Beer

Hogs Back Brewery expansion will boost beer output

By Nicholas Robinson

- Last updated on GMT

Extension: Hogs Back grows its brewery
Extension: Hogs Back grows its brewery

Related tags Beer

Hogs Back Brewery is set to pump almost half a million into a major expansion of its brewery that will increase production.

The Tongham, Surrey, based brewery will spend £400,000 on three new fermenting and maturation vessels, as well as one 80-barrel and two 120-barrel dual purpose vessels.

Hogs Back in facts:

  • Founded in 1992
  • Flagship brand: TEA (Traditional English Ale)
  • TEA is the third biggest craft beer in volume growth
  • Hogs Back has a 3.5-acre plot of hops
  • The hop garden will provide 25% of the brewer’s hops

Infrastructure for two more 120-barrel vessels and a new boiler and chilling system for the whole brewery will also be included in the investment.

Three new hop stores and a racking building with a keg racker and sterile filtration equipment will also be installed.

Second warehouse

A second warehouse will be built next to an existing listed barn and a new visitors' centre is set to be created.

The new fermenters will be used to brew and mature Hogstar English Craft Lager, in a bid to keep up with growing demand, the brewery said.

Capacity to brew the new craft keg beer London’s Outback will also be created.

Hogs Back Brewery Expansion 2
New heights: one of the new fermentation and maturation vessels is lowered into the Hogs Back Brewery

Owner of the brewery, Rupert Thompson, said: “Our biggest challenge is adding capacity on our existing small site. There were one or two sharp intakes of breath as the new vessels were moved into place, but our location in Tongham is an integral part of our identity."

‘Expand existing site’

He added: “This is where we grow our hops and brew our beer, and it’s well worth the time and investment needed to expand on our existing site in order to retain our place at the heart of the local Surrey community.”

The successful launch of London’s Outback, continued Thompson, created the need for increased kegging capacity.

Earlier this year, the brewery launched its Hogstar lager in 330ml cans​, in a bid to capitalise on growing consumer demand for bottle alternatives.

The 4.5% ABV beer is a filtered and unpasteurised lager that is brewed with five different hops and selected herb extracts.

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