gift of some 600,000 barrels of Hofbräuhaus beer and a few hostages. And that only takes us to 1632.
Cut to the mid 20th century, when American GIs returning from service in Munich brought with them iconic mugs emblazoned with the brewery’s ‘HB’ initials, quickly making the Hofbräuhaus Munich’s top tourist attraction, and fuelling demand for beers, bars, and paraphernalia all over Europe.
These days, Hofbräu is part owned by the Bavarian government, making them one of only two breweries in Munich to escape global brewery ownership. A passionate declaration of loyalty by the enterprise most responsible for exporting Bavarian culture the world over.
Founded BY:
Founded: 1823
Origin: Kounosu, Japan
Package: Bottles + Cans
Kiuchi Family
HITACHINO NEST
The award-winning Japanese craft beer brand make the claim ‘Nest is Best’, and who would disagree with them? Hitachino might feel like a new kid on the block, but they’ve been years in the making, scooping up international awards within a few years of their first brew hitting the shelves in 1996.
A case of beginners luck? Not quite.
The story of Hitachino Nest began in 1823 when the Kiuchi family began brewing Japan’s iconic brew, sake. For decades the country’s beer landscape was restricted to the styles produced by four large breweries, all governed by strict state licensing laws. Then in 1994 the laws were relaxed, making way for a new generation of smaller breweries ready to shake up Japanese beer.
Using over 150 years of brewing wisdom, Hitachino Nest took global influences on board, but stayed rooted in Japanese drinking culture. They grow their own hops, and operate brewing labs, taprooms, and restaurants from Tokyo to San Francisco.
The initial lineup of three bottles has been joined by an array of innovative, worldbeating brews now sought out by fans halfway across the world.
JEVER
Founded by:
Diedrich König
Founded: 1848
Origin: Jever, Germany
Jever Pilsener is a classic German beer that always hits the spot! Hailing from the charming town of Jever in Lower Saxony, this golden lager has been delighting beer lovers since 1848.
Jever has become known for that super dry pilsener style that Friesland is famous for. They brew their lager for an impressive 90 days, and even though it’s a small brewery, the ‘Friesische Brauhaus zu Jever’ has made a name for itself as one of Germany’s top spots for brewing this extra dry pilsener.
It’s actually one of the most bitter and hoppy lagers around, which you can spot by the ‘herb’ label! Thanks to the soft water in Friesland, they can crank up the hops to create that unique flavour that sets Jever apart.
Package: Bottles + Draught
So, if you’re wanting to take a sip of genuine German goodness, grab a cold Jever Pilsener and treat yourself to some beer bliss! Cheers!
KASTEEL
Founded by:
Founded: 1989
Origin: Kortrijk, Belgium
Package: Bottles, Draught + Cans
Luc Van Honsebrouck
Kasteel has travelled far and wide, now present in over 60 countries worldwide. Their goal? To serve our pioneering, quality beers across the entire globe.
Kasteel have a tasty range of beers to suit all palettes including Kasteel Rouge, a strong fruit beer brewed from Kasteel Donker and sweet cherries, which laid the foundation for a whole new beer segment in 2007.
Then there’s Kasteel Donker, a powerful quadruple with a slightly sweet flavour profile. Donker set the tone in 1989 for the brewery blending tradition with pioneering brews for the masses.
Since then they have continued to expand their range of award-winning fruit based beers giving people the best beer experience,whatever the occasion.
Kasteel Rouge 0.0 is built from the full strength Donker like classic Rouge, and the alcohol removed, making it packed with flavour that’s slightly sweet and wonderfully refreshing.
Looking for something a little different? Why not try Kasteel Tropical, a delicious, easy-drinking, strong, fruit beer with a distinct tropical flavour palette featuring mango, passion fruit, peach and pineapple. The tropical flavours linger subtly in its dry, slightly bitter aftertaste. Cheers to that!
Founded by: Wittelsbach family KÖNIG LUDWIG
Founded: 1260
Origin: Fürstenfeldbruck, Germany
Package: Bottles + Draught
Discover the Royal Art of Brewing with König Ludwig Weissbier.
His Royal Highness Luitpold, Prince of Bavaria is the famous great-grandson of the last king of Bavaria, Ludwig III. He is however by no means the first in his family devoted to the art of brewing. As he says “Wittelsbacher history and that of Bavarian beer go hand in hand and indeed should be regarded as one”.
In a nut shell, as beer has always played such a big role in Bavarian life and in Bavarian culture, it was inevitable that the members of the royal family had to be brewery experts. The royal family’s first brewery was founded in Munich in 1260 by Ludwig the Stern. Since then, over the course of centuries, there have been a total of 70 Wittelsbacher breweries.
