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Moorhouse’s seventh golf success Lancashire’s internationally acclaimed Moorhouse’s Brewery marked its seventh annual golf competition with a second two day event for customers and suppliers. With 35 five teams taking part in the charity event at the Standish Court Golf Club, near Chorley, £2,000 was raised for Christies Hospital with a raffle of prizes donated by suppliers and an auction. A team fielded by the Cassons Accountants of Burnley emerged victorious as overall winner for the first day (Wed) of the event while Mike Weaver David Grant, managing director, said: “Our competition has become ever more popular each year so for the second time we ran it over two days so we could accommodate all the teams. We had a terrific couple of days while raising money for the Christie’s Charity.”
Moorhouse’s magic wins again Managing director David Grant accepted an award for Burnley’s Best Marketing Initiative at a glittering gala dinner in the town after also being nominated as a finalist for the Best Burnley Business in the Burnley Business Innovation Awards. This was the third year of the Burnley Borough Council awards that mark the achievements and efforts of local businesses. Just a few days later, the prestigious Food North West Awards 2009 recognised Moorhouse’s contribution in the region with a ‘Highly Commended’ award for the Business Link sponsored SME (Small & Medium Size Enterprises) category.
Moorhouse’s is the smallest brewer ever to roll out a TV advertising campaign and has used other marketing initiatives such as Meet the Brewer evenings with beer and food pairings, brewery tours, in-house promotions and general publicity to reach out to consumers throughout the country. David Grant said: “Standing on the brink of a multi-million pound expansion, winning these wards is extremely encouraging to us. The marketing trophy recognises our passion and determination to succeed. It is testimony to the effort we have put into spreading the word - not just for Moorhouse’s but for cask ale generally while also championing Burnley. The Food North West Award is also a terrific tribute to our achievements as we grow into true regional brewer status.” Moorhouse’s has won more brewing awards than any brewer of comparable size and is the North West’s leading brewery dedicated to cask-conditioned ale, supplying several hundred customers directly in the North West and Yorkshire and throughout the country via leading wholesalers and pub companies. Work is due to start any day now on a £3.5m development that will raise production capacity for the internationally acclaimed ‘Pendle Witches’ beers to 1000 barrels a week and include a visitor centre and trade school for cellar skills training. The announcement follows a second successful year for the contest that saw entries up by ten per cent. In 2007 sponsorship from Moorhouse’s, the North West’s leading dedicated cask-ale brewer, revived the once highly popular Golden Cue contest - run through the Burnley Express Newspaper - following a 16 year absence.
Amateur players among club members from Burnley, Pendle and Ribble Valley are eligible to enter the individual contest, which for the past two years has had a £1,000 prize pot, with a first prize of £400 and second of £200. For 2010 the prize money will be doubled to allow the contest to develop, with both small and large table events planned. Moorhouse’s managing director David Grant said: “The Golden Cue tournament has once again proved a huge success as the resurgence of snooker in clubs across East Lancashire continues alongside the rising popularity of real ale. The contest has further raised our profile in club land while boosting trade for the clubs. We are now doubling the sponsorship package so that the competition can develop and attract further entrants. The grand final was once again held at Burnley’s Ighten Leigh social club, where Neil McGovern was instrumental in resurrecting the competition. Peter Mercer of Colne Snooker Club triumphed with a 4-2 win over John Gibson of Billington Band Club (see photograph). Defending champion Jonny O’Reilly received a £50 prize for the top break of 131 earlier in the contest. Burnley Express sports editor Edward Lee said: “This year’s event had even more support from some of the area’s best snooker players. The final was a credit to a very well run competition and now we re planning to make the competition even better for the 2009-10 season. “We are delighted that David Grant of Moorhouse’s has offered to double the sponsorship for the next event. The extra money will help us ensure that the Moorhouse’s Golden Cue remains the most important snooker competition in East Lancashire. Moorhouse’s has enjoyed substantial growth in recent years is now set to begin work on a £3.5m brewing complex which will triple production capacity to some 1000 barrels a week, establish a training centre for publicans and create a visitor attraction.
Turf Moor obsessed Peter has created a very special blend of the brewery’s award winning beers to launch ‘No-Nay-Never’ as the team heads for the Coca-Cola Championship Play Off final.
A spectacular 2-0 triumph over Reading means the Clarets now clash with Sheffield United on May 25. Victory over the Blades will assure promotion to the Premiership next season. ‘No-Nay-Never’ is a very special blend of the Burnley brewer’s famous cask-conditioned Pendle Witches brews and is described as ‘medium strength, full-bodied ale ideal for to celebrating a great sporting occasion’. It is now available to pubs throughout the North West. David Grant, Moorhouse’s managing director, said: “Many football fans like to share a beer or two with friends on a big game occasion. But it is fantastic for Peter, as head brewer, to mark this event with his own special ale and know that Clarets’ supporters throughout Lancashire will enjoy a tipple with him.” Peter, of course, said: “I’m over the moon.”
When licensees Jon and Lindsay Cox decided to share their wedding celebrations with locals at the Bull, Shocklach they turned to Moorhouse’s for a bit of help. The result was Matrimoni-ale on the bar of the popular south Cheshire village pub following the big day. The four-per-cent blended beer was supplied alongside popular brews Blond Witch and Premier Bitter after Jon mentioned the forthcoming happy event to brewery sales executive Mick Finn.
And the regulars were delighted. “Moorhouse’s beers always go well but this went down a storm. As an ex Burnley lad I was very glad to be able to put this on,” said Jon. A keen cask ale man, Jon regularly offers a range of SIBA sourced ales at the Admiral leased pub that the couple rescued from closure just eighteen months ago. Matrimoni-ale was the latest of the individually branded beers supplied to Moorhouse’s customers each year as house beer or for special events. David Grant, managing director, said: “We offer specially badged beers for many occasions, but we were particularly pleased to be able to help Jon and Lindsay with their celebrations.” BACK
TO TOP One of the fastest growing independent brewers in the country, Moorhouse’s is poised to start work very soon on the £3.5m investment to raise production capacity for its award winning ‘Pendle Witches’ beers* to 1000 barrels a week.
The members of the British Guild of Beer Writers heard that the ambitious development will include a training school and visitor centre to make a ‘fantastic gateway’ into the former Lancashire mill town, which is undergoing regeneration. A £1.8m phase one comprising new brew-house and warehousing, is scheduled to be commissioned by the end of 2009 with the whole development completed for spring 2010. With 23 new jobs created, the workforce will be doubled. The writers, including author and Beer Writer of the Year 2008 Zak Avery, also heard how Moorhouse’s has spent almost £500,000 on its estate as a pledge to the future of the British pub. David Grant, managing director, told the group: “In recent years we have consistently broken all sales records year-on-year and the directors took the bold decision to go ahead with our expansion despite the current economic recession. “Also, while we have been busy making these plans, we have imaginatively upgraded our pub estate to meet today’s challenges. While pub closures are now rampant we believe that good pubs with top quality cask-conditioned ale will survive and thrive. As we move rapidly towards regional brewer status, our investments are a very strong pledge of confidence in the future.” Following the visit Mr Grant said: “Having the Beer Writers Guild members at the brewery as we are poised to start our ambitious expansion was a tremendous opportunity to tell national journalists about Moorhouse’s, while also spreading the word about what is happening in Burnley as the town sees regeneration.” Burnley beer firm finds right brew for success By Ben Briggs, Lancashire Telegraph : Article Link FOR the past 139 years beer has been brewed from a small two-storey building in Moorhouse Street on the edge of Burnley, but all is about to change. The next 18 months will see the old brewery go the way of many of the surrounding streets when it is torn down to make way for a new brewing complex as part of a £3.5million expansion. This new state of the art brewery will more than triple Moorhouse’s ouput from 320 barrels-a-week up to a capacity of 1,000-a-week. And it is this shift in scale that David Grant must now manage if he wants the company’s success to continue. But as he chats in the General Scarlett – one of the brewery’s own pubs in Accrington Road, opposite to the brewery buildings – he seems undaunted by the challenge in an industry that has been in flux for the past few years. “I'm passionate about pubs,” he said in typically forceful fashion. “There is demand for our existing products and there is an opportunity to put more of it into bottles.” The aim is to get more bottles into supermarkets on a nationwide basis and keep driving the company forward in the same way he has done for almost a decade.
It is fast approaching nine years since Mr Grant stepped into the breach at Moorhouse’s and the brewery has hardly looked back since. Last Christmas, for example, the firm saw volumes for the festive period soar by 18 per cent and turnover increase by 20 per cent on the previous year. This meant more than 1,330 barrels – 385,632 pints – dispatched from the Moorhouse Street site to pubs, clubs and shops across the UK. Considering all the doom and gloom that currently shrouds a trade battered by unprecedented pub closures, It seems that Moorhouse’s is bucking the downward trend. Its success also comes at a time when other East Lancashire brewing giants have announced major structuring plans, with Blackburn’s Daniel Thwaites announcing job cuts at the start of January and plans to offload its managed pubs, and Samlesbury’s Inbev also revealing a major restructuring of its business. But Mr Grant believes the growing prominence of the Moorhouse’s brand will continue. He said: “We had an extremely successful Christmas and one of the reasons for that is we got our customers to keep our beer in stock for a couple of weeks. “People run out very quickly of our beer and we were able to meet the challenge of keeping them well stocked at a busy time.” And he is unapologetic over those pubs that are closing, even though the firm itself owns six. He said: “For our beers I don't think that the credit crunch, smoking ban or economic downturn has had much effect. It has led to some pubs closing that should have shut sooner than they have. “Those pubs which thrive on competition and offer better products will continue to do well. I believe people will see opportunities to make money from pubs in future. “It’s like in our pubs, our glass collectors are asking people if they want a drink while they are still sat down. It’s about making it a more service-orientated business, that’s vital.” He joked that the old image of the landlord, wearily tutting as he drags himself away from the newspaper he was reading to begrudgingly serve a punter must become a thing of the past if the pub is to prosper once again. And while Mr Grant has a clear vision for the brewery’s future direction and the pub trade as a whole, at one point during our chat he mused briefly on where the business would be if he’d have come in sooner. As it is, however, the challenges ahead of Moorhouse’s are big enough as it is, especially with staff levels rising from 24 to nearer 50 with the looming expansion and more of the brewery’s five regular beers going into bottles. “We are in the US already and we have doubled our trade in America this year alone. It is shipped into Baltimore and then distributed to 48 states. “We have 20 pallets going across at a time (18,000 bottles) and included in that are English Owd Ale, which is a 5.9 per cent beer, and Blonde Bitch – a variation of the Blonde Witch ale which is sold over here.” The comparative weakness of the pound against the dollar is also helping the company’s export ambitions, and the challenge on the other side of the Atlantic is to get Moorhouse beers a permanent foothold in the market, rather than the seasonal popularity – especially around Hallowe’en – that it currently enjoys. SAVE THE
GREAT BRITISH PUB MOORHOUSE’S CELEBRATES NORTH WEST’S TOP DINING VENUE Lancashire’s internationally acclaimed cask-ale brewer Moorhouse’s celebrated the success of the North’s top dining destinations at the star studded 25th Hi-Life Dining Awards event. The independent Burnley brewer sponsored the ‘Best North West
Restaurant’ at the glittering celebrity dinner, with the accolade
scooped by the Thyme@theSirloin Inn at Hoghton, near Preston, - also
a Moorhouse’s customer.
