Three family brewers come together to create three new anniversary beers
Iconic North-West brewery Joseph Holt is celebrating its 175th anniversary this year.
As part of the festivities to mark this magnificent milestone, the brewery is pooling expertise with two fellow family brewers - also established in 1849 - to brew a trio of commemorative ales.
Joseph Holt is making the special-edition beers with fellow independent family brewers Everards who are based in Leicestershire, and Oxfordshire-based Hook Norton. Together the three breweries will be sharing their heritage, experience, and passion for making award winning ales to produce three birthday beers this year.
Joseph Holt was established by weaver`s son Joseph Holt, who, with his wife, first opened a small brewery in Manchester 175 years ago. In 1860, he purchased the company`s site in Cheetham, close to the city centre, where the Joseph Holt brewery has been making beer ever since. The company now runs 127 pubs across the North West and has been in the same family for six generations.
“We are delighted to work together with Everards and Hook Norton to celebrate our respective anniversaries," says Jane Kershaw, who is the sixth generation of the family to work for Joseph Holt.
“Each of us represent a key part of Britain`s brewing heritage, through the beers we produce and the fact many of our pubs are part of the history of the local landscape. When planning our 175th Anniversary, all three breweries had the idea to do something together and shout about our unique achievements and how special this industry is. The commemorative selection of brews will, thanks to their taste, quality and care, reflect the ethos we all embrace – of strong community values and the highest standards in producing memorable beers.”
The head brewers from each of the three companies will meet to agree on recipes for the beers. An amber ale will be brewed in March, a pale ale in May and a dark ruby in September.
Family brewers occupy a particularly important place in the UK’s hospitality industry and are often regarded as the custodians of beer making and the brewing heritage of this country.
Jane Kershaw added, “Having been involved in making beer for generations, pubs run by family brewers are known for being at the centre of the local communities, as well as having long standing relationships with their staff and customers. It has been said that family brewers are big enough to matter yet small enough to ensure all those involved feel connected. That’s what we will all be raising a glass to with these very special beers.”
Joseph Holt is also marking its 175th anniversary with a charity appeal to raise half a million pounds for The Christie Hospital and Holt Radium Institute. The Holt Radium Institute was founded by the first Sir Edward Holt in 1914. In 1933, this amalgamated with The Christie Hospital to form The Christie Hospital and Holt Radium Institute.
