Local Brewers (in Suffolk)

[last updated Feb 2008]

Find out about current Suffolk Brewers as listed below...

Adnams Green Dragon Oulton Ales
Bartrams Greene King Old Cannon
Brandon Green Jack Old Chimneys
Cox & Holbrook Kings Head St Judes
Earl Soham Mauldons St Peters

other recent Suffolk brewers

Blue Boar (Oulton)
(closed 1998)

Lidstones
(moved to Yorkshire in 2003 - now called Wensleydale)
Bury Street
(closed in 2003)
Nethergate
(moved to Essex in Dec 2004)

Collingwood
(closed in 2006)

Scotts
(closed in 1999)
Forbes (Oulton)
(closed 1992)
Tolly Cobbold
(closed in 2002)

 


Adnams

brewery web site

Sole Bay Brewery, East Green, Southwold, Suffolk IP18 6JW - Tel: 01502 727200

(since 1857)
Well known seaside brewery which has about 80 pubs and two hotels plus a huge presence in Free Trade all over UK. Brewery has expanded in 2004 to 2006 offering a new maximum capacity of about 90,000 barrels per year.

BEERS AVAILABLE (beermad)
     
 
Bartrams Bartrams Brewery, Rougham Estate
Ipswich Rd, Rougham
Bury St Edmunds, IP30 9LZ
(since 1999)
Founded by Marc Bartram in Thurston but now located in a former parachute packing shed on Rougham, airfield.

BEERS AVAILABLE (beermad)
 
   
Brandon The Brandon Brewery
76 High Street, Brandon, IP27 0AU
(2005) Set in the former dairy of a 15th century cottage, visitors are usualy most welcome to sample some of the beers brewed by owner, Dennis Copper and also visit his off-sales shop where all the current beers are also usually available bottle conditioned.
     
  BEERS BREWED (Beermad)  
     
     
     
 
Bury St
Stag PH, Bury St, Stowmarket, Suffolk
(from Nov 2001 until July 2003) Brewery founded by Pat Murphy to rear of a FREE HOUSE, located just off town centre. Brewing was a bit experimental but beer produced was very good.
Brewery closed upon sale of pub to Punch Tavens in July 2003 and all equipment has since been removed.

BEERS ONCE BREWED (beermad)
   
   
   
Collingwood Withersfield Hall, Nr Haverhill, Suffolk
(Since 2004) Paul Collingwood was a home brewer for 27 years and brewing commercially for a couple of years. Brewing tanks were bought from the Queens Head pub in Hawkedon who had intended to start their own micro brewery but had not got it going.
     

BEERS ONCE BREWED (beermad)
     
     
 
Kings Head
132 High St, Bildeston, Suffolk (behind Kings Head PH) IP7 7ED - Tel 01449 741719
e-mail enquiries@bildestonkingshead.co.uk

(since 1996 )

Brewery built by Kevin Harrison (long time landlord of pub) together with Ian Softley and Len Cleghorn (first brewer) and was originally called Brettvale. Brewery was refurbished in 2001 - current brewer is Jane Tester.

BEERS AVAILABLE (beermad)
 
Old Cannon Old Cannon Brewery, Bury St Eds
Telephone 0467 685950
(since 1999)

Brewery founded by Richard Eaton-Jones upon re-opening of this town centre pub. Richard also founded St Peters brewery. He is no longer involved with brewery.

Pub closed on Monday lunchtimes so beers can be brewed in main bar area.

BEERS AVAILABLE (beermad)
 
Cox and Holbrook
Cox & Holbrook, Manor Farm
Brettenham Road, Buxhall
Stowmarket, IP14 3DY
(since 1997) David Cox completed a move to Buxhall (from Great Finborough) and after several final small hitches was able to re-start commercial brewing in early September 2003 after an 18 month break.

BEERS AVAILABLE (beermad)
   
 
Earl Soham Earl Soham Brewery Earl Soham WOODBRIDGE Suffolk IP13 7RT
e-mail: www@earlsohambrewery.co.uk
(since 1985) Brewery founded by John Bjornson behind Victoria PH in village. In 2001 the brewery moved to new premises in a former commercial garage - just across and about 100m along main road through village (A1120) next to village shop.

BEERS AVAILABLE (beermad)
     
 
Green Dragon Green Dragon PH, 29 Broad St, Bungay, Suffolk NR35 1EE - Tel 01986 892681
(since 1991) Small brew-pub founded by two brothers - Will and Rob Pickard. Brewery expanded in 1996 and Rob became sole owner at end of 2001. Always worth a visit - beers not often found elsewhere.

BEERS AVAILABLE (beermad)
 
 
Greene King

Westgate Brewery, Westgate St, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk IP33 1QT - Tel 01284 763222
[web site for pubs division]

(since 1799) Huge brewery dominating south side of the popular market town. Capacity significantly increased to about 500,000 Hec. Litres in early 2000 upon acquisition of Morland and Ruddles brands. Currently own about 2100 pubs and have expanded across southern England in recent years. Also opened a shop and museum adjacent to brewery in summer 2001.

