By Steve Hobman
The Big Hand Brewing Co has celebrated its tenth anniversary with a big bash at its Wrexham Industrial Estate headquarters.
Post author Steve Hobman (second right) with Big Hand owner Carole Shaw and Howard (left) and Rupert from the local Pubs Ltd
Ten years ago, as co-editor of the now defunct New Imbiber magazine, I wrote about the then fledgling brewery taking its first baby steps to flight in this hidden corner of North East Wales
Former engineer Dave Shaw had left the comfort of his career role with Network Rail to strike out into brewing with his teacher nephew Andy Benson. When I spoke with Dave back then, he confessed his family and friends were just a teenie-weenie bit surprised. Not least his wife Carole. He was an accomplished cook — she thought he might take up making sauces!
The late Dave Shaw, in the brewhouse with constant companion Charlie
But Dave was serious and went on a Brewlab course in Sunderland to hone his brewing skills, before he and Andy put together the former Weetwood Brewery plant in a freezing cold industrial unit in the bleak winter of 2012/13. So Big Hand was born, with the moniker taken from Dave’s rather substantial mitts. They went on to win awards — to start with, five in three years from SIBA — and a reputation for top quality and consistent beers.
Andy left the business in early 2021 and Dave, extremely sadly, passed away after a short illness later last year. However, it was far from the end. Today, Big Hand carries on in Carole’s somewhat rather more diminutive but very capable hands, assisted by beer-loving businessman director John Smith and a small, dedicated team: head brewer, Adam Bearcroft; assistant brewer, Josh Shearman; business development, Craig Harper; sales and marketing admin, Sam Waters; brewery assistant, Finlay Read; and director and marketing support, Fiona Fraser Bell.
Across the years, Big Hand brands have become very well known and trusted around North Wales and Cheshire, from the delightfully traditional Bastion Best Bitter (4.2% ABV) to the easy-drinking Solaris (3.9% ABV) pale ale, the punchy Appaloosa (4.5% ABV), an American pale ale, and the glorious Spectre(4%ABV), a Welsh, dry, dark oatmeal stout.
The tenth anniversary party at Big Hand Brewing Co
Super Tidy IPA (4% ABV), a British-style session IPA with soft lemon and floral notes, is one of our easy-drinking favourites — a life saver when Dave used to deliver his mini-kegs during the Covid lockdown. Recently, a very impressive rich fruit and spicy Burton style ale has been brewed for the bottle. Gridlock somes in at a pokey 7.3% ABV. Produced as a one-off, it has gone so well it may well return.
Now Big Hand is gearing up for further growth, planning to extend its reach with more bottling, keg, and a canned range, while brewer Adam also works on pushing out new beers, some using the new British varieties of US hops being developed by Charles Faram in Herefordshire. Pili Pala — ‘Welsh Butterfly’ — a beautifully light, fruity and balanced pale ale — first trialled by Dave — is one to snatch up soon.
When Dave and Andy started out, their basic tenets were “beer should make you smile” and “be drunk with friends”. Well yes, that worked very well. Last Friday evening was true testimony to that aspiration. We hope and trust that the legacy will run for another ten years and much more. Happy tenth birthday to Big Hand and good luck to Carole and the crew for the future.
