joseph holt brewery tour

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Joseph Holt to celebrate 175 years with festival

03-Jun-2024 - Last updated on 03-Jun-2024 at 08:12 GMT

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The business will throw open its doors to the public on 20 and 21 September as part of the festival that is being held to celebrate the company’s 175th anniversary with brewery tours for the first time that will offer a bird’s eye view into the famous workings of Joseph Holt.

Visitors will also be able to enjoy a full range of Joseph Holt’s beers – which include Joseph Holt Bitter 4% ABV, Joseph Holt IPA 3.8% ABV and Two Hoots golden ale 4.2% ABV – as well as a broad selection of ales and lagers from different breweries across the UK.

Loyal customers

There will be food available too along with local DJs and live entertainment.

Andrew Kershaw of Joseph Holt, who is the sixth-generation family member to work for the company, said: “This is the first time we have held a beer festival on our premises and held public tours around the brewery.

“With so much history tied up with the site of the brewery, it was the obvious place to hold the festival and so celebrate Joseph Holt’s rich history and our 175th anniversary.”

Appeal to all

He continued: “Our customers are very loyal and feel huge affection for the brewery and the beers we make. So, we wanted to offer a unique opportunity to open the brewery gates and allow visitors to see at first hand the magic of beer-making and how it all works.

“However, we also hope the beer festival will appeal to everyone – not just seasoned beer aficionados – as it promises to be such a feel-good event and a lovely way to enjoy a late summer outing.”

The company, which now runs 127 pubs across the north-west, was founded in 1849 by weaver’s son Joseph Holt. He began brewing beer at Oak Street in Manchester and then the Ducie Bridge Brewery on York Street (now Cheetham Hill Road). However, in 1860 Joseph Holt decided to take out a 999-year lease on a piece of land on Empire Street. The company still operates from the same site, which is where the festival will be held.

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Joseph Holt brewery tour

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• Joseph Holt

Description

• Daytime, Food & Drink and Walks & Tours
• Tickets from free
• Fri, 23rd Jun 2017 @ 15:00 - 17:00
• 15:00 - 17:00

Get a rare chance to take a peek behind the scenes at one of Manchester's oldest breweries.

Joseph Holt is opening its brewery doors to the public for Manchester Beer Week, as part of the festival's opening weekend.

Soak in the history at this storied brewery, which has been situated on the same site for almost 160 years and is now capable of producing up to 500 barrels of beer in a day.

After the tour, enjoy a free pint with the brewers in the Derby Brewery Arms, which is a stone's throw from the brewery.

Definitely one for the beer history buffs!

Tickets/Times

Joseph Holt, The Brewery, Empire Street, Manchester, M3 1JD

Getting there

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Joseph Holt brewery unveils new look for classic bitter

There are prizes to be won as the manchester brewery celebrates 175 years.

• 10:31, 1 MAY 2024

For nearly two centuries, the Joseph Holt brewery has faithfully adhered to a timeless recipe, that has remained unchanged for 175 years and now, they're unveiling their classic bitter with a contemporary new look to match its surging popularity.

The Manchester-based brewery, steeped in a rich familial legacy spanning six generations, has initiated a bold campaign heralding their classic bitter as Joseph Holt's "newest vintage".

Unified by the brewery's iconic logo, the campaign seamlessly blends tradition with innovation.

As Joseph Holt commemorates its 175th anniversary, the brewery seeks to spotlight how their bitter has remained a steadfast favourite over the years.

In recognition of its brewing heritage and the vibrant community around its pubs, Joseph Holt is proud to produce ales that resonate with tradition, none more so than their bitter—a true ‘vintage’ in its own right.

To celebrate this milestone, Joseph Holt is running a competition until May 17 across the majority of its 127 pubs. The giveaway of both vintage and modern prizes echoes the sentiment that Joseph Holt’s Bitter has stood the test of time, maintaining its relevance and appeal.

When you buy a half or a pint of bitter you will receive a scratch card with an on-the-spot, instantly redeemable prize from the pub menu or be entered into the main prize draw.

Prizes range from modern gadgets like Apple Airpods to vintage experiences such as Classic Car Tours, alluding to the timeless appeal of its bitter.

