Mighty Oak Brewery - Revision history

SteveP at 10:05, 18 September 2023

2023-09-18T10:05:38Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:05, 18 September 2023
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	[[File:Mighty Oak RD zx.jpg\|thumb\|left \|Courtesy Roy Denison]]		[[File:Mighty Oak RD zx.jpg\|thumb\|left\|Courtesy Roy Denison]]
	[[image:Brentwood Mighty Oak tanks.jpg \|thumb\|The Brentwood site]]		[[File:Mighty Oak Christmas ad.jpg\|thumb\|left]]
	[[image:Brentwood Mighty Oak 1996.jpg \|thumb\|The Brentwood site]]		[[image:Brentwood Mighty Oak tanks.jpg\|thumb\|The Brentwood site]]
	[[image:Brentwood Mighty Oak 1st gyles.jpg \|thumb\|The Brentwood site]]		[[image:Brentwood Mighty Oak 1996.jpg\|thumb\|The Brentwood site, 1996]]
	[[File:~~Mighty Oak Christmas ad~~.jpg\|thumb]]		[[image:Brentwood Mighty Oak 1st gyles.jpg\|thumb\|The Brentwood site]]
	<big>'''Mighty Oak Brewery, '''''9 Prospect Way, Hutton Industrial Estate, Brentwood, Essex.''</big>		[[File:MaldonMightyOak2023aa_SP_Sep2023.jpg\|thumb\|The Maldon site, 2023]]
			[[File:MaldonMightyOak2023bb_SP_Sep2023.jpg\|thumb\|The Maldon site, 2023]]

			<big>'''Mighty Oak Brewery''', ''9 Prospect Way, Hutton Industrial Estate, Brentwood, Essex''</big>

	Brewing commenced 1996 ceased 2001 when brewery moved to Maldon.		Brewing commenced 1996 ceased 2001 when brewery moved to Maldon.


	<big> '''Mighty Oak Brewery,''''' Units 14a & 14b, West Station Industrial Estate, Spital Road, Maldon, Essex.''</big>		<big> '''Mighty Oak Brewery''', ''Units 14a & 14b, West Station Industrial Estate, Spital Road, Maldon, Essex CM9 6TW''</big>

	Brewing commenced 2001 following move from Brentwood.		Brewing commenced 2001 following move from Brentwood.

Bhadmin at 14:37, 31 July 2020

2020-07-31T14:37:38Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:37, 31 July 2020
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	[[image:Brentwood Mighty Oak 1996.jpg \|thumb\|The Brentwood site]]		[[image:Brentwood Mighty Oak 1996.jpg \|thumb\|The Brentwood site]]
	[[image:Brentwood Mighty Oak 1st gyles.jpg \|thumb\|The Brentwood site]]		[[image:Brentwood Mighty Oak 1st gyles.jpg \|thumb\|The Brentwood site]]
			[[File:Mighty Oak Christmas ad.jpg\|thumb]]
	<big>'''Mighty Oak Brewery, '''''9 Prospect Way, Hutton Industrial Estate, Brentwood, Essex.''</big>		<big>'''Mighty Oak Brewery, '''''9 Prospect Way, Hutton Industrial Estate, Brentwood, Essex.''</big>

Bhadmin at 21:28, 1 June 2020

2020-06-01T21:28:31Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:28, 1 June 2020
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			[[File:Mighty Oak RD zx.jpg\|thumb\|left \|Courtesy Roy Denison]]
	[[image:Brentwood Mighty Oak tanks.jpg \|thumb\|The Brentwood site]]		[[image:Brentwood Mighty Oak tanks.jpg \|thumb\|The Brentwood site]]
	[[image:Brentwood Mighty Oak 1996.jpg \|thumb\|The Brentwood site]]		[[image:Brentwood Mighty Oak 1996.jpg \|thumb\|The Brentwood site]]

Bhadmin at 13:04, 28 May 2020

2020-05-28T13:04:00Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:04, 28 May 2020
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	Heading this list is Bruce Wilkinson and his partner Geoffrey Mumford. They set up their Burton Bridge Brewery in Burton-on-Trent in 1982, close-by the River Trent. Bruce was a shift brewer and Geoffrey was on the engineering staff.		Heading this list is Bruce Wilkinson and his partner Geoffrey Mumford. They set up their Burton Bridge Brewery in Burton-on-Trent in 1982, close-by the River Trent. Bruce was a shift brewer and Geoffrey was on the engineering staff.

	More recently Brian Goff and his son and daughter-in-law, founded ~~Goff’s~~ Brewery on an industrial estate at Winchcombe, Gloucestershire.		More recently Brian Goff and his son and daughter-in-law, founded [[Goff's Brewery]] on an industrial estate at Winchcombe, Gloucestershire.