Quality and Taste
That’s the only thing That matters.
Lindeboom
Founded by: William Geenen
Founded: 1870
Origin: Neer, Netherlands
Package: Bottles + Draught
Lindeboom Pilsner is an iconic beer from an iconic brewery. A noticeably bitter mix of malt and herbal hops, backed up by a nose full of sweet corn. A classic Dutch pilsner which finishes with a dry and lime-like hoppiness. A refreshing classic, happily displaying its namesake - A lime tree, or ‘lindeboom’, from the brewery’s yard.
Over the past century or so, this renowned brewery in the southern Netherlands has perfected its craft. Expanding production, and passing down expertise and passion through the generations.
Their brews found their way to pubs and bars in the Low Countries and beyond. To places like Bruges, Ghent, Amsterdam and Utrecht. To Liege, and Luxembourg. And in 1982, to Yorkshire.
Lindeboom isn’t just an iconic beer because of its taste and quality. It’s iconic because it was our first import. The first keg that came back in the first van. The first page in our history. And one we’ve returned to, thirstily, ever since.
Founded by: Louis Moritz
Founded: 1856
Origin: Barcelona, Spain
Package: Bottles, Draught + Cans
MORITZ
THE FIRST BEER OF BARCELONA. SINCE 1856.
Over 165 years, Moritz Barcelona has perfected its brewing expertise to lovingly create a range of seven beers that make up the Moritz family.
When founder Louis Moritz arrived in Barcelona he was well acquainted with beer and everything that went into it thanks to his older brother who was already a master brewer.
By 1856, Louis had developed his own beer; three years later, he bought the factory of Joan Maurer, located on Calle Portal de Santa Madrona, and turned it into one of Barcelona’s biggest production plants.
Moritz Original is made with extra-pale malt and an intense flavour of Saaz hops, one of the most recognised aromatic hops in the world, providing an exceptional taste and sweet notes of malt and cereals.
Whether you’ve been with them since their humble beginnings or just discovered Moritz Barcelona, it’s been an extraordinary adventure and we’re thrilled to continue sharing that journey with you. Salud!
O’HARA’S
Founded by: Seamus O’Hara
Founded: 1996
Origin: Bagenalstown, County Carlow, Ireland
Established in 1996, O’Hara’s Brewery is an independent, family-owned business who are known as one of the pioneers of Irish craft brewing.
O’Hara’s Brewery, craft traditional Irish beers alongside their interpretation of international beer styles, including stouts and ales, wheat beers and lagers, all brewed under the founder’s family name.
Each beer is crafted using classic brewing methods to create the traditional Irish beer styles that have long since been forgotten by many of the larger breweries.
We are excited to share two of their nitro stouts: Irish Stout Nitro is available in 440ml cans with widget technology, so you can experience the same smooth texture and creamy head as a draught pour. You’ll recognise the same great flavours of O’Hara’s Irish Stout with trademark robust roast flavour complemented by a full-bodied and smooth mouth feel. The second can, Irish Red Nitro, has hints of sweet caramel and mild nutty biscuit, with a smooth creamy mouth feel and a nice warming finish.
Package: Draught + Cans
ORVAL
Founded BY: Martin Pappenheimer
Founded: 1931
Origin: Abbaye Notre-Dame d’Orval, Belgium
Package: Bottles
The monks of Orval Abbey only make two beers, one of which never makes it outside the brewery walls. The other, Orval’s complex, unfiltered Trappist ale, is about as close as you can come to a lowlands cult classic, famous for the ‘Belgian Lace’ of beautiful microbubbles left on the glass as its frothy amber head recedes.
At bottling, Orval is characterised by lemony fresh hops and pronounced bitterness but, as with other Trappist beers, the taste and depth continue to develop as the nectar ferments in the bottle over time. It can pack a punch too, with ABV rising alongside the flavour profile.
But what of the Abbey itself? As legend has it, 1000 years ago an Italian Countess was visiting the region and dropped an ornate, jewelled wedding ring into a bubbling spring.
The ring was returned to her by a helpful trout, leading the Countess to name the area the Val d’Or (Golden Valley), from which Orval derives its name. Funds given in thanks paid for the monastery’s foundation.
And the trout? He didn’t receive a penny, but he did make it onto the label.
Founded by: Jacob Best
Founded: 1844
Origin: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
‘Always good for all the time’.
As uncomplicated as beer comes, but still with an incredible story. Dating back a couple centuries, the Blue Ribbon name refers to the award won at the Chicago World’s |Fair in 1893, so it’s entirely possible that Nikolai Tesla and Thomas Edison drank this beer while showing off their inventions.
