CAMRA member sets up brewery
A former public sector worker has followed his dream of setting up his own microbrewery - Two Roses Brewery in Barnsley, South Yorkshire.
James Taylor has used his redundancy pay and life savings to launch the new eight-barrel brewery and plans to have the first batches of hand-crafted cask and bottled beers ready by mid-April.
These include a stout called Black Beauty, a fruity golden beer, Barnsley Ale, and a traditional bitter called First Edition. There are also plans for a special edition, called Roy-ale Wedding, to mark the royal wedding.
As well as supplying pubs and festivals, Taylor plans to sell through farm shops and restaurants, and will also be offering 72-pint casks for private parties.
From May, parties of 15 or more will be able to book a brewery tour, including tasting in the sampling room, and there are plans for an on-site shop in the future.
"I've been passionate about real ale for 30 years and a member of the Campaign for Real Ale," said Taylor. "For the last 10 years, I've brewed on a small scale at home. I see the process as a mixture of science and art.
"Starting a business is challenging. The coaching I've had through Enterprising Barnsley, especially around website development, has been very useful."
