The boom of the small independent brewing industry in the UK shows no sign of slowing. In fact, according to a recent report by Siba (The Society of Independent Brewers; siba.co.uk), a new brewery is opening in Britain every two days with one in six independent brewers planning to double levels of production, sales and turnover in the next two years. The trend is boosting the British economy with the beer and pub market sectors now responsible for some 869,000 jobs.
With the various events and festivals now organized around craft produce, in the UK and throughout the world, it’s near impossible to miss the craft beer explosion. Not only that, there are ‘craft beer clubs’ operating in Britain where, for a fee, beer drinkers are provided with a monthly supply of small batch, hand-picked craft beer from around the world, delivered to their doorstep.1