Bill King has downsized with a vengeance. From managing dire
But at least he's still making beer. That seemed unlikely back in 2000 when King & Barnes went out of business. King was badly damaged by the collapse of his much-loved family business. "I was fed up with brewing," he says, "and took over the former King & Barnes fruit-machine business. That was a big mistake: I knew nothing about fruit machines.
He decided to get back into brewing but didn't want to be governed by shareholders again. He opted for a micro that could grow organically as trade developed.
He didn't want to follow the path of many micros by making dozens of beers and did some trial brews until he was satisfied with the flavour of just one beer and then announced the arrival of 3.8% abv Horsham Best Bitter.
"I launched it in May 2001 and then thought Where can I sell it?'" He had the good fortune to bump into David Mallard, the former K&B tied trade manager, who offered to sell the beer.
"Within a year we grew to 30 barrels a week and now we're doing 50 barrels," says King, who has 200 accounts, which include 40 regulars. He has bought a pub, the Lamb at Lamb's Green, which he runs as a showcase. David Mallard has retired but King now has a brewer which gives him freedom to run and expand the business and full-time and part-time sales people.
His spick-and-span brewhouse, with wood-jacketed mash tun and copper, has grown to 10-barrel capacity. He has expanded the product range and, as well as Horsham Best Bitter, he now brews a 4.8% abv Red River Ale, seasonal summer and winter beers, and five bottle-conditioned beers. King has also added a small bottling line and intends to sell beer by mail order.
