Big Smoke Brew Co., the award-winning, independent brewery, has relocated to new 5,000 sq ft. premises in Esher. Production capacity will increase by four times and allow the business to expand its presence nationwide, targeting the on and off-trade with its canned, cask and keg beers.
Founded in 2014 by James Morgan and Richard Craig, Big Smoke Brew Co. initially operated out of a micro-brewhouse at The Antelope pub in Surbiton and has grown organically.
The new purpose-built Gravity Systems brewery comes with a state-of-the-art, high-speed, canning line, allowing Big Smoke Brew Co. to bring all its production in-house and provide a range of quality brews for nationwide delivery.
As well as the canning line, the new brewery features a 33-hectolitre kit with six 65 hectolitre fermenters and is capable of brewing four times the quantity of beer, which equates to around 6,000 pints per brew. There is also an on-site taproom for brewery tours and tastings.
The new brewery enables Big Smoke Brew Co. to regularly produce its six core beers – Electric Eye Pale Ale, Solaris Session Pale, Fruju New England Pale, Cold Spark Lactose Pale, Underworld Milk Stout and Helles Lager – alongside other seasonal brews. Solaris was the first to be brewed back in 2014 and is the brand’s biggest selling cask beer, whilst Electric Eye is its flagship beer.
Big Smoke Brew Co. has won numerous industry awards and accolades since its inception. It was voted Greater London’s Best New Brewer at 2015’s Ratebeer Best Awards, and more recently, their lactose pale ale, Cold Spark, was awarded ‘Gold’ in the Keg Speciality Light Beer category at the SIBA National Awards 2019.
James Morgan, co-founder of Big Smoke Brew Co. comments: “We’ve gradually built up a loyal following and the new brewery allows us to distribute nationally and target both the off and on-trade whilst maintaining control of our process and achieving a high quality, consistent product. We will continue to make the kind of beer that we like to drink – refreshing, balanced and flavoursome using sustainably sourced ingredients.”
The craft beers are currently available via can, keg and cask from all Big Smoke Brew Co. pubs including; The Antelope (Surbiton); The Albion (Kingston); The Flintgate (Weybridge); The Hole in the Wall (Chichester) and its managed pub, The Royal Oak (Surrey Hills).