BEER lovers will be raising a glass or two this month as one of Wokingham’s popular breweries celebrates its eighth birthday.
Bond Brews was set up and continues to be run by Dean Bond whose weekly deliveries can see him notch up 200 miles around Berkshire.
After spending 10 years as a home brewer, Dean decided to go commercial in 2005 and, despite the covid pandemic which saw a tripling of the number of UK breweries going bust, Bond Brews continues to thrive.
“I try to keep it as local as I can,” he explained. “Most of my business is around 30 miles of the brewery but that still adds up to several hundred miles of travelling to customers.
“I love what I do but it can be tough, not least during covid when the pubs closed as around 85% of my business was done through them. It is about adapting to the situation and it’s easier for me to do that than a larger business.
“While we have a range of beers to suit all tastes, I tend to lean towards more traditional beers like bitter and porter which are very popular. Our onsite shop is very popular with customers able to click and collect.”
To mark the eighth anniversary, Dean is hosting a Beer Festival on Saturday, June 17, between noon and 8pm at the Heathlands Road premises.
There will be music and as well as Bond beers, local ciders, Pimm’s, Prosecco and soft drinks are also available along with delicious food from the Rural Pie Co in Twyford.
“We’ve just received the fantastic news that our friends Amy and Phil at Rural Pie have won Bronze at the British Pie Awards for their Steak and Ale pie which happens to contain our Best of British bitter so congratulations to them,” he said.
Bond Brews holds a monthly Saturday tap yard outside the brewery between April and September, with different food vendors each month.
Check the website for full details: www.bondbrews.co.uk
