“Saturated” Cumbria beer market forces brewer abroad

THE boss of Cumbria’s Hardknott Brewery says he is being forced to sell his award winning beers overseas due to a “saturated” local market where breweries are increasingly competing on price rather than quality.

Brewer Dave Bailey and wife Ann travelled to the International Craft Brewing and Distilling Convention in Dublin last week and won bronze medals for their Azimuth and Continuum brews in the International Craft Beer Cup.

Azimuth and Continuum were both picked as bronze medal winners out of a field of 120 beers entered into the International Craft Beer Cup.

The convention is run by Alltech, a $1 billion brewery based in the USA. Will Hanrahan, a representative from the organisers, travelled to see Dave and Ann earlier this summer especially to invite them to the convention.

Dave said: “We are delighted to have gained bronze alongside some very highly thought of international craft brewers. It proves that our strategy is correct if we are to compete on the world stage and bring revenue into the area.”

He said he was being forced to sell his products overseas due to high number of breweries in Cumbria saturating the market.

He said: “It’s almost amusing that it is easier some days to get my beer in Rome than it is in Ravenglass or Barcelona than Bowness.

“It does however lead to embarrassment when I get beer enthusiasts on holiday in The Lakes who have come from London, contacting me wanting to know where to get my beer in Cumbria.

“I find it difficult to know where to send them, other than The Woolpack Inn in Eskdale. I guess that’s the penalty of being better known in the wider craft beer world than the regular local market.

“It’s not that we don’t like Cumbria, quite the reverse. But there are a tremendous number of brewers in the county now and to survive we simply have to look more widely. It’s not that we object to selling our beer into Cumbrian pubs, but rather the market is a little saturated and many breweries are competing on price rather than quality.”

Rather than drop his prices at the expense of quality Dave said he preferred to sell to the world market and invest further in equipment, training and ingredients.

He said: “To compete effectively on a world stage it is important to create something different, something exciting. We are always on the lookout for that little extra that makes our beers stand out.

“If we dropped our prices to compete in Cumbria, simply to increase sales locally, we could not continue to grow, develop new products and invest in the economic future of the area. We simply need to remain head and shoulders above our competition.”

Mr Hanrahan said: “As an Englishman now living in Kentucky (who fell in love with craft beer after living in California) I urged the organizers to allow me to return to the UK and start spreading the word about this event. At the top of my list of places to visit was Hardknott Brewery in Cumbria.

“Dave is pushing the boundaries with his beer, his beers don’t conform to those rules often set within the industry, for example Queboid that we served from keg during the convention on our British beer wall –  a beer difficult to define a style, was it a Belgian-style Double IPA? While they still offer quality cask beers and bottle conditioned ales, tipping his hat to the British traditions. ”

Related posts

SCHÄFER: Made to measure

SCHÄFER Container Systems offers individual KEG types for the Italian craft brewing scene Neunkirchen,...

Exmoor Gold Is 30!

The Golden Ale that started a trend and made beer history celebrates its 30th...

Does Size Matter?

Not according to CNG Engineering! The Pontefract based engineering firm has recently completed a...

Wood's bottle a Beauty!

Wood Brewery is launching a bottled version of Shropshire Hills Beauty, its increasingly popular...

Tiny but Mighty

Padstow Brewing Company beat off strong competition from Regional and National brewers to win...

Blind Mans Buffet

First things first… Some of you may have heard along the grapevine that we’re...

New CEO for the IBD

On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I am pleased to announce the appointment...

Welbeck Abbey News

Here at Welbeck Abbey Brewery we’re elated to announce that our first pub ‘The...

Willowbrook Arises

Castle Rock’s Willowbrook pub in Gedling, Nottinghamshire, reopens today – Thursday 2 July.  It has...

SIBA launches Beerflex

Direct Delivery Scheme evolves in response to growing demand for quality independent beers The...

