Devon’s Utopian Brewing have today announced the planned opening date for its forthcoming flagship bar and eatery in Exeter and launched a crowdfunder to support the refurbishment.
Commenting on the Crowdfunder launch MD Rich Archer said “Opening our first Bar and Eatery has been a long-term ambition and it is great to now be in the final stretch and able to fix a date. The Crowdfunder we are launching today is an integral part of those launch plans. For us it has a double benefit. Providing some important additional funding for the fit out, whilst also delivering a great platform for us to offer our loyal followers some fabulous rewards for their support. Rewards come in the form of discounts, opening offers and access to some genuinely exclusive events.”
In the introductory video Archer talked of the Company’s excitement at finally being able to set a date for opening, and how the team are working flat out to create something fresh, fun and inclusive. The site, Arcadia in Northernhay Place Exeter, will have a locally sourced, small plates and sharers food menu alongside a selection of Utopian and other independent beers and ciders, with varied local and international wine selection. Coming hot on the heels of Utopian’s hugely successful AF Pilsner launch Arcadia will also include a broad range of ‘low and no’ offers across all ranges of beer, wine and spirits.
Archer was keen to stress that today’s Crowdfunder launch had been designed to be as accessible as possible and went on to explain, “We wanted to give as many people as possible the chance to participate. Rewards start with a £30 donation which earns a 33% bonus uplift on a bar tab, valid for 2 years, that can be spent on food and drink in the venue. As well as other bar tab offers, we have also included some genuine exclusive opportunities. These include brewery tours, tasting and beer pairing nights and the crème de la crème the chance for a group of 6 to brew a beer of their choice on our pilot kit that will be packaged exclusively for them into personalised cans.” Not just targeted at people in range of Exeter he went on to say, “We also didn’t want our fans who are remote to completely miss out , so we have also included some great discount vouchers and subscription offers for the Utopian online shop.”
The planned refurbishment works, which include a complete new beer cellar, delivering 16 draught lines, a brand new kitchen and extensive changes to the furniture layouts, will make for a great place to Meet, Eat and Drink. Arcadia will open to the public on the 6th March 2025 barring any unforeseen delays in the refurbishment works.
The Crowdfunder can be found at www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/utopian-arcadia
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About Utopian Brewing
Utopian Brewing is a premium drinks brand, dedicated to brewing high-quality, environmentally sustainable lagers and more recently ales. The brand established itself 5 years ago in 10,000 square feet of former farm buildings in picturesque mid Devon and interprets classic styles of brewing using only 100% British grown ingredients. All Utopian’s lagers are naturally brewed using only the highest quality, ingredients, no additives and no compromise. All their lagers are cold conditioned for a minimum of 28 days and many for much longer.
Over its first 5 years of operation Utopian has grown revenues every year and won numerous awards for their lagers despite the hiatus of covid and the cost of living challenges. In the last calendar year they produced over 7,200 Hectolitres (around 1.3m pints) and the business is expected to show financial results for the most recent trading year significantly up on last year.
With strong sustainability credentials and a long-term ambition to become carbon neutral, The brewhouse itself is lit by movement-sensing LED lighting, a large heat exchanger recovers 70%+ of the heat from the previous brew for the next. In 2023 Utopian commissioned a Dalum CO2 capture unit which harvests the CO2 produced in brewery fermentation, then dries and cleans it for re use and are now self-sufficient in production CO2. At the end of the year, they also commissioned their 6 figure investment in a waste water processing plant that will ultimately process all of their waste water on site.
The brewery uses only FSC cardboard in its packaging and does not use any single-use plastic.
Lager fans can find Utopian lagers and ales across the UK in selected pubs, restaurants, bottle shops, food halls, independent retailers and via Utopian’s online store.
www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/utopian-arcadia
More information and images
Contact :
Richard Archer
01392 796 765
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