The brand almost went extinct, as prohibition kicked in they were the 2nd biggest brewery in the US, and survived thanks only to a diversion into cheese production, making 8 million lbs of cheese before selling up to Kraft. Legend has it around this time they also invented the six-pack too.
In the modern day they’re known for supporting independent music and art, and collaborating with designers and artists to make incredible merch, covering anything from Rollerskates to earplugs for gigs.
Grabst a Pabst.
Package: Draught + Cans
PABST Brewing Company
RIVER RYE BREWING CO
Founded by: Tom Cronin
Founded: 2013
Origin: Celbridge, Co. Kildare, Ireland
The magic of the Rye River Brewing Company comes from the talent and ingenuity of its brewing family. It’s team of brewers are behind this range of award-winning, great tasting beer.
Its passion for all things beer-related is proven by its creation of great taste, coveted by discerning beer lovers worldwide. Rye River’s brewers have worked hard to form relationships with hop growers and unions in the US and around the world.
The company purchases direct from the producers, meaning the freshest and most aromatic hops are used in its beers. It also propagates its own liquid yeast in-house as opposed to purchasing powdered yeast. Rye River builds a perfect brew by treating its water just as gingerly as it treats the rest of its ingredients. Using a reverse osmosis system, the water profile is stripped back allowing the brewers to recreate the water profile for each beer. While a costly exercise, it makes for the very best beer.
Don’t just take our word for it, River Rye are credited as the most decorated brewery at the World Beer Award. Cheers to that!
Package: Bottles, Draught + Cans
SCHLENKERLA
Founded by: The Trum family
Founded: 1405
Origin: Bamberg, Germany
Package: Bottles + Draught
Bamberg brewery Schlenkerla are renowned for one particular style, the enigmatic Rauchbier, or ‘smoke beer’. Schlenkerla are a thoroughly traditional operation, drying their own malt, which few breweries have done since the industrial revolution. And that makes for one tasty, smoky brew.
Though most smoked beers now use modern gas or electric heating methods, Schlenkerla have held tight to the skills developed by generation after generation of brewers, making their Rauchbier one of the last old-style brews on the market.
Schlenkerla is as much a beer hall as it is a brewer. To really experience the beer in its home environment, a trip to beautiful, Gothic Bamberg is in order.
The city is worth exploring in its own right, but the Schlenkerla tavern is a riot of dark oak beams and ornate flourishes.
That just leaves the name. Schlenkerla roughly translates as ‘dangling’, describing the tipsy stagger of a rosy-faced drinker, apparently a nickname for an early brewer with a hobble.
So grab a Rauchbier and get dangle-y.
Brauerei Schneider
Founded by: Georg Schneider I
Founded: 1872
Origin: Kelheim, Germany
When it comes to wheat beer, there is no brewery more significant than Schneider Weisse. Still owned and managed by the Schneider family, they enjoy a rare combination of historical importance and progressive ‘craft’ credentials considered practically heretical by Bavarian traditionalists.
Schneider Weisse
After Georg Schneider saved the style from extinction in 1872, the brewery has established itself through not one, but two world classics, both brewed for over a century. Still made to their original recipes, and using costly open vessel fermentation, Schneider Original - the mother of all wheat beers - and Unser Aventinus - the world’s first wheat doppelbock - are true benchmarks.
The current Brewmaster, Hans-Peter Drexler, has expanded the range whilst retaining the focus on quality and tradition. Without deviating from wheat beers, Schneider Weisse have embraced the innovation and experimentation that has come to define modern craft beer movements around the world. Old and new in one pint glass.
Package: Bottles + Draught
Schneiders Landbrauerei
Launched in 2021 by Georg Schneider VI of the esteemed Schneider family, Schneider’s Landbrauerei will focus on producing beers with a deep connection to their local area. The brewery aims to express the character of the people and region. It will showcase the finest Bavarian hops, barley, and water.
Schneider Weisse Brewmaster Hans-Peter Drexler has headed up the project, and working with his team alongside Georg Schneider V, VI, and VII, have developed their first release: Bayrisch Hell, a 4.9% pale golden Helles lager.
New breweries come along all the time, but Schneider’s Landbrauerei ticked all our boxes. With the Schneider pedigree, quality is assured. We already know they’re good people. As a tool for the Schneider family to express Bavarian terroir through exceptional beer, they sealed they sealed the deal by appealing to our nerdy side too.
Founded BY: Peter Schöffer Schöfferhofer
Founded: 1978
Origin: Mainz, Germany
Package: Draught + Cans
Schöfferhofer. It’s definitely a tongue twister. And it’s a beer - stick with it - that’s designed to twist the tongues of beer lovers too, mixing up German wheat beer and fresh grapefruit to produce a uniquely refreshing, tangy hit of sunshine in radler form.
