Anyone know what's happening with the Williams Bros' Craigmill brewery?
I think I read in a recent WB that the plant (&/or premises) were up for sale.
I know that they invested in the Forth Brewery, Alloa (that sprouted from the ashes of Maclay's closure as a contract brew/bottler) so maybe they will get their cask beers brewed there as well in future?
I enjoyed cask Ebulum & Fraoch at Birkenhead's fest recently. cheers MikeMcG
Yes, it's for sale. They are in no rush to sell it aparently. They just want to sell it to the right person.
Invested = taken over. Williams Brothers Gold 3.9% the first beer under this "brewery" name should be available any day now. I presume that "Williams Brothers" will replace the Craigmill name.
That was probably brewed at Alloa in any case, most of the Heather Ales have aparently been brewed there for some time due to demand.
they did initially only invest - they were one of the original partners in Forth when they started in 1999. "The beer-maker at Forth is Duncan Kellock, formerly of the Alloa brewery Maclay's, which closed not long ago. He is a partner in the new brewery, along with the former Maclay's management and the principals of Heather Ale, whose bottled products are produced at Forth." from
do you know will the new co. still contract brew/bottle like Forth did?
Fair enough, well they're doing a good job wherever they're doing it! The Fraoch was quite a shock - it certainly tasted much fresher, herbier & almost medicinally heathery - nothing like I remember the Maclay's version.
cheers for the info, MikeMcG
(BTW Rick, another update re Wirral Brewery - I spoke to the owner at the Birkenhead fest- they've had more set-up problems & are now looking at a spring 2004 opening)
Don't know, but it wouldn't suprised me if they just bottle.
So they'll be beated by the new ones in Southport and Runcorn then.
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