Beer Guide to the 1970s (part thirty-five)

Another trio of new brewers today. 1978 and 1979 were the years when the foundation of new breweries really took off. Which is reflected in the statistics, with the number of breweries increasing for the first time in a couple of centuries.

Of the three breweries featured, only one is still open. The other two, as was fairly typical, only stuck around for a couple of years. All  three initially brewed a single beer, a Bitter of around 1040.

Brecon
Brecon
Powys.
Founded:    1979
Closed:            1982
Tied houses:    0

Based at the Camden Arms, which had been a homebrew pub until 1942. One of the first new breweries to e founded in Wales. It didn’t last for very long. As many of the new crop of breweries.

beer	style	format	OG	description
Black Dragon	Pale Ale	draught	1040

Butcombe
Butcombe,
Somerset.
Founded:    1978
Closed:            still open
Tied houses:    0

Moved to Wrington in 2005 after founder Simon Whitmore retired and sold up. They’re one of the most successful and longest-lived new brewers. Currently operates a tied estate of 80 pubs. Which may be the reason they have survived so long.

beer	style	format	OG	description
Bitter	Pale Ale	draught	1039	light and clean

Canterbury
Canterbury,
Kent.
Founded:    1979
Closed:            1983
Tied houses:    0

Despite only being around for a couple of years they brewed at several different locations. I can’t say that I ever noticed them during their brief existence.
 

beer	style	format	OG	description
Canterbury Ale	Pale Ale	draught	1040