ABOUT |  |
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In 1995, after a 20 year career in the building trade latterly working on restorations for the National Trust and English Heritage, Helen and Dave Maggs tired of spending time up ladders, wet and cold. An interest in home brewing that took over the kitchen led to the decision to make brewing an occupation, and little did they realise that the life of the micro-brewer entails time spent up ladders, wet and cold! We try to source as many of our ingredients as possible from local
suppliers - for example, malt from Prosperous Farm near Hungerford and
hops from Berkshire Hops at Kingston Bagpuize – the only remaining
hop garden in old Berkshire.
Early days involved Dave & Helen working flat out seven days a week – the idyllic rural life-style was not as envisaged, and it was not long before it became necessary to employ other people to cope with the increasing demand for the expanding range of beers. Today the brewery team is bigger than in our early days and now consists of Dave & Helen, plus seven other members of staff – Steve Kirby, Transport Manager/Brewer has been with the brewery since its infancy; Karen Baum, a Director since 1998, took over sales and marketing in 2000; Will Twomey, Trainee Brewer; Colin Palmer, Brewery and Transport Assistant, Kieran Cook and Ruairidh Maggs, Brewery Assistants together with our invaluable help in the office in the form of Book-keeper Sheila Little and Office Assistant Edna Millson.
West Berkshire Brewery has always aimed to use the highest quality ingredients to produce a high quality product. Maris Otter barley is used exclusively in all our beers, and a wide range of whole flower hops give each beer type its individual flavour and aroma. A new beer is produced each month (not blended), to ring the changes for our more adventurous customers, and to allow us a vehicle for trying out new recipes and hop varieties - we have had first use of some of the new breeds of dwarf hops being developed for resistance to disease. |
The West Berkshire
Brewery Company, Yattendon, Berkshire, RG18 0UE |