Hobsons Brewery

What Hobsons Brewery does

Hobsons Brewery Co is a family-owned independent craft brewery founded in 1993 by Nick Davis and his parents in Cleobury Mortimer, Shropshire, United Kingdom. The company produces traditional cask, keg, and bottle-conditioned ales, with a core range that includes Town Crier (golden ale, 4.5% ABV), Best Bitter (3.8% ABV, the original 1993 brew), Champion Mild (CAMRA Champion Beer of Britain 2007), Dhustone Stout, Old Henry, Twisted Spire, and Shropstar, alongside seasonal specials and limited editions such as Easy Days, Patient Number 9 (Ozzy Beer), and Six Sirens. Its technical differentiator is Easy Cask, a proprietary cask dispensing system developed by founder Nick Davis that extends cask beer shelf life to 9 months unopened and 6 weeks from opening, addressing the core pain point of cask wastage in lower-turnover venues. The brewery operates sustainable production infrastructure including wind turbine power, ground source heat pump, rainwater harvesting, anaerobic digestion of spent grain (generating 800kWh via partner Marches Biogas), and Forest Film recyclable labels supplied by Mercian Labels.

The company sells through a hybrid go-to-market model: direct-to-consumer via an online shop offering free UK delivery on beers, polypins (18-pint bag-in-box), merchandise, and gift vouchers; trade distribution to pubs, restaurants, social clubs, and independent retailers within approximately 50 miles of the brewery covering Shropshire, Worcestershire, Herefordshire, West Midlands, and parts of Gloucestershire and Staffordshire; an on-site taproom hosting monthly Foodie Fridays with street food vendors; and opportunistic export orders upon request. Complementary revenue streams include Oldfields Cider (third-party brand from the Thompson family in Worcestershire), Penrhos Gins, brewery tours at £15 per person, Brew Day Experience days, and branded merchandise such as organic cotton t-shirts and Heritage Hoodies. Alcohol-free production is sourced via partnership with Polish brewery Browar Błonie (Free IPA, <0.5% ABV). The company has won multiple high-credibility industry awards including CAMRA Champion Beer of Britain (2007), CAMRA Champion Bottled Beer of Britain Silver (2022, 2023), and SIBA Best Green Business Award (2010 and 2021), and is run by a lean management team of approximately 15 named individuals including founder Nick Davis, Commercial Director Kate Pearce, and Finance Director Carol Wilson.

Name

Hobsons Brewery

Legal name

Hobsons Brewery Co

Website

https://hobsons-brewery.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Hobsons Brewery is a family-owned independent craft brewery in Cleobury Mortimer, Shropshire, producing cask, keg, and bottle-conditioned ales since 1993. It serves UK hospitality trade within a 50-mile radius and direct-to-consumer customers nationwide via online shop and taproom.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Craft Beer Brewing

NAICS

Breweries (31212), Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers (424810), Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers (445320)

SIC

Malt Beverages (2082), Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)

akta.pro primary industry

Beer Brewing & Brands (CRADAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Packaging & Production Breweries (Limited/No On-site Service) (THAFALAB), Beer, Wine & Spirits Wholesale Distribution (CRAOAIAA)

Keywords

• Craft brewery
• Cask ales
• Bottle-conditioned beer
• Sustainable brewing
• Brewery experiences

Headquarters

HQ city

Cleobury Mortimer

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Beer Sales: Sale of cask, keg, and bottled beers through online shop and trade customers. Products include core range ales, seasonal specials, and limited releases.
2. Merchandise: Sale of branded merchandise including T-shirts, hoodies, beer mats, and gift vouchers.
3. Experiences: Brewery tours and experience days for consumers, priced at £15 per person including pint token.
4. Third-party Products: Sale of third-party products including Oldfields Cider, Penrhos Gins, and pork scratchings.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Hobsons Brewery is an independent Shropshire-based brewery that produces and sells cask, keg, and bottle-conditioned real ales through its own online shop, on-site taproom, and trade distribution to pubs, restaurants, and retailers. Its portfolio spans core ales (Best Bitter, Town Crier, Champion Mild), lagers (Zephyr), stouts, seasonal specials, an alcohol-free IPA, and complementary merchandise, plus brewery tours and brew day experiences.

Product overview

Hobsons Brewery is an independent Shropshire craft brewery founded in 1993, offering a diverse portfolio of real ales, lagers, ciders, and complementary products. The core beer range includes award-winning cask, keg, and bottled ales such as Town Crier (golden ale), Hobsons Pale (session ale), Champion Mild (CAMRA Champion 2007), Best Bitter, Twisted Spire, Old Henry, Dhustone Stout, and Shropstar. The portfolio extends to seasonal and limited-edition specials, alcohol-free options (Free IPA), craft lager (Zephyr), and Easy Cask—a proprietary extended-life cask dispensing system. Complementary offerings include Oldfields Artisan Ciders, Penrhos Gins, pork scratchings, branded merchandise, gift packs, brewery tours, and the Brew Day Experience. Beers are available across multiple formats: cask, keg, polypin (bag-in-box), and bottle-conditioned.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Oldfields Cider: Artisan cider produced by the Thompson family on their farm in Worcestershire, sold through Hobsons Brewery.

