The trend for multinational brewers investing in their small, craft counterparts continues apace as Heineken has taken a minority stake in Brixton Brewery. Brixton said the partnership with Heineken would allow it to build a new site and increase capacity by 500% in the next few months. It follows on from AB-Inbev acquiring Camden Town Brewery, Carlsberg investing in London Fields Brewery and SAB Miller…

Ex Sipsmith duo James Grundy and Felix James have announced the opening of what they have described as “the world’s first ‘small beer’ brewery”, which will be dedicated to the lower alcohol beer sector. The new company, which is based in South Bermondsey, aims to reinvent the entire brew process from start to finish with new methodology which the pair said enables them to create…

St Austell’s most recent collaboration ale – created alongside Moscow’s New Riga Brewery – is now available in bottle. Black Square Russian Imperial Stout, which the brewer said was well received when it was introduced at this year’s Great British Beer Festival, has now been re-brewed on the St Austell Brewery Small Batch and is now ready for beer fans across the UK. Russian Imperial…

It sometimes seems like the whole brewing industry has gone daft for craft. The redrawn landscape of the British brewing industry has led many of the more established family-owned producers to rethink their approaches to the market. With hundreds of new breweries emerging in the past decade, the regional players that used to hog the packaged ale limelight are having to strike a fine balance:…

Sadler’s Brewing Company has signed a major deal with Halewood Wines and Spirits, which will see the drinks distributor take on the majority share of the Micro-brewery. The partnership with Halewood will help to further the craft brewer’s portfolio although fifth generation brewer Chris Sadler will remain as managing director of Sadler’s. Sadler said: “We are proud of our family business and have a strong following…

Stewart Brewing gets prepared for its annual Edinburgh Beer Festival, which it promises will be the biggest yet. The one day event at Stewart’s Brewery, on 13 May, will feature more than 40 craft beers, including Radical Road, Jack Back, Hollyrood and Pentland IPA – as well as the brewer’s newly launched Stewart’s Lager. The company is also introducing Stewart Brewing Cider, made especially for…

The Magic Spells Brewery has become the latest brewer to join London’s craft beer scene. The new company, based at Leyton, London E10, currently produces three bottled beers: a 4.2% abv craft lager, the 4.2% abv pale ale called Hackney Hare and a 5.5% abv IPA. The business was set up by co-directors, Jas Hare and Stacey Ayeh, who between them have years of experience…