Internationally award-winning Brighton brewers Brighton Bier have an exciting start to 2018 with the launch of a special beer “MABIERA” to raise funds for the city’s “Save Madeira Terrace” campaign, and plans for a significant expansion of the brewery.
The crowdfunding campaign, led by Brighton & Hove City Council, exceeded its target in November 2017 raising more than £464,000 that will now be spent on restoring three of the historic Madeira Terrace arches to their former glory. Due to public demand a restoration fund has now been set up to allow the city to continue to raise money towards the restoration of the whole terrace.
Just a short walk from the existing Brighton Bier brewery, the famous Victorian ironwork totalling 151 individual arches and overlooking Brighton beach is a famous backdrop to the finish of the Brighton Marathon and has featured in many films including Quadrophenia and Brighton Rock.
“We would love to one day be brewing Brighton Bier on Brighton beach as part of a restored and revitalised Madeira Terrace seafront area, and realised we could help immediately by brewing a beer specifically for the restoration campaign,” said Brighton Bier Founder and Brewer Gary Sillence.
So 25% of the profits from the sale of Brighton Bier’s new 4% ABV pale ale “MABIERA” will be donated to the Madeira Terrace Restoration Fund. The beer will launch in keg and can on Friday 2nd February at the Brighton Bierhaus (161 Edward Street, BN1) and subsequently be available in outlets across the city.
Commenting on the initiative, leader of Brighton & Hove City Council Warren Morgan said: “The crowdfunding campaign demonstrated an overwhelming level of public support for the restoration of Madeira Terrace but it’s essential we keep that momentum up.
“This latest idea will help to keep the ongoing campaign in the public eye and is a great example of how businesses can get involved. Buying Mabiera not only supports the campaign but puts money back into the local economy by supporting local businesses and local jobs so it’s a win-win all round; I look forward to trying a pint soon!”
A hop forward pale ale, the recipe for “MABIERA” includes subtle nods to the challenge of restoring and modernising the areas surrounding Madeira Terrace. The beer pairs classic American hop variety Centennial with a newer experimental variety bred by the Hop Breeding Company and known simply as HBC431, and is fermented with a combination of an historic flavourful English ale yeast and a modern West Coast American strain.
With their existing brewery long since at full capacity, Brighton Bier are now looking for a location and investment to open a new brewery in the city that would increase brewing capacity 400% to approximately 1,000,000 litres per year . The new site would include a destination bar/restaurant, outdoor beer garden, visitor centre and shop, alongside state of the art brewing and packaging facilities. As well as being a significant tourist attraction, the new brewery would create 20 new jobs, training opportunities and apprenticeships for local people.
“We want to secure a location that will take Brighton Bier and brewing in our city to a new level, building an iconic brewery that will stand the test of time. This year is about finding the right location in Brighton and the right investment to move forward,” said Director Stephen Whitehurst.
Established in 2011, Brighton Bier originally brewed in the historic Hand in Hand brewpub in Kemp Town before moving to their own facility less than a mile down the road in 2014. “When we started Brighton Bier there were very few genuine freehouses in Brighton and we were the only brewery. Fast forward to 2018 and interest in craft beer in the city has exploded, but still very little of the beer being drunk in Brighton is actually brewed in the city,” said Whitehurst.
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For more information contact:
Stephen Whitehurst
stephen@brightonbier.com
07515 956 976
Gary Sillence
info@brightoniber.com
07967 681 203
NOTES
Brighton Bier was founded by Gary Sillence in 2012, originally brewing at the Hand in Hand pub in Kemp Town before establishing a purpose-built 15-barrel brewery on the Bell Tower Industrial Estate in 2015.
Its brands include flagship pale ale Brighton Bier, Heydaze Pale, West Pier Pale Ale, Freshman Vermont IPA, Old Skool IPA, Grand Havana Smoked Porter, Lucky Boy Black IPA, Cyclops Eyedrops Strong Pale Ale, Downtown Charlie Brown American Brown Stout and Viscous Rumour Imperial Oatmeal Stout.
Beers are available in cask, keg and can, and around 15% of production is exported, mainly to France, Italy and Japan.
In the last couple of years, the company has picked up many awards that recognise the quality of its beers:
2017 International Beer Cup Silver Medal Brighton Bier
2017 World Beer Awards UK Best Black IPA Lucky Boy
2017 World Beer Awards Gold Medal Old Skool
2017 International Beer Challenge Bronze Medal Lucky Boy
2017 International Beer Challenge Bronze Medal Old Skool
2016 World Beer Awards UK Best Experimental Beer Downtown Charlie Brown
2016 International Beer Challenge Brewery Rising Stars Brighton Bier
2016 International Beer Challenge Gold Medal Downtown Charlie Brown
2016 International Beer Challenge Gold Medal Cyclops Eyedrops
2016 International Beer Challenge Bronze Medal Choccywoccybrew-ha
2015 International Beer Challenge Gold Medal Brighton Bier