Sharp's Brewery
Sharp's Brewery is a British regional brewery company founded in 1994 in St Minver Lowlands, Rock, Cornwall, by Bill Sharp. The brewery is best known for its flagship ale, Doom Bar.
In 2008 the company was nominated for the Green Business of the Year category for the Fast Growth Business Awards.[2]
History
The Brewery has been through three distinct phases - from a small micro brewery, to a larger facility within the same building and finally to the current phase that has seen the Brewery extend its premises to accommodate more vessels and increase its brewing capacity.
Sharp's considers itself a modern brewer, with a focus on producing high quality cask ale whilst incorporating all the best practices from Britain's rich brewing heritage. They avoid using artificial additives, and unlike many breweries do not own or operate any public houses, hotels or restaurants. Their focus is solely on brewing and supplying beer to outlets across England.
On 2nd February 2011 the brewery was bought by Molson Coors Brewing Company for £20 million.[1]
Beers
Sharp's produce regular cask ales, seasonal ales, and pasteurised bottled beers.
Ale
- Doom Bar Bitter, (4.0% abv) The brewery's flagship bitter, accounts for nearly 90% of sales. Doom Bar Bitter is named after a sandbank at the mouth of the Camel Estuary in North Cornwall. The Doom Bar is at its most dangerous between low and high tides when it is submerged by just a few feet. Unsuspecting mariners can easily become stranded or in extreme weather, shipwrecked. Doom Bar has achieved an international cult status, is considered one of the fastest growing beer brands in the UK and according to Sharp's is the best selling locally produced beer in the entire South West region.[3] It can now be found across the UK and as far afield as Italy, Sweden, and Japan.
- Special (5.0% abv) has been continually popular since its launch in 1996, achieving an almost cult status in some parts of the country. Special was named 'Beer of the Festival' at Chelmsford.
- Cornish Coaster (3.6% abv) The Coaster, a type of fishing vessel, was used extensively by Cornish fishermen in the last century. Cornish Coaster pays tribute to all those down the centuries who have bravely plied their trade around Cornwall's rugged coastline. Coaster is made from an all malt grist, English hops and a classic open fermentation.
- Sharp's Own (4.4% abv) (occasionally known as Sharp's Original) was the first beer ever brewed commercially at Sharp's Brewery, gyle no. 00001 in July 1994. Own contains the highest percentage of roasted malted barley of all our beers and as a result is Sharp's darkest brew. The use of special malts gives Own a distinctive rich brown colour.. Simpson’s Crystal and Roasted malts are used to give caramel and roast notes to the beer.
- Atlantic IPA (4.9% abv) A dry beer that is higher in alcohol as is typical of IPAs. This beer is only available in bottles, from which a percentage of every sale goes to the R.N.L.I
- Eden Pure Ale (4.4% abv) A lighter ale with more hop flavour. It is made with least environmental impact, in conjunction with the Eden Project. It is also only available in bottles. Eden was named Supreme Champion Ale in the CAMRA Cornish beer festival 2000, and awarded a Silver award in the 2005 Taste of the West Awards.
Sharp's also produces four seasonal ales every year.
- Spring - 6 Hop IPA (3.8% abv) is an Amber beer made with six varieties of hops, including a variety grown at the Eden Project.
- Summer - Honey Spice Gold (4.2% abv) is a pale straw coloured beer made with five varieties of hops combined with Cornish honey and subtle spices including Alecost, which was used to flavour beer before hops in the Middle Ages.
- Autumn - Red Ale (4.1% abv) is brewed using amber malt for biscuit character and crystal rye for an intense red colour and a real depth of flavour. Classic English Northdown and US Cluster hops are added and the beer is matured over Cornish Oak.
- Winter - Winter Berry Ale (4.3% abv) is dark ruby in colour with ripe fruit notes and a sweet but refreshing taste. Five different malts and four varieties of hops are used before the beer is matured for a month with a blend of sloes, rosehips and hawthorn berries.
Chalky's
Sharp's collaborated with Rick Stein to create two unique beers after challenges set by Rick himself.
Chalky’s Bark (4.5% abv), is triple fermented with ginger that works in synergy with continental hops.
Chalky's Bite (6.8% abv),[4] is created with a balance of three different hop varieties and wild Cornish fennel.
Cider
Orchard Cider (4.5%) is a Cornish kegged cider manufactured in collaboration with Cornish Orchards in Duloe. Cider makers Andy Atkinson and Jon Clare employ traditional production methods and use apples harvested in Cornwall and the South West.[5]
References
External links