A fiercely fought contest – hailed as ‘The Dining Oscars of the North’- saw Hi-Life diners vote in several categories to find the region’s top dining spots. Held at Manchester’s five-star Hilton Hotel in the Beetham Tower, the charity event was attended by many of the region’s leading show-biz personalities including several members of the casts from both Coronation Street and Hollyoaks. Last year The Thyme@ the Sirloin took the ‘Best Lancashire Restaurant’ accolade. Moorhouse’s managing director David Grant said: “Thyme@the Sirloin is a terrific restaurant that upholds Lancashire’s long standing and well deserved reputation for top dining. Recognition at this prestigious event was extremely well deserved. “As a world renowned independent brewer committed to the highest
quality beers we are very keen to support this event and promote
the tradition of excellence of Lancashire’s hospitality industry.
That the North West’s winner is also one of our customers is,
of course, great news.” MP VISITS BURNLEY’S FAMOUS BREWER Burnley MP Kitty Ussher visited the town’s internationally acclaimed Moorhouse’s Brewery following the announcement of a £3.5m development at the brewer’s Accrington Road site, despite the current economic climate. During the visit Mrs Ussher, who is also Parliamentary Under Secretary
at the Department of Work and Pensions, met head brewer Peter Curran
with brewery staff and was briefed by managing director David Grant
on plans to transform the present 19th century premises and surrounding
area into a modern brewing complex.
The development, complete with training school
and visitor centre, will treble production capacity for the famous
Pendle Witches beers and is due for completion in 2010. It comes
as Moorhouse’s
enjoys record sales for its famous ‘Pendle Witches’ brands,
including Black Cat, Blonde Witch and Pendle Witches Brew along with
international champions Pride of Pendle and Premier Bitter*. “We have a rich heritage going back
more than 140 years, since William Moorhouse first began his successful
mineral water business in Accrington Road. This investment will,
we believe, ensure that success continues far into the future.
Our brands have been voted world-class beers by the international
brewing community, recognition that we think the whole town can
be very proud off.”
The Moorhouse’s Golden Cue snooker tournament in East Lancashire clubs has got underway for the second year with entries up by ten per cent. Last year’s sponsorship by award winning Moorhouse’s, the North West’s leading dedicated cask-ale brewer, revived the once highly popular Golden Cue contest - run by the Burnley Express Newspaper - following a 16 year absence. Amateur players among club members from Burnley, Pendle and Ribble Valley are eligible to enter the £1,000 prize money individual contest, which has a first prize pot of £400 and second of £200. Burnley Express sports editor Edward Lee declared the first Moorhouse’s Golden Cue a huge success and expects that success to be surpassed this year with even more quality players entering. “The entry was up by about 10 per cent, which was very pleasing,” he said. With rounds underway in January the tournament will run through to May when a grand final will once again be held at Burnley’s Ighten Leigh Social Club. The club’s Neil McGovern is the competition organiser and was instrumental in its revival. Moorhouse’s managing director David Grant said: “We are delighted to be backing the Golden Cue tournament again as we continue to see a resurgence of snooker in clubs across East Lancashire alongside the rising popularity of real ale in these clubs. We firmly believe that cask beer is a real point of difference for clubs, just as it has proved to be for pubs,” “We wish to see social clubs survive
and prosper in these difficult times and believe this contest,
with good prize money at stake, is one way of helping to boost
trade despite the troubled economy. Last year the tournament proved
to be good trade generator for all the clubs involved and the attendance
at Ighten Leigh for the semi-finals and final was really terrific.” Moorhouse’s
success in Northern battle Moorhouse’s famous Black Cat brew has been acclaimed one of the North’s top cask ales by the region’s brewers. The popular dark beer ‘with a chocolate
malt flavour and hoppy finish’ saw yet another awards success
when it took bronze in its class at the SIBA (Society of Independent
Brewers) North Beer Competition. More than 100 cask-conditioned
ales from breweries throughout northern England were judged by
brewers, trade wholesalers and beer writers at the Scarisbrick
Hotel, Southport.
Moorhouse’s has seen many victories in the past for the modest strength Black Cat (3.4%abv) – including the Supreme Champion Beer of Britain 2000 accolade. Celebrated for its Pendle witches brands, the Burnley brewer has also received more awards than any brewer of a comparable size. Managing director David Grant said: “The
SIBA competition judges both brewing excellence and commercial
appeal, so this award is a tremendous tribute to head brewer Peter
Curran and his team. “Black Cat is a terrific example of the mild style of beer that went out of fashion for a time, but is now enjoying something of a revival. We are very pleased to be playing a lead role in that revival as we continue to enjoy record sales and the reputation of our beers goes from strength to strength”. ** A charity appeal at the awards dinner, with
David Grant presiding as Master of Ceremonies, saw £1,200
raised for donation to a cancer charity chosen by the family of
Scarisbrick Hotel managing director Tony Cafferkey, who has recently
suffered serious illness.
The pack comprises a 200gm piece of Dew-lay’s hand-crafted Creamy Lancashire blended Black Cat and a 500ml bottle of the celebrated dark ale. At Cheshire’s annual Nantwich International
Cheese Show earlier this year – even before it had been on
sale – the cheese
took gold in its class (Mild and Soft cheese with additives).
Award-winning cheese producer Dew-lay of Garstang, Lancashire, collaborated with Burnley’s internationally acclaimed ‘Pendle Witches’ cask-ale brewer to develop the beer flavoured cheese for leading North West supermarket retailer Booths. Priced at £5.85 the gift pack is now on sale with 28 store strong chain in the run up to Christmas. A family business established in 1957, Dew-lay is the only cheese company ever to be twice voted Supreme Champion in the North West Producer of the Year Awards while Burnley based Moorhouse’s has won more brewing awards for its cask-conditioned ales than any other brewer of its size*. Black Cat was voted Supreme Champion Beer of Britain at the Camra (Campaign for Real Ale) Great British Beer Festival 2000. David Grant, Moorhouse’s managing director said: “This
is the first time that any of our beers have been blended with a
cheese. It brings together two champion Lancashire brands and is
a terrific combination, an ideal complement to a Christmas meal.
We expect it to go very well with Booths over the festive season.”
MOORHOUSE’S RIDES RECESSION WITH MULTI-MILLION POUND EXPANSION Moorhouse’s, the North West’s largest dedicated cask-ale brewer, is set to start work on a new £3.5m brewing complex in the New Year. With the final plans now approved by Burnley Borough Council, the first sod will be cut on a 5,000 square metre site in January - despite the present economic downturn. The new complex will triple current brewing capacity for the famous Pendle Witches brews to some 900 barrels a week. Both a training school and visitor centre are included in the investment, which will contribute to the council’s regeneration plans for Burnley while doubling the current brewery workforce. The £1.8m phase one, comprising new brew-house and warehousing,
is scheduled to be commissioned by the end of 2009. Stage two will
see new offices, visitor centre and training school erected on the
site of the present Moorhouse Street brewery – built in 1870
by William Moorhouse as he expanded the drinks business he founded
nearby five years earlier.* Finally the existing administration centre
and warehouse will be cleared for car parking, with completion planned
for spring 2010.
David Grant, Moorhouse’s managing director, said: “Following years of planning, the directors have taken this bold decision to go ahead despite the current economic recession. In recent years we have consistently broken all sales records year-on-year. This ambitious investment is a very strong pledge of confidence in that success. “While brewing and pubs are taking a severe beating from high taxes, the smoking ban and the recession, all industry evidence points to a very positive future for well crafted cask-conditioned ale. Good pubs with a strong cask offer will survive. With a new major regional brewery, in 2010 our celebrated brands will be even better placed to play a big part in that future.” Moorhouse’s directly supplies several hundred freehouse’s and pub company outlets in the North West and Yorkshire while the beers are also distributed nationally via leading wholesalers and major pub chains. TOP INDUSTRY HONOUR FOR MOORHOUSE’S MAKES IT HAT-TRICK World beating Moorhouse’s Brewery has claimed another top brewing industry accolade - for the third year running. In the annual SIBA (Society of Independent Brewers) Brewing Business Awards – the famous Lancashire brewer scooped the ‘Best Promotional Initiative Award’ for its inaugural TV advertising campaign rolled out in November and December 2007. The 30-second commercial broadcast in Granada
and Yorkshire TV regions and on Sky Film 24 made Moorhouse’s the smallest UK brewer
every to advertise on the small screen and reached a 6m strong audience.
While the commercial was being created by Salford’s Picture
Coverage company a 20 minute corporate video was also produced for
use with both UK trade customers and the growing US market.
