London-based sake producer Kanpai is set to open a new brewery and taproom on Druid Street in Bermondsey. Kanpai, which is thought to be the UK’s first sake producer, will be relocating from its current premises in Peckham, meaning its new brewery will be part of the famous Bermondsey Beer Mile. The new brewery and bar will be set up in a…

Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company (CMBC) has announced plans to sell Hampshire-based Ringwood Brewery and the Ringwood ale brands. Ringwood, which was founded in 1978, was bought by Marston’s in 2007. Its brand include Razorback, Old Thumper, Boondoggle and Fortyniner. As part of the announcement, CMBC said its logistics operation at Ringwood is slated to close, with deliveries relocated to CMBC’s depots at Tiverton and Farnborough,…

The then Black Sheep Brewery chairman Andy Slee wrote last August, in an introduction to the company’s 2021/22 accounts: “When future generations look back at this period in British history, the resilience and versatility of Britain’s pubs and brewers will shine through”. Any post-pandemic residual optimism within the British brewing industry has since ebbed away at an alarming rate. Black Sheep is…

South Oxfordshire Brewery has acquired neighbouring White Horse Brewery for an undisclosed sum.  The deal sees South Oxfordshire Brewery purchase the entire interest in the business from White Horse’s group of shareholders, which includes Titanic Brewery.  Based in Stanford-in-the-Vale, Oxfordshire, White Horse has been brewing since 2004. South Oxfordshire Brewery plans to build on White Horse’s business by increasing brewing capacity and distribution across the…

Several more breweries have shuttered, as external headwinds continue to hit the industry. Birmingham’s Dig Brew Co, Bad Seed Brewery in Malton and Bishop Auckland’s Hops and Dots are the latest to close, in what has been a devastating few months for craft beer. The team behind Dig Brew Co announced on Instagram that they “cannot carry on any longer and we will no longer…

Two independent breweries have announced closure plans amid soaring costs, as multinational brewers also feel the pinch.  Warrington-based brewery, Twisted Wheel Brew, explained its decision to close was based on the impact of Covid restrictions as well as the cost-of-living crisis, which have made “business unviable”. The brewery had been active since February 2020.  “With sales falling, general consumer confidence low, and further increases…

Cornwall’s St Austell Brewery has purchased a minority share in nearby Harbour Brewing. The deal will see the growth of Harbour’s distribution footprint, the companies said. Harbour Brewing founder Eddie Lofthouse said: “We’ve always had a fantastic relationship with St Austell Brewery. When we first started in 2012, they did our bottling before we had the equipment to do it ourselves, and the former brewing…