How this beer festival shows the health of the UK's craft beer scene

There has been an explosion of micro breweries opening across the country with more than 2,300 now pumping out craft ales.

With 300 launched in the UK in 2017 alone Government figures showed half of all beer drinkers were quaffing "local craft beer", rising to 61% for 25-34 year olds.

Since 2011 there has been a 20% increase in trademarks for beer in the UK and now the country has the second largest number of breweries per head of population in the world – after New Zealand.

Plymouth is now set to host the biggest craft beer festival in the South West outside Bristol with 25 of the top independent breweries coming to the Grade II-listed Plymouth Guildhall.

Husband and wife Sam and Katie Congdon are behind the Vessel Beer Festival 2019, which will give about 1,500 brew guzzlers the chance to sample beers and ciders from the UK and Europe.

More than 40 tipples will be on offer, including IPAs, stouts, pale ales, lagers, porters, brown ales, and Berliner weisse style beer.

Sam and Katie opened the specialist Vessel Beer Shop, in Plymouth in December 2016, to tap into the UK's thirst for craft beers.

It has been a huge success and their inaugural spin-off festival was a hit in 2018 too, even named among the UK’s 10 most scenic beer events, and now Vessel has expanded it with even more brewers and beers, on Friday and Saturday, November 29 and 30.

So, with the craft beer craze showing no sign of going flat, here are the 25 breweries that will be at the Plymouth festival, effectively a trade expo, and showing how the country has lost its head for ale.

Arbor, Bristol

Launched in 2007 and has produced 300 beers. Its beers use a lot of hops and it sells in one-pint cans. Also produces gluten-free beers.

Sample brew: Faked Alaska (IPA)

Black Flag Brewery, Cornwall

Based in the coastal town of Perranporth, the company is run by two brothers. Has just invested in a new tap room.

Sample brew: Nervous Breakdown (DIPA)

Black Iris, Nottingham

Produces a broad range of beers from IPA to sweet stouts and fruited berliner weisse beer.

Sample brew: Anarchists Across the Pond (IPA)

Cloudwater, Manchester

Founded in 2015 and named as a “giant of the UK beer scene”. Organises its own festival, Friends and Family and Beer, in Manchester every February.

Sample brew: blood orange and passion fruit sour

De Molen, Netherlands

Its name means The Mill and it has been producing beers since 2004. The brewery was build around a windmill in Bondegraven, where since 2009, it has hosted the annual Borefts beer festival.

Sample brew: Rasputin (imperial stout)

Frontaal, Netherlands

Started in 2015 in Breda and has worked with UK brewers such as Verdant.

Sample brew: Dipteryx (imperial stout)

Kirkstall Brewery, Leeds

Founded in 2011 and produces gluten-free IPA. The firm was inspired by Cistercian monks who built a brewhouse at the 12 th Century Kirkstall Abbey.

Sample brew: Virtuous (GF pale)

Lost and Grounded, Bristol

Set up in 2016 and influenced by German and Belgian brewing.

Sample brew: Mega Lager (lager)

Moor, Bristol

Begun in 2007 by Californian Justin Hawke when he purchased a defunct brewery. It moved to a new location behind Bristol Temple Meads station in 2014. In 2018 it opened its Vaults in Bermondsey, with a tap room and barrel store. The brewery’s “modern real ale” has been named Champion Beer of Britain.

Sample brew: Scotch Whisky BA Double Stout (imperial stout)

New Lion Brewery, Devon

Totnes based and with plans to become a community brewery. The original Lion Brewery closed in 1926. New Lion opened in 2013. It is planning to move to Dartington ad open a tap room alongside the Almond Thief bakery.

Sample brew: smoked porter

North Brewing Co, Leeds

Founded in 2015 by the team behind GB’s first craft beer bar. It has won many national awards.

Sample brew: Sea of the Edge (pale ale)

 

Northern Monk, Leeds

Based in the Grade II-listed Refectory tap room, a former flax mill. It has already added a nearby production facility.

Sample brew: Dancing in the Moonlight (DIPA)

Pastore, Cambridgeshire

Only founded in August 2019, it is run by father-and-son team Ben and Chris Shepherd – with the name Patore being Italian for shepherd.

Sample brew: Blood Orange Waterbeach Weisse (fruited sour)

Pomona Island, Salford

Formed in 2017 very close to Media City, in its first two years expanded brewing capacity by 500%. Famous for humorous beer names such as My Name is Ralph and Space Elite.

Sample brew: Space Elite (DIPA)

Roam, Plymouth

Launched in 2018 and now operating from a tap room in Peverell, Plymouth. Father and son Brian and Jon Clargo acquired the three-year-old Tavy Ales in 2015 and rebranded three years later and moved location from Roborough on the edge of the city.

Sample brew: Nomad (pale ale)

Siren Craft Brew, Berkshire

Award-winning business formed in 2012. Has founded the Barista Project to focus on ways coffee can be incorporated into beer.

Sample brew: Caribbean Chocolate Cake (imperial stout)

Stannary Brewing Co, Devon

Formed by Garry White and Chris John in Tavistock, near Plymouth, the business expanded its tap room in 2018 and has upgraded kit in 2019.

Sample brew: Craft Beer Ruined My Social Life (American Brown Ale)

Track Brewing, Manchester

Established in 2014 and has collaborated with foreign brewers and others in the UK.

Sample brew: Birthday Series No2 Sour (fruited sour)

Verdant, Cornwall

Falmouth-based but due to move to huge new facility in Penryn. It’s nationally-recognised beers are the most in demand at Plymouth’s Vessel Beer Shop. The brewery also has the Seafood Bar in Falmouth.

Sample brew: Fruit Car Sight Exhibition (DIPA)

Wild Beer Co, Somerset

Farm-based and keen on barrel ageing, with a library of more than 600 barrels. Pairs beers with cheeses from neighbouring Westcombe Dairy.

Sample brew: Beyond Modus 6 (BA sour)

Woodman’s Wild Ale, Cornwall

Stuart Woodman bases his brewing around his background as a forager. Based in Ponsanooth, near Truro, it uses seasonally foraged ingredients.

Sample brew: Wassale (BA sour)

Yonder, Somerset

Mendip hills producer also uses foraged ingredients and mixes traditional and modern brewing techniques.

Sample brew: Loop (fruited sour)

Zapato, Yorkshire

Marsden-based baby of famous brewer Matt Gorecki, who has worked at North Bar, Indy Man Beer Con, Hop City and Leeds Beer Week.

Sample brew: Breakfast with Franck (IPA)

Find and Foster, Devon

Cider maker aims to protect endangered varieties of apple and breathe life into abandoned orchards.

Sample brew: Zero (cider)

Pilton, Somerset

Artisan cider producer uses old English method of keeving. Apples come from traditional orchards around the parish of Pilton and are fermented in a Victorian cellar for six months before bottling.

Sample brew: Cousin Tozula (sweet cider)