Last year Lancashire’s leading cask-conditioned- ale brewer was awarded a SIBA ‘Best Packaging Award’ for a revamp of the Pendle Witches themed bottle range, while in 2006 the brewer triumphed with ‘The Best Public Relations Initiative’ trophy for a 140th Victorian themed anniversary celebration. The latest accolade was amongst several SIBA awards aimed at highlighting the commercial successes of the rapidly growing independent brewing sector as cask-ale enjoys a strong resurgence, despite beers sales overall decline. Presenting the award at the prestigious Institute of Directors’ HQ in London’s Pall Mall (Monday October 15), SIBA judges said: “For Moorhouse’s to enter the world of TV advertising was a serious step beyond the standard promotional initiative expected of a brewery of this size.” “The importance of the commercial went beyond Moorhouse’s own narrow commercial advantage to herald the virtues of the entire cask ale sector and the vital role it has to play in the revival of the fortunes of the British pub.” Also, the judges said, the corporate film gave the production longevity beyond the television screenings. Moorhouse’s managing director David Grant said: “It is absolutely marvellous to be recognised for the third consecutive year by SIBA, the leading brewers’ organisation, as we are enjoying substantial growth year-on-year. Stepping into the world of TV advertising was a big risk for a small independent brewer. But it paid off to help give us the best ever festive sales last year. “Since then we have invested in a second humorous commercial aimed at both stimulating sales for Halloween this year while also still championing the cause of the great British pub. As we stand on the threshold of a multi-million-pound investment this recognition from our peers is a further boost to our confidence for the future.” The Burnley brewer plans to expand production to more than 700 barrels a week with a new brewery development on the Accrington Road site to include a training school and visitor centre that will help to revitalise an ailing area of the town. Two top Italian craft brewers were recently spellbound with the story of Moorhouse’s famous ‘Pendle Witches’ ales. Dr Agostino Arioli and Maurizio Folli (see photograph) from the
award winning Birrificio Italiano brewery in Como visited the celebrated
Burnley brewer while also on a trip to brew with the renowned Thornbridge
Brewery in Derbyshire.
During the visit managing director David Grant showed the Italian craft brewers around the Accrington Road brewery and explained how Moorhouse’s brews its internationally acclaimed ales, before sampling them in the General Scarlett brewery tap. David Grant said: “The world of independent
brewing is a very friendly one and extends beyond international
borders and language divides. We were delighted to welcome Agostino,
Maurizio with the brewers of Thornbridge to the brewery to swap
notes on what we all have in common - brewing top quality craft
beers, whether in Lancashire, the Peak District or the Italian
Lakes.” A new
Moorhouse’s
spell Moorhouse’s, the famous ‘Pendle Witches’ brewer, has once again stirred its sales cauldron to concoct a bewitching promotion for Halloween. This year, at selected outlets, cask-ale drinkers are being offered the chance to taste both the Lancashire brewer’s internationally acclaimed regular beers - including Black Cat and Pendle Witches Brew - along with seasonal specials in third pint sampling glasses. The ‘Witch Ales Will You Be Drinking this October?’ promotion,
complete with tasting notes, offers five beer samples priced £3.00
at the selected pubs equipped with at least five hand-pumps. Specials
available are: Broomstick Bitter (4.0%abv); Witchhunt (4.8%abv);
Black Witch (4.2%abv); Witches Cauldron (4.2%abv); Witchfinder General
(4.4%abv).
Each Halloween Moorhouse’s creates a promotional device for publicans who want to improve seasonal business. In recent years the brewery has seen sales boosted by more than 35 per cent during the weeks prior to October 31.This year Moorhouse’s has also screened a second advertising campaign in the Granada and Yorkshire TV regions and on Sky Film 24 to further bolster its reputation as THE Halloween brewer. The new commercials follow the success of the first television campaign rolled out last Christmas. Following the Halloween celebrations, the promotion will also be adapted as an ongoing offer for publicans who have the hand-pump capacity and will include popular beers from other craft brewers. David Grant, Moorhouse’s managing director, said: “Each
year we give selected licensees practical support to sell our Pendle
witches beers in the Halloween season and boost their autumn trade.
The use of third pint glasses for this promotion means discerning
pub-goers can now sample several beers while drinking sensibly.
Eigh up lad! What’s that fairy doing Popping into the Rising Sun at Blacko, near Nelson, for a pint recently was rather a novel experience for village locals – courtesy of the internationally acclaimed Moorhouse’s Brewery. For Lancashire’s famous ‘Pendle Witches’ brewer was creating another bit of TV magic for its latest commercial. Based upon a Halloween fancy dress party theme,
elves, witches, a fairy - and even a toad - appeared among bemused
regulars at the popular Pendle country pub as Salford’s Picture
Coverage film crew shot the colourful scene. It is the second TV commercial to be produced
by the North West’s
world beating cask-conditioned ale brewer following the success of
its debut small screen advertising last December. That burst made
Moorhouse’s the smallest brewer ever to advertise on TV and
resulted in an all time record for festive sales of its championship
brands; Blond Witch, Premier Bitter, Pride of Pendle, the celebrated
Pendle Witches Brew and Black Cat, Camra (Campaign for Real Ale)
Champion Beer of Britain 2000.*
The latest commercial will be rolled out in
the Granada and Yorkshire TV regions this autumn. Two local men
to secure starring roles in the shoot were Dr Jim Kendra and Bernard
Casey. The pair bid for the parts in an auction to raise cash for
the Pendleside Hospice at the annual Moorhouse’s Charity Golf Tournament. A cheque
for £1,360 was presented to hospice fund raisers Kaye Bartle
and Christina Cope (see photo). Members of Burnley Operatic Society
also appear in the 30 second commercial.
Moorhouse’s managing director David Grant: “In recent years Moorhouse’s has become increasingly known as the UK’s premier Halloween brewer. So, building on last year’s festive success, we decided to commission another commercial aimed at further stimulating sales of our award-winning cask ales over the ‘witch season’ in October. This is another imaginative commercial from Picture Coverage and I expect it to add a little more fun to the Halloween season while building sales as we prepare for a major expansion.” Moorhouse’s is poised for a £3m investment in their Accrington Road site in Burnley that will double production capacity and include a training school and visitor centre. Moorhouse’s Black Cat magic
A new cheese made with Moorhouse’s famous Black Cat beer has taken a top accolade at the world’s largest cheese show. Dew-lay’s hand-crafted Creamy Lancashire blended with the
celebrated dark ale took gold in its class (Mild and Soft cheese
with additives) at Cheshire’s annual Nantwich International
Cheese Show, which this year attracted 33,000 visitors and 2,600
entries. Award-winning cheese producer Dew-lay of Garstang, Lancashire, collaborated with Burnley’s internationally acclaimed ‘Pendle witches’ cask-ale brewer to develop the beer flavoured cheese for Booths, the leading North West supermarket retailer that champions regional food and drink. It is scheduled to go on sale in the 25 store strong chain later this year. A family business established in 1957, Dew-lay
is the only cheese company ever to be twice voted Supreme Champion
in the North West Producer of the Year Awards. Moorhouse’s
has won more brewing awards for its cask-conditioned ales than
any other brewer of its size*. Black Cat was voted Supreme Champion
Beer of Britain at the Camra (Campaign for Real Ale) Great British
Beer Festival 2000.
Ian Coggin, Dew-lay sales and marketing manager, said: “This is the first time this cheese has seen the light of day and it is also the first flavoured cheese we have produced, so this gold award is an especially terrific win at the biggest cheese championship in the world. “Only this year we worked closely with Moorhouse’s to come up with the right balance of flavour and this is a very welcome early recognition of our efforts. We have a long track record of prize winning Lancashire cheeses so it was very important to get it right.” Mike Hiscock, Moorhouse’s national accounts manager, said: “We
know that Black Cat is magical ale, but this is the first time that
our beer has been used with a cheese. It brings together two champion
Lancashire brands and to achieve this top accolade so soon is a wonderful
result for both Moorhouse’s and Dew-lay.” New wheels put Moorhouse’s
on road Lancashire’s fast growing Moorhouse’s Brewery has invested in its first 26 tonne Mercedes-Benz dray wagon to meet spiralling demand for its world beating ‘witch’ ales. The fully-liveried Axor HGV with a 300 firkins* capacity will now be seen waving the flag around northern roads as a symbol of the rapidly rising sales for the North West’s largest dedicated cask-ale brewery. In recent years beer volumes have soared by 130 per cent and last Christmas sales smashed through all previous seasonal records. The Burnley brewery is now poised for a £3m expansion that will double production capacity to some 700 barrels a week and establish a visitor centre and training school. The fleet investment adds to the two 7.5 tonne
vehicles - both capable of carrying 60 firkins - already in service.
It will allow Moorhouse’s
to meet the demands of its national accounts with one delivery. As
an essential part of the investment seven strong dray team - plus
managing director David Grant - have been put through Class 2 HGV
training.
David Grant said: “For a brewery of our size, this is a major step up for the delivery fleet. It will greatly improve beer delivery efficiency and cost management in the current difficult economic climate. With business growing so quickly, it increases our payload for servicing major customers such as Scot Co and Marstons - allowing us to deliver 300 firkins in one drop. “To ensure that the use of the vehicle is fully exploited all our drivers – and myself – have been put through HGV training to Class 2 level. It was a challenge and is a credit to them that they passed with flying colours. I am now looking forward to getting behind the wheel myself sometimes. “This capital investment has been made as we enjoy rising sales both in the free trade and with pub companies following the tremendous efforts of our sales team and increased use of SIBA’s (Society of Independent Brewers) Direct Delivery Scheme. We now have even more confidence in our exciting plans for the future as we increasingly convince publicans that by stocking our cask beers they will boost business.” Last December Moorhouse’s became the smallest UK brewer ever
to launch a television advertising campaign for its famous ‘Lancashire
witches’ beers - Black Cat, Pendle Witches Brew and Blond Witch-
along with the international championship winning ales Pride of Pendle
and Premier Bitter**.
Lancashire’s famous Moorhouse’s Brewery marked its sixth annual golf competition with two separate day-long contests for customers and suppliers. Thirty-two teams took part in the charity
event - complete with a steel band - at the Standish Court Golf
Club, near Chorley. Nearly £1400
was raised for the Pendleside Hospice in Burnley, with a raffle of
prizes donated by suppliers and an auction of two places in the cast
of the brewery’s next ‘witches’ TV commercial – bought
for £500*.
