Oakwell Brewery

Listed on Untapped as having gone out of business. Looks like people were supping their ales as recently as August this year. Does anyone know what happened?

 

went a few years ago i believe - 2013 / 2014

 

I don't think they necessarily went bust, it was always a very unusual operation shrouded in secrecy...I seem to remember an article in the Chronicle where the Council were having difficulty finding who the partners were.
They had a bit of a legal battle with Acorn Brewery over the Barnsley Bitter name, and lost I assume as both Acorn and Oakwell were producing beers of the same name for a few years. I think one of the partners was involved in a Midlands pub chain and that seems to have been the main market as it wasn't seen much in the free trade locally.
Without knowing this for certain I think the reason for closure is that they brewed in the despatch bay of the old Oakwell Brewery...and certain people have been wanting to demolish it for years, I assume the lease was up and that left it free for demolition .
The head brewer seems to have set up in his own right or at least with other partners, they acquired the equipment and set up Stancill Brewery in Sheffield and are currently brewing a version of Barnsley Bitter there.

 

Barnsley Bitter being brewed in Sheffield? That one must taste extra bitter!

 

http://www.barnsleychronicle.com/article/time-called-on-oakwell-brewery-after-more-than-120-years

 

Really nice looking building that. A shame it was demolished.

 

Suspect the land with be worth more for development & that is the real motivation.

 

Stancil Barnsley bitter, just don't like the taste of it. Acorn Barnsley Bitter on the other hand, no bias to Barnsley but it is my favourite session beer, must be on tap though and not out of a bottle, just doesn't taste the same.

 

My local Wetherspoons had the stancill Barnsley bitter not so long back and I must say I thought it was poor

 

Low abv beers rarely bottle well, and bitters in general for that matter. Yorkshire Square Ale is an exception, but it's over 5% iirc.

 

I dunno, session IPAs bottle fine now I don't think there is a problem with either bottling or canning. Things have come a long way in term of how beer is stored.

 

I agree it's far better than it used to be. Hop forward beers like modern IPA's definitely survive bottling and canning fine these days. But canned bitter is still just as awful as ever. Maybe it's just that the majority of canned bitters are not very good beers? Whenever I think of canned bitter, I always think of Tetley's, John Smiths or Boddington's (with a widget of course, grim!)

 

Yeah the stancil Barnsley bitter is ok ..just as the acorn is ok.. apparently head brewer reckons the watter in Neepsend is the same as it is in Oakwell ..or Aldham

Was drinking one of Acorn Beers down at the Harp near Trafalgar sq other week


Cwtch Welsh red ale by tiny rebel is a top beer

 

This. Tiny Rebel brewery is awesome. Every single beer they do. Special mention for Club Tropicana and Stay Puft, their marshmallow porter.

 

Tiny Rebel are killing it. Stay Puft is Marmite beer but I personally love it. If you like Clwb Tropicana then check out Weird Beard in London (Core like Mariana Trench and 5 O'Clock shadow) and Magic Rock in Hudds. Cloud water in Manch are one of the best in the world right now.

 

Tiny Rebel are great. If you fancy something a bit stronger they do a very good triple IPA called Captain Insano which is 10%. Can't be supping too many of them mind. Cwtsh or Clwb Trop for more of a session vibe.

 

Big fan of Magic Rock. Super brewery. Was lucky enough to have an afternoon in Buxton recently too. What excellent beer they're brewing there as well.

 

Yep, Buxton are on top form too - both their own stuff and the collaborations too. I didn't get on with Captain Insano that well but I do love a double IPA normally. There were some rouge cans kicking about that got pulled. If I'm honest I don't think I got one of those it just was a bit of a confused beer for me. Check out my site if you have sec. I'm an exiled Tarn fan in London so set up a London beer club. www.craftmetropolis.co.uk. Always great to chat good beer.

 

Nice site. As you probably know I'm in Russia, where the craft scene has exploded in the last few years. Absolutely beer heaven here right now. My mates at the incredible AF Brew have just started importing Buxton beers, mainly in bottles but iirc they've had some stuff on tap in their bar recently. AF do a lot of collaborations so it wouldn't surprise me if they've got something lined up with Buxton. Will ask them next time I see them. Are you on Untapped? If so I'm SpartakBarnsley.

 

cwtch is a great drink and stay puft is a cracker