In the 19th century, Liverpool was one of the most promising ports in the world, attracting visitors from all corners of the globe. Naturally, businesses catering to tourists flourished here; any venture in demand among them was destined for success. Brewing is a prime example. In the 20th and 21st centuries, the production and sale of beer also remained popular, although it faced some challenges. More on this at liverpool1.one.
The History of Cains Brewery
The first story is linked to the name Robert Cain, who founded the brewery that bears his name and also built the historic building that still exists today. He travelled a difficult path from a 24-year-old lad brewing ale in a pub by himself to an influential businessman with a network of 200 bars. After founding Cains in 1858, he expanded his production over 30 years and became a wealthy entrepreneur.
Dying in 1907 at the age of 81, Robert Cain left behind a legacy, and the company merged with Walkers of Warrington in 1921. However, the new business, called Walker Cains, existed for only two years before the brewery and the right to brew Cains ale were sold to Higsons. The Cains brand lived on and was associated with Liverpool for several more decades.
Closer to our time, FCH Director Adam Hall noted that the company plans to restore the historic brewery to its former glory. This phrase hints that although the business has existed all these years, it has not enjoyed roaring success, but after concerted efforts, it is set to become a new tourist attraction in the North West of England.
In 1985, the respected Manchester-based Boddington’s Brewery acquired the company, but five years later, decided to focus on pub management and transferred all its brewing operations to Whitbread.
The business was soon sold to a Danish brewing company, which acquired and reopened the brewery. Later, the company made a strategic decision to exit the UK, and the brewery was sold to its current owners, British-born entrepreneurs Ajmail and Sudarghara Dusanj, who saved the brewery in 2002.
The Dusanj brothers learned of Cains’s plight from The Times and were convinced that the brand’s heritage still held enormous value. They decided to develop the business by producing a quality ‘craft’ product, as had been done historically. The Dusanj brothers grew up in the South East and are the first British Asians to own a British brewery. As members of the Independent Family Brewers of Britain, they have led the brewery into an exciting new chapter of its history.
How Liverpool’s Breweries are Fighting for Survival Today
‘It feels like we’ve been left to fend for ourselves’—this was the sentiment expressed by some business owners of Liverpool breweries after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. These were truly difficult times. But why did such a profitable business suffer losses? Was everything as dire as the entrepreneurs described?
They were mostly complaining about the restrictions imposed by the government due to the pandemic. Of course, this was a necessary step, but beer producers and sellers would have liked some compensation for their efforts during a challenging time. Here are some examples of what was happening during that turbulent period, and we’ll also touch on the history of a few other breweries.
Top Rope Brewing
A brewery called Top Rope Brewing was created in 2016 after two enthusiasts, Neil Rothwell and Ben Jackson, met at a homebrewing club. They started homebrewing together at an amateur level, and after winning several competitions, they decided to take it more seriously.
After three months of building a tiny brewery in Ben’s parents’ garden shed, they moved production to Sandycroft in Wales, and then returned to Liverpool to a fully equipped site in Childwall.
Neil describes the business as a microbrewery focusing on vegan-friendly beer. The success of the business is largely based on the co-founders’ desire to compete with top international craft brands.
And then the pandemic hit, when pubs and restaurants closed. At this brewery, the majority of the product was in kegs and casks. Consequently, the reduction in sales meant that a significant portion of the product was simply going to waste. The owners say:
“We had to quickly adapt the way we got our product to market, so we decided to move the vast majority of our beer into cans, making it available for our customers to enjoy at home.”
Regarding government action, Neil says that the help was more focused on venues like pubs and restaurants, not the businesses that supplied them. However, the brewery founders were able to secure a government loan, which allowed them to carry out the necessary business restructuring. A portion of their product has since been sold through their online shop.
Love Lane Brewery
Stephen Crawley began brewing beer in 1988. Since then, he had always dreamed of creating his own brand of the alcoholic beverage. He was eventually able to establish Love Lane Brewery in Liverpool and later began managing their bar and brewery on Bridgewater Street in the Baltic Triangle.
Love Lane Brewery became very well-established and was selling beer to more than 200 bars, pubs, restaurants, and hotels. It also runs its own brewery tour.
When the coronavirus restrictions began, the business also shifted online. Fans of quality beer had to be persuaded that this was the product to drink at home.
But the restrictions still brought losses. The unpredictability of the virus led to unexpected restrictive measures. Stephen eventually lost count of the number of plans that were ruined because of it. He explained that he had a lot of beer in tanks that they decided not to put into kegs at the start of the first lockdown in March 2020.
Nevertheless, the entrepreneur and his team anticipated the closure of the pubs. The beer was packaged in bottles and cans. However, financial difficulties arose, which complicated the bottling and canning process. Both the production and the bar in the Baltic Triangle suffered. The restrictions meant less revenue and, at the same time, higher costs, which really ‘clipped the wings’ of the entrepreneurs.
Nevertheless, creating new sales outlets, as well as online sales, proved to be a welcome ‘lifeline’. The highs and lows that are characteristic of Liverpool as a city are also experienced by its local brewing business.
Carnival Brewing Company
Dom Hope-Smith founded Carnival Brewing with business partner Ade Burke in 2018 after a chance meeting at a charity carnival in Mossley Hill. They started brewing together in Ade’s garage before opening a brewery and bar in the centre of Liverpool in December 2019, in the King Edward Rise industrial estate. There is also a taproom there.
Just three months after opening, the first national lockdown was announced. However, Dom and his partners managed to adapt. They opened an online shop, through which they sold canned beer to order with nationwide delivery. They managed to sell the beer they had already made this way, but they didn’t brew a new batch until July. Nevertheless, the tiered restrictions introduced in Merseyside (as in all of the UK) complicated trade. The government promised to take care of such businesses, but in reality, Dom believes, this did not happen.
These stories show that despite the profitability of a business like brewing, you must always be prepared to adapt to new circumstances. If you know how to do that, you have a good chance of success.