A team fielded by the Birches Hotel in Whitworth, Rochdale (see photograph) emerged victorious for the first day of the event. The Birches also took top spot two years ago. David Grant, managing director, said: “Our competition has gone from strength to strength over the years and become so popular that we had to run it over two days this year to accommodate all the teams. We had a terrific couple of days while also doubling the money we raised for charity.” BACK
TO TOP Following two recent transatlantic trips - including time spent at a world class business school - managing director David Grant is now developing a business strategy for sales in the burgeoning North American imported beer market. Two new bottled brands - Blond Bitch (4.5%abv) and the stronger English Owd Ale (5.9%) – have been produced exclusively for the US, joining established brands Black Cat and Pendle Witches Brew that have both sold in the niche Halloween market for several years. The American beverage authority has recently approved the labelling and packaging for the new ales - giving the green light for the Burnley brewer to fully launch the beers and attract year round sales. Now a US sales executive is to be appointed to drive business directly with supermarkets and liquor stores in support of the import agents Legends of Baltimore. David Grant secured a place on a marketing
scholarship at the internationally renowned Kellogg Graduate School
of Management, Illinois – the
only executive from an independent UK brewer ever to be selected.
He was also one of just eight executives from UK SMES (small and
medium size companies) that joined 40 managers from international
giants such as Ericcson, GE, Sisco Systems and the Cascade Corporation.*
The week was followed by time with the Louis Glunz Beer Inc of Chicago, founded in 1888 and America’s oldest beer wholesaler, where David worked in sales and spoke with many liquor store buyers. He also met John Glunz, the head of the company, to discuss marketing strategy and was invited to return just two weeks later to attend the annual Glunz Beer Expo trade show. In its 26th year the show was attended by 2,500 liquor store and bar managers. Ready for the second trip, T Shirts were printed that take a humorous approach to Blond Bitch and English Owd Ale (see photograph). David Grant said: “I went back out there with Mike Hiscock, national accounts manager, - armed with the T shirts - and this proved to be terrifically useful. We met many buyers who were very enthusiastic about our products and attracted interest from the US media. “We have had a foothold in the US market
at Halloween for some years, but both the time at Kellogg and with
Glunz gave me a real insight into the way we should approach the
market out there. It was absolutely invaluable to a relatively
small brewery from Burnley, without the resources of big companies. “Moorhouse’s has the advantage of the unique proposition
for Halloween, which is of course much celebrated out there, and
we are going to build on that. While in the States I became convinced
that we need to employ our own sales person because the market there
is structured completely differently to the UK. There the liquor
stores are massive and it is very easy for your products to be buried
if you don’t have a dedicated agent. Only 20 people a year are selected from hundreds of applicants for two annual Kellogg programmes, sponsored by British businessman Ellis Goodman, CBE - who has lived in Chicago for more than 20 years and introduced Mexican Corona beer to the US - and supported by UK Trade & Investment. BACK
TO TOP Moorhouse’s Brewery, the North West’s internationally acclaimed dedicated cask-ale brewer, has pledged ongoing support for a major snooker tournament in East Lancashire’s clubs. The Burnley brewer agreed a sponsorship deal last year when, after a 16 year absence, the once popular Golden Cue contest was resurrected by the Burnley Express newspaper. Club members from Burnley, Pendle and Ribble Valley were eligible to enter the £1,000 prize money individual contest, with a first prize of £400 and second prize of £200. In a grand final in Burnley’s Ighten Leigh Social Club, the
club’s own Jonny O’Reilly claimed the title with a resounding
4-0 win over Joe Nolan of Colne Snooker Club. At the presentation
Express sports editor Edward Lee proclaimed the Moorhouse’s
Golden Cue a huge success, thanking Moorhouse’s for its support
and Neil McGovern of Ighten Leigh for his organisation of the revived
event.
Pledging sponsorhip for a second year Moorhouse’s
managing director David Grant said: “Moorhouse’s has developed business with many social clubs and we wish to see them thrive. The renewed sponsorship of the Golden Cue is a firm indication of our commitment to clubs. Dedicated to cask-conditioned ale, we firmly believe that, handled with care, it is a real point of difference for clubs. Experience shows that stocking our award winning cask ales will reward clubs with increased trade. Ighten Leigh is a great example of this. “The contest was a good trade generator for the clubs and
the attendance at Ighten Leigh for the semi-finals and final was
really terrific. For Moorhouse’s the competition has further
raised the brewery’s profile among club-goers as we prepare
for major expansion.” Moorhouse’s claims another first The boss of Lancashire’s fast-growing Moorhouse’s Brewery has achieved another first for UK brewing. Managing director David Grant is the only executive from Britain’s independent craft breweries ever to win a place on a world leading US business scholarship scheme. He is one of just ten students selected to
attend a two week marketing programme with the internationally
renowned Kellogg Graduate School of Management, Illinois. The British
Government backed scholarship* aims to give executives from the
UK’s SMEs (small-and- medium-
sized companies) an understanding of effective marketing in the States.
It includes a week spent in industry and Grant will join Chicago’s
Louis Glunz Beer Inc. Founded in 1888, Glunz is America’s oldest
beer wholesaler.
Famous for its internationally acclaimed cask-conditioned ‘Pendle Witches’ ales, Moorhouse’s is currently poised to launch new products in North America following substantial domestic growth in recent years. Two new bottled beers - Blond Bitch and English Owd Ale - have recently been developed for the American market. Existing award winning brands Black Cat and Pendle Witches Brew have also been imaginatively re-packaged for the sales offensive. David Grant said: “I have visited the States several times and we have a toe-hold there with our two established bottle brands. But we are now looking to substantially grow our business stateside. This highly prestigious scholarship will give me a tremendous insight into marketing US style and the time spent with Glunz Beer is particularly relevant and will be invaluable.” The Burnley brewery has more brewing awards than any brewer of comparable
size and achieved another first last December when it became the
smallest brewer ever to launch a TV advertising campaign. Britain’s number one beer writer, Roger Protz, made a whistle-stop tour of Moorhouse’s Brewery and its pub estate following a major brewing awards success. Journalist Roger, author of the CAMRA (Campaign
for Real Ale) Good Beer Guide and many books on both UK and international
beers*, visited the fast growing Burnley brewery to be briefed
on the recent record breaking sales, pub investments and future
development plans. The visit came just two weeks after Moorhouse’s Premier Bitter
was proclaimed the UK’s top standard bitter by SIBA, the Society
of Independent Brewer’s - the latest in many top national and
international awards for the North West’s only dedicated cask-conditioned
ale brewer.
On the tour Roger gave an interview to David
Saville of BBC Radio Lancashire, during which he described the
various beers styles and praised the quality and range of Moorhouse’s
brews.
Managing director David Grant said: “It was both a great pleasure and a real honour to have Roger Protz visit us for an update on our achievements in recent years and our ambitious plans for the future. So soon after the terrific recent SIBA win for Premier Bitter, it was particularly gratifying to be able to tell our story to the UK’s most respected beer writer.” Moorhouse’s enjoyed the best ever records sales last December when it also became the smallest brewery ever to launch a TV advertising campaign. In recent years it has invested heavily in the six strong pub estate and is now poised for a major expansion that will double production capacity and create a visitor and training centre on the Accrington Road site. BACK
TO TOP Lancashire’s internationally acclaimed Moorhouse’s Brewery has appointed departing Tadcaster publican Simon Oates to lead a new sales drive in Yorkshire. With almost thirty years’ experience in the brewing/pub industry-
including running the town’s popular Jackdaw Inn, for several
years – Simon joins the award-winning brewery as it is poised
to double production capacity.
He is now leaving the pub to take up the post of account manager as Moorhouse’s enjoys the success of a Yorkshire TV advertising campaign in December that further boosted sales east of the Pennines. Moorhouse’s produces the famous ‘Pendle Witches’ cask ale brands, including Black Cat, voted Champion Beer of Britain 2000 by the Campaign for Real Ale*. Prior to taking the popular Jackdaw in 1998, Simon, 47, spent 20 years in various management roles with John Smith’s Brewery, including business development manager responsible for Leeds and West Yorkshire. Moorhouse’s managing director David Grant said: “Simon’s terrific experience of the industry will be invaluable to us at this very exciting stage in our growth. Our award winning cask beers sell very well in Yorkshire, but the pre-Christmas TV campaign provoked further strong interest. Simon will build on that.” Father-of-five Simon said: “This is a terrific opportunity
to make a contribution to the future success of Moorhouse’s.
I am greatly looking forward to the challenge.”
Moorhouse’s
victory in Lancashire’s record breaking Moorhouse’s Brewery is celebrating national acclaim for its popular Premier Bitter as the UK’s number one standard strength cask ale. The brew was hailed as the top beer of its
style with the gold award for standard strength brews (up to 4%abv) – the biggest category
- from Britain’s independent brewers. And after taking the
title at the SIBA (Society of Independent Brewers) National Beer
Competition in York, Premier went on to scoop silver place overall
in the battle of 342 UK beers, ranging from mild to speciality ales.
The competition is judged on commercial appeal by brewers, trade
wholesalers, beer writers and other industry experts.
Premier Bitter has seen many victories in the past – including world-wide acclaim when it took gold in its class at the Brewing Industry International Awards (BIIA) 2004 and Moorhouse’s has won more brewing awards than any other brewer of a comparable size.* Managing Director David Grant said: “To
be recognised by our brewing industry peers is a real honour and
a tremendous tribute to the sheer dedication of the brewing team.
The beers in this contest are judged not just on brewing excellence
but also on commercial appeal. Winning this award means we are
now recognised as producing the most saleable normal strength beer
from among several hundred independent brewers from throughout
the country.
“Premier Bitter is simply top quality cask-conditioned beer relatively low in strength and therefore very suitable for drinking on a night out with friends. With this top accolade under our belts we now aim to make it available in many more pubs in the North West and Yorkshire as we stand on the brink of a major expansion.” Moorhouse’s is currently planning a multi-million pound development
next to the present Accrington Road site that will double production
capacity and include a state-of-the-art training and visitor’s
centre. Last December the company enjoyed the best ever sales record
following a roll out of TV commercials that made Moorhouse’s
the smallest UK brewer ever to launch a television advertising campaign.
