Award-winning brewer takes on pub
An award-winning Oxfordshire brewer has taken on a pub and is building his own microbrewery on site.
Peter Fowler left his post as head brewer at Pitstop Brewery in Grove in October last year to take on struggling Admiral Taverns tenancy the Shoulder of Mutton in Wantage.
The microbrewery will be completed in early March with a capacity of 100 barrels a day. Fowler has already named it 4ewe — a pun on the pub's name. He has been asked to brew a commemorative beer for the Scots Guards in memory of the battle of Sebastopol.
"I know it's going to be an Imperial Russian Stout called Sebastopol (7% ABV)," said Fowler, who heard about the pub through the Campaign for Real Ale as a committee member.
"I already have a lot of customers lined up — I'll have no trouble selling the beer."
Plans
Other refurbishment work to the pub includes the building of a restaurant and kitchen which should be completed next week. The completely vegetarian and vegan menu — another pun on the pub's name — will launch on 11 February.
"I'm quite a quirky person," said Fowler. "And I couldn't think of anything better. None of the other pubs around here — and there are a lot — have any sort of vegetarian or vegan offer."
Food prices have not yet been decided but they will be "very affordable" with a fixed price three-course menu for around £10.
"We are a real ale pub," said Fowler. "Food will never over take wet sales — I'd say at most dry sales will account for a third."
The pub also has a bar that is for darts and sports by night and becomes a crêche in the day with a qualified child minder. Fowler is waiting for final checks from OFSTED before the crêche launches.
Increased turnover
Turnover has already increased around 30% since Fowler took the pub on. A One Over the Eight loyalty card system whereby customers get a stamp for every pint of ale they buy and a free one after eight has "been going very well" and brought around 40 extra regulars into the pub.
Fowler will cook until the brewery is running, after which he will hire a chef and brew three or four days a week and manage the pub the rest of the time.
