Discovering Bristol’s Beer Culture and the Rise of Bristol Beer Factory
Rediscovering Bristol’s Harbourside Charm
Sipping a pint of beer the other day, the thought struck me that we humans are an odd lot. Many of us will have often made the same observation, but on this occasion it was inspired by both the beer and the lively and interesting view out of the bar’s window. Here I was in the heart of Bristol - a city I know well, but haven’t visited for years - and I was struck by how odd it is that we humans we often tend to ignore the good things around us. For example, various London friends tell me that they rarely go to the West End, despite the fact that it was one of the reasons they moved to the capital city in the first place.
I am like that when it comes to this region’s handful of cities. I used to be a regular visitor to Bristol back in the days when arts venues like the Arnolfini and the Watershed were first opening, but haven’t been back in yonks.
Bristol waterfront in autumn sunshine
So, sipping this pint of excellent beer while looking out of the large windows of a very pleasant and trendy waterside bar, I was overcome by feelings of regret. It was a beautiful sunny day last week and Bristol’s old harbour area was looking attractive, glitzy and fascinating. I should definitely visit more often.
Bristol Brewery Tours: A Visit to the Bristol Beer Factory
Even the pub itself was intriguing, as was the pint of ale I keep mentioning. The dockside watering hole happened to be run by the same brewery that had made the beer - a brewery that, in my ignorance, I had not really come across before… A brewery which now happens to be one of the largest and most dynamic in all of South West England.
I really do need to get out more - is what I ended up thinking…
And without further ado, I did just that. I left the excellent Junction bar, down on busy Wapping Wharf, and walked a mile or so west to meet the team at the Bristol Beer Factory - a business which, in its own way, has been witness to the city’s more recent development and evolution. Back when I was haunting Bristol’s start-up galleries, art cinemas and student bars 40 years ago, the regional capital still had one foot in the grime of the Industrial Revolution - now it is widely considered one of the UK’s most desirable cities.
Why Bristol Is One of the UK’s Best Places to Live
And that, apparently, is thanks to the high quality of life in general, the vibrant cultural scene, and the many green and watery spaces you’ll find somewhere within sight of that famous suspension bridge. Bristol consistently ranks high in those perennial “best city in which to live” lists - it has been named Britain’s only “European Green Capital” - and it was also recognised as the country’s “happiest city” in 2024.
Now, obviously none of this can be down to a single brewery no matter how good the pints it produces - but it does seem that the rise and rise of the Bristol Beer Factory reflects, to some extent, the upturn in the city’s fortunes.
The Story of Bristol Beer Factory: From Milk Stout to Modern Success
To find out more, I sat down in the Bristol Beer Factory’s HQ with managing director Sam Burrows and e-commerce and marketing manager Kezia Williams, who were able to provide an outline of the brewery’s 21-year journey. The story begins with its founding in 2004 and continues through two decades to the leading, modern, and socially-conscious brewery we see today.
Sam Burrows, MD of Bristol Beer Factory
Craft Beer Heritage and Innovation
The story includes early recognition, which came in 2006 after the award-winning resurrection of famous Milk Stout recipe. After that, BBF established itself as Bristol’s first modern craft brewery, introducing popular, hoppy pale-ales like Independence and Southville Hop around 2010.
Sam credits part of its success to strategic investment during the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in a full rebrand, the introduction of lagers, and the phenomenal growth of its alcohol-free Clear Head, now its second best-selling beer. And Clear Head, by the way, is a key part of their partnership with Talk Club, a men’s mental fitness charity, demonstrating a commitment to community health and social impact.
Brewing in Bristol’s BS3 Heartland
Due to the company’s massive growth (now employing over 110 people across the brewery and six pubs) and also because of the physical constraints of the old brewery buildings, the Bristol Beer Factory recently moved its production to a modern new facility just down the road, choosing a location that keeps its BS3 heritage.
Bristol Beer Factory, new brewery
If you don’t know the city, perhaps it’s worth noting that BS3 plays host to the Ashton Gate stadium and Bristol City Football Club. The area south of the Cumberland Basin is just about as Bristol as Bristol can get.