Internationally acclaimed cask-ale brewer Moorhouse’s celebrated the success of Lancashire’s top dining destination at the star studded Hi-Life Dining Awards 2008. The independent Burnley brewer sponsored the ‘Best Lancashire
Restaurant’ at a glittering celebrity charity dinner, with
the accolade scooped by premier Hoghton, Preston, venue the Thyme
@ Sirloin. A fiercely fought contest – hailed as ‘The
Dining Oscars of the North’- saw Hi-Life diners vote in 12
categories.
Held in Manchester’s five-star Hilton Hotel in the new Beetham Tower, the star-studded night was attended by many of the region’s leading show-biz personalities including Slade front man Noddy Holder, comedian Dave Spikey, and several members of the casts from both Coronation Street and Brookside. A raffle and charity pledge raised £6,200 for the Christie Hospital in Manchester. Moorhouse’s managing director David Grant said: “ Thyme at Sirloin displays Lancashire’s well deserved reputation for top dining. Recognition at this prestigious event is a real accolade. As a world renowned independent brewer committed to the highest quality in our beers we are very keen to promote the excellence of Lancashire’s hospitality industry. Thyme @ Sirloin is a terrific example of that excellence and was chosen from very stiff competition.” BACK
TO TOP Moorhouse’s - the North West’s largest dedicated cask-conditioned-ale brewer - has entered 2008 with several new business wins after smashing all previous festive sales records. Trading saw a ten per cent increase on last year’s (2006) seasonal figures - themselves an all time high - with 1,200 brewers barrels sold in December up to Christmas Eve. The sales came during a December roll out of a 30-second TV commercial in the Granada and Yorkshire regions that made Moorhouse’s the smallest UK brewer ever to launch a television campaign. The Burnley based brewer produces the famous ‘witch’ beers - Black Cat, Pendle Witches Brew and Blond Witch- along with the international championship winning Pride of Pendle and Premier Bitter. In recent years sales have soared by 130 per cent. Now the brewery is poised to double capacity to more than 700 barrels a week with a £2m investment. Managing director David Grant said: “Once again our sales fly in the face of the pundits that forever peddle doom and gloom for the ale market. A TV campaign was a major marketing leap of faith for us, but, without doubt, the creative commercial provided a powerful platform for our festive sales offensive and captured the attention of many cask ale drinkers. “The exposure has further raised our profile for the future and, as a result, we have already gained several new accounts for 2008. In the autumn the commercial will run again to promote our unique Halloween beers - and beat the highest ever sales achieved last year. “Our experience indicates that, despite
many pubs struggling through the first Christmas of the smoking
ban, cask ale sales have held up extremely well. This underscores
our conviction that cask is a terrific selling point for pubs and
gives us even more confidence in our exciting plans for the future.” Moorhouse’s is magic say brewers Moorhouse’s, the North West’s leading dedicated cask-conditioned ale brewer, has scooped another top brewing accolade.
Moorhouse’s is famed for its Pendle Witches themed beers and
has won more brewing awards than any other brewer of comparable size.*
This latest success follows an all time high for festive season sales
during the brewer’s first ever TV advertising campaign. Premier
Bitter will now go forward for judging at the National SIBA Conference
in March. “This year we face many challenges in the industry as we also prepare to progress our plans for a £2m investment to double production capacity. The award reinforces our conviction that we brew some of the best cask beer in the world and further boosts our confidence in the future plans.” Moorhouse’s directly supplies more than
400 free house pubs in the North West and Yorkshire while its beers
reach many outlets further a-field via leading drinks wholesalers,
including Scottish Courage, and through the SIBA Direct Delivery
Scheme to major pub companies.
Lancashire’s fastest growing cask-ale Head chef Richard Smith at the Sparrow Hawk, Wheatley Lane, Fence near Burnley, put together a five-course ‘tapas-style’ menu featuring several of the region’s traditional dishes matched with Moorhouse’s award winning cask-conditioned brands. The event was organised by the pubs’ assistant manager Amanda
Baily and attracted about fifty guests. Amongst the diners was BBC’s
Radio Lancashire journalist David Saville, who broadcast a report
the station’s Drivetime slot (see link) the following day.
Moorhouse’s managing director David Grant said: “Our popular showcase events take discerning drinkers through tutored tasting of our ales, but this time food was carefully matched with our five core beers. “Richard came up with some spectacular dishes to make it a great success. Fish and chips paired with our Blond Witch was a particular hit for most diners. This beer is a light coloured cask beer with a wonderful balance of sweetness and bitterness and it was a delight with the haddock.” Manager Darren Sporson reported a ‘very successful’ night
at the historic coaching inn which has earned a reputation for the
outstanding quality of its food and ale in recent years and was voted ‘Pub
of the Season’ by Camra (Campaign for Real Ale). Chef Richard
was previously at the renowned Angel at Hetton, Gargrave and the
popular Tempest Arms, near Skipton. David Grant adds: “Our aim was to nail the myth that wine is the only drink for food and to get across that diners should not automatically ask for the wine list when enjoying a special meal, but explore how our own national drink can be a great accompaniment. The potential is enormous and simply within our own portfolio we found the beers were a delight with the variety of food on offer. This was a night of terrific real Lancashire ale with wonderful real Lancashire food.” “The team at the Sparrow Hawk did a
tremendous job putting on the evening and set the template for
future showcase events. I think people were surprised at the breadth
of choice and quality that our beers can deliver when dining. Everyone
appeared to enjoy the experience and I think we might have converted
a few.”
Moorhouse’s managing director The card features an imaginative artist’s impression of the original Victorian brewery created by William Moorhouse in Moorhouse Street, Burnley, and also includes details of yuletide brew Santa’s Piste (4.5%abv). And for the second successive year Lancashire’s internationally acclaimed brewer has stepped up production of this ‘full and fruity ale’. Moorhouse’s managing director David Grant said: “Once again we are brewing more Santa’s Piste this year so we won’t disappoint anyone. To further stimulate interest and also wish them the season’s greetings we have sent the cards out to all our customers. It was a painstaking task to sign every one of them, but at Moorhouse’s we pride ourselves on a personal service and I think that is appreciated”. “Santa’s Piste is a grist brew that matches the festive mood well with both its taste and humorous branding and has been very well received since we introduced it two years ago.” The award winning brewer also anticipates
record sales growth for its five core brands* over the Christmas
and New Year period following the roll-out of its new TV advertising
campaign in both the Granada and Yorkshire TV regions. David Grant
added: “It
has already been a record year, but we expect this Christmas will
be our best ever following the TV commercials screening from
December 10th.”
Moorhouse’s famous Black Cat has cast its Halloween spell nationwide as the world acclaimed Lancashire brewer celebrates an all time sales record. More than 550 firkins – nearly 40,000 pints - of the award
winning brand (voted Camra Supreme Champion Beer of Britain 2000)
have left the brewery this month destined for Wetherspoon’s
pubs throughout the UK. The deal with Britain’s premier real-ale
pub chain means Moorhouse’s has already doubled last year’s
seasonal sales and even outstripped Christmas 2006 by some thirty
per cent. It comes as Moorhouse’s annual figures show a 16
per cent growth over the past year.
A further sales boost has come as leading North supermarket Booths promotes the newly launched bottled Blond Witch throughout October, while the Burnley brewer has also released its seasonal ‘broomstick’ cask range. These carefully crafted cask-conditioned ales supplement the regular brands – Pendle Witches Brew, Blond Witch and Black Cat – to celebrate the legend of the infamous Pendle Witches. The five brews are: Broomstick Bitter (4.0%abv); Witchcraft (4.8%abv); Black Witch (4.2%abv); Witches Cauldron (4.2%abv); Witchfinder General (4.4%abv). Moorhouse’s supplies many pubs throughout Lancashire and Cumbria and since 2002 has enjoyed year-on-year growth. A major expansion is planned that will see production capacity doubled to some 700 barrels a week. David Grant, Moorhouse’s managing director, said: “Halloween is always a special time of year for us in Lancashire but the deals with Wetherspoon and Booths make our beer the season’s choice for discerning drinkers far and wide. “We have already enjoyed our best ever year sales week and
we are still taking orders to meet customers’ needs right up
to October 31st . This success comes from our hard work in recent
years to make our brands the preferred beers of Halloween - without
the benefit of a huge advertising budget. It is another terrific
step forward in our ambitious expansion plans.” Six weeks before Halloween strange sights were witnessed around Lancashire’s mysterious Pendle Hill. First of all drinkers in Blacko, near Nelson, saw a group of ugly, black clad, hags supping ale in the popular Rising Sun. Then more were spotted wandering near the village of Barley, where the infamous Pendle Witches roamed in the early 1600s before execution in Lancaster Castle. And it was all thanks to Moorhouse’s Brewery of Burnley. Not, you understand, an overdose of their award winning cask-conditioned ale, but the production of a promotional film and TV commercial for the world beating brands*. Moorhouse’s is enjoying year-on-year growth for their famous ‘witch’ beers and now plans a major investment to double capacity and provide a state-of-the-art training and visiting centre. The film, which includes the dramatic story of the witches’ arrest and journey to Lancaster assizes, will first be used for an autumn trade sales push of packaged beers in the United States. There, two new bottled beers - Blond Bitch and English Owd Ale – will be unveiled in Las Vegas while the much celebrated Black Cat and Pendle Witches Brew will be re-launched with powerful redesigned branding. Next year it is planned to roll out the TV commercial, where the witches are seen enjoying Moorhouse’s beers in a humorous pub quiz scenario.
