Brewery makes £200,000 equipment investment and expands premises
Sheffield-based Abbeydale Brewery is expecting to boost its capacity by 20% after investing £200,000 in new brewing equipment and acquiring 7,426 sq ft of space to expends its premises.
Abbeydale Brewery has acquired an additional 7426 sq ft of space in units adjoining their existing site, which has followed on from extensive recent investment into new equipment, with over £200,000 being injected into four new vessels, a malt milling system and laboratory equipment.
The brewery has made no secret of their plans for expansion, having grown continually since its inception in 1996, and a search for larger premises which has been ongoing since 2014. In being able to take advantage of the recent opportunity to take on an addition to their current site, the business has been able to create much needed extra space to grow without substantial upheaval and thus production has been able to continue uninterrupted. Funder and director Patrick Morton said: “It’s fantastic that we have been able to expand right next to our existing premises and have been able to stay right at the heart of the thriving Abbeydale Road community which inspires so much of our identity and is a key element of our ethos”.
As well as increasing brewing capacity, the new space will also lead to the improvement of warehousing capabilities and new office facilities for the team. There is also the potential to create Abbeydale’s first dedicated on-site events space which is sure to add to the area’s thriving beer scene.
This is just the start of a major development programme which will be ongoing throughout 2019, in order to meet the ever growing demand for Abbeydale’s beers. These plans include the development of Abbeydale’s first ever lager which they are aiming to have on general release by the spring, and the installation of their own canning line.
Both the acquisition of the property and the additional equipment have been made possible due to the ongoing support of Natwest Bank. Relationship Manager Will Islip said: “It’s great to be able to support a successful and forward-thinking local business who have continually driven to improve, grow, and push the boundaries within their industry”.
In recent years, alongside the traditional cask ales Abbeydale Brewery are well known for (including their national award-winning pale ale Moonshine, which accounts for around half of their production), they have released numerous innovative beers in both cask and keg under the Brewers Emporium range – a series showcasing new ingredients and further expanding Abbeydale’s outlook on exciting beer styles, including a brand new barrel souring programme. This affectionately titled “Funk Dungeon” project is going from strength to strength, with their inaugural festival “Funk Fest” (the first festival to showcase sour beers ever held in the UK outside of London) attracting over 400 attendees over the 2018 August Bank Holiday weekend.
