Brighton Bier auctions its kit as brewery closes its doors
Brighton Bier, which ceased trading last week, is selling off its beer kit and its business assets in an online auction. The post Brighton Bier auctions its kit as brewery closes its doors appeared first on The Drinks Business.
Brighton Bier, which ceased trading last week, is selling off its beer kit and its business assets in an online auction.
The seaside brewery was first established by Gary Sillence at the Hand in Hand pub in Kemptown before it moved to its home at the Bell Tower Industrial Estate near Brighton Marina in 2014 when Sillence teamed up with Stephen Whitehurst and Ollie Fisher's wholesale business "Withsoul".
Brighton Bier is best-known for its beers 4.5% ABV lager named Brighton Pilsner and its 4,5% ABV session IPA named Freshman both of which have been available in both can and keg formats as well as its 5% ABV IPA named South Coast which has been available in cask only and rolled out to pubs nationally.
Brighton Bier, as a business, operates a handful of pubs in the city, such as the well-known venues of Brighton Bierhaus on Edward Street and the Haus on the Hill on Southover Street as well as having made a name for itself for previously having operated the now-closed Brighton Beer Dispensary hwich became a beer fan haunt in the earlier days of the craft beer revolution in the UK. The brewery business also operated a taproom at its production site.
According to the team, while the brewery itself has announced its closure due to rising costs, it has assured fans of its locations that its venues Brighton Bierhaus, Haus on the Hill, The Drop, and the West Tap will not be affected as they remain separate businesses to the brewing arm.
The auction sale of brewery kit includes a 3.5 barrel brewery with associated plant together with the intangible assets of the company, a move that sources have noted are a bid to reportedly raise funds to pay off debtors. The auctioned kit, which will be available for offers via machinery and business assets valuers Marriot & Co will be available for bids until 3pm on Wednesday 25 June.
Sold in five lots, including brewing items that cost of approximately £65,000 (ex VAT) a few years ago are now available alongside the sundry ancillary plant and equipment and a steel 20’ x 8’ refrigerated shipping container.
Describing the siuation, the brewery owners said in a statement: "We have fought hard and done everything we possibly could to avoid reaching this point. Sadly market pressures with reduced margins, high costs, and increases in price of materials, combined with the current economic conditions has forced us to close the brewery. We would like to thank all our customers over the years. It has been a pleasure working with you and we thank you for your support."
Lamenting the news of the closure and micro brewery kit auction this week, a spokesperson for the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) added: "We're absolutely gutted that independent brewer Brighton Bier is closing. The government needs to help independent brewers to tackle their sky high energy bills and business rates, and use the Access Review to open up spaces on bars for independent and local beers rather than global brands, and give consumers a real choice."
The brewery has been described by beer and brewery review platform UNTAPPD as one of "Brighton's original craft brewers" as well as being "100% independent and "the first production brewery in Brighton since 1973".
According to the brewery, it primarily brews pale ales, IPA’s (West Coast and NEIPAs), porters and stouts as well as its pilsner and specialised in "building big flavours into beers with high drinkability at sessionable ABVs".
Brighton Bier has also racked up seven medals from World Beer Awards and thje International Beer Challenge and has admitted that it has long been a brewery that "loves cask beer and recognises its importance within UK beer culture".
The brewery added that, in addition, the team "respects the historic importance of German and Belgian brewers" as well as being keen to "embrace the attitude, ingredients and flavour profiles of modern progressive beer styles and breweries from North America and beyond".
The auction house added that the "company logo and the proprietory font used in the company logo are expressly excluded from the sale".
The seaside brewery was first established by Gary Sillence at the Hand in Hand pub in Kemptown before it moved to its home at the Bell Tower Industrial Estate near Brighton Marina in 2014 when Sillence teamed up with Stephen Whitehurst and Ollie Fisher's wholesale business "Withsoul".
Brighton Bier is best-known for its beers 4.5% ABV lager named Brighton Pilsner and its 4,5% ABV session IPA named Freshman both of which have been available in both can and keg formats as well as its 5% ABV IPA named South Coast which has been available in cask only and rolled out to pubs nationally.
Brighton Bier, as a business, operates a handful of pubs in the city, such as the well-known venues of Brighton Bierhaus on Edward Street and the Haus on the Hill on Southover Street as well as having made a name for itself for previously having operated the now-closed Brighton Beer Dispensary hwich became a beer fan haunt in the earlier days of the craft beer revolution in the UK. The brewery business also operated a taproom at its production site.
According to the team, while the brewery itself has announced its closure due to rising costs, it has assured fans of its locations that its venues Brighton Bierhaus, Haus on the Hill, The Drop, and the West Tap will not be affected as they remain separate businesses to the brewing arm.
The auction sale of brewery kit includes a 3.5 barrel brewery with associated plant together with the intangible assets of the company, a move that sources have noted are a bid to reportedly raise funds to pay off debtors. The auctioned kit, which will be available for offers via machinery and business assets valuers Marriot & Co will be available for bids until 3pm on Wednesday 25 June.
Sold in five lots, including brewing items that cost of approximately £65,000 (ex VAT) a few years ago are now available alongside the sundry ancillary plant and equipment and a steel 20’ x 8’ refrigerated shipping container.
Describing the siuation, the brewery owners said in a statement: "We have fought hard and done everything we possibly could to avoid reaching this point. Sadly market pressures with reduced margins, high costs, and increases in price of materials, combined with the current economic conditions has forced us to close the brewery. We would like to thank all our customers over the years. It has been a pleasure working with you and we thank you for your support."
Lamenting the news of the closure and micro brewery kit auction this week, a spokesperson for the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) added: "We're absolutely gutted that independent brewer Brighton Bier is closing. The government needs to help independent brewers to tackle their sky high energy bills and business rates, and use the Access Review to open up spaces on bars for independent and local beers rather than global brands, and give consumers a real choice."
The brewery has been described by beer and brewery review platform UNTAPPD as one of "Brighton's original craft brewers" as well as being "100% independent and "the first production brewery in Brighton since 1973".
According to the brewery, it primarily brews pale ales, IPA’s (West Coast and NEIPAs), porters and stouts as well as its pilsner and specialised in "building big flavours into beers with high drinkability at sessionable ABVs".
Brighton Bier has also racked up seven medals from World Beer Awards and thje International Beer Challenge and has admitted that it has long been a brewery that "loves cask beer and recognises its importance within UK beer culture".
The brewery added that, in addition, the team "respects the historic importance of German and Belgian brewers" as well as being keen to "embrace the attitude, ingredients and flavour profiles of modern progressive beer styles and breweries from North America and beyond".
The auction house added that the "company logo and the proprietory font used in the company logo are expressly excluded from the sale". 
