Wetherspoon flies in US craft brewers to boost its beer offer
Two brewers will visit every month until next February to produce one of their beers at a UK brewery.
Brewers from New York kicked-off the six month initiative with visits in August.
Mark Szmaida, from the Chelsea Brewing Co, brewed Sunset Red (5.0% ABV) at Wadworth in Devizes, while Jan Matysiak and Heather McReynolds, from Sixpoint Brewery, brewed the 6.4% ABV Bengali Tiger IPA at Adnams in Southwold.
“There is a growing interest in the US craft beer market and this initiative combines the best of craft brewing with the traditional British cask-conditioned beer,” said Gary Holmes, Wetherspoon festival organiser.
“This monthly brewing partnership will provide a great opportunity for Wetherspoon customers to discover this particular speciality beer.”
The initiative has developed out of the pub operator’s twice annual beer festivals where brewers from all over the world are invited to the UK to make a brew for the event.
“Our collaboration with overseas brewers has proved such a success for our festivals, so we were keen to extend the idea and focus specifically on US craft beer,” explained Holmes.
Wetherspoon boss Tim Martin again topped the pub industry’s most influential list, as compiled by the Publican’s Morning Advertiser, this year.
