September 8th, 2009LanesyBreweries, Comment

Okay, I’ll say it: I’m sick of it as well. For well over a year now, we are bombarded with horrendous doom-mongering phrases such as ‘credit crunch’ and people cannot talk about ANYTHING without the grating expression “…in the current climate”. Yes, it’s a bad situation; but in the face of adversity, I often prefer to take a look at the positives, if only to have a holiday from the negatives for a while.

Which is why I felt a glow of enthusiasm whilst browsing the various news sites and blogs this morning and noticing there was much talk of the financial success and growth of Skipton’s Copper Dragon brewery.

Now I confess, I have a huge soft spot for CD; their Golden Pippin ale was the first beer that truly converted me to real ale, and began a sequence of events that has led me and my companions to invest a ridiculous amount of time talking about, writing about and (most importantly) brewing beer. In a garage, using a converted Hotpoint Twin-tub washing machine, we have spent around nine months simply trying to create an imitation of our favourite beer (for the record, our recipe is tantalisingly close now; brew three gave us a lesson, however – you CAN have too much alcohol in beer!).

It is this kind of creative spirit and dedication to finding a high quality ale that has generated a rapidly rising industry that is on the way to becoming big-business. There is money to be made in running a relatively small brewing operation it seems, if a professional approach to business and high quality of products can be achieved.

In the past year, Copper Dragon has increased turnover by 50% to £4m, as well as moving into a new £4.5m brewery and visitor centre last November and increasing staff levels by half.

This is an incredible growth for a fledgling company of seven years competing in a market that has in the past been considered very tricky to break into.

Other micro-breweries across the country are also making huge leaps in production levels and standards. Mark Dredge over on the ‘Pencil and Spoon’ blog reported on his visit to Thornbridge’s new multi-million pound brewery that looks incredibly advanced and futuristic in his photographs (also see Reluctant Scoop’s photos of the opening). As well as the move (and increased capacity) the company were projected to be reaching sales of £650,000 this year, another company that was only founded this decade (in 2004).

All the evidence of why such companies are increasing their trade can be found in the confines of a neatly-packaged glass bottle. The breweries have developed exciting brands and terrific, boundary-pushing flavours that can only have been blended together by those who are excited, and want to excite, with their craft.

The country may be bust, but the boom of one of the most exciting growth industries continues through the hell of recession (there – I said it; no need for that phrase again!).

Beer reviews and words like this

1. Brass in pocket – a fresh start for Copper Dragon Shrouded in uncertainly it’s been a a funny ol’ festive period for Copper Dragon. Since mid December rumours of administration and liquidation have been quietly circulating and the future for Skipton’s growing brewery...
2. ‘Tadcaster Brown’ doesn’t have the same ring… This week saw the end of Newcastle Brown Ale production in the North-East, as Scottish & Newcastle Brewery, one of the largest brewing conglomerates in the UK, announced they are shifting production of...
3. A night at the Rosebud Just got back from my first Thursday night music quiz night at the Rosebud near Rothwell, South Leeds. The Rosebud is Sam’s local pub, located on a quiet road of houses that overlook...

Tags: Breweries, Copper Dragon