A new vegan brewery is so environmentally aware it doesn’t even have a home.
Plymouth’s Anchor House Brewery is known as a “cuckoo” or “gypsy” brewery because it doesn’t have a permanent base and borrows other brewers’ premises and kit.
It has been brewing up its debut IPAs in premises owned by Launceston’s Firebrand Brewing and Crediton’s Utopian Brewing.
“There is no point opening another brewery if you have spare capacity,” said Anchor House founder Tom Jackson. “So it’s utilising dead space. People are more aware of their impact on the environment.”
Anchor House my be new and itinerant – but it has big plans.
Its first 4.7% IPA (India pale ale) has been a hit and Mr Jackson now wants to pen a brewbar, to be called Anchor Taphouse, on Plymouth’s historic Barbican waterfront.
SUPPORT ANCHOR HOUSE BREWERY BY BACKING ITS CROWDFUNDER CAMPAIGN
The dream is to sell craft and cask ales and even cocktails, in a combined bar and community space.
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But first Mr Jackson is about to launch a 6% New England pale ale, using US and 海角视频 hops and just in time for Plymouth’s Mayflower 400 commemoration of the sailing to America in 1620.
The 26-year-old is also working on an 8% stout and to kick-start the business he’s to raise £2,500.
The brewery also plans to launch an alcohol-free Golden Ale with 5p from the sale of every drink going to support homelessness charities working across Devon.
It’s another philanthropic gesture from a business which cuckoo brews to help slash its carbon footprint and only makes vegan beer to minimalise its impact on the animal kingdom.
Mr Jackson said: “We do not expect to raise all funds through crowdfunding, however your help is gratefully received and will help us to join and boost Plymouth growing beer scene.”
The young entrepreneur started Anchor House Brewery in December 2018, running the business himself with support from friends and family.
It started trading in June 2019 and made a splash at the inaugural We Try Events Ltd Beer Festival, at Devonport Guildhall, in September.
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As the micro-brewery sector continues to grow, so do the number of companies producing craft and real ales, lagers, ciders and now gins and rums.
At the Plymouth event, seven established and new breweries were showcased including Exeter’s Two Drifters Brewery and Distillery, run by a husband-and-wife business team and thought to be the first carbon negative brewery in the 海角视频.
Also featured were Driftwood Spars Brewery, Hunter’s Brewery, Utopian Brewery, craft cider maker Ridge and Furrow, and the famous Dartmoor Brewery.
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Mr Jackson said he decided to start his own brewing venture after having been a hobby brewer for several years, and having worked for “alcohol brands”.
“I saw how successful it was,” he said. “So I thought of doing my own. We’ve already had a great response to our first pale ale.
“And you know what they say: do what you love and you never work a day in your life. I love home brewing and now want to make it commercial.”
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He pumped out a limited edition batch of his inaugural IPA, 700 cases of 12 bottles a case, and 10 kegs of 30 litres each.
Mr Jackson plans to produce greater quantities of his New England beer, and is looking to sell in cans too.
“Cans are better for the environment,” he said. “That’s a focus for us, it’s all about sustainability.”
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Mr Jackson said Anchor House’s beer is simply a combination of hops, malt, yeast and water. It takes two weeks to brew, then a day in the brewhouse and another two weeks of fermentation.
The beer is then ready to sell, and can be found in Plymouth’s Vessel Beer Shop, the city's Bread and Roses pub, Barbican Botanics Gin, and the Fig Tree @ 36 at Stonehouse.
Anyone that pledges more than £50 to the Anchor House Brewery Crowdfunder will receive a family card valid at the Anchor Taphouse - for life.
This will mean cardholders receive a first invite to all events and new beer releases at the forthcoming venue and 5% off in the online shop.
YOU CAN BACK ANCHOR HOUSE BREWERY'S CROWDFUNDER CAMPAIGN