Somerset-based Exmoor Ales is to launch a crowdfunding campaign, raising funds for sales and market resources as the brewery looks to grow.
Based in the ancient brewing town of Wiveliscombe, Exmoor Ales was one of the first in a phase of new microbreweries, born in the late 1970s.
Originally located on a corner site of the Victorian Hancock’s brewery on Golden Hill, the brewery moved just 50 yards down the hill in 2015 to a 20,000 sq ft premises primed for production growth.
At the heart of the Exmoor brand is the core range of beers. These are:
- Exmoor Ale (3.8% ABV) The session bitter that was named champion beer of Britain at Alexandra Palace in 1980.
- Exmoor Gold (4.5% ABV) Widely acknowledged as the first single malt ‘Golden Ale’. The brewery’s best seller in cask and bottle.
- Exmoor Stag (4.8% ABV) A premium bitter, originating as a special brew for Somerset Cricket Club’s centenary in 1991.
- Exmoor Beast (6.6% ABV) One of the most famous strong dark porters in the UK. A mainstay of beer festivals.
Now, the young brewing team aims to keep alive the quality of the foundation brands while successfully developing new styles and beers for an evolving market.
A pale ale, Exmoor Pale, is now part of the core range following a trial as a seasonal beer last year. Exmoor Oatmeal Stout, brewed specially for autumn festivals last year, sold 600 casks in a month.
On the craft side, the Pathfinder brand was introduced last year. Under Pathfinder, the brew team experiment with new and old recipes and ingredients, producing small, limited-edition batches every month, and opening up new markets.
· To find out more about the crowdfunding campaign, click here.
