The founder of the Joseph Holt brewery has been immortalised on a limited-edition pint glass to mark his influence in Northern beer making as well as the social contribution the family made in Manchester and beyond.
The glasses will be used to serve Holt’s recently launched Trailblazer stout in the brewery’s 127 pubs across the North West. This is the first time Joseph Holt has brewed its own stout. Already, Trailblazer has trounced sector-leader Guinness in a blind taste test.
As well as Joseph Holt himself, the new commemorative glasses honour other trailblazers among the six generations of the family who have contributed so much to the industry and the community at large.
In the first of the series, and artfully stencilled with white and red graphics, the glasses feature a portrait of brewery founder Joseph Holt and note key dates in his life. These include 1849 when he started his brewing career, 1860 when he built the current brewery on Empire Street in Manchester, and 1861 when he opened his first pub. The business has now been in the same family for six generations. Its beers are supplied to more than 500 locations nationally.
The wording and portrait of Joseph Holt become pronounced when Trailblazer, with its dark velvety body and firm creamy head, is poured into the glass, so creating a perfect contrasting background to the historical details.
“As a person, Joseph Holt was a real trailblazer,” said Paul Longmire, head of marketing at Joseph Holt. “The son of a weaver, he started work as a young lad as a carter at a local Manchester brewer before setting up his own business in a small house in the city, making his own beer. This has grown to be one of the most recognisable and successful brands in the North West.
“What’s more, Joseph Holt has resolutely retained its independence, having been in the same family for six generations. It seemed a perfect fit to commemorate our founder’s legacy and those who followed with a glass that salutes these trailblazers, as well as our new Trailblazer stout, which is proving such a soaring success.”
New glasses will be released shortly featuring other key figures in the Joseph Holt story, including Lady Margaret Holt and Sir Edward Holt. Together, the duo acted as a political and charitable powerhouse, making the Holt name known on a national scale.
Their impact on Manchester life, which included providing a fresh water supply from the Lake District to Manchester, ultimately led to Edward being knighted.
“Trailblazer may be a relative newcomer to the stout market, and Guinness is over 250 years old ,” said Phil Parkinson, head brewer at Joseph Holt. “Even more satisfying is that, having blind tested drinkers of all ages, so many younger people enjoyed Trailblazer, too.”
Brewed with roasted barley, Trailblazer has a smokey, dark roast coffee aroma, with hints of chocolate, treacle, liquorice, and nuts. With its velvety body and firm creamy head, it also strikes a subtle bittersweet taste with a fine, dry finish. The industry has already recognised the quality of the product after Trailblazer took a silver medal at the 2021 International Brewing Awards.
Phil added: “At Joseph Holt we are so proud of our past, at the same time as always looking to the future. In fact, since launching Trailblazer stout we have had 63% increase in the number of younger drinkers ordering a glass.
“Now they, and everyone who orders our award-winning stout, can also enjoy a slice of history, too. The decision for Joseph Holt to brew its own stout — in the face of long-time established brands — has been a trailblazing moment for us. So now all that history is wrapped up with our own brewery and served in these special commemorative glasses.”
