As a business that can be traced back to the days of Weston’s famed RCH Brewery, where quality was key and beers were lovingly brewed to be the best, ours is one that has been brewing for decades.
But the latest adventure on our epic journey really kicked off when Covid hit.
With the pandemic doing its worst to burst the bubble of the brewery business – shutting down pubs and cutting off our main route to market – it was time to do what we’ve done throughout the years and get innovative.
And thinking outside the box (or creating a unique box that would keep your freshly brewed beer in tip top condition to be delivered, actually) was the only way to keep ahead.
Hand Brewing Expertise
Nobody likes a know-it-all – but when it comes to beer, there’s not a lot the trio at the helm of BDT don’t know.
With more 65 years’ experience between them, expert brewers were among the team whose work gained the famous RCH brewery its unrivalled reputation and rave reviews from real beer lovers before they branched out alone when the much-loved company went into administration.
Having managed to snap up the original brewing equipment, the team quickly got down to producing the same epic beers from the same landmark site.
Those beers – which make up the popular Pitchfork Ales range – are all made using traditional, time-tested methods developed over 30 years which remain firm favourites among real beer lovers the country wide.
Originality and daring to be different
Whilst the tried and tested Pitchfork range remains at the core of the business, the launch of 3D Beer – a range at the cutting edge of cult craft beer which uses modern techniques and international ingredients to produce exciting flavours – has been a hit with new and old beer fans alike.
Just as fashion is forever changing, new trends and innovations are constantly being set in the world of craft beer brewing, giving drinkers an unrivalled source of top quality beer offerings of all flavours, whether they be weird and wacky, spicy, citrusy, fragrant or fruity.
Like so many things in life, originality when it comes to the beers we create is key.
And we weren’t going to let a little thing like a global pandemic stop our creating juices flowing, which is why we regularly add new originals to our flavour offerings.
Variety is what beer fans love
Variety is the spice of life, and while the pandemic may have put paid to many of life’s simple pleasures, we were determined that giving up your beer in all your favourite flavours was a sacrifice too far.
From the traditional to the trendy, distinguished to downright delicious, we’ve cooked up a mouth-watering list of freshly-brewed beers and ciders to savour from the comfort of your own home using ingredients from around the world.
Real beer purists can still savour the wonders of Pitchfork’s classics such as Single Header, Old Slug Porter, Firebox, East Street Cream and Ale Mary, while our 3D options including Hop Gun Dangerzone, Captain Scarlet and Saviour Of The Universe are on hand for those who fancy an extra burst of flavour. We’ve also got our Zero Fux beer for those who, well…
Innovation at the heart of what we do
Left with almost 1,000 casks of ale when lockdown was launched back in March – and no venues open to take them – our brewery had to come up with a Plan B.
And if you couldn’t get your pints at the pub – then we made it our mission to bring them to you. Voila! Beer Drive-Thru was born ensuring a simple and effective online beer delivery service!
The key was finding a way to provide your favourite, freshly-tapped and dispatched craft ales to pass the Covid pandemic straight to your door – wherever you are in the UK.
The introduction of our bag-in-a-box beer allowed us to do just that – providing the closest thing to a freshly-tapped pub pint you’ll get without walking through the doors of the boozer.
Our collection and nationwide home beer delivery service has proved so popular throughout the pandemic that we have even invested in the creation of unique ‘festival boxes’ that can store three of four different varieties of beer in one container.
Despite those gloomy predictions from the start of the pandemic (and figures from early in the pandemic showing a devastating 82% drop in beer sales among independent breweries) 70% of breweries have risen to the challenge of Covid – ours being the launch of hugely popular takeaway and delivery services.
Covid may have activated our brewery’s Plan B – but throw our expertise, originality and penchant for innovation into the cask, and we’re always the hoptimists of a happy ever after ending.
