Grindleton opens - and then expands

The Ribble Valley’s new brewery Grindleton Brewhouse Ltd launched officially in March at the Clarets Trust Beer Festival and has already moved from Bolton-le-Bolton into new premises to meet demand.

The brainchild of sales and marketing men Ian Lait and Dave Brown at a 40th birthday party in April 2006 the idea was developed over a several months. Local businessman David Schofield joined them in November, just as the deal was struck to buy a five-barrel-plant from Wylam Brewery in Northumberland. Now the bigger premises in Clitheroe are equipped with five fermenting vessels and ten conditioning tanks as more outlets stock their ales.

Head brewer Ian had been brewing at home for over twenty years and made the move into commercial brewing with help and advice from Wylam’s head brewer, Martin Hammill together with training at Brewlab.

The first beers out were golden bitter Ribble Rouser (3.8% ABV) and Old Fecker (4.0% ABV), ‘a chestnut bitter with a hint of ruby’. Beers planned for the future include stronger bitters, a mild, a porter and some seasonal ales.