History
The equipment used to set up the brewery, along with the unit itself, were leased from the nearby Hopback Brewery.
This equipment included a 20 barrel copper/hot liquor tank; a 20 barrel mash tun; two 20 barrel fermenting vessels; and eight 5 barrel liquor storage tanks. However, the capacity of the brewery was increased in May 2007, when a new 20 barrel fermenting vessel and a 20 barrel cold liquor tank were bought. This allows us to brew up to 60 barrels a week. A chilled annexe at the side of the unit is used as a hop store and for full cask storage.
In the early days of the Downton Brewery, our beers were exclusively sold through The Hopback brewery, who acted as our sole wholesaler. But, as time has passed, a greater proportion of our cask and bottled beers have been sold to our own accounts. At the moment, about half of the beer we brew is still sold to the Hopback Brewery, for further sale to their free trade accounts and other wholesalers. Meanwhile, a purchase of a larger delivery van has enabled us to steadily increase our own sales. With the assistance of contacts in London and the Surrey/Hants regions, and through our own endeavours, we’ve secured regular accounts with a variety of outstanding pubs in the South of England. We’re constantly on the lookout for more free house pubs in the South of England and the Greater London area, and our flexibility means we are able to deliver to most areas on a weekly basis.
The Company’s Managing Director and sole employee is Martin Strawbridge. Martin began his career in the brewing industry working as a laboratory technician at Fuller’s Brewery in Chiswick, before moving to Wiltshire in early 2003. Six months training at Hopback followed, before the Downton Brewery was commissioned in November 2003 with its first brew. Since then, Martin has gained the Diploma in Brewing qualification. He is assisted at the brewery by ex-managing director Martin Howard, who keeps a firm grip on the paperwork and ensures the books are balanced.
Monthly Specials
Many of our regular drinkers will know that we brew monthly special beers, and seasonal specials to reflect the time of the year. Why not take a look at the special real ales for this month, or our current seasonal special.
Brewers Beer of the Month
Each month our head brewer will select the Real Ale he thinks most suitable for the month. This month his selection is ...