Heritage, Community and Craft Beer Identity
“George Ferguson, a local architect and one of our founders, was really keen to keep all this heritage going, which is one reason he bought up the old brewery buildings here, as well as a nearby tobacco factory,” Sam told me. “They’d been brewing on this site since the 1830s - it stopped in the 1930s, then started again in 2004 when Bristol Beer Factory was formed. Early on, they found an original recipe for the milk stout that was brewed here - and it went on to win a major Campaign For Real Ale Award.
“After that we became the first Bristol brewery on the craft brewing scene. Our USP has always been having a huge variety of different beers and specials.”
Across their can, keg, and cask ranges, they produce around 35 to 40 different different beers or products a year. They also focus on new releases around seasonality and time-of-year. And alcohol content is also important - BBF concentrate on brewing beers with a “drinkable ABV,” generally between just 3.8% and a little higher, which is much more amenable to pub customers.
Clear Head and the Alcohol-Free Craft Beer Movement
“The fact that Clear Head sells so well indicates its quality and taste,” said Kezia. “We have successfully overcome some of the negative perceptions alcohol-free beers have had in the past. The recipe was perfected by Head Brewer, Tristan Hembrow, during the COVID-19 lockdown, and demonstrates the commitment we had to investment and innovation during a difficult time.”
Head Brewer, Tristan Hembrow
Bristol Beer Factory: Community, Charity and Brewed to Give
As a food and drink writer, I’ve been to literally scores of breweries down the years, but if I’m honest I can’t remember ever visiting an outfit like the Bristol Beer Factory before. The entire operation seems so switched-on, for lack of a better phrase. The people I met who work there really do appear to share an enthusiasm - it’s as though they’re working for a sports team, rather than just another business.
Perhaps one way of trying to explain this sense of togetherness which extends almost to evangelism, is to mention the company’s charitable work. In the last two years BBF has raised a staggering £625,000 for community groups across the city through its Brewed to Give initiative. Launched in 2023, the initiative pledges two percent from every brewery sale to local charities and causes.
BBF’s new brewery
It is about more than just signing a cheque. “We donate cost-price beer, bar equipment, event space and hands-on support, helping groups raise funds for themselves, from street festivals to school raffles,” Sam explained. “In doing so, Brewed to Give flips beer into real cash, maximising the impact of its support and meaning that one hundred percent of the funds raised are kept by the community, for the community.
“Every keg, cask or can leaving our yard gives something back to the city. “Brewed to Give is about connection, fairness and doing our bit for Bristol. We’re not just brewing beer, we’re helping brew a fairer city, and every pint counts.”
You could say that the ales and lagers coming out of the new brewery close to the Ashton Gate stadium really do manage to reach parts other beers fail to connect with. I certainly enjoyed meeting the team, I enjoyed my brewery tour (which is something readers can do if they visit https://www.bristolbeerfactory.co.uk) and my lunch at one of the BBF venues, as well as the box of different beers, stouts and ales that I took home.
And, as it happens, I thoroughly enjoyed my recent visit to central Bristol. I really should embrace our inner cities more often.
Wapping Wharf, Bristol
SIDEBAR: Thumbs Up For Low Alcohol and a Clear Head
On a tour of BBF’s impressive new brewery, head brewer Tristan Hembrow told me they use lactose in the recipe for Clear Head to give it a better mouthfeel, so it doesn’t “feel like water” which is a common complaint with alcohol-free alternatives. I’m happy to vouch that it is a very good option.
Being an old fashioned imbiber of beer, I’ve not really taken to alcohol-free (or low-alcohol) options down the years, but I would be more than happy to have a pint or two of Clear Head. It is sold straight out the tap, just like any real-ale in a pub, so you can happily quaff pints and not feel left out when your mates are enjoying what some of us old dinosaurs would call “the real thing”.
Tasting notes say: “With big hitting US hops Citra and Mosaic, this beer has plenty of punch as well as a subtle smooth creamy sweetness. Sharp citrus, apple and stone fruits shine through, finishing with a crisp dryness on your palette. Pairing well with everything, this beer will see you through all the seasons without the need for alcohol.”
I also enjoyed BBF’s new Gravity Pils Lager (4.1% abv). “A pure, unfiltered pilsner with classic Czech character. Noble hops deliver fresh, crisp energy with a clean, refreshing finish.”