Moorhouse’s managing director David Grant said: “We have taken this plunge into commercial filming as we prepare for the next step in our expansion. We have, of course, built on the strong Pendle Witches’ heritage, which has been crucial to the image of our world class brands for many years. But the ten-day film production was not without strange problems. Several incidents played havoc with the hectic schedule. Dry ice, for use in the witches’ goblets, was ordered but delivered to the other end of the country, while a smoke machine didn’t turn up on the right day, a horse got lost around Pendle and there was a problem with a generator. Meanwhile, back at the brewery, other mysterious glitches hindered the brewing team, placing even further demands on David Grant and all Moorhouse’s staff as they worked closely with Salford based production company Picture Coverage. “We quickly dealt with the brewery issues with no effect on quality or trade,” said David Grant. “But the camera crew got a little nervous and worried that it might be the witches’ coven up to their old mischief and sticking some pins in us. I don’t know about that but it was very peculiar. “However we successfully completed what will be an impressive film and commercial on schedule. Now we can promote our beers both at home and abroad with some imaginative material. It will be invaluable to our expansion plan.” Picture Coverage managing director
David Gerrard added: “I even had a fire alert when I picked
up costumes in Denton. We produce many films and commercials every
year and were uncharacteristically hit by small problems despite
our meticulous planning. However, I’m glad to say we overcame
them all and completed the filming on schedule.” Mayors at Moorhouses
The North West civic leaders were shown around the brew-house by managing director David Grant and chairman Bill Parkinson, before enjoying a tasting of Moorhouse’s award winning cask ale Guests included the High Sheriff of Lancashire, Mrs Ruth Winterbottom. Make
mine a Cedric’s Royal guide Cedric Robinson has had a beer named after him at his village
pub, The Guide over Sands in Allithwaite, near Grange over Sands, Cumbria.
‘Cedric’s’ is a 4.2%abv pale coloured ale brewed by Burnley’s world champion brewer Moorhouse’s. Cedric said: “It is very amusing to have a beer named after me. I hope people will enjoy the drink”. Guide over Sands landlord Steve McGriskin said: “Moorhouse’s produces great beer and we are thrilled to have our own specially brewed cask ale in honour of Cedric. I am sure it will prove to be very popular with our customers”. Moorhouse’s sales executive David Slane said: “The brewery is very pleased to be associated with royalty. When asked by Steve, we were absolutely delighted to brew a beer in Cedric’s honour and mark the outstanding contribution he has made to the Grange over Sands area over his long career. At Moorhouse’s we are always happy to help out true publicans like Steve, with a pub at the heart the local community."BACK TO TOP Brewery chief reopens his local - Atherton’s Pendle Witch Moorhouse’s Brewery boss Bill Parkinson formally reopened his very own local, the Pendle Witch, Atherton, following a major £210,000 revamp of the popular town centre pub.
For many years the pub has been a regular haunt for Mr Parkinson, chairman of the famous Lancashire brewery and one the town’s most prominent businessmen. He is often to be seen enjoying a pint of Blond Witch while shooting pool as a member of the pub team. A CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) Good Beer Guide pub with a reputation for its beer festivals Moorhouse’s has sympathetically redeveloped the Warburton Place hostelry to create a ‘beacon’ for their world renowned beers in Greater Manchester. The work includes a refurbished bar lounge and new games room, with plasma screens for sporting events, along with a customised catering kitchen and conservatory eating area. Also, a £20,000 spend on the existing popular pub garden has enhanced the outside area that is now equipped with giant parasols, heating and lighting. Unveiling the pub at a show night opening event complete with barbecue and the Blue Bells Steel Band, Bill Parkinson said: “It is wonderful to see my local, already a great pub, become a real jewel in the crown for Moorhouse’s. The investment marks another milestone in the spiral of success we have enjoyed in recent years. The pub is now a true showcase for that success. It will be a terrific venue for the people of Atherton and cask beer lovers from miles around.” Managing Director David Grant said: “This new look will secure the future of the ever-popular Pendle Witch for many years. The outside development provides a delightful pub garden in the centre of town and will certainly be a great plus now the smoking ban is in place. Also, the installation of a modern kitchen and conservatory provides for terrific casual dining alongside top quality cask ales and authentic imported lagers. “This is a huge investment as Moorhouse’s moves rapidly towards regional brewer status and truly demonstrates our overwhelming commitment to the future of our business. The Pendle Witch will be a terrific pub and act as a beacon for Moorhouse’s in the area.” World acclaimed Moorhouse’s has rolled out its fastest growing brand - Blond Witch - in a bottle as the Lancashire brewer continues to invest in the growth of its championship beers.
The distinctive 500ml Blond Witch bottle is slimmer and lighter than any beer bottle in the UK market, while the colourful label draws on the witch heritage of Lancashire’s Pendle Hill to feature a blonde peasant girl. Ahead of government legislation, the label also carries the units of alcohol and a responsible drinking message. Earlier this year Blond Witch cask bewitched brewer’s at the SIBA (Society of Independent Brewers) North Conference when it took the gold award in the ‘Best Bitters’ class and then scooped a bronze triumph overall from the 94 beers competing at the conference awards. Since the initial roll-out in 2005 it has also chalked up several wins at leading CAMRA beer festivals throughout the UK. In a humorous slant for the American market the beer will be sold there as ‘Blond Bitch’. Moorhouse’s brands are already extremely popular in the States around Halloween, but the name change is aimed at breaking away from the witches theme to gain further sales throughout the year. The
beer was rolled out at the New Inn, Clitheroe, at the heart of the
Pendle area where the legendary witches roamed, and was heralded by
town crier Roland Hailwood with the Moorhouse’s blond witch girls. Managing
director David Grant said: “The terrific quality of cask Blond
Witch was recognised when it launched as summer seasonal three years
ago and it has proved enormously popular since joining our other four
core championship ales*. So far this year the independent Burnley brewery has invested in a major extension and refurbishment of the Pendle Witch pub in Atherton and is poised to undertake an export drive in the US as it also plans to develop the Accrington Road site and double production. BACK TO
TOP Champion North West brewer Moorhouse’s has begun a major scheme to extend and upgrade the Pendle Witch in Atherton. The £210,000 revamp is a key investment for the famous Lancashire
cask-ale brewery owned by the town’s prominent businessman Bill
Parkinson*.
Work will be completed while the pub remains open for business, except for two weeks in early June with, an official re-opening planned for mid June. Long serving Joan Houghton will continue as licensee. The project follows several years of planning and discussions with the private landlord to agree a 25-year lease. Managing director David Grant said: “We have planned this for some time and disruption will be kept to a minimum. But we apologise for any inconvenience caused to any nearby residents or pub-goers. It will secure the future of the ever-popular Pendle Witch at a difficult time for the trade when, to survive and thrive, pubs must meet many challenges.
“This is a huge investment in a pub that has been a first class
cask-ale house for many years and demonstrates our overwhelming commitment
to constantly growing our business. We will offer a range of cask ales
and authentic imported lagers. The Pendle Witch will be a terrific venue
for existing regulars while also welcoming new customers and acting as
a Moorhouse’s ‘beacon’ in Greater Manchester.” Intent on finding a hearty meal and a warming ale, Lisa Miles tracks down three of the region’s brewers for a pie and a pint and puts the world to rights. Choosing
a pub for lunch with three brewers is a complex task that requires
much in-depth research of hostelries and their various liquid refreshments.
In search of neutral territory, the cosy surroundings of Sam’s
Chop House in Manchester seems a suitable choice.
Lancashire’s internationally acclaimed cask-ale brewer Moorhouse’s celebrated the success of the North’s top dining destinations at the star studded annual Hi-Life Dining Awards. The independent Burnley brewer sponsored the ‘Best
Lancashire Restaurant’ at the glittering celebrity dinner, with
the accolade scooped by premier Preston venue Healey’s of the
Barton Grange Hotel. A fiercely fought contest – hailed as ‘The
Dining Oscars of the North’- saw Hi-Life diners vote in 12 categories.
After receiving the award from Moorhouse’s chairman Bill Parkinson and Andrew Lancel, Healey’s general manager Robert Kite said: “We are absolutely delighted to win an award. It is an honour to be recognised by Hi-Life, the biggest dining club in the UK, and especially by the diners who cast their votes.” Moorhouse’s managing director David Grant said: “Healey’s
is a terrific restaurant that upholds Lancashire’s reputation for
top dining. Recognition at this prestigious event was extremely well
deserved. As a world renowned independent brewer committed to the highest
quality beers we are very keen to promote the excellence of Lancashire’s
hospitality industry. Healey’s is a shining example of that excellence.” Champion North West brewer Moorhouse’s has unveiled plans to expand and enhance its pub estate in 2007. The independent Lancashire brewer has already begun talks to buy a tranche of ten outlets that fit the business profile of strong community pubs. Meanwhile the brewery’s Pendle Witch in Atherton is to benefit from a £200,000 renovation to create a flagship pub inside the Great Manchester conurbation. A 13-week project begins next month (Feb) and includes a major catering upgrade and garden development in preparation for the impending smoking ban. The plans were announced following a record level
of festive trading – up
18 per cent in value- in line with Moorhouse’s year-on-year growth
for its championship cask-conditioned beers in recent years. Both the
brewery and estate have benefited from this growth with a total of some £2m
spent on equipment, transport, a new administrative centre, buying two
new pubs and several refurbishments, including a major upgrade of the
brewery tap. Also a £1m scheme to re-develop and expand the brewery,
subject to development go-ahead, was announced last June. David Grant, managing director, said: “Despite tough conditions in the ale market we continued to win new business in 2006 – for instance a supply deal for Premier Bitter with Mitchell’s of Lancaster and listing with S&NUK Cellarman’s Reserve for Blond Witch. Our investments are in line with that success and are very substantial for an independent brewer.” “Also, last summer, we revealed details of our exciting plans to redevelop and raise production capacity to 600 barrels a week. The purchase of new outlets is a natural fit to those plans. For sometime we have had a substantial war chest to buy new pubs. However, the over-valued climate of the property market has failed to deliver the opportunities we would have liked. “But we start 2007 on the brink of a deal
that, if successful, will considerably extend our tied estate while
we continue to seek other properties in the North West and Yorkshire.