It’s a world first, and thanks to those fruity flavours and a low ABV it’s become a favourite with everyone from cocktail mixologists to the kind of bars that keep hip rooftop parties well lubricated all summer long.
But don’t mistake Schöfferhofer for one hit wonders. They’ve been singing the praises of wheat beer since 1978, when the original Schöfferhofer Hefeweizen was produced in its traditional, unfiltered form.
It’s all brewed in Mainz at Binding Brewery, started by Conrad Binding in 1870.
It’s unlikely old Conrad ever thought about blending 19th century wheat beer with grapefruit juice. To be honest, it’s unlikely he ever saw one of the little pink treats. But regardless, Schöfferhofer Grapefruit is a beer he’d surely have been proud of.
Founded: 1946
Origin: Watou, Poperinge, Belgium
Package: Bottles + Draught
Founded BY: Evariste Deconinck
St. Bernardus
The St Bernardus story begins with early 20th century French tax law, and a group of monks looking to protect their humble revenues. With the Taxman’s interest growing, the monks abandoned their home in France at Mont des Cats, and took a look a few kilometres over the border to Watou in Belgium, where they settled and established the ‘Réfuge de Notre Dame de St Bernard’. The brethren upped sticks again in the early 1930s, and abandoned the cheese dairy that they had set up, heading back home.
As well as the workings of a Cheesery, the monks left behind the St Bernard name, and the new owner Evariste Deconinck took it on, releasing a cheese under the name St Bernard Watou. In 1946 Deconinck was invited to diversify his business, and the monks of the nearby St. Sixtus Abbey in Westvletern agreed a 30 year deal to brew their beers under licence, as the Abbot had decided to significantly decrease capacity at the Abbey brewery. This was a truly profound moment in the history of St Bernardus, as not only did it result in the foundation of the brewery, but along with brewmaster Mathieu Szafranski came the revered St Sixtus yeast, still in use to this day.
In 1998 current owner Hans Depypere purchased the brewery, the task ahead of him was made evident on the first day of his ownership when an employee plainly told him he was a fool for making the investment, the previous owners having not spent a penny on the place for decades.
Following Hans’ investment over the past 25 years, the brewery is now powering through 43,000 hectolitres, with the capacity available to double this.
Onwards to the future of St Bernardus, and CEO Junior Julie Depypere. Julie joined the business in 2011 after a career in bookkeeping and auditing, having originally not wanted to pursue a career in the family business (a story not too dissimilar to a young Master J. Clay).
Under Hans and Julie’s stewardship, the brewery has become a household name in Belgian beer, famed for their exceptional Abbey style beers.
Beer curation AND CONVEYANCE.
It’s
what we’ve always done.
SUPER BOCK
Founded by:
Founded: 1927
Origin: Leça do Balio, Portugal
Package: Bottles
Albert + Joseph Ueberbacher
Celebrating life with refreshing moments.
The Super Bock brand was born in 1927, launched as a “winter beer”, and winning it’s first prize before it was registered in 1926, winning the gold medal at the Industrial Exhibition at Palácio de Cristal.
Since then this easy drinking Portuguese beer has gone on to continue winning awards and is the only Portuguese beer with 37 consecutive gold medals from the Monde Selection.
Super Bock maintains a leading position in the market and is the best-selling Portuguese beer in the world. Characterised as ‘a pilsner, golden and luminous beer, with a fine and refreshing flavour’.
It is a beer with a fresh, slightly malty and fruity aroma, the medium body and balanced flavour, the wellstructured bitterness with the malt sweetness and the light and dry aftertaste. It is made using the best varieties of hops to give it a unique and authentic flavour.
Let’s raise our glasses to celebrating “O sabor Autêntico” (that’s Portuguese for “the authentic flavour”).
TIMMERMANS
Founded BY:
Jacobus Walravens
Founded: 1702
Origin: Brussels, Belgium
Package: Bottles + Draught
Timmermans is a Belgian institution, taking the title of the world’s oldest lambic brewery. Originally founded as De Mol (The Mole), in 1702, Timmermans have been perfecting their craft in the Flemish village of Itterbeek ever since.
After a sideline in exporting artisanal Belgian beer to the Sultan of Constantinople, the brewery became Brouwerji Timmermans in the early twentieth century, when the owner’s youngest daughter married a brewer from the nearby village of Zuun named Frans Timmermans.
The region has always been famous for the Lambic style, where malt-heavy beers are allowed to ferment through contact with wild yeast and native bacteria, giving gueuze and kriek their unique sour and wine- or cider-like flavour.
