Giant Copper Vessels put to work in Greenwich
- World Heritage Site’s Frothy History to be Reborn after 120 Years Dry –

15 February 2010: Eight giant copper brewing vessels have been installed at The Old Brewery, part of Discover Greenwich at the Old Royal Naval College, the new £6m contemporary cultural venue opening on 23 March 2010.

The Old Brewery, run by the award winning Meantime Brewing Company, is a new restaurant, bar and cafe containing a micro-brewery creating historical and modern beers. The site occupied by the Old Royal Naval College has a robust brewing heritage known to date back to Tudor times. In 1717 a brew- house was built to supply the pensioners of the Royal Naval Hospital with a 3-pint daily ration of beer. The Old Brewery itself is built upon the foundations of a brewhouse built by Joseph Kay in 1832, rebuilt after a fire in 1843, which fell out of use by 1870.

Newly installed, the eight majestic1000 litre copper clad tanks dominate the main hall of The Old Brewery. From their unique vantage point the Main Hall diners will be able to witness the activity around the copper vessels, the focal point of this extraordinary experimental facility. Here Meantime’s brewers including Brewer of the Year and founder of the Meantime Brewing Company Alastair Hook, will tinker, trial and test their new beers evoking the spirit of the brewhouse in a wholly contemporary way. The brewing process in the copper vessels will commence in the next few weeks.

The new brewhouse’s amazing high-tech design means The Old Brewery will be an intriguing balance of the new and the old. Master Brewer Alastair Hook and his team will be reviving ancient recipes that used ingredients such as ‘bog myrtle’ or ‘wormwood’, whilst also brewing avant garde beer specifically crafted to match the flavours and aromas of modern contemporary cuisine; Mojito Pilsners and Juniper Pale Ales, for example. Each copper tanks will hold 1,760 expertly brewed pints.

The brewery construction, too, reflects this contrast. The copper of yesteryear is integrated with today’s plasma welded polished stainless steel. The opening of this brewery, in such a magnificent, historical setting, gives the brewers at Meantime new ways to innovate and define the contemporary whilst remaining acutely conscious of the great London brewing tradition in which we are steeped and which Meantime in particular champions.

The Old Brewery will be a cafe by day and a restaurant by night, maximising the magnificent surroundings of the Grade II listed building and the tranquil courtyard of this new destination.

The old brewhouse building is architecturally and historically significant. Not only is it a 19th century building still functioning in the 21st century but more importantly, the cellars contain unusual and rare 'fish bellied' beams that are of great interest in the history of cast-iron building structures in England. These cellars will once again be used to store beer.

Alastair Hook, founder of the Meantime Brewing Company, said: “It is always a special moment to see a new brewery installed. Especially in London, home in the 14th century to some 1,300 breweries compared to only 7 or 8 today. The previous brewery on this very same site closed in the 1860’s, and in two weeks time we look forward to firing up the ‘coppers’ after 140 years.”

Duncan Wilson OBE, Chief Executive, The Greenwich Foundation, says: “Brewing has been part of Maritime Greenwich since Tudor times. Henry VIII palace had a dedicated brewhouse, a tradition continued at the Royal Naval Hospital and I am delighted it is part of Discover Greenwich. The Old Brewery provides the new destination with a unique visitor experience, not least the vast array of award winning beers created by Meantime Brewing Company – including the beer to be brewed on site.”

Venue information: The Old Brewery

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