Trio set up new Spalding microbrewery with an emphasis on quality and consistency
Three Spalding brewers have entered the UK's £23billion beer and pub market with products carrying the name of the town's river.
Welland Brewery, based in Cradge Bank, is the creation of Tom Bradshaw, Dave Jackson and Charlie Rawlings after a year of planning and preparation.
Finally launched in July, Tom and Dave have put in the hard yards over recent months by taking their brews to beer festivals in Holbeach, Nottingham, Peterborough and Sheffield.
Tom said: "The three of us have a lot of brewing experience, both commercially and in terms of home brewing.
"It took us a year to physically do something and once we had the equipment, we were able to set the business up in Dave's house.
"Since going commercial in July this year, we've appeared at a number of beer festivals across the eastern side of the country and supplied a couple of pubs in and around Spalding.
"Most breweries are part of a national chain, but we're still looking to go down the pub route because we rely on customer feedback when it comes to the beers."
Welland Brewery currently boasts three varieties of ale, pale-lookingYFM , amber-coloured Rusty Girafe and the darker brew Hoptical Illusion.
Dave said: "It takes a whole day to get from the water stage to having fermentable beer.
"Then we keep an eye on it through the week to watch for alcohol levels and temperature.
"We use stainless steel pipes to brew the beer and usually it's ready with a week to be poured into bottles or casks for further fermentation.
"Our aim is to keep the quality consistent and eventually offer a personalised service to pubs, retail outlets and even businesses."
Tom said: "We pride ourselves on quality and if we're not happy with the beer then we won't release it.
"We've had good reviews from beer festivals we've been to so far after spending the first four or five weeks after we went commercial building up our stocks of bottled beers.
"There are some exciting plans for one of the new beers we'll be brewing, something traditional but with a modern twist on it."
Dave Jackson weighs the hops at Welland Brewery, Cradge Bank, Spalding. Photo by Tim Wilson. SG-201018-078TW (4925520)
