Arkell's Brewery
 | |
| Industry | Alcoholic beverage |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1843 |
| Headquarters | , England |
| Products | Beer |
| Website | http://www.arkells.com/ |
Arkell's Brewery was established in Swindon, England by John Arkell in 1843, and has been owned by members of the Arkell family since its establishment. It is Swindon's oldest company, built initially on the massive expansion of Swindon in the Victorian era with the arrival of the railways and the decision by Isambard Kingdom Brunel to site the GWR (Great Western Railway) Works in Swindon in 1841.
Brewery
Originally a steam brewery,[1][2] with the engines now being powered by electricity, Arkell's is a tower brewery which works on the principle that raw materials are fed into the top of the building and beer comes out in casks at the bottom.
The brewery building is a Grade II listed building[3] and the site has been designated an Urban Conservation Area by Swindon Borough Council.[4]
Distribution
The brewery owns 93 pubs in the Swindon area and surrounds, including locations in Oxford, Newbury, Reading, Cheltenham, Gloucester and Ascot; and sells its products to free houses in the Thames Valley and London.
In 2005, the brewery entered into a contract with rail company First Great Western to have its beer stocked in their buffet cars.[5]
Promotion
Arkell's have sponsored events at Newbury Racecourse since 1979.[6]
The brewery has been visited by the Duke of Kent and politicians including Michael Howard and William Hague.[7]
House Beers
- Honey Pale Ale
- 2B
- 3B
- Wiltshire Gold
- Kingsdown Ale
- Moonlight
- Mustang Black
- Hoperation IPA
- 1843 Craft Lager
Most recently, Arkell's Kingsdown ale was named champion beer at the 2016 Taste of the West Product Awards. It's Craft 1843 Lager won SIBA's BeerX celebration of British Beer Gold Award 'Champion' Beer 2014 & SIBA Pale and Golden Lagers Gold Award South Region 2014.
See also
- Arkell, Ontario, Canada
References
- ^ "Wiltshire Breweries". Things to see and do. thisiswiltshire.co.uk. Archived from the original on 6 December 2006. Retrieved 2007-01-19.
- ^ "Arkells 160th Anniversary Beer Festival". Swindon Events. swindondiary.com. 2003. Archived from the original on 2004-07-08. Retrieved 2007-01-19.
- ^ "Listed Buildings: Stratton St Margaret Parish" (PDF). Swindon Borough Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-01-07. Retrieved 2007-01-19.
- ^ "Urban Conservation Areas in Swindon" (PDF). Swindon Borough Council. Retrieved 2007-01-19.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Wiltshire food and drink now on First Great Western trains". First Great Western. 2005. Archived from the original on 2006-09-26. Retrieved 2007-01-19.
- ^ "Racenews Newslink Archive - Tuesday, March 21, 2000". www.racenewsonline.co.uk. Archived from the original on 29 December 2010. Retrieved 2010-11-21.
- ^ Dave Harvey (2005-04-22). "West: Swindon's swings". Politics Show West. BBC News. Retrieved 2007-01-19.