Wells & Co launches Double Star Bedford Bitter to mark 150 years of brewing heritage

As Wells & Co celebrates 150 years of brewing and pub heritage, the company is proud to announce the launch of Double Star Bedford Bitter — a new permanent cask ale that kicks off its anniversary celebrations and marks a defining moment in its brewing story.

Double Star Bedford Bitter is a classic 3.4% bitter cask ale, carefully crafted to meet the tastes of today’s drinkers while honouring Wells & Co’s long history of cask brewing. Balanced, sessionable, and proudly traditional, it showcases the art of cask ale, a style at the heart of English pubs for generations, and one that is seeing a small but meaningful revival.

The beer’s name carries history forward. Originally brewed in the 1960s, Double Star unites the two stars now used across the Wells & Co business, representing the alignment of the company’s original starfish logo with the star that forms the centre of its Brewpoint Brewery logo. This symbol links Wells & Co’s heritage with its future vision, making Double Star a beer that is both familiar and forward-looking.

Tom Foddy, Commercial Director at Wells & Co, said:

"Cask ale is what Wells & Co has been known for since the very beginning — it’s at the heart of our pubs and part of the soul of English pub culture. With Double Star, we’ve revived a classic favourite from our history, carefully reimagined for today’s drinkers. It’s traditional in style but completely relevant now, showing that cask ale is far from fading away.

“This is just the first of several special beers we’ll be launching to mark our 150th — including some former favourites returning for a new generation. This year is all about celebrating our past while pointing to the future of Wells & Co and our pubs."

Since the sale of the Havelock Street Brewery in 2017, Wells & Co has been without a permanent cask ale to anchor its heartland pubs. Double Star Bedford Bitter fills that space, creating a new local favourite for Bedfordshire and beyond, and reinforcing Wells & Co’s position as an exceptional cask and keg brewer.

Double Star Bedford Bitter will be available from the first week of February in all Wells & Co Managed Houses, remaining on tap throughout the anniversary year and beyond. Its launch marks the first chapter of Wells & Co.’s 150th anniversary celebrations and the beginning of a series of special beers that honour our heritage while embracing the future.

-ENDS-

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Contact: maria.kjeldbjerg@stormcom.co.uk

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