Brains makes craft brewery investment

The company, which is led by Scott Waddington, said the new facility would complement its existing plant and enable it to brew a diverse range of craft cask, keg and bottled beers.

Brains hopes to have the new plant up and running by the end of March 2012.

The company will continue to brew its range permanent and seasonal beers – which includes the renowned SA, the award winning SA Gold and the legendary Dark – at the Cardiff brewery.

David Bonney, commercial director at Brains, said: “This investment demonstrates our commitment to the development of our cask and keg beers – a key element of our growth strategy – enabling us to remain at the forefront of new product development.”

Bill Dobson, head Brewer at Brains, said: “The beer market is always changing and there is a growing interest in more diverse beers and different beer styles. We have seen this through the growing popularity of our seasonal ales and a demand for a wider choice on the bar, especially from the younger drinker.”

“This new brewery means we will be able to meet these growing needs by brewing on a much smaller scale, at the same time developing our capability to innovate new products and to experiment with limited editions and one-offs.”

Earlier this year, the company, which currently operates c.240 pubs, secured a new funding package with Lloyds Bank Corporate Markets and HSBC Corporate Banking, which includes a £70m revolving credit facility