Wood’s plan sparkling ‘emerald’ celebration brews
The Wood Brewery celebrates its emerald anniversary – 35 years of brewing – in 2015 and is planning a series of special ‘woody’ brews to celebrate.
All the beers are named after trees. The first is Chestnut, a modern mild, designed with gentle malts and hops and an abv of 3.5% to deliver a well-balanced, delicate flavour without knocking drinkers sideways on alcoholic strength. Wood’s plan two more emerald celebration brews during the year.
Wood’s MD, Edward Wood, said: “We’re delighted to have achieved this milestone and to have developed a series of successful draught and bottled beers that are popular with drinkers all over the Midlands and further afield.”
Wood’s supplies to more than 300 pubs spread through its home county of Shropshire, the Welsh Marches and adjoining West Midlands counties. It has brewed more than 30 million pints of beer since the first consignment went out of the door in 1980. The beer-loving Wood family started brewing traditional draught beers back then because they were concerned at how long-life ‘keg’ beers like Red Barrel and Double Diamond were sweeping real ales out of pub bars across the country.
The brewery is next door to its tap, the Plough Inn, in Wistanstow, south Shropshire. It still occupies the converted stable block where it started brewing but the building is now much extended to cope with the growing business.
Wood’s has become famous for its trademarked Shropshire Lad and Shropshire Lass beers, but it has produced several award winners in its 35 years. Notable among them are Pot o’ Gold, a 4.4% golden bitter which was voted best bitter in Britain by the Society of Independent Brewers in 2003 and has remained a strong seller in bottles and on draught ever since.
Wood’s are proud of their Shropshire roots, with many of their seasonal and special occasion ales named after famous county characters and landmarks.
The brewery has also played a big part in helping local charities and events, having contributed more than £100,000 to various causes over the years. Much of the money has been raised by setting aside a fixed sum for every pint of limited-run beers sold. Wood’s record of community donations has been acknowledged by three awards over the years from the Small Independent Brewers’ Association. The brewery is one of the founder members of SIBA.
