Wirral’s fastest growing brewery is poised for further expansion as it gains national exposure for an award winning brand and strengthens the sales team.
Next month Peerless Pale (3.8%abv) from the Peerless Brewing Company in Birkenhead is offered to publicans throughout the country for the first time on the Punch Pub Company’s ‘Finest Ales’ selection list for March and April.
Launched only last year, Peerless Pale beat fierce competition in October to be hailed as the gold champion for standard strength bitters at the SIBA (Society of Independent Brewers) North West Region Beer Competition.*
In March it will be judged at the SIBA National BeerX Competition in Sheffield against beers in the same style from seven UK regions. It will also be on sale at the four day beer festival and conference – a major event in the brewing industry calendar. “
Cask conditioned Peerless Pale – rolled out in January 2013 – combines American Cascade, Columbus and Summit hops for ‘pungent aromas and a hint of grapefruit and orange flavours with good bitterness’.
Now David Wilson, 48, has been appointed as business manager to spearhead sales growth as the four year old brewery prepares for further expansion. This will take production capacity to 20 brewer’s barrels (5,760 pints) per brew length.
With 30 years’ experience in the drinks industry, David will lead the Peerless initiative to win further business both in the north and nationally. He has formerly worked on both regional and national account roles withScottish Courage, Matthew Clark, Holsten UK, Diageo, Thatchers Cider, Greene King & Cains ofLiverpool.
David said: “At this very exciting time for Peerless, I relish the challenge to develop sales for beers which have won many awards over the few years since the brewery launched.”
Managing director Steve Briscoe said: “With four years of continuous growth at some 30 per cent, we are now planning our next phase to almost double our present capacity and gain further business nationally.
“Winning national listing with Punch for Peerless Pale just a year after roll out is another great boost to our plans. Since the SIBA win it has quickly gained a wide following as session strength beer with great taste.
“At the BeerX event in Sheffield we will compete on a national stage against some of the finest beers from all over the UK. David’s appointment will now enable us to build sales in the North West and achieve further national exposure.” Ends/ ref: Peerless PR 34-1
Note to editors: *SIBA North West Beer Competition: This leading beer industry contest judged more than 40 entries for the standard bitters class from some of the region’s top breweries.
The Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) was founded in 1980 to represent the UK’s smaller, independent breweries. Today it has close to 800 brewer members, on whose behalf it lobbies at Westminster and in Europe.
Peerless beers have won 14 SIBA awards at both regional and national level over the past four years, along with several Camra (Campaign for Real Ale) accolades.
Storr (4.8%) a pale and hoppy cask lager cold conditioned was voted ‘top local beer’ at Liverpool Beer festival. Jinja Ninja (4%abv) was first brewed in 2011 as speciality ale with root ginger and chillies for and was at the SIBA (Society of Independent Brewers) National Brewing Awards 2012 it was voted Champion Bottled Speciality Beer and claimed a bronze award for all bottled beers in the contest. Peerless beer brands also include Red Rocks (5%abv), Triple Blond (4.1%abv), Hilbre Gold (4.5%abv), Dark Arts (4.1%abv), and strong ale Full Whack (6%abv) in the core ale portfolio.
Peerless supplies free trade customers throughout Merseyside, Cheshire and Greater Manchester and reach national pub company outlets in the region under the SIBA Direct Delivery Scheme.
For further media information, interviews and photographs please contact: Steve Hobman, Rhino Public Relations: 07751 578605. email: shobman@rhinopr.freeserve.co.