Batemans downsized their brewery in 2015. They were brewing 19000 barrels a year and now only brew 7000.They did it so they can get the small brewers tax relief.I have read that after you go above 8000 barrels you loose the relief and that you need to produce 22000 barrels to get the economies of scale.So I think this is why a few breweries have tried crowdfunding as you need to make a big jump in the amount of beer you brew and sell once you reach the threshold. Don't miss any of the beers Batemans brewed for the festival at Mcspoons
I believe if you brew less than 5000 hectolitres then you get the full 50% discount on duty. I bet they won't be passing on any savings to their tied pubs! I assume they've stopped producing bottled beers for the supermarkets as well. I only remember seeing them in Morrisons and I haven't been in one for ages. My biggest gripe with Batemans was the fact they watered down the XXXB from 4.9% to 4.5%. If JDW don't have Rosy Nosey at Xmas with those annoying flashing red LED lights on the pump clip then that will be a huge relief.
I assume this is why Wells sold out to Marstons. If they come up with something decent from their new smaller brewery for their tied houses then that shouldl be good. The boring Bombardier was introduced as a replacement for Wells Fargo which was an imitation of Ruddles County before they sold out. I liked it at the time and much preferred it to Abbot. 5% ABV beers were a rarity in those days!
Ballards brewery who would be familiar to southern drinkers has ceased brewing.Regularly seen around west London but not recently.
According to their Facebook page ,the brewery is on the market due to impending retirement.
"Everybody's got to believe in something. I believe I'll have another beer."
-W.C.Fields
"At that moment I would have given a kingdom, not for champagne or hock and soda, or hot coffee but for a glass of beer" Marquess Curzon of Kedlestone, Viceroy of India.
It's hardly surprising as even if they were in their early twenties (pretty unlikely) when they started they wouldn't be far from retirement age. What took me aback was the length of time they've been going. I can't remember when I last saw one of their old school beers.