Robert Humphreys awarded MBE

All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group and SIBA praise his achievements Robert Humphreys, formerly the Honorary...

Pass it On

From mother to daughter, father to son, teacher to pupil; passing on knowledge and...

The Half Pint Marathon

A collaboration between Thornbridge Brewery and Forum Cafe Bars LTD will have you reaching...

Punch delivers profits

By James Wallin, M&C Report, 22-Apr-2015 Punch Taverns has reported a 0.5% rise in...

SIBA BeerX 2015 photos

Festival of Beer   Trade days   National Beer Competitions   SIBA Business Awards...

The Eagle prepares to fly

Truman’s doubles production capacity through half million pound investment Truman’s – East London’s beer...

A Flourishing Friendship

The Friendship pub, Glossop, has reopened following a complete transformation courtesy of Robinsons Brewery...

How Golden Duck Brewery found the Commons touch

How Golden Duck Brewery found the Commons touch Read more at http://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/Beerhunter-Golden-Duck-Brewery-Commons-touch/story-25953732-detail/story.html#BXg7BAIdhJB0bpPU.99

Top of the hops

S J Adams & Son wins the British Hop Award 2014 Worcestershire based hop...

SIBA BeerX Festival of Beer

SIBA BeerX 2015 @siba_beerx #BeerX2015 facebook link National Beer Competitions finalists and results See...

SIBA BeerX 2015

SIBA BeerX 2015 National Beer Competitions finalists and results. @siba_beerx #BeerX2015 facebook link. BeerX...

Oyez to Old Henry

Two rather jolly characters are celebrating being awarded a gold and bronze regional award...

SIBA supports Tryanuary

The Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) is supporting Tryanuary, the new initiative that encourages...

Eighty Shilling

The Rebel Brewing Company based in Penryn Cornwall, firmly secured their place in Cornish...

FDEA Network Forum

The UK’s dedicated trade association for food and drink exporters is proud to present...

SIBA to stage third BeerX

Celebration of beer returns to Sheffield The Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) is returning...

Beer sales increase is great news for Burton

Beer sales increase is great news for Burton Read more: http://www.burtonmail.co.uk/BREWING-Beer-sales-increase-great-news-Burton/story-24471610-detail/story.html#ixzz3IfPHqQzw Follow us: @BurtonMailNews on Twitter...

Reuben does a runner

Reuben Crouch, General Manager at Ludlow Food Centre for the past seven and a...

The Return of Ben Truman

1st anniversary of Truman’s return to East London brewing Truman’s has celebrated the first...

Untitled

Elgood’s Brewery Beer Festival Local Beers, Food, Music and a chance to be filmed...

Evolution On Line for Beer

Evolution Bottling and Packaging Solutions are delighted to have joined SIBA. Evolution BPS provide...

British Hop Harvest 2014

When: throughout September The British Hop harvest is dramatic, noisy, frenetic and does not...

NZPA Flies Home

Hawkshead Brewery, known in Britain, for brewing big flavoured beers with New Zealand hops,...

Untitled

SIBA South East Region Beer Competition 2014 DATE OF JUDGING & ANNOUNCEMENT           11th July...

SIBA East Meeting

MEMBERS ONLY Location: Charters Arm, Town Bridge, Peterborough, PE1 1FP Time: 13:30

Hop & Malt Seminar

BFBi is pleased to announce the Hop & Malt Seminar, being held on Tuesday...

Blonde gets Gold.

Dawkins Bristol Blonde crowned Champion standard bitter and third overall out of 270 beers....

Judi Hughes

Acorn Brewery is saddened to announce the death of co-founder and director Judi Hughes...

Bottlesafe Air

Over the past three years inspirepac have been supporting SIBA members with gift packs...

Wood's head brewer retires

Paul Benson, head brewer at Wood’s, the award-winning South Shropshire brewery at Wistanstow, Craven...

SIBA East Region Meeting

SIBA MEMBERS ONLY Venue:  Haymaker,54 High Street, Chesterton, CB4 1NG Cambridge, Cambridgeshire Time:  13:00...

