Islington’s Hammerton Brewery has the most enticing of rewards for people who invest in its latest project: half-price beer.
The brewery, in Barnsbury’s Roman Way Industrial Estate, wants to open its taproom every weekend for people to drink direct from the source.
To do this, Hammerton needs to raise £35,000 and has launched a crowdfunding campaign.
And people who donate £50 will get a membership card loaded with £100 beer credit. Those who pledge £100 will get £200 back, and so on.
The popular Hammerton taproom currently opens just once a month, because of the impact on production and rigmarole of clearing the warehouse floor for seating.
But it will soon be possible to open every weekend, with the brewery set to take over another unit directly opposite. It’s being vacated by Dial A Cab, which is relocating after four decades in the estate. This will free up space for the taproom.
The plans include installing a mezzanine for extra seating, building a kitchen and buying a new brewing kit for exclusive tastings.
Lee Hammerton, who started the brewery in 2014 and now exports as far out as Hong Kong, explained: “The idea behind the crowdfunding is that although the brewery is expanding, we’re constantly buying new equipment and that’s pretty much where all our cash flow is going at the moment.
“In order to fund the taproom opening every week, we thought it’d be a great idea to try and get the community involved and see if people can help. And we can give something back to them with half-price beer!
“We’re really lucky to get another unit on this estate. There was one available last year but we missed out on that to Deliveroo. I imagine they put a good bid on it.
“But when this one cropped up, it’s a perfect location because it’s directly opposite. Industrial space is really, really sparse in Islington, so it was almost a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
“If we want to expand and it didn’t become available, we’d have almost definitely had to move out of Islington. I don’t know where else we’d be able to find the space. So it’s exciting to stay where we started.”
To make a pledge, visit crowdfunder.co.uk/hammerton-brewerys-taproom
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