Hillside Brewery was started in 2013 when Peter and Paul (Father & Son) purchased a run down 40-acre farm in the Forest of Dean. They chose the site because of its potential, its position in this beautiful area of the Forest of Dean and because it had its own water supply. However, everything needed setting up from scratch. Work started by developing the site and spending a year setting up the brewery, developing recipes, installing production and bottling facilities and developing the marketing for the business. In 2014 it was launched as Hillside Brewery.
The business has grown significantly since its inception and has built an excellent reputation both in the local area and in its wider client base. The business has now won in excess of 50 awards both for its products, the development of the company and its sustainable credentials.
Each year the company has set significant development goals and no profits have been taken out of the business. It has all be reinvested in the next steps of its development and the whole story so far has been funded internally.
This has been another exceptional year while working towards the United Nations sustainable development goals.
When the farm was originally purchased it used a lot of heating oil and calor gas. This year has finally seen the removal of these, so all of the heating for the whole site comes from either air source or ground source pumps. In addition, we have 50KW of solar and so the brewery is self-sustaining.
This goes as far as how the by products are used:
Malt – goes to feed cattle
Hops – goes to feed pigs and as a compost mulch
In addition, a new 40,000 litre underground tank has been installed to collect all of the brewery slurry which is taken off to an AD plant to produce new energy.
Milk from the cows is used by a local ice cream producer, using our beer to to make an alcoholic beer ice cream (which is delicious). This is served at many of our events throughout the year.
All of the water on site comes from an on site bore hole, drawing water up 60m. The water is consistent, mineral rich and creates a delicious beer.
Most of our the materials used for the brewing process (and packaging) come from within the local area and most of the beer produced is consumed within 25 miles of the brewery.
By the end of the year 100% of the packaging used at Hillside Brewery will be fully compostable or reyclable and all of the general waste is used to create energy at the biomass plant in Gloucester.
Hillside Brewery truly have a focus on sustainable business while having a positive impact on their local community and environment around them.