The brewery hopes to open the London base this month, initially as a pop-up tap room and warehouse, before an official opening in February of next year.
The immediate drive will be to support increased availability of award-winning brews across the capital and south-east. However, in the long run, the brewery hopes to run a barrel-ageing programme from the site, to complement its existing range of beers.
Increased and improved supply
Speaking about the project, head brewer and owner Justin Hawke said: “Getting the keys to our new London base means we will increase and improve the supply of our products to a really big market, as well as get involved in an area renowned for its brewing culture.
On Enid Street we are neighbours with some other great breweries, like Brew By Numbers and The Kernel Brewery. We are investing heavily in more equipment so we can also use the new space to do more barrel ageing of our beers, giving our products the time they deserve for the best result.
“We are excited about how this will support our development and future plans to grow. Having a London presence, as well as in our hometown base in Bristol, is perfect to help us move forward.”
Brewer of the Year award
Earlier this year, Moor Beer celebrated its 10th year of business with the news that turnover was up by 74% on the previous year. As well as sales in this country, the brewery has a significant presence in the Italian market, which is one of just one of 20 countries it exports to.
Last week the brewery was named Brewer of the Year at The British Guild of Beer Writers Annual dinner. Speaking about the award Hawke said: “To be recognised as ‘Brewer of the Year’ at the British Guild of Beer Writers’ awards is a massive achievement, given that there are now around 2,000 breweries in the UK, thanks to the craft beer movement.
“Moor Beer has been in business for more than a decade. At the heart of everything we do is our commitment to create the best quality, full-flavoured unfined beers. This approach, we call ‘modern real ale’.
“We’ve enjoyed lots of success in recent years with our award-winning beers and reporting record turnover results in the summer. We’ve also worked on some exciting projects, such as the Fuller’s and Friends collaboration where the brewing giant trusted us to remake its flagship ale, ESB.”