Member Article

Newcastle students’ micro brewery enterprise to tackle craft beer market

What is thought to be the first student-led micro brewery in Europe is being created by a group of Newcastle University students, who hope to capitalise on consumer appetite for ale.

A team of around 60 volunteers are busy setting up the brewery in premises on the University’s Henderson Halls of Residence site in Benton.

As the craft beer market rapidly ascends, the team hope to use the Student’s Union bars as a vehicle to launch their products before marketing them elsewhere.

With backing from Newcastle University Students’ Union, the social enterprise is one of 25 sustainability projects being supported by the Students’ Green Fund via the National Union of Students

Red Kellie, a project worker with university voluntary organisation Scan, told Bdaily: “We’re in the start-up stage at the moment and we’ve got a fantastic team of students on board who form the management group. So far they’ve been looking at business strategies, product development, branding and training needs.

“Setting up within the University gives the brewery an immediate point-of-sale through the Union bars.”

Students will get training and support from another University-linked brewing operation in the region - Sunderland’s Brewlab.

The project has attracted students from all disciplines from biochemistry to marketing - all keen to expand their practical skills in a real business.

Red hopes as many as 80 students or more could be involved in the project once it is up and running, and aims to create a sustainable business model.

Student volunteers working on the Newcastle University micro brewery

She added: “The fantastic thing about this brewery is the range of students who want to get involved. Not all are actually beer fans, but we’ve got everyone from designers, who want to work on the labelling, through to scientists who want to tinker with the brewing process.

“Even at this early stage it has prompted a couple of students to think about taking a masters in brewing at Edinburgh University after they graduate.”

The team have taken inspiration from similar student-led micro brewing projects in the US

The brewery is just part of wider Newcastle University Student Union programme that aims to help students get to grips with sustainability and the green economy.

A small market garden will also complement the micro brewery and give students a chance to experience growing a sustainable business.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Tom Keighley .