Timmermans have always been famous for fruit-forward brews, using fresh peach or raspberry to cut through the beer’s natural acidity, and recent small-batch bottlings of protected lambic styles like Oude Kriek and Oude Gueuze have taken things to the next level.
In 1900 there were around 300 lambic breweries. A century later there were only a small handful remaining, although the past few years have seen a big resurgence with new brewers and blenders opening all the time.
Founded by: The Cistercian monks of Abbey of Notre-Dame de Saint-Remy
Founded: 1595
Origin: Rochefort, Belgium
Package: Bottles
Trappistes Rochefort
Amongst the universally celebrated field of Trappist brewing, Brasserie de Rochefort hold their own. Just 15 monks producing beers held up as world greats by beer experts and everyday drinkers alike. Like fellow monastic brewers Chimay, Orval or Tynt meadow, the brothers of the Abbey of Our Lady of Saint-Remy in Rochefort, Belgium, live a simple and serene life of work and prayer.
Records indicate that beer has been brewed on the site since 1595, and like the monastery itself, the beers age impeccably.
Modern recipes were set down in the 1960s, with the help of brothers and neighbours Chimay.
Four beers brewed with essentially unchanged ingredients and a ‘secret herb’ thrown in for good measure. All brewed in handsome copper kettles.
The results speak for themselves. Four varieties, 6, 8, 10 and Triple Extra. Four beers to take on the world.
Founded by:
Founded: 2018
Origin: Leicestershire, UK
Package: Bottles
Tynt Meadow
Cistercian monks of Mount Saint Bernard Abbey
Trappist brewing is a closely guarded and exclusive club. One that’s home to only 12 members, each producing some of the world’s finest beer using methods and practices which stand the test of time. ‘New’ isn’t really what Trappist brewing is all about. And it’s all the better for it.
So when the Cistercian monks of Mount Saint Bernard Abbey in Loughborough set aside a living of dairy farming to start brewing, it was bound to cause a bit of a stir. The first ever Trappist brewery in the UK. The exclusive club of 12 became 13.
And what a beer to enrich the Trappist roster. Rather than mirror their continental cousins, the brothers have brewed an ale imbued with English sensibility.
A critically acclaimed bottle distilled with the techniques and ingredients of nearby Burton-on-Trent as much as Brasserie de Rochefort. Tynt Meadow, named for the field in which the Abbey was founded two centuries ago.
Pure bottled history.
Founded BY: Childhood Friends
Founded: 2013
Origin: Prague, Czech Republic
Package: Bottles
Vinohradsky
Distinctive unfiltered Czech lager made from high quality, locally sourced malt and hops, brewed in a restored 19th century brewery building.
Brewing has taken place on the site since 1893 originally as Měšťanský Pivovar, back when Vinohrady was still it’s own town detached from Prague. Eventually industrialisation saw concrete replace verdant rows of barley and Vinohrady grow to become one of the country’s biggest towns.
In the roaring 20s, the brewery was the place to be, with film studios setting up nearby. Unfortunately though, production was halted during World War II, before being nationalised by the government and eventually shuttered. Although no beer was produced commercially for a while, the site operated as the country’s Brewery and Malt Research Institute.
Today it’s a buzzing taproom in a European capital, brought back to life by old school friends in 2014. Paying respect to the methods of the past, the brewery’s direct fired kettle is made of hammered copper, a replica of a model from 1912. Properly made old school Czech beer in a modern environment.
Founded BY:
Founded: 1753
Origin: Warstein, Germany
Package: Bottles, Draught + Cans
Antonious Cramer WARSTEINER
Warsteiner are 9th Generation family owned, and currently under the stewardship of Catharina Cramer. The brewery’s roots can be traced back to Antonius Cramer being requested to pay tax on his beer for the first time, his homebrewing passion project having exceeded the maximum volume allowed.
Flash forward a few centuries and his descendants have built a globally renowned brewing dynasty based on their exceptional Pilsner, after each generation intensively invested in the next, instilling quality as the primary goal of everything they do.
Based in the Arnsberg forest, the brewery draws its water from the ‘Kaiserquelle’, this perfectly soft water is at the heart of Warsteiner’s excellence.
After significant growth through the 20th century, the brand is a key player in the worldwide beer market, and we’re delighted to be part of developing it into the 10th generation and onwards.
Founded by: Monks of the Trappist Abbey of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart
Founded: 1836
Origin: Westmalle, Belgium
Package: Bottles + Draught
Westmalle Brewery is a true Trappist trailblazer, an abbey with nearly two centuries of brewing history whose work has done so much to progress the cherished monastic brewing tradition. The brothers of ‘Our Lady of the Sacred Heart’, as the abbey is known, began in 1836, with only a single, low-alcohol recipe on offer for the first two decades.