Please note these products (alcohol and scratchcards) are only available to people aged 18+. Joseph Holt follows the 'challenge 25 policy' so you may be asked for ID when purchasing. Please drink responsibly. Do not drink if you are pregnant.

Paul Longmire, the marketing manager, said, "Although we produce many award-winning ales, Joseph Holt was if you like, built on our bitter.

“Much like the brewery`s proud northern heritage, this is a beer full of character with light caramel and malty notes that develop into a solid base with punchy, earthy hops. As such it has become something of an icon amongst English beers.

“A deep clear amber with a full white head, it has become a quintessential image of both the company and of our Northern roots.”

The "Newest Vintage" campaign encapsulates the essence of Joseph Holt's original ale, now refreshed with a modern flair through its revamped branding.

By offering an array of vintage and contemporary rewards, the brewery underscores the enduring popularity of its bitter, catering to both seasoned enthusiasts and beer aficionados.

“We wanted to celebrate this milestone with a campaign which highlights how Joseph Holt bitter has remained a steadfast favourite,” said Mr Longmire. “Vintage is now cool again and this is the case with our bitter.”

In an era marked by shifting preferences, the brewery remains steadfast in its commitment to preserving the artistry and craftsmanship of real ale. Find out more about its history on its website .

Crafted in 1849, the bitter recipe has withstood the passage of time. In fact, the brewery continues to use the same strain of yeast as it did at its inception, re-growing it to ensure the consistency of its taste and remaining environmentally responsible by re-growing it.

As you explore the beer’s profile, with its malty scent, full bitterness, and dry malt base, paired with a rich amber colour, you’ll realise that the bitter never goes out of style.

Famed for its robust red branding, the brewery has skilfully produced a series of striking visuals that marry the retro with the contemporary to captivating effect including a new badge for the pumps.

“The iconic red of bitter isn’t going anywhere, in fact, we’ve selected a bolder and brighter shade of red to mark that this icon is here to stay,” said Mr Longmire. “The badge itself will be worn on beer engine pumps across most of our pubs in the North West.”

To find a Joseph Holt pub visit the website at www.joseph-holt.com/pubs .

Full terms and conditions of the prize campaign can be found on Joseph Holt's website here , along with their privacy policy .

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Joseph Holt Brewery

Joseph Holt is an independent Manchester Brewery and an indispensable part of Manchester life. From humble beginnings in 1849 in what is now the Northern Quarter, to our current Empire Street brewery which has been home to Joseph Holt since 1860, we continue to create our award-winning beers which have been enjoyed by generations.

Still being housed at the original Brewery means we never lose sight of what’s important to us. We have remained faithful to the brewing traditions established by Joseph Holt back in the 1840s but we have embraced modern technology to ensure our beer tastes better than ever.

Today, our independent family-run brewery is equipped with three different sized mash tuns and two coppers, which are capable of brewing up to 500 barrels per day – which is over 100,000 pints. We use the best quality English malt and hops from the UK and lager hops from Slovenian hop gardens.

With 173 years of experience under our belts, we have perfected the brewing technique. Our range of ales are all top fermented in enclosed square fermenters. During the brewing process, the temperatures of all fermenting vessels are closely monitored and we use chilled water jackets to give us full control of the all-important temperature.

Our lagers are bottom fermented using multiple continental profiles. They are cold conditioned in cylindro-conical vessels at a temperature of 0 degrees centigrade for 21 days prior to earth filtration and packaging into kegs.

Natural sedimentation is used at all stages and cask beers are allowed to settle for a minimum of 18 hours prior to packaging.

We know good beer which is why bottles of Holt’s are exported – and enjoyed – around the world and it’s also why we have five International Brewing Award Gold Medals.

Joseph Holt

Manchester, Greater Manchester England

Regional Brewery

Total ( ? ) 53,067

Unique ( ? ) 22,083

Monthly ( ? ) 191

37,710 Ratings

Global Recent Activity

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rather plain, but i love a plain jane. not too baaad

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Ahh, a light tasting hard-hitting alternative. I thought the in-brewery stuff was supposed to be cheaper?

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The usual 🍺

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