Licensee takes action by launching micro brewery

May 7 2008 Evening Gazette

TOUGH times in the pub trade have prompted one Teesside licensee to take entrepreneurial action - and brew his own beer.

Chris Appleby has run Redcar’s Cleveland Hotel for the last eight years, but only recently launched a micro brewery, which will see him rolling out up to two and a half barrels a month of real ale.

The RedScar Brewery, one of between 60 and 70 breweries opening every year in the UK, was set up with funding from Redcar and Cleveland’s Local Government Growth Initiative (LEGI).

At full capacity it will be able to produce more than 700 pints at 4.2% ABV.

Mr Appleby’s first brew, RedScar Rocks - which takes its name from the rocks and scars along the Redcar coastline - is a dark beer.

“It’s early days but people like it. My next brew will be a lighter beer - I’ll keep tweaking it as I go.”

Like many pubs and bars, the Cleveland has been hit by rising costs and falling trade as drink drive laws and the smoking ban put punters off.

Recent rises in alcohol duty, which has taken tax on an average pint from 31p to 35p, prompted an outcry from a trade which has seen a string of major chains reporting weak sales.

A pint of RedScar Rocks sells for £1.75 a pint, compared to other brands at about £2.15.

Punch Taverns recently blamed “difficult” trading conditions for reducing its estate and according to the Campaign for Real Ale, 57 pubs are lost every month.

“I’ve seen a number of pubs close in the local area and I can’t just sit back and do nothing,” said Mr Appleby.

Micro breweries benefit from lower duty on beer with the smallest volume producers paying half that of their largest rivals.

Mr Appleby received training from Lancashire-based micro brewery equipment and consultancy Moss Brew and has worked closely with CAMRA to launch the ale.