The brewery uses mineral water from the abbey’s well, combined with a unique yeast strain and, unusually, a direct flame brewhouse that causes beneficial caramelisation during the brewing process.
1856 saw the introduction of the Westmalle Dubbel, perhaps the monastery’s true claim to fame. A chestnut brown beer with stunning complexity, it is considered the first of its type, a now iconic Trappist style defined by dark candy sugar, which imparts a toffee-like flavour with a surprisingly light body.
But the monks weren’t done yet. From the 1920s, Westmalle beer was sold commercially to support the monastery. In 1934 a strong pale ale Tripel was added to Westmalle’s lineup, another much-imitated beer which has defined its own style and taken its place as another undisputed world classic.
The monk’s first priory was founded in 1794 at a farm named ‘Nooit Rust’, or ‘Never Rest’, a moniker that perfectly encapsulates Westmalle’s innovative spirit.
We’re now excited to bring you Westmalle Extra, a golden blonde table beer, brewed twice a year. This beer was previously only used within the abbey as the table beer served to the monks and their guests, but now it is available to the public. Westmalle Extra is also top-fermented but it is considerably lighter, at 4.8%, alcohol-by-volume than its brother brews.
Westmalle Brewery
Founded by: Bill
Founded: 2017 Origin: Stratford, CT, USA
PACKAGE: Draught + Cans
Shufelt + John Walker
‘Fit for all times’. Athletic Brewing developed a proprietary brewing process for Alcohol Free Beer in 2017 that lead to them dominating the American market within a few short years. They’ve since developed the world’s largest dedicated Alcohol Free brewing facility, and opened up on the West Coast too.
Everything they do is focused around their mission to positively impact their customers’ health, fitness, and happiness, whilst bettering their local communities and the environment.
Achieving this alongside making some of the world’s best AF beer is an incredible feat, and they’re primed in the starting blocks to have the same impact in the UK.
Run Wild IPA is the ultimate sessionable brew at less that 0.5% ABV and is carefully crafted with speciality malt and a blend of five Northwest hops. The results is an alcohol-free IPA with an approachable bitterness and classic piney, citrusy aromas with a subtle, yet complex malt profile.
While Upside Dawn Pale Ale is a refreshing, balanced and gluten-free brew containing 45 calories and less that 0.5% ABV. It is made with premium Vienna malt and a combination of English and Americans hops which add subtle floral and earthy notes.
All of their AF beers are low in calories whilst still delivering big flavour, the perfect combination.
HEAPS NORMAL
Founded by: Jordy Smith, Andy Miller + Ben Holdstock
Founded: 2020
Origin: Ngunnawal/Canberra, Australia
Package: Cans
Heaps Normal set out to take the best bits of Aussie drinking culture and package them into great-tasting beers that have helped to normalise new ways to drink and play. Fortunately, they weren’t alone in their pursuit of a more positive drinking culture. The shift to a more mindful drinking experience had already kicked off on a global scale... Led by a quiet riot of artists, athletes, entrepreneurs, parents and 24-hour party people. It turns out reducing our alcohol consumption doesn’t have to be boring and doesn’t always mean being sober.
Along the way they’ve scooped up a heap of awards, including:
World Beer Awards Best NA Pale (Quiet XPA), World Beer Awards Country Winner NA Lager (Another Lager), and the Champion Non Alc Trophy at the Independent Beer Awards (Half Day Hazy).
On top of all this, they’re a registered B Corp, and fully signed up to the 1% for the planet scheme, donating 1% of revenue (not profit) to environmental causes.
If you need any more boxes ticked, the beers are 100% Vegan, brewed like a normal beer to 0.5% ABV (nothing removed or added), and without the addition of additives or preservatives.
They’re also big advocates of ‘zebra stripe’ drinking rather than abstinence. Aiming to change up drinking culture across the globe with beer that’s simply ‘too good to be wasted’.
ANSPACH & HOBDAY
Founded BY: Paul Anspach + Jack Hobday
Founded: 2013
Origin: London, England
Leading the new wave of craft beer in London, curating a mix of modern and classic flavours.
Beginning their journey in Bermondsey in 2013, Anspach & Hobday were originally located in the arches of the Bermondsey beer mile. In March 2020 they expanded and moved the majority of their production to their new site in Croydon, allowing them to make three times the amount of beer.
One such beer is London Black. Described in their own words as “The true craft alternative to Big Beer Macro Stouts.”
