A Suffolk pub which was saved from closure less than a year ago has now produced its first batch of ale – and hopes to recruit more master-brewers for future tipples.
The Oyster Inn’s “Brewhouse” microbrewery in Butley, near Woodbridge, has produced casks of “Butley Best Bitter”, which are only on sale at the pub.
Judi Newman, who bought the pub with husband Andrew in 2016, is hoping the new ale will support the “Tryanuary” campaign, which encourages beer fans to support independent breweries and pubs during what can be a challenging month for the industry.
“As we are now serving our first brew from our new microbrewery, I was really pleased to see the Tryanuary campaign to encourage people to try new and different real ale and craft beer during January,” she said.
“It is part of a national campaign to support local pubs and microbreweries and there are lots of people travelling all over the country to find new ale to try.
“The campaign has been in touch, and are going to head this way soon to try Suffolk’s latest brew.”
The first brew is a traditional 4% bitter, with a logo of daffodils to match Butley’s famous spring displays which attract flocks of visitors to the village each year.
The Butley Brewhouse has a four barrel installation which can produce 18 x 9 gallon kegs at a time. The first brew was done by Rob Butcher and Nigel Bantoft, who used to be the head brewer at Tolly Cobbold before he retired.
“There are so many people who are passionate about real ale,” Mrs Newman said,
“We have been approached by some amazing enthusiasts who would like to get involved or offer their advice and help build this into a very special new local ale in Suffolk Coastal.”
Mrs Newman and her husband reopened the pub in March last year after an extensive refurbishment, during which contractors uncovered evidence of an old brewery on the site, which the couple said at the time they were keen to revive once reopened.
They said the plan was to resurrect the 18th Century inn as a traditional village pub, just as the community wanted.
Since then, the pub has revived the old folk nights that the pub was once famed for, created “Suffolk’s smallest cinema”, and been awarded a grant to open a village shop in its barns.
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