Bath Ales celebrate as the ten millionth bottle of beer rolls off the line.
The independent South West brewer commissioned a state-of-the-art bottling plant at its Warmley premises in 2007 and has since bottled its own beers including flagship brew Gem, as well as beers from another 25 breweries nationwide.
Bath Ales’ bottling plant currently produces around 65,000 (500ml and 330ml) bottles per week – nearly 3,500,000 a year – half for its own beer and the rest for other breweries.
Craig Lewis, Bath Ales’ Production Director, comments: “This dramatic expansion in production gives us more options and more flexibility and looking ahead we hope it gives us the opportunity to increase what we can offer to drinkers.
Bath Ales announced investment plans last autumn that included an expansion to larger premises and has just installed a new packaging machine at the bottling plant. This will enable the brewer to handle a larger variety of pack size combinations. A pilot boutique brewery is also nearing completion.
The dedicated Quality Control team ensures that the quality of the incoming beer is of a high enough standard to be bottled and the increased activity has resulted in the appointment of a new apprentice at the bottling plant.
The brewery recently took delivery of two new fermenting vessels to increase its brewing capacity by almost 40 per cent. It currently operates eight pubs in Bristol and Bath, including craft beer bar, Beerd and recently opened The Grapes in Oxford and Graze Bar, Brasserie and Chophouse in Cirencester.
In total, the brewer employs over 200 people across the business.
ENDS
Notes to editor:
Group photographs feature: Bath Ales’ Bottling Plant Team, left-right, Dan Wylde, Paul Trayes, Matt Hoskins, Craig Lewis, Production Director at Bath Ales (with the 10 Millionth bottle), Mike Saddler and Neil Shortman.
Bath Ales
Based between Bath and Bristol, Bath Ales is an independent brewery established in 1995 which uses traditional brewing techniques with cutting-edge technology. The founders come from a brewing background and combine a range of skills with a shared passion for cask beer.
Last Autumn Bath Ales announced a significant investment plan which will see production volumes double in the next two years. The brewer currently produces just over 25,000 brewer’s barrels annually and the business has had its own bottling plant since 2007. It has an on-site brewery shop.
Bath Ales currently operate eight pubs in Bristol and Bath – The Hare on the Hill, The Hop Pole, The Live and Let Live, The Salamander, The Swan, The Wellington, Graze Bar & Chophouse and Beerd. It also opened The Grapes in Oxford and Graze Bar, Brasserie and Chophouse in Cirencester in recent months.
The Bath Ales range of beers includes Gem, Barnsey, Dark Side, Wild Hare, S.P.A. and Ginger Hare.