GRITCHIE – the Wiltshire-based brewery started by Hollywood film director Guy Ritchie – is understood to be shutting down.
Based on the star’s Ashcombe Estate, near Shaftesbury, the brewery is known for beers including English Lore and Sun Lore.
It was launched in 2018 with much fanfare, as the ‘avid beer drinker’ movie mogul – famed for big-screen hits such as Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels – aimed to recreate classic cask ales of yesteryear.
However, it is now believed the brewery has been deemed financially unsustainable and ceased production.
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It is understood when stock runs out – forecast to be by September – the brand will cease to be, in a blow to beer drinkers across the country.
The firm has not confirmed the move, but a source told your New Blackmore Vale, “we are closing”.
It is understood operations including Compton Abbas Airfield, also owned by Ritchie, will not be affected by the move.
People can still order beers while stocks last via gritchiebrew.com.
Unfortunately, they did not recreate classic cask ales of yesteryear; they produced American-style beers with the “East Coast” nose and flavour. Had they produced truly pre-keg British (ie English, or even Scottish-style beers) their demise would not have to be reported. Heritage beers, like those brewed by micro breweries associated with the Dead Brewers’ Society (who provide micros with specs of long-dead beers) and those smaller local breweries (even without tied houses) who still brew “traditional” beers eem to be weathering the storm. The problem is that so many microns seem to jump on ” fashionable” American-style bandwaggon of grapefruit, mango or banana flavour beers so unbalanced with high bitterness hops that once the fashion moves on they are left with nothing and die. So sad.
Well if you get the suits down from London and sack your work force what do you expect. Not the way the brewing industry work down here youngen best go back where u came from