Brewery of the Day: JW Lees
Nearly 200 years old, seven generations of the same family and currently having the biggest year in its history – JW Lees is clearly not ready to start acting its age. Manchester’s oldest operating brewery has been brewing at Greengate in Middleton since 1828, when retired cotton manufacturer John Lees decided that, rather than putting his feet up, he’d start a brewery. We’re rather glad he did. Almost two centuries later, the family is still at the helm, the beer is still being brewed at Greengate and JW Lees has grown into a brilliant part of North West pub and brewing culture.
And there’s plenty to celebrate right now. JW Lees has just reported record sales of £105.6 million, with draught beer sales up 3.7% – helped along by one particularly nostalgic comeback. Last year, JW Lees brought Boddingtons Cask back to Manchester after a 13-year absence, and the response has been extraordinary. By this summer it was pouring in around 400 pubs nationally and accounted for an estimated 15% of the brewery’s total production. We absolutely love that a beer with so much history can come back and find a whole new audience alongside the people who remember it first time around. And while all that nostalgia is flowing, behind a little green door at Greengate you’ll find The Boilerhouse – JW Lees’ small-batch brewery, where almost 200 years of brewing experience gets permission to play with new styles, collaborations and ideas.
That mix of old favourites and new discoveries feels very Cask Ale Week to us. JW Lees is closing in on its 200th birthday with a growing business, busy pubs, a seventh generation involved in the family firm and absolutely no intention of standing still. They’re celebrating Cask Ale Week too, including cask tasting flights at Founder’s Hall in Manchester – a sort of beer-lover’s pick ‘n’ mix and a very good excuse to discover something new. Nearly two centuries of brewing knowledge, a brilliantly successful blast from Manchester’s beery past and cask still right at the heart of it all. Cheers to JW Lees!
Discover more: Visit the JW Lees website and read The Morning Advertiser’s fascinating feature on the revival of heritage ales and the return of Boddingtons.