Products and services

• Best Bitter Traditional amber bitter at 3.8% ABV, Hobsons' original beer first brewed in 1993. Distinct hoppy character using local Herefordshire hops and barley.
• Town Crier Crisp, golden ale at 4.5% ABV, Hobsons' best-selling beer named after local town crier Reg Chapman. Bottle-conditioned with British Goldings and Progress hops.
• Champion Mild Classic mild at 3.2% ABV, crowned CAMRA Champion Beer of Britain in 2007. Smooth, full-bodied with roasted caramel, coffee, and chocolate notes.
• Twisted Spire Light blond ale at 3.4% ABV named after St Mary's Church twisted spire in Cleobury Mortimer. Carbonated blonde with Chinook, Hersbrucker, and Fuggles hops.
• Old Prickly Bottle-conditioned pale ale at 4.2% ABV with floral honey notes. Supports British Hedgehog Preservation Society; CAMRA Champion Beer of Britain winner under 4.3%.
• Six Sirens 4% blonde ale brewed collaboratively by 20 women for International Women's Day 2026. Small-batch with Amarillo, Godiva and Boadicea hops. Supports Lingen Davies Cancer Fund.
• Easy Days Zesty pale ale at 3.4% ABV brewed with Motueka and Centennial hops. Cask-only seasonal for summer.
• Patient Number 9 (Ozzy Beer) Specialty beer launched to mark the first official Ozzy Osbourne Day, celebrating the region that inspired the artist.

Quantifiable outcome

• Champion Mild won CAMRA Champion Beer of Britain in 2007
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Charles FaramminorOthers · 1 February 2026Hop supplier who donated hops for the Six Sirens International Women's Day beer charity initiative.
• Browar BłoniecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPolish brewery partnership for collaboration brewing projects including Maypole monthly special beer. Also partnered for alcohol-free beer production (Free IPA brewed in Poland). Shared commitment to sustainable brewing practices.
• Lingen Davies Cancer FundminorOthersCharitable partner receiving portion of proceeds from Six Sirens beer sales to support new cancer treatment centre in Telford.
• Jack Sampson BlacksmithminorOthersLocal Shropshire blacksmith who hand-forged steel beer mats to celebrate Hobsons 30th anniversary.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Wye Valley Brewery: Independent family-owned Herefordshire craft brewery producing cask, keg, and bottled real ales for regional trade and D2C channels. Highly comparable on product mix, family-ownership structure, sustainability branding, and West Midlands/Welsh Borders geography adjacent to Hobsons' core trade area.
• Joule's Brewery: Shropshire/Staffordshire family craft brewer producing cask ales and lagers for regional on-premise trade. Directly comparable as a Midlands family-owned regional brewery operating in cask-led trade channels overlapping Hobsons' geographic footprint.
• Batham's Brewery: West Midlands (Brierley Hill) family brewer producing traditional cask ales primarily tied to its own pub estate. Comparable as a multi-generational family brewery in the same West Midlands region competing for similar on-premise cask customers.
• Holdens Brewery: Independent Black Country family brewer of cask ales and milds with strong regional trade and tied-estate presence. Compares on family ownership, West Midlands geography, and traditional cask ale portfolio overlapping with Hobsons' heritage beers.
• Hook Norton Brewery: Oxfordshire-based independent family brewer producing cask, keg, and bottled real ales with on-site brewery tours and taproom. Highly comparable on family ownership, scale, real ale focus, and experience-led visitor offering.
• Robinson's Brewery: Independent family-owned Stockport brewer with large tied pub estate and cask ale portfolio including regional champions. Comparable on family-ownership model, broad cask and bottled range, and integrated pub and trade operations.
• Theakston Brewery: Yorkshire family-owned brewer producing traditional cask bitters and stouts with strong regional trade and on-premise presence. Comparable multi-generational family brewer competing in the same independent cask ale category as Hobsons.
• Black Sheep Brewery: Independent Yorkshire craft brewer producing cask, keg, and bottled ales with national trade and brewery visitor centre. Comparable as an independent regional craft brewer of similar heritage vintage competing for national cask and bottled ale listings.

Broad incumbents

• Marston's PLC: Listed UK pub operator and brewer (owner of Banks's, Jennings, Eagle, etc.) with extensive national trade and pub estate including West Midlands venues. Broader incumbent that competes indirectly for cask ale trade listings and tap placements in the same on-premise accounts as Hobsons.
• St Austell Brewery: Family-owned Cornish regional brewer with national distribution, tied pub estate, and sustainability credentials (including B Corp status). Comparable sustainability narrative and family ownership, but materially larger scale and broader geographic reach than Hobsons.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/HobsonsBrewery
• Facebookfacebook.com/HobsonsBeers
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hobsons-brewery
• Instagraminstagram.com/hobsonsbrewery

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hobsons Brewery