Crouch Vale Brewery, South Woodham Ferrers, Essex - Photographs taken by Roger Putman - 18 May 2010
Crouch Vale was founded in 1981 by Colin Bocking and Rob Walster. It moved to the current site in 2007
Crouch Vale produced 5148hL of beer in 2010
Brewers Gold won CAMRA's Champion Beer of Britain in both 2005 and 2006. It is biggest seller and late hopped with Brewers Gold from the Halletau
Amarillo at 5%ABV is the second biggest seller
Essex Boys weighs in at 3.5%ABV
A beer with lots of 19% alpha Yankee hops
…and washed on a two head home made machine
The mash tun awaiting its charge of 750 – 1,000kg charge
Grist feed and mash hydrator
Pre-crushed malt comes from Muntons and Warminister. The mixed pallet of 25kg bags is stacked by the mash tun
Steam is supplied by a gas fired Fulton boiler
Three racking vessels at 5, 9 and 40 brl with the three FVs, two at 30brl anf one at 40brl
Colin Bocking and his fermenters
Fermenters looking the other way
Flotronic air diaphragm pump used for skimming the yeast which was originally from Youngs via Ridleys
Casks awaiting dispatch in the temperature controlled warehouse
General view of the warehouse
The cherished certificate from CAMRA, there is one for 2005 as well.
Labels and pump clips from 1981
One of a pair of Crouch Vale 7.5 curtain sided vehicle
Colin Bocking became sole proprietor of Crouch Vale in the 1990s