Acquisitions are at the heart of our long-term aim to secure the market
for our top quality cask-ale as we continue to fly in the face of the
doom and gloom merchants.” Moorhouse’s Blond Witch ale has bewitched SIBA (Society of Independent Brewers) members in the north. The internationally acclaimed Lancashire brewer’s fastest growing brand, Blond Witch (4.5%abv) scooped the gold award in the ‘Best Bitters’ class followed by a bronze triumph overall among the 94 entries at the SIBA Northern Conference Awards held in Southport. Since its initial roll-out in 2005 the beer has
chalked up several wins at festivals throughout the UK, but this latest
success was the first at a brewing industry event. Described as ‘light coloured as lager
but without the bubbles’ Blond Witch is now listed with S&NUK’s
Cellarman’s Reserve, making it available much further-a-field than
Moorhouse’s trading heartland in the north. David Grant, Moorhouse’s managing director said: “We are especially delighted with this success because it is recognition from our peers within the northern brewing industry that Blond Witch is an outstanding beer in a region well-known for some amazingly good cask-ales. “Discerning drinkers have known this since we first launched it as a summer seasonal. Due to customer demand we quickly converted it to join our other four championship ales. Since then it has seen rapid sales growth, proof that the cask ale market is still very much alive and kicking for brewers who are innovative and committed to quality.” Blond Witch will now be judged at SIBA’s National Conference in the spring. Burnley based Moorhouse’s has enjoyed both national and international acclaim for its other core brands: Black Cat was voted Supreme Champion Beer of Britain 2000 by Camra (Campaign for Real Ale) while Pride of Pendle won a gold medal and then the Champion Cask Ale Trophy and at the Brewing Industry International Awards (BIIA) 2004 and Premier Bitter claimed a gold in its class. Pendle Witches Brew (5.1%abv), the celebrated premium strength ale, has also seen success with both Camra and the BIIA. BACK TO TOP
Moorhouse’s managing director David Grant said: “We are brewing more Santa’s Piste this year so we wouldn’t disappoint our customers following the terrific reception that the first release received a year ago. “It is a full and fruity true grist brew that matches the festive mood well with both its taste and humorous branding. Discerning drinkers love it and, importantly, it creates a real point of difference for licensees who want to capture both the dedicated cask ale drinker and those revellers willing to try something new at this time of year. So that makes a Merry Xmas for everyone.” The award winning brewer also anticipates significant sales growth for its five core brands* over the Christmas and New Year following several new business wins during the past 12 months, including a deal to supply Premier Bitter to leading North West pub company Mitchell’s of Lancaster and a significant agreement with ScotCo for newcomer Blond Witch. David
Grant added: “We continue to enjoy
year-on-year growth as our beers delight both licensees and consumers
and we invest to ensure they are satisfied with both our beer and our
service. We expect this Christmas will be our best ever.” Howzat? Lancashire brewer clean bowls the Tykes While Yorkshire slumbered in front of the cricket,
beer raiders from t’other side o’t Pennines carried out some
devilish summer witchcraft.
Mayor of Pendle visits Pride of Pendle Pendle’s
mayor Councillor George Adam popped into Burnley’s Moorhouse’s
brewery recently to see where the borough’s famous namesake ale
is brewed.
As our beer sales grow year-on-year, spreading ever further a-field, the name of Pendle is put in front of more and more people as they enjoy our terrific cask ale. And if our expansion plans are given the go-ahead by Burnley Borough Council we will create a brewing centre-of-excellence. It will include a visitor centre, drawing people to both the town and the splendid Pendle countryside where our beers can be sampled in some great pubs.
TOP
HONOUR FOR MOORHOUSE’S MOORHOUSE’S BROOMSTICK BEERS SWEEP INTO STATES A little bit of Lancashire magic is being enjoyed Stateside over the Halloween season. Internationally acclaimed Moorhouse’s has seen export sales of its bottled beers – Black Cat and Pendle Witches Brew – grow in the US as the Burnley brewer becomes increasingly recognised as THE Halloween brewery. Managing director David Grant and sales manager Mike Hiscock recently further boosted sales with an exports initiative in both Baltimore and Florida, where they presented the ‘Moorhouse’s Showcase’ to US wholesalers, brewers, discerning drinkers and the media. A five day promotional tour included a visit to the famous Max’s Bar at Fell’s Point, Baltimore and resulted in a boost to sales of the two beers inspired by the legend of the notorious witches that practised their black arts around Pendle Hill, near Burnley, in the 1600s. The export drive comes as Moorhouse’s plans a major investment next year to expand the brewery and increase production capacity for both its five strong portfolio of cask ale and the packaged range, which will be extended with the introduction of Blond Witch- the fastest growing cask brand – in spring 2007. David Grant said: “The opportunity to showcase
our beers to US wholesalers was presented by our agents, Legends of
Baltimore, and was too good an opportunity to miss. The quality and
heritage of our beers captures the imagination of the discerning American
drinkers who enjoy trying different ales. Increasingly in the UK we
are being recognised as having a strong claim to be THE Halloween cask
brewer with five seasonal ales and it is extremely gratifying that
this reputation is rapidly growing for our bottled beers on the other
side of the Atlantic.” Witchcraft
delights Internationally acclaimed cask-ale brewer Moorhouse’s is set for another major sales boom this month as demand for its Halloween ales soars. Five magical
special ales have been produced to help the witching season’s
party goers celebrate throughout the North West and Yorkshire. And in-pub
promotions are also on offer as the Lancashire brewery firmly positions
it self as THE Halloween brewer. Moorhouse’s ‘witches’ will be ‘broom-sticking’ to several selected outlets’ celebrations over the last weekend in October and on the 31st to present pint vouchers to any drinkers’ wearing a badge awarded with the Halloween brews. The carefully crafted special blends, as with Moorhouse’s regular brews, celebrate the legend of the infamous witches that inhabited Pendle Hill, near Burnley, in the 1600s. In 2005 the brews lifted sales by some 35 per cent over the previous year as Moorhouse’s overall production volumes and turnover were already enjoying year-on-year growth as a result of investment at the brewery and in the pub estate. The Halloween brews are: Witchfinder General (4.4%abv) – ‘with the strength to tame the witches’; Witchcraft (4.8%abv) ‘absolutely spellbinding’ premium ale’; Black Witch (4.2%abv) ‘a smooth dark beer’; Witches Cauldron (4.2%abv) ‘rich golden beer… leaving you longing for the next out of the pot’; and Broomstick Bitter (4.0%abv) a ‘teasing, bittersweet temptress’. Moorhouse’s managing director David Grant - in his seasonal capacity
as head white witch- said: “Last year October was truly magical
for us and our brewing coven has once again produced a tempting cauldron
of delights to provide pubs with a unique selling point. “Every year our reputation as THE Halloween brewer grows. The season is now our third busiest time of year - hard on the heels of Christmas and New Year- due to our special brews.” The Halloween ales are brewed in addition to the Burnley brewer’s regular witch themed beers: Black Cat (Camra Champion Beer of Britain 2000); the celebrated premium strength Pendle Witches Brew; and Blond Witch, the newcomer that is now the fastest growing brand. Other core beers are: Pride of Pendle voted ‘Champion Cask-Conditioned Ale’ the after winning a gold medal in the Brewing Industry International Awards 2004 and Premier Bitter, which also scooped a gold in its class.BACK TO TOP ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  When
Bill Parkinson popped into a pub for a pint it transformed the fortunes of a struggling brewer Under a spell For Victor Kiam it was a really close shave. For Bill Parkinson it was a pint of beer that tasted better than anything he’d tried before. Like Kiam, who was famous in the 1970s for buying the Remington shaver firm after such an epiphany, Bill liked the beer so much he bought the company. In some ways you could argue that Bill got the better deal. The company was Moorhouse’s and the year 1985 – and it did not look like being a good one for the brewer. Alan Hutchinson, who had turned the business around by launching the famous Pendle Witches Brew, had died suddenly, and leisure magnate Robert Sangster, who had bought his chain of hotels and nightclubs, didn’t want the brewery that went with it. It looked like the end for the company that began by making mineral water in 1865 and went on to make a success of low-alcohol beer before becoming one of the first of a new wave of full-strength cask ale microbrewers in the late 1970s. But then came an almost supernatural twist of fate – the witches of Pendle Hill that overlooked the brewery in Burnley seemed to take a hand. Bill Parkinson was busy building his international lifting and winching empire - his LGH Group is now the biggest company of its kind in the world - when he took a break in the Lancashire countryside where he was brought up. His friend took him to the pub for a pint and, although Bill was not a cask ale drinker, he tried the local Pendle Witches Brew. “It
was one of those moments,” he recalls. “I
never realised beer could taste
so good.”
He decided to find out more about the brewer
and discovered its future was threatened. So he
simply went up, knocked on the door and
offered to buy it. The deal was done more or
less on the spot. “There
is peer pressure, too. If you order a cask beer you’re seen
as an old fuddy-duddy. “Is
the cask ale drinker dying off? You could have said that in the 1960s
and they’re still
here. It’s bloody difficult, though, and it should
be better. It’s very frustrating. “The question is whether
there are enough discerning drinkers out there.”
Bill understands the commercial and practical
realities that have caused many pubs to drop
cask beer but believes that “the vast majority of
drinkers don’t know the difference between cask
and keg” and has produced a leaflet that
intends to educate them and persuade them of
the superior qualities of cask. A team fielded by the Birches Hotel, Whitworth, Rochdale, emerged victorious at the Moorhouse’s Brewery Golf Day held at the Standish Golf Club. The annual charity event saw 21 teams from Moorhouse’s customers
and suppliers engage in battle and raise £850 for the British Lung
Foundation from a raffle of prizes donated by suppliers to the famous
Burnley brewery. Pictured (L-R) at the presentation to the winning
team are: David Grant, Moorhouse’s managing director, Bill Parkinson, brewery chairman,
with the Birches team – licensee Andrew Wilkinson, Jon Leach junior
and John Leach senior (former licensee at the Birches) with Rod Wilkinson.
