‘Northern Powerhouse’ brew series announced
Eight independent craft breweries have announced they will be collaborating on a series of one-off limited edition brews that fall under the moniker The Northern Powerhouse Brew Series. The beers will be released on the opening day of the Great Exhibition of the North on 22 June 2018. The Exhibition itself is a free, summer-long celebration of the North of England’s pioneering spirit. It will pack a programme of amazing exhibits, live performances, displays of innovation, new artworks and unforgettable experiences into 80 days. The participating breweries Buxton (Derbyshire), Cloudwater (Manchester), Black Lodge (Liverpool), Northern Monk (Leeds), Magic Rock (Huddersfield), Hawkshead (Kendal), Thornbridge (Sheffield), Box Social (Newcastle) will all brew in collaboration with Wylam Brewery at their home at The Palace of Arts in Exhibition Park, Newcastle. The relevance of where the beers will be brewed is not without significance given that the Palace of Arts is the last remaining building from the original exhibition that took place in 1929.
“I wonder what attendees of the exhibition in 1929 would have thought if they had been whisked forward in time to find us mashing in and canning beers together as a celebration of Northern Industry”, Wylam Director Dave Stone pondered on announcing the project.
"For us it’s a real honour to host these exceptional breweries here at Palace of Arts and to be involved in a brew project that celebrates the history of the brewing industry in the region.” “The North has long been the seat of industrial innovation in the UK”, Paul Jones Co-Founder of Manchester’s Cloudwater Brew Co. commented, “the modern beer scene continues that tradition. We are proud to take part in the first Northern Powerhouse Brew Series alongside some of the most progressive breweries in the country.” Whilst the main focus of the exhibition falls on the host city of Newcastle Gateshead there is a wider programme of events that will span the regions towns and cities and as part of that programme launch events will take place at each of the breweries. The eight different beers will come in special cases of 440ml Cans with one of each of the beers in each case. More details of beer styles will be released at a later date. Each can will be designed with elements of each Town/Cities Coat Of Arms… of course with a modern craft twist.
