Leading South West craft ale producer Dartmoor Brewery has taken the wraps off a major extension to its brewery complex in Princetown, Devon.

Richard Smith, Managing Director of Dartmoor Brewery (centre of frame) celebrates with customers, suppliers and Dartmoor Brewery colleagues.

Dartmoor Brewery, best known for its award-winning flagship beer Jail Ale, is projecting a growth curve which will see beer production doubling within the next four years, facilitated by the new extension.

The £400k extension, part-funded by the South West Growth Fund, includes an expansion of production space and a new state-of-the-art boiler system integral to the brewing process. The extension increases the floor space of the brewery complex by 40%, and provides additional storage and processing space, ensuring “grain to glass” quality control and beer consistency. The improved infrastructure also ensures on-going compliance with the brewing industry SALSA quality scheme, within which Dartmoor Brewery has recently achieved compliance.

Richard Smith, Managing Director of Dartmoor Brewery, commented: “The craft ale sector is booming, and with our well-established local ales and our new brewery extension, we are well placed to grow our share. Dartmoor is our birthplace, our home, and the inspiration for our ales, and this new extension really underlines our commitment to growing our production here on the moor. Good news for our business, and our customers, but also a real boost for the local economy and for the profile of Dartmoor throughout our UK markets.”

Paul Gilbert of SWMAS Limited, a partner to the South West Growth Fund, commented: “It’s great to see a business with such provenance and high quality products seizing the opportunity of this growth market. It’s been a real privilege to assist the business with its next phase of growth.”