BEERS AVAILABLE (beermad)
 
 
Green Jack Triangle Tavern, 29 St Peters St, Lowestoft, Suffolk - 01502 582711
(since 1992) Brewery was originally based in Oulton Broad and was set-up in the former Forbes brewery by Tim Dunford and Dave Burd. Dave left company soon after. Now housed in a new purpose built room behind the Triangle Tavern in Lowestoft after Tim agreed a split from other brewing partners. Move to the Triangle Tavern was competed in Nov 2003.

BEERS AVAILABLE (beermad)
   
 
Oulton Ales Oulton Broad Brewery, Harbour Road Ind. Estate, Oulton Broad, Suffolk NR32 3LR - Tel 01502 587905
(since 2002) Was called Green Jack till early 2002 but name changed after split agreed with Tim Dunford. Still located on same brewery site - where Forbes were also based (from 1988-1992). Current owners are Wayne Moore and his wife, Rosmary. Head brewer, Sam Senior has been relaunching their full beer range with new names during summer 2002.

BEERS AVAILABLE (beermad)
 
 
Lidstone's
moved to Kings Head, North Yorkshire Dec 2003
(since 1998) After brewing in a garden shed for five years, Peter Fairhall moved from Wickhambrook in West Suffolk to buildings behind the Kings Arms in Redmire near Dent in North Yorkshire. During his time in Suffolk, Peter brewed some wonderful ales and certainly deserved the opportunity to expand his business - it's just a shame he had to move so far away! We will still have opportunities to sample Peters future brews though. His sister, who now owns the Kingston Arms in Cambridge outright (as Peter has sold his share to her recently) will still stock the beers, and some other micros in East Anglia also plan to do beer swaps with him, once the move is completed. New brewery is now called Wensleydale.

 
   
 
 
Mauldons Mauldon's Ltd, 13 Churchfield Road
Sudbury CO10 2YA
Tel : 01787 311055
e-mail - sims@mauldons.co.uk
(since 1982) Brewery founded by Peter Mauldon (former Watney brewer) whose family brewed in Sudbury area for generations. Business was sold to Steve and Alison Sims in 2000 upon Peter's retirement. Brewery then moved to current premises in October 2004 (were formerly at 7 Addison Road, Sudbury)

BEERS AVAILABLE (beermad)
   
 
Nethergate Nethergate Brewery Co. Ltd
Street Brewery & Wine Cellars
Pentlow Street Farm, Pentlow
Sudbury CO10 7JJ
01787 283220
(since 1986) Brewery founded by Ian Hornsey and Dick Burges. Ian retired through ill-health in 1999 and took to beer writing. Brewery now run by Tom Knox and Dean Allen with Roger Clark as Sales Director. Brewery moving to Pentlo in ESSEX in late 2004.

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Old Chimneys Old Chimney's Brewery, The Street, Market Weston, Suffolk near Diss IP22 2NZ - Tel 01359 221411
(since 1995) Brewery founded by Alan Thomson (Greene King brewer for 17 years) who wanted to establish his own craft brewery. Recently moved to farm buildings on outskirts of village after originally being based in his garden shed. Opened a beer shop ajacent to new brewery room in Oct 2002

BEERS AVAILABLE (beermad)

 
Scotts
stopped brewing in July 1999
(since 1988) Was situated in buildings to rear of Crown Hotel on site of former 18th century William French brewery. Was owned by Scott's Inns and run by Andrew Scott.

BEERS ONCE BREWED (beermad)
 
St Jude's

St. Judes Brewery
2 Cardigan Street, Ipswich, IP1 3PF
01473 413334

(since Sept 2006) Brewery was set-up in an old coach house using a 7 barrel plant by Frank Walsh, a Campaign for Real Ale (Camra) member and science graduate Colleen Seymour. From the outset they have been very keen to sell beers on draft, establish a bottle beer range and also sell direct from the brewery door.

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St Peter's St Peter's Brewery, St Peter's Hall, St Peter South Elmham near Bungay, Suffolk NR35 1NQ - Tel 01986 782322
(since 1996) Brewery founded by Richard Eyton-Jones as part of a speculative venture by city entrepreneur - John Murphy. Originally five pubs; currently 2 with tap only open at week-ends. Magnificent setting for brewery in old victorian out-buildings behind a 13th-15th century moated farmhouse set in open countryside.

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Tolly Cobbold
Cliff Brewery currently remains derelict (2007)
[also see brewery history]
(since 1723)

Cobbolds was originally founded in Harwich in 1723. The family moved the brewery to Ipswich in 1746. Subsequently merged with Tollymache in 1959. Taken over by Ellerman Lines in 1978 and Barclay Bros in 1983. Closed by Brent Walker in 1989 - reopened by management buy-out in 1990. Finally closed after merger with Ridleys (Essex) in Sept 2002. Ridleys then sold out to Greene King in 2005.

BEERS ONCE BREWED (beermad)