London Black is a session strength Nitro Porter that takes inspiration from their flagship beer, The Porter. Creamy, smooth and truly sessionable.
The beer brings together the rich history and heritage of London Porters, with the modern techniques of brewing nitro beers. The result is a beer that is easy drinking, without sacrificing its character.
Package: Draught + Cans
Arbor have been brewing in Bristol since 2007, making them One of the most long established names of UK craft brewing.
Starting out as a brewpub at the Old Tavern in Stapleton, before swiftly outgrowing that site and finding their own industrial unit.
They’re unique among other modern brewers as they pay full respect to the pint format, with their big 568ml cans, making them immediately stand out on the shelf.
With names like Faked Alaska, Why Kick a Moo Cow, and Massive Azacc, there’s clearly an edge of comic genius working behind the scenes too.
Founded by: Jamie + Ginny Bartlett
Founded: 2007
Origin: Bristol,UK
Package: Draught + Cans
ARBOR ALES
Founded BY:
David Gladwin
Founded: 1998
Origin: Inverness, Scotland
Package: Draught + Cans
From brewing in a cart shed in 1998 to building a new brewery ten years later, Black Isle has always been about making world class organic beer. Not only because they love great beer, but to make a statement that it can be done using naturally grown barley and hops, supporting organic farmers and growers who also care for the environment.
On their small 130 acre farm they have worked to increase biodiversity, planting over 7,000 native broadleaf trees, reinstating hedgerows, digging new ponds and creating wetlands.
They were pioneers in organic brewing and still lead the field with what they believe to be one of the most diverse range of organic beers anywhere in the world.
Black Isle Brewery now have 2 bars in Inverness and Fort William and are looking to add more in the future.
You can also enjoy the Black Isle life with a stay in either their 4-bed boutique hostel, en-suite rooms above the bars, a self-catering flat, and the most fabulous Shepherd’s hut hand built with dead trees from the farm!
Black Isle have one goal - for customers to drink delicious fresh organic beer while at the same time supporting organic growers and producers and the rich biologically diverse and beautiful world we live in.
We’ll drink to that!
BLACK ISLE BREWING CO
Keep on crocin’.
DEYA Brewing Company is an independent brewery based in Cheltenham, UK. They focus on hoppy beers, lagers, traditional UK styles and mixed fermentation ales striving to make world class beer.
Their flagship pale ale, Steady Rolling Man, was officially crowned the #1 British Beer of 2024 by the Top 50 UK Beer Awards.
It’s a guaranteed crowdpleaser—an incredibly drinkable, tropical masterpiece that keeps regulars coming back for “just one more.” Magazine Cover is both Vegan-friendly and Gluten-Free and often described as a “crispy yet soft” hoppy session ale, it delivers the same premium DEYA experience in a more accessible,format.
Founded by: Theo Freyne
Founded: 2015
Origin: Cheltenham,England
Package: Bottles + Draught
DEYA
The Kernel
Founded by: Evin
O’Riordain
Founded: 2018
Origin: London,England
Quiet until you try it.
You’d be surprised by the number of UK craft brewers who cite a Kernel beer as their ‘lightbulb’ moment. Until you try one.
The brewery has forged an enviable reputation as one of the founding fathers of London’s progressive brewing scene, setting up shop in Bermondsey in 2010, when the area was just taking off as a pilgrimage destination for beer fans.
It’s no small claim, but so much of what makes British craft beer an internationally unique proposition came from that small Bermondsey outpost, from the uncompromising, upfront hops, to the utilitarian design that adorns the brewery’s brown paper labels. Hoppy American brews sit alongside sours and stouts, all brewed with the same attitude and attention to detail.
Package: Bottles + Draught
Northern Monk might not have the history of North Brewing Co., But it’s just as rooted in the heritage of Leeds - and building a reputation for seriously impressive craft beer.
The idea behind Northern Monk was to create a brewery that would be a union between the traditional monastic brewing practices of ancient Yorkshire, and a modern, progressive approach towards ingredients and techniques. And have it all rooted it all in the spiritual heart of the industrial revolution (which is also known as Holbeck).
With a core range that specialises in IPAs, Northern Monk also boasts a refectory bar at the Holbeck brewery site where people can sample from 16 keg lines, two cask lines, and fridges stuffed with fresh cans.
Founded BY: Russell Bisset + Brian Dickson
Founded: 2013
Origin: Leeds, England
Package: Draught + Cans
NORTHERN MONK BREW CO
Founded by:
Thornbridge have always brewed the finest quality beer with a passion. They recognised that not only quality but consistency and innovation are key to creating amazing and beautifully balanced beer.
