A Suffolk brewery has launched a new bottling line to keep up with soaring demand for its alcohol-free beers.

East Anglian Daily Times: St Peter's Brewery's Without beer range Picture: ST PETER'S BREWERYSt Peter's Brewery's Without beer range Picture: ST PETER'S BREWERY (Image: Archant)

Since St Peter’s Brewery, based at St Peter South Elmham, near Bungay, launched its Without zero alcohol craft beer two years ago, the business has enjoyed a huge sales boost which has brought it back into profit.

It has now cut the ribbon on a new state-of-the-art bottling line, funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development. Its opening also coincides with the purchase of further land to expand the brewery, to enable it to quadruple production. Its opening also coincides with the purchase of further land to expand the brewery.

Its Without range accounts for about 10% of the niche market, the firm says.

“We knew when we were developing it that the British drinks market was in dire need of a decent, flavoursome and full-bodied zero alcohol beer, but we never expected take up or demand to be so high. It is literally flying off the shelf,” said boss Steve Magnall. “Without has, quite simply, turned the brewery around and taken us into profit in less than two years. With the new bottling line now up and running, capacity at the brewery can grow from 4m bottles a year to 16m to meet the growing demand for the product.”