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Cox & Holbrook are brewing again after a break of about 18 months, now at Buxhall in Suffolk. Peter Fairhall, formerly of Lidstone's Brewery, has started brewing at his new www.wensleydalebrewery.com.
Nethergate Brewery is reported to be moving from Clare to just over the border to Pentlow, Essex, during 2004. Blanchfield's has moved from Fakenham, Norfolk, to Rochford, Essex. Fenland Brewery has been bought by two businessmen and has moved from Chatteris to Little Downham as Isle of Ely Brewery.
Elgood's (Wisbech) have bought the Reindeer in Norwich and Bateman's (Lincs) the Palmerston Arms in Peterborough. Ridleys (Chelmsford) are now brewing Greene King's Dark Mild in place of their own Mild and their version of Tolly Mild.
East Anglian Brewers, the consortium of brewers, has launched a new initiative to promote their bottled beers. It is offering to advise and help pay the cost of opening an off-licence for 30 farm and community shops across the region. In return, the shops must agree to stock East Anglian brewers' bottled beers for at least two years. The scheme is part-funded by the East of England Development Agency.
www.beersinabox.com is a newish small independent UK-based group who offer various beer home-delivery services, promoting microbreweries.
For instance a Carlsberg spokesman was quoted as saying the above-inflation increase in price is justified in the brand's investment in this year's Six Nations rugby tournament and Euro 2004. So, no investment in beer quality, then? Meanwhile they've splashed out £363m buying the German brewer Holsten, so Holsten Pils should be appearing wherever Carlsberg deliver. (They have dropped the '-Tetley' from their name.)
A spokesperson for Diageo was quoted: "This price change to Guinness beer enables Diageo Great Britain to maintain its premium position in the beer market and continue to invest in category initiatives, innovation and advertising and promotional spend." But not their brewery...