Entrepreneur goes from media to microbrewery
A former Yorkshire journalist and PR director has launched a real ales business.
Ben Pindar, formerly a PR director at Northern Lights and journalist before that, has teamed up with Craig Sanderson for the venture.
Aire Heads Brewery is based in Goole, East Yorkshire, and the duo invested £30,000 into the manufacturing business.
The pair are aiming to create “challenging and unique” beers at their site, the first two of which are a pale, hoppy beer called Rude, Crude and Brewed and a chocolate stout with liquorice called Beyond a Shadow of a Stout.
They are already supplying local pubs including Yorkshire Ales in Snaith and the Jemmy Hirst at the Rose and Crown in Rawcliffe. It also has its own growing capacity, growing chilli and hops for its range of beers.
Aire Heads secured the support of Goole Development Trust who provided funding alongside a number of investors.
Pindar explained: “Much of my career was spent meeting and working with some incredible Yorkshire entrepreneurs. I’ve always been amazed and what this region creates and achieves and we don’t hear enough about it. The passion of these business people was infectious and it has inspired us to start our own business.
“Aire Heads is aiming to push the boundaries of beer making and create something that this region can be proud of. We have big growth ambitions and are aiming to create jobs, grow our production quickly and seek out new markets around the UK and overseas.
“We’re also keen to work with local suppliers and other Yorkshire breweries to help push this region even further ahead.
“We’ve had some fantastic feedback to the beers we’ve already produced and are really looking forward to getting our beers out there.”
He added: “We’ve got a wide range of beers in the pipeline from simple session bitters to big Russian stouts but we’re aiming to add our own unique Aire Heads twist and develop a range of new concept ales.”
Craig Sanderson is originally from Doncaster and has worked around the world as a music producer. He has returned to his Yorkshire roots to take on this new challenge. He says: “Ben and I have a passion for real ale and for creating unique recipes that will challenge people’s perceptions of craft beer. We have big ideas but are also determined to give something back to our customers, local businesses and the region as a whole.
“We want this to be something everyone can be proud of and create beers that will transform perceptions. We already have mantra in the brewery – beer won’t change the world, but it will make it a better place.”
