An award-winning independent brewery in Bath has announced it has new ownership.
Electric Bear Brewing Company, based on Brassmill Lane, has been acquired by local couple David and Mary Horner for an undisclosed sum.
Formed by a group of homebrewers in 2015, Electric Bear supplies kegs, casks and cans to pubs, restaurants, bars, bottle shops, retailers such as M&S and via its online shop and taproom within the brewery.
Mr Horner, who is managing director of another Bath business Chelverton Asset Management, said when he discovered Electric Bear was seeking a new buyer just before Christmas he 鈥渏umped at the opportunity鈥.
Mr Horner said: 鈥淚鈥檝e always wanted to own a brewery and have missed out on a number of occasions over the years, so when I heard that Bath鈥檚 only craft brewery, right here on my doorstep, was available, it was too good an opportunity to miss.
鈥淓lectric Bear is hugely popular amongst locals, who have queued round the block for the weekly taproom sessions and love the fun, eye-catching can designs.
鈥淭he brewery has so much untapped potential and an excellent brewing team, so we are very much looking forward to further developing the brand over the next few years.鈥
Electric Bear takes its name from the old Bear Brewery that used to stand on the corner of the Wellsway, next to the Bear Inn in the Bear Flat area of Bath, before it was destroyed by bombing during the Second World War.
The 鈥楨lectric鈥 part of the company's name derives from the means of power for its brewhouse kettle, or copper, which is used to boil a sweet, malty liquid called wort during the brewing process.
During the second national lockdown the business saw its online sales surge by more than 400%, which resulted in it winning a Feefo Gold Trusted Service award for brewing and distributing 120,000 cans.
Electric Bear鈥檚 new owners have begun an investment programme which will see expansion of the company鈥檚 sales team, development of sustainability objectives and new brewing equipment, as part of plans to make the business 鈥渙ne of the best-known craft breweries in the region.鈥
Mr Horner said: 鈥淲e have lots of exciting plans in the pipeline and would like to invite the owners of local pubs, restaurants, bars, off licences, farm shops and, of course local beer-lovers, to visit us at the brewery and discover our fantastic range of delicious beers鈥.
Electric Bear previously collaborated with fellow Bath-based business Mokoko Coffee on a chocolate, caramel and coffee flavoured stout.
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