	Joining these two micros in July of 1996 was the Mighty Oak Brewery of Brentwood, Essex. Founded by John Boyce, who previously worked in the engineering department of the Romford Brewery. Since the closure of the brewery in the early 1990s, John has taken on several varied jobs, not able to secure a permanent position with one of our major brewing companies. During those intervening years, he did however, work in a Polish brewery. His heart was not really in this work as he had aspirations for years to run his own business, especially if it was to be a brewery. He had seen how well his colleagues had done!		Joining these two micros in July of 1996 was the Mighty Oak Brewery of Brentwood, Essex. Founded by John Boyce, who previously worked in the engineering department of the Romford Brewery. Since the closure of the brewery in the early 1990s, John has taken on several varied jobs, not able to secure a permanent position with one of our major brewing companies. During those intervening years, he did however, work in a Polish brewery. His heart was not really in this work as he had aspirations for years to run his own business, especially if it was to be a brewery. He had seen how well his colleagues had done!

Bhadmin at 09:53, 27 June 2019

2019-06-27T09:53:48Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:53, 27 June 2019
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	Brewing commenced 2001 following move from Brentwood.		Brewing commenced 2001 following move from Brentwood.


			'''Ian Peaty writes:-'''

			Romford invented the old steam television sets, or so the John Bull Bitter adverts used to tell us. But it seems that Romford, and especially the now closed Ind Coope Brewery (more recently the Romford Brewery Company), is becoming better known for producing micro brewers.

			Heading this list is Bruce Wilkinson and his partner Geoffrey Mumford. They set up their Burton Bridge Brewery in Burton-on-Trent in 1982, close-by the River Trent. Bruce was a shift brewer and Geoffrey was on the engineering staff.

			More recently Brian Goff and his son and daughter-in-law, founded Goff’s Brewery on an industrial estate at Winchcombe, Gloucestershire.

			Joining these two micros in July of 1996 was the Mighty Oak Brewery of Brentwood, Essex. Founded by John Boyce, who previously worked in the engineering department of the Romford Brewery. Since the closure of the brewery in the early 1990s, John has taken on several varied jobs, not able to secure a permanent position with one of our major brewing companies. During those intervening years, he did however, work in a Polish brewery. His heart was not really in this work as he had aspirations for years to run his own business, especially if it was to be a brewery. He had seen how well his colleagues had done!

			With the support of his wife, Ruth, John Boyce decided to set-up his own business, The Mighty Oak Brewery. This positive name is most appropriate for the area as he found a suitable unit on the Hutton Industrial Estate, a suburb of Shenfield. The Saxon word “shen” meant oak; so what better name could there be for Brentwood’s first brewery for 73 years. John’s first experimental brew arrived on 18th July, 1996, leading to his first commercial brew, Burntwood Bitter, at 4% abv. The name “Burntwood” is taken from the earlier name of the town, signifying the preponderance of woodland, most of which is still of majestic oak trees. Hundreds of years ago an area north of the present town suffered a major fire, thus the name, Burnt-wood.

			My visit to this impressively laid out and decorated micro brewery was during the last week of October 1996. John and his assistant were brewing a second bitter which is now called Mighty Oak, at a colourful 4.8% abv. Maris Otter malt from the Warminster floor maltings (previously owned by Arthur Guinness), is used with Challenger hops from Lupafresh. The yeast is the Hardy & Hanson strain from Nottingham. Weekly brewing produces around 10 barrels, although during October, John has had gyles indicating the steady increase in trade to his established twenty-two accounts. As a qualified engineer, John has designed and built himself a modern brewhouse which is a great credit to him. The two stainless steel fermenting vessels of 7 1/2 barrel capacity, plus the mash tun of 13 barrels capacity and four holding tanks, were purchased from Whitworth Hall, Spenymore, Derbyshire. The 13 barrel copper came from Hobson’s Brewery, Cleobury Mortimer, Shropshire. This is heated by a 54 kilowatt electric immersion heater and is assisted by a new heat exchanger. The cold liquor tank and several pumps were also acquired from Derbyshire. The bitter is racked into 135 Grundy firkins with just a few pin sized casks.

			John Boyce’s morish Burntwood Bitter has a deep amber hue but lacks nose. John has it in mind to improve this, possibly with the addition of Styrian hops, added late into the copper. Test brews continue. I am looking forward to his stronger Mighty Oak, as I am sure are his increasing free-house customers, amounting to some fifteen within a few miles radius of the brewery.

			Long may the smell of malt and hops pervade this bleak industrial landscape, exciting its workers to greater efforts; what better incentive could one ask for?

			Religiously counting the sacks of sugar waiting to be dissolved he gazed in envy at the brawny copper sidesman who easily picked up each hundred-weight and shook it into the copper, almost like emptying a packet of tea into a caddy.

