Published at 11:09, Thursday, 09 August 2012

A MILLOM micro brewery is aiming to be among the best in the North after securing investment for an expansion.

Heady times: Dave Bailey is expanding the Hardknott Brewery business and will be installing new vats like the ones seen here

Hardknott Brewery’s output and production have been given a massive boost after the Rural Development Programme for England awarded the company a £42,000 grant.

Head brewer Dave Bailey said the money will go towards an ambitious £84,000 expansion project, which will see the arrival of four more fermenting and conditioning tanks and an automated bottling machine. The expansion will also see the creation of two full-time positions.

Mr Bailey said: “Between opening in 2010 and 12 months ago we were at a stage where we were developing the brew, product and marketing. In that time the business made a loss. But from our point of view it was an investment in the brand.

“This money means we’ll be able to double our turnover.

“We’ve already created two jobs because of it. We’re going to end up with a business that is a bit more secure for the future. At the size we were, to be able to sustain a business was not likely to happen.

“It will mean we’re the only craft brewer in Cumbria that can brew and bottle in-house.”

Once the new equipment is in place, the team will be able to produce 800 bottles of beer an hour, as opposed to the 200 now.

Each fermenting and conditioning tank contains the equivalent of 10 barrels of beer so they will go from producing 15 barrels a week to 35. The tanks are set to arrive in September, while work has already started on expanding the business into the neighbouring unit, on the Devonshire Road Industrial Estate.

Mr Bailey said: “I have an ambition to be one of the leading bottle conditioned brewers in the North. The investment has given us a little bit of breathing space. We’ll have the people and equipment in place to achieve a high quality product, now we can think about developing the brand a bit more.”

Mr Bailey also revealed the company were in talks with supermarket chain Booths about stocking his beers.

Published by http://www.whitehavennews.co.uk