World Champion cask-ale brewer Moorhouse’s has unveiled its £1m vision for the future of the famous Lancashire brewery. On a visit of the British Guild of Beer Writers to the Burnley brewer, managing director David Grant laid out the plans that will allow production capacity and employment to double while also see the opening of a visitor centre with bars and cafe and a training ‘centre of excellence’ for publicans and bar staff. He told Guild members that the present brew-house was ‘like a tardis’, coping with the brewing of nearly 300 barrels-a-week - with 14 fermenting vessels - but that the present site had to be expanded to handle future demand. The plans, which will create about 35 new jobs, include extending over two terraced streets that have now been successfully compulsory purchased for development by Burnley Borough Council behind the present site in Moorhouse Street David Grant said: “If the council will allow us this land for our expansion we will be able to keep the brewery in Burnley adjacent to the site founded by William Moorhouse 141 years ago. This is what we really want to do, rather than be forced to move elsewhere. However, we are outgrowing ourselves. The present brew-house is like a tardis and commercial decisions have to be made. “The development would be a terrific feature for the busy southern entrance to the town; it would be a visually impressive and an instant statement to visitors that Burnley boasts a world famous brewery. Our training centre would be an investment in the future of cask beer for the industry. “We are now in negotiation with Burnley
Council and would like to see the development getting the go- ahead
very soon, so we can start work next year. We have earmarked finance
and the funding is in place.” David Grant added: “We have seen a 175 per cent growth over five years in a market that the pundits frequently say is in decline. Moorhouse’s is proof that cask- conditioned beer has a very promising future as discerning consumers demand quality and taste over the fizz offered by international brewers. Moorhouse’s will remain a brewer of hand-crafted real-ale and this major investment we have planned is testimony to that commitment.” Moorhouse’s has won more accolades for is beers that any other
brewer of comparable size. These include Camra’s Supreme Champion
Beer of Britain Award 2000 for Black Cat and the Brewing Industry International
Awards’ ‘Champion Cask-Conditioned Ale’ 2004 title
for Pride of Pendle. Premier Bitter took a gold medal in its class the
same year while premium strength Pendle Witches Brew is also a past BIIA
winner. Blond Witch, the newcomer to the portfolio introduced last year,
is also rapidly gaining a high profile at Camra beer festivals. Achtung - is that the famous cask ale from Lancashire you’re drinking? Fanatical supporter Mark Perry was the envy of many fellow fans at England’s World Cup debut against Paraguay. For Wigan’s Mark and his friend John Burke enjoyed their very own supply of Lancashire brewed cask wheat beer during the first confrontation. Burnley’s world champion brewer Moorhouse’s armed envoy Mark with its tournament special ale ‘FIFA Pitch’ and award winning bottled beers Pendle Witches Brew and Black Cat in support of a North West Fine Foods showcase at Germany’s soccer spectacular. The beers joined several regional delights, including black pudding and Uncle Joe’s Mintballs, loaded into Mark’s camper van (see picture) that were sampled at a Frankfurt ‘sharing’ event celebrating the Germany-Costa Rica opening game. But Mark – who was also taking part in televised penalty shoot knockout with young fans - kept back a polypin of the special brew for the England game.
“We believe it more than matches anything brewed in Germany and Mark was in the enviable position of enjoying it at the heart of the action. Football fans aren’t often portrayed in a positive light but we believe that this initiative shows that enjoying a beer responsibly can go hand in hand with supporting football.” Lauren Coulman
from North West Fine Foods said: “As well as a
first class football team we produce some of the finest food and drink
in the world. Our regional produce is a fantastic export and I think
we’ll come out victorious in the tasting.”
Lancashire’s own world champion, Moorhouse’s Brewery, has rolled out a World Cup special – FIFA Pitch - to help football fans through the pain and pleasure of the soccer spectacular. And the clear wheat beer, weighing in at 4.2%abv, has already been acclaimed as a top striker for tackling those tension packed clashes in Germany. Golden coloured with a creamy head FIFA Pitch has a luscious honey
nose, with a just a hint of hop, and a citrus fruit and honey flavour
with a full dry finish - terrific compensation for those who have to
stay at home. Moorhouse’s spreads its magic Moorhouse’s, Lancashire’s world beating cask-conditioned ale brewer, has won a major deal to supply leading North West pub and hotel operator Mitchell’s of Lancaster. The Burnley based brewer clinched the agreement for Premier Bitter under Mitchell’s ‘preferred supplier’ listing that gives access to its 55 traditional inns and several hotels. Premier Bitter (3.7%) was voted gold medal winner in its class in the Brewing Industry International Awards (BIIA) 2004, dubbed the brewing world’s ‘Oscars’. It replaces Boddingtons Cask in many Mitchell’s outlets.
Announcing the Mitchell’s deal, brewery managing director David Grant, said: “This agreement is a very valuable contribution to our growth and means many more discerning drinkers in the North West will be able to enjoy our beer. And there is a real cultural fit between the two companies. Both are family owned and both have more than 140 years of heritage in Lancashire. “Above all,
both are passionate about quality cask-conditioned ale. What could
be better for both locals and visitors alike than world class Lancashire
beer served in top class traditional Lancashire pubs? Moorhouse’s
directly supplies more than 300 free house pubs in the North West and
Yorkshire while its beers reach outlets further a-field through leading
drinks wholesalers.
Lancashire’s internationally acclaimed brewer Moorhouse’s has rolled out a new range of brewery tours to entice more visitors to ‘the home of the best cask-conditioned ale in the world’. The famous Burnley brewery wants to further raise the profile of its award winning beers as it plans to increase brewing capacity and buy more pubs. A ‘menu’ of new tours is now offered - ranging from the existing popular ‘talk and tour’ with traditional Lancashire pie and peas supper to a full blown night out to include a top quality buffet, karaoke and a Master of Ceremonies at the General Scarlett, the brewery tap in Accrington Road. And a ‘Moorhouse’s Challenge’ has now been created, complete with T-shirt: visitors enjoy a pint of each of the five core beers - the world renowned Premier Bitter and Pride of Pendle brews*; Black Cat, CAMRA’s Supreme Champion 2000; the much celebrated Pendle Witches Brew; and Blond Witch, a newcomer brew that is ‘going down a storm’ with lovers of the pale golden style of ale. Moorhouse’s managing director David Grant said: “As we continue to grow the business year-on year, we want to bang the drum that Burnley boasts a hidden gem of the brewing world. We have just made a major investment in the General Scarlett, complete with state-of-the-art entertainment system, and this will make the tour experience even better than it was. The new four package strong 'menu' of brewery evenings means guests can now tailor their visit to suit various occasions. “We welcome clubs and just ordinary groups of people who are interested in learning more about top quality craft brewing and having a cracking night out at the same time, at a very reasonable cost. We particularly want more people from Burnley to come along and discover directly how world beating beers are brewed here in the town. Although our beers are drunk in pubs throughout the UK and abroad they have been denied to many discerning Burnley drinkers due to the pub company tie. This has prevented them being sold in many of Burnley’s pubs. However, this is now slowly changing and people should demand beer from their local brewer.” The tour packages on offer are: Moorhouse's signals commitment with pub investment Burnley’s world beating Moorhouse’s Brewery has unveiled the new look General Scarlett – the brewery tap – following an £80,000 make-over. The refurbishment is part of a rolling investment in the famous brewer’s pub estate and underpins Moorhouse’s commitment to the Accrington Road area, where the business was founded by William Moorhouse in 1865. Last year the company revealed a major £750,000 brewery development plan - subject to the green light from Burnley’s planning authority. Work on the General Scarlett has seen the interior completely renewed with extensive renovations to the bar area, a new central heating system and revamped toilets together along with new furnishings and state-of-the-art entertainment systems. Landlady Lynn Murton will continue as licensee. Following
the official reopening by the Mayor of Burnley, Coun.Roger Frost (MBE),
Moorhouse’s managing director David Grant said: “Investment
in our pub estate, together with buying new pubs, is an essential part
of our development plans to further secure sales of our champion beers. “But the General Scarlett, which neighbours the brewery, was bought by our chairman Bill Parkinson as a private property to create Moorhouse’s first pub. Consequently it has a special place in our hearts. “As a result of this refurbishment it will be a more comfortable and user friendly pub, yet also retain its character as a community hostelry and a great showcase for our world-class beers. The investment also demonstrates, in no uncertain terms, that we are committed to the Accrington Road area of Burnley. “We have big plans to develop the brewery and expand production and see it playing a major part in the development of the town. Already, every year, we have hundreds of people enjoying our brewery tours and we want to welcome many more to the home of the brewer that produces world beating cask-conditioned beers. Moorhouse’s has won more awards for its beers than any other brewer
of comparable size. Its Pride of Pendle brew was effectively voted best
cask beer in the world when it took the ‘Champion Cask-Conditioned
Ale’ accolade at the brewing ‘Oscars’ – the Brewing
Industry International Awards (BIIA) 2004 (B – while Black Cat
was voted CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) Supreme Champion Beer of Britain
2000. The celebrated Pendle Witches Brew consistently wins awards at
beer festivals throughout the country while Premier Bitter also won a
gold medal at the BIIA 2004. Moorhouse's 'Meet the Brewer'
success at Fisherman's Retreat The launch evening raised more than £2,300 when Burnley celebrity
Julia, the Street’s Claire Peacock, attended to draw raffle prizes
for a village charity set up to support local man Jonathan ‘Jonny’
Brennan. Jonny - 22 year-old son of Burnley Claret’s legendary defender
Ian Brennan - was left paralysed following serious injury in a road accident
earlier this year. ‘Blond
Witch’ ale casts another Moorhouse's spell Moorhouse's starts 140th year Moorhouse’s
proclaimed World Champion
at Brewing Industry |
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The Burnley brewer’s Premier Bitter
(3.7%abv) took gold in its class for standard bitters at the SIBA
(Society of Independent Brewers) North Annual Conference Awards,
where 100 beers battled it out across seven ale categories at the
Scarisbrick Hotel, Southport. 
WITH
SANTA’S
PISTE
A
4.5% abv beer brewed with fuggles hops, Blond Witch cask was first
introduced to meet the growing demand for pale bitters. It now joins
the Moorhouse’s
award winning bottled beer portfolio - the celebrated Pendle Witches
Brew and famous Black Cat that are available through selected
supermarkets and drinks retailers. 
Cask
ale champion Moorhouse’s has rolled out its yuletide brew,
Santa’s Piste (4.5% abv) ‘a full and fruity ale to match
the festivities’. And to meet demand this year Lancashire’s
internationally acclaimed brewer has stepped up production.
Moorhouse’s has won more accolades for its beers than any other
brewer of comparable size, while Mitchell’s counts award winning
pubs among its estate in north Lancashire and Cumbria .* The agreement
is one of several new business boosts for Moorhouse’s in recent
months as it continues to grow production towards its target of 500 barrels
a week. They include listing with S&NUK’s Cellerman’s
Reserve and with other major pub companies gained through SIBA’s
(Society of Independent Brewers) direct supply system. 
World
beating brewer Moorhouse’s has rolled out another classic cask ale
to add to its championship portfolio with the launch of Blond Witch –
‘as light coloured as a lager but without the bubbles’.
