Reet Ale Pubs takes over Blue Bee Brewery

The operator, which runs the Rutland Arms; the Closed Shop and the Three Tuns in the city, bought out the three founders of the brewery.

Blue Bee currently makes a core range of four beers - Nectar Pale, Bees Knees Bitter, Lustin’ for Stout and Tangled Up IPA - as well as regular special and seasonal beers. Lustin’ for Stout will mark Blue Bee’s debut at CAMRA’s Great British Beer Festival next week.

Andrew Stephens remains as a director and will take over day-to-day management alongside the team headed up by Josh Jepson and Joe Berry.  New casks and equipment have been ordered and Blue Bee are currently recruiting for a new brewery assistant.

Stephens said his aim was to get Blue Bee beers into more pubs and expand beyond its Yorkshire heartland.

He said: "Buying Blue Bee is an exciting new chapter for Reet Ale Pubs, while we are actively seeking further pubs, this allows us to really drive our real ale offering. Nectar Pale is the best selling beer in all three of our pubs, which have 22 cask ales on sale between them, but the ability to increase the size and quality of our offering through this is very exciting. 

“Blue Bee is a dynamic young company and has a really enthusiastic, passionate team, which fits well with our ethos of allowing people to pursue their passions and grow with the business."