			Feeling that he deserved a rest and that everything was firmly under control he returned to the office and the paper, the Second Brewer, by now well on his rounds. As the Head Brewer passed through the office he glowered at the youngest member of his staff, ineffectually trying to hide the paper under the journal; to make amends the tyro prepared the yeast slides and, knocking on the door, took them into the Head Brewer's office where its occupant was poring over a copy of the paper previously mentioned. Under the microscope the familiar face of the yeast revealed itself, an occasional rod like a half-broken matchstick lay as an alien between the fat, mottled yeast, the knurled focusing adjustment sharpening and blurring the picture at a touch. He spent some time listening to his superior explaining the significance of what they had seen on the slides and then returned to his desk to make a few notes in his notebook, which by now contained an amazing array of diverse information, such as: “72 dozen nips equals 1 brl” and “Average gravity is total standard x 55 divided by total bulk”.

			Soon it was time to see the copper cast and, standing by the hop back, he shouted for the sluice valve to be opened, the man cranked up the slide and the wort tumbled down the 6 inch main on to the spreader underneath its open end, shooting off it in scalding fragments, billows of steam rolled from the backs as the copper disgorged itself, the fragile hop bracts whirling round in a crazy dance until the gout from the main eased and the valve was once more closed. He gazed perplexedly at the air vent rising from the plates unable to reason out its full use and making a mental note to ask the Head Brewer about it.

			As he entered the sample cellar, the two senior brewers gave him a perfunctory glance and resumed their learned examination of the beers before them, in his turn he duly sipped and spat, not detecting much appreciable difference in the samples but nevertheless noting the remarks entered in the Samples Book by the Head Brewer.

	[[Category:Essex]]		[[Category:Essex]]

Bhadmin at 16:17, 6 August 2018

2018-08-06T16:17:20Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:17, 6 August 2018
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	Brewing commenced 2001 following move from Brentwood.		Brewing commenced 2001 following move from Brentwood.
			[[Category:Essex]]

Bhadmin at 12:29, 28 August 2015

2015-08-28T12:29:38Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:29, 28 August 2015
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	<big>''' Mighty Oak Brewery, ''' '' 9 Prospect Way, Hutton Industrial Estate , Brentwood , Essex .''</big>		[[image:Brentwood Mighty Oak tanks.jpg \|thumb\|The Brentwood site]]
			[[image:Brentwood Mighty Oak 1996.jpg \|thumb\|The Brentwood site]]
			[[image:Brentwood Mighty Oak 1st gyles.jpg \|thumb\|The Brentwood site]]
			<big>'''Mighty Oak Brewery, '''''9 Prospect Way, Hutton Industrial Estate, Brentwood, Essex.''</big>

	Brewing commenced 1996 ceased 2001 when brewery moved to Maldon.		Brewing commenced 1996 ceased 2001 when brewery moved to Maldon.

Bhadmin at 19:50, 20 September 2013

2013-09-20T19:50:17Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:50, 20 September 2013
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	<big>''' Mighty Oak Brewery, ''' '' 9 Prospect Way, Hutton Industrial Estate , Brentwood , Essex .''</big>		<big>''' Mighty Oak Brewery, ''' '' 9 Prospect Way, Hutton Industrial Estate , Brentwood , Essex .''</big>

	Brewing commenced 1996 ceased 2001 when brewery moved to Maldon. ~~See separate entry.~~		Brewing commenced 1996 ceased 2001 when brewery moved to Maldon.


	<big> '''Mighty Oak Brewery,''''' Units 14a & 14b, West Station Industrial Estate, Spital Road, Maldon, Essex.''</big> Brewing commenced 2001 following move from Brentwood.		<big> '''Mighty Oak Brewery,''''' Units 14a & 14b, West Station Industrial Estate, Spital Road, Maldon, Essex.''</big>

			Brewing commenced 2001 following move from Brentwood.

Bhadmin: Created page with "''' Mighty Oak Brewery, ''' '' 9 Prospect Way, Hutton Industrial Estate , Brentwood , Essex .'' Brewing commenced 1996 ceased 2001 when brewery moved to Maldon. ..."

2013-09-20T19:50:00Z

Created page with "<big>''' Mighty Oak Brewery, ''' '' 9 Prospect Way, Hutton Industrial Estate , Brentwood , Essex .''</big> Brewing commenced 1996 ceased 2001 when brewery moved to Maldon. ..."

New page

<big>''' Mighty Oak Brewery, ''' '' 9 Prospect Way, Hutton Industrial Estate , Brentwood , Essex .''</big>

Brewing commenced 1996 ceased 2001 when brewery moved to Maldon. See separate entry.

<big> '''Mighty Oak Brewery,''''' Units 14a & 14b, West Station Industrial Estate, Spital Road, Maldon, Essex.''</big> Brewing commenced 2001 following move from Brentwood.

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:28, 1 June 2020
Line 1:		Line 1:
			[[File:Mighty Oak RD zx.jpg\|thumb\|left \|Courtesy Roy Denison]]
	[[image:Brentwood Mighty Oak tanks.jpg \|thumb\|The Brentwood site]]		[[image:Brentwood Mighty Oak tanks.jpg \|thumb\|The Brentwood site]]
	[[image:Brentwood Mighty Oak 1996.jpg \|thumb\|The Brentwood site]]		[[image:Brentwood Mighty Oak 1996.jpg \|thumb\|The Brentwood site]]