Moorhouse's sees buoyant start to 2011

Moorhouse's has enjoyed a buoyant start to 2011 with both increased sales and the first award wins for beer brewed in its new 'tower brewery'.

Last month (January) saw a sales jump of 10% over January 2010, while the Burnley brewer's much acclaimed Blond Witch was awarded gold for Best Bitters then voted 'Overall Champion' at Southport's Scarisbrick Hotel Beer Festival.

Pendle Witches Brew won silver in the Strong Ales category of the hotel's inaugural event.

The success comes as Moorhouse's prepares to further build business with the roll out of several new special ales and the extension of its bottled range.

Brewing of the famous 'Pendle Witch' cask ales fully commenced at the new brewery last November.

The plant is part of an ambitious £4.2m complex, complete with visitor centre and training school, which will be completed this spring.

It trebles former production capacity to more than 1000 brewer's barrels* a week. Ten years ago only 35 barrels a week were produced.

Managing director David Grant added: "January is always a challenging month for brewers. But, despite launching the new brewery in a very difficult economic climate, we have enjoyed a very encouraging start to our ambitious growth plans — which include the launch of both new cask and bottled beers.

"Investment to strengthen our sales team is paying off, along with our further support for publicans with our recently launched innovative Cask Ale Club.

"The icing on the New Year cake was Blond Witch winning champion beer at the Scarisbrick beer festival in Southport — further confirmation that beer from the new brewery is top notch."

The north-west's leading dedicated cask brewer, Moorhouse's directly supplies several hundred pubs throughout the north and distributes nationally via leading wholesalers and major pub chains**.