Big Smoke Brew Co has relocated to 5,000 square feet premises in Esher allowing the company to increase production capacity by four times and expand its presence nationwide.
Founded in 2014 by James Morgan and Richard Craig, the firm initially operated out of a micro-brewhouse at The Antelope pub, in Surbiton, and has grown organically.
The new purpose-built Gravity Systems brewery comes with a state-of-the-art, high-speed canning line, allowing Big Smoke Brew Co to bring all its production in-house and provide a range of brews for nationwide delivery.
As well as the canning line, the new brewery features a 33-hectolitre kit with six 65-hectolitre fermenters, and is capable of brewing four times the quantity of beer, which equates to around 6,000 pints per brew. There is also an on-site taproom for brewery tours and tastings.
Core beer range
The new brewery enables Big Smoke Brew Co to regularly produce its six core beers — Electric Eye Pale Ale, Solaris Session Pale, Fruju New England Pale, Cold Spark Lactose Pale, Underworld Milk Stout, and Helles Lager — alongside other seasonal brews. Solaris was the first to be brewed back in 2014 and is the brand’s biggest selling cask beer, while Electric Eye is its flagship beer.
Big Smoke has won numerous awards since its inception. It was voted Greater London’s best new brewer at 2015’s Ratebeer Best Awards, and, more recently, its lactose pale ale, Cold Spark, was awarded gold in the keg speciality light beer category at the SIBA National Awards 2019.
James Morgan said: “We’ve gradually built up a loyal following, and the new brewery allows us to distribute nationally and target both the off- and on-trade, whilst maintaining control of our process and achieving a high quality, consistent product. We will continue to make the kind of beer that we like to drink — refreshing, balanced and flavoursome, using sustainably sourced ingredients.”
The craft beers are currently available via can, keg and cask from all Big Smoke Brew Co pubs, including; The Antelope (Surbiton); The Albion (Kingston); The Flintgate (Weybridge); The Hole in the Wall (Chichester); and its managed pub, The Royal Oak (Surrey Hills).
