Husband and wife team launch Rochdale microbrewery

An entrepreneurial couple have launched Serious Brewing Company, a new artisan microbrewery, after securing a £25k loan.

Ken and Jenny Lynch started the venture with funding from Business Finance Solutions (BFS), the region’s delivery partner for the Government’s £350m Start Up Loans programme.

The duo have been home brewers for a number of years, but spent the last 12 months researching and developing a small range of beers that they will now produce from their microbrewery on Fieldhouse Industrial Estate.

Serious Brewing Company plans to focus on bottle-conditioned and keg-conditioned beers, drawing influence from traditional British ales, artisan Belgian beers and US craft beers.

While the company will initially concentrate on supplying products in bottles and kegs to local pubs, shops and restaurants, Ken and Jenny plan to produce casks of beer for pubs and festivals in 2016.

The duo invested their own money into setting up the microbrewery but plan to put the £25k BFS loan towards new equipment.

Ken commented: “Thanks to the Start Up Loan from BFS we were able to buy the equipment we need to brew premium quality beer.

“We have a passion for creating interesting beers that are full of flavour and we enjoy being a little bit experimental.”

He continued: “Like us, many people are becoming interested in different styles of beer, it is not just bitter, mild, stout and lager which are popular now.

“Saisons, sour beers, dubbels and trappist beers are becoming increasingly sought after and we are excited to be brewing beer influenced as much by the brewing traditions of Belgium as our own British ales.”

BFS is part of the Manchester Growth Company.

Alex Mearns, a loan officer with BFS, said he believes Serious Brewing Company has a strong USP within its market.

Speaking further, he said the company is “responding to the growing demand for locally produced and craft beers.

“The independent brewing industry is a vibrant and healthy manufacturing sector that has grown and evolved over recent years and we’re very pleased to be supporting Ken and Jenny in their new business launch.”

In establishing Serious Brewing Company, Ken and Jenny received further support from the Business Growth Hub, which also forms part of the Manchester Growth Company.

Darren Flannery, from the Business Growth Hub’s growth service team, helped the duo with business planning and worked alongside the not-for-profit Rochdale Development Agency to secure premises. He also assisted Ken and Jenny in investigating supermarket contracts and preparing upcoming launch events.