Maxim Brewery

Following on from Sunderland Football clubs recent successes on the pitch – Maxim Brewery...

A-wards and up-wards!

Eight Design Effectiveness Awards in three years At the 2014 Design Effectiveness Awards, Leeds-based...

SIBA South Keg Beer Competition

BY INVITATION ONLY Location – Tulleys Farm, Turners Hill Road, Turners Hill, Crawley, West Sussex, RH10 4PE Time – TBC

SIBA Council Meeting

COUNCIL MEMBERS ONLY Location – National Brewery Centre, Staffs. Time – 9am

SIBA Council Meeting

MEMBERS ONLY Location – National Brewery Centre, Burton-on-Trent, Staffs. Time – 9am  

SIBA Toolbox

Members: Please make sure that you are using the link http://toolbox.siba.co.uk/ to get to...

Peter Austin

Ringwood today announced the passing of brewery founder, Peter Austin on 1st January. To...

A Hart-felt farewell

Gillian Tyrrell of The White Hart, Hazel Grove, has announced her retirement after a...

Untitled

To All SIBA Members BFBi have been working on Craft Brewers Conference and are...

Beer goes to Brussels

EVERCREECH’S Wild Beer Co took some of their ales to Brussels at the request...

Trooper Invades London

Robinsons Brewery in Stockport have announced that they will launch a London based billboard...

Brewery for Auction.

On behalf of Cains Brewery, Moody Auctions offer for sale by online auction complete...

Beer Grotto!

Exeter residents, upon seeing two rather overgrown elves rolling a pub-load of beer into...

Gold Does the Double

Our hand crafted ale, Gold has won Gold Medal for best overall bottled beer...

Untitled

SIBA Midlands Region Beer Competition 2013          DATE   OF JUDGING & ANNOUNCEMENT      10th October 2013...

Gold for The Barrels

We are very proud to announce that Wye Valley Brewery’s flagship pub, The Barrels,...

New film from SIBA

The Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) has produced a new film, ‘Building the Future...

Silver cup to set barrel rolling at championships

Taken from:  http://www.burtonmail.co.uk/News/Silver-cup-to-set-barrel-rolling-at-championships-20130819145431.htm Burtonians taking part in this year’s barrel rolling championships will get...

Let There Be Beer

Whatever else you’re doing tomorrow, Saturday 29th June,  make sure you tune into SKY...

SIBA National Emails

SIBA National (Trade Association) emails will be down for maintenance from 16:00 today This includes...

SIBA East Region Meeting

SIBA MEMBERS ONLY Venue: Charters Bar, Town Bridge, Peterborough, PE1 1FP  http://www.oakagroup.com/charters/contacts.asp Time: 12:00

Keith Greener

Keith Greener,Spares and Service Manager from Microdat sadly passed away from pneumonia on 30th...

Birmingham Beer Bash

We’re pleased to announce the launch of Birmingham Beer Bash, a brand new festival...

Four weeks to go!

The closing date for entries to the Sainsbury’s 2013 Great British Beer Hunt is...

Cyclops Beer Live

Onsite Cyclops testing at SIBA’s BeerX on 15th March Cyclops Beer is bringing its...

A trip down memory lane

25 years ago Richard Scragg and Helen Teasdale bought the current Springhead Brewery site...

The Judges Judged

Real ale drinkers, supping alongside fellow judges Lilian Greenwood MP, Robin Hood aka Tim...

It's Phil's Ale

Early one cold morning in January about a dozen members of the local CAMRA...

Beer and Dolphins Unite

A unique partnership between a brewery and an international wildlife charity is launched on...

Got a Cold? Have a Beer.

Sapporo Breweries-backed study shows that beer contains chemicals that could counter colds As the...

SIBA Emails

Dear SIBA Members We are currently experiencing technical problems when receiving emails and therefore...
Top