The Thornbridge story began back in 2005 when founders Jim Harrison and Simon Webster recruited two young brewers to brew on a second hand 10-barrel kit in the grounds of Thornbridge Hall.
Since then they have gone on to brew the numerous award-winning bitters and IPAs packing a punch with both flavour and ABV.
In 2009 a brand new state of the art brewery was built to meet with demand and allow Thornbridge to develop their range of beers.
Brewing still takes place today on the original kit which has been moved to beside the Taproom at Riverside, which allows us to experiment with new brews, create bespoke Hall brews, collaborations and assist the main brewery in Bakewell.
Thornbridge
Hoppy, juicy, hazy, unfiltered AND vegan-friendly!
Adam and James were homebrewers who loved hop-forward beers. They weren’t easy to find locally so in 2014 they started Verdant to make their own. Rich joined in 2016.
With a little help from other craft brewers and friends, out poured juicy, hoppy, unfiltered hazy Pales, IPAs and DIPAs, and the brewery thrived thanks to like-minded drinkers everywhere.
Being independent enables Verdant to stay ethical, sustainable, and keep pushing the boundaries of taste and quality.
Verdant brewing co
Founded by: Adam Robertson + James Heffron
Founded: 2014
Origin: Penryn, England
Package: Draught + Cans
Hogan’s Cider
Founded BY: Allen Hogan
Founded: 2005
Origin: Warwickshire, England
Cider that’s worth the wait... For 30 years or so, Allen Hogan harvested local cider apples and made them into cider, inspired by neighbour and early eco-warrior John Stewart.
Those early Warwickshire tipples were the taste of springtime, with the first barrel opening a magical event shared between the two. Until Allen decided to share it with the world, too.
A stall at Stratford farmers market beckoned, where people gave Allen real hard cash for real, hard cider. Stuff made the traditional, English way. Moreish, delicious and quenching.
Package: Bottles + Draught
He’s come a long way from that farmers market, but the philosophy remains the same. Proper ciders and perrys, full of flavour. Winning awards all over. So we’re glad Allen didn’t keep it all in his kitchen.
Born from a passion for the thriving UK Craft Beer scene and a deep appreciation for the UK Hospitality sector, Red Fin Cider is the exciting new addition to craft cider. Created by three friends who have combined their expertise and love for quality drinks, Red Fin Cider is here to shake up the cider market.
Red Fin wanted to make something that’s a bit different from your usual. Something modern and super refreshing. Think awesome flavours like Meloncherry – made for those folks who like to try new things and just chill out. Plus, they’re trying to do our part for the planet, which is important to us.
They sit in the cool spot between the classic ciders and the super-popular ones, taking a little bit of inspiration from the craft beer scene. We think it makes for a really unique and tasty cider.
Crafted with care and precision, Red Fin Cider is on its way to becoming an award-winning favourite.
Founded by: Graeme Baldwin, David Tugwell + Freddie Rouse
Founded: 2020
Origin: Dorset, England
Package: Bottles + Draught
Red Fin cider
Love Beer, Share Beer
What started with a fondness for Dutch pilsner, became an unquenchable thirst to bring the best of global brewing to UK bars, pubs and retailers. We’re now in the 2nd generation of ownership and operation by the Clay family. The business is named after founder Ian Clay’s Grandfather’s mill that operated in the area until the early 20th century. We’re still at this because Ian and Ann passed down that passion to James and Nicky, and all of us too.
After almost half a century in the game, most of our supplier relationships are now very firm friendships. Some of our oldest friends include Lindeboom, Erdinger, Duvel, Chimay, Schneider Weisse, and Hitachino Nest.
In many cases we are in the privileged position to be brand owners in the UK for certain brands. Together with their domestic teams we work to build the brands in our market, drawing on their support and our own resources to contribute towards the UK’s amazing beer scene. We do this to create interest to sustain and revive storied traditional styles, break ground with the latest in modern brewing, and make sure incredible beer is in the reach of everyone in the UK.
Our purchasing and logistics team work tirelessly in pursuit of the best beer in the world. When we find them, we don’t just move boxes about, we take them home, we drink them, and care about them.
Among our sales team we have an immense wealth of expertise, and we love nothing more than sitting down over a beer and passing this on to our customers and their teams too.
Between us all we have decades of experience on the other side of the bar too. We draw on this experience to ensure our standards of conveyance are beyond that which we would have expected as a customer in our time behind the stick.
We don’t use third party logistics to get our beer to our customers. We use our own vehicles, driven by our own drayman, packed from our five warehouses in the UK. It means that our supply chain really is our supply chain; and that we can control the management and quality of that supply chain from brewery to bar.
