Bottle shop plan for Peterborough micro-brewery

Xtreme Brewery was set up by brothers Martyn and Simon Hunt earlier this year when they bought out the established Xtreme Ales, based at Alfric Square in Woodston.

They have since taken over the neighbouring unit, which acts as a cold store - and have applied for a licence to allow it to operate as a bottle shop, selling their beers to the public.

“The second unit is essentially the cold store, giving us more storage space, but we are planning a modest serving area,” said Martyn, an experienced brewer who is hands-on in the day-to-day running of the micro-brewery.

“It is not so much about the glamour of opening a bottle shop, more providing a space where people can turn up and take away our beers.”

They are also investing in a labeller allowing them to provide bespoke bottles for parties and as wedding favours.

The brothers - Simon is also partner in The Farmers pub at Yaxley where Xtreme have been selling their beers as takeaways in sealed containers during lockdown - took over Xtreme Ales in May, buying the business without any stock. By the time pubs started opening in July, they had a reasonable portfolio of ales, said Martyn, and did good business as some of their rivals had not been brewing.

“It has been pretty successful start and we have managed to keep things moving,” said Martyn.

“Our kit allows us to make 10 casks of an average strength ale in one brew and with three fermenters on site, at full capacity we will be able to get 40 casks a week out.

“But we are not looking to get into big supermarkets, more your craft markets,” he added.

You will find Xtreme’s beers in city pubs The Ploughman, Hand and Heart, Bumble Inn and Palmerston Arms