Celebrations as Peterborough's Oakham Ales toasts 30 years of business

A brewery in Peterborough is raising a toast to some of its classic ales as it celebrates 30th years during which it has sold 93 million pints of beer.​

The multiple award-winning Oakham Ales, in Maxwell Road, Woodston, has also just launched its 30th Anniversary Celebration Ale, which it has named Lord Maximus in a nod to its very first beer – the Jeffrey Hudson Bitter (JHB).

It is a testament to the skill of its founder, John Wood, that JHB is still Oakham Ales’ second biggest selling cask beer from 275 different beers brewed since September 13, 1993.

But its celebrations come as the brewery, along with the rest of the industry, faces some of its toughest challenges ever.

Soaring costs are reckoned to be forcing the closure of 21 pubs each week with 554 pubs calling time on the business during 2022.

In the last year alone, 83 breweries ceased trading with the loss of hundreds of jobs as well as a loss of choice to consumers.

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Ahead of the Government’s spring budget on March 15, Nick Jones, the brewery’s Off Trade and Export Manager, said: “Having been brewing now for nearly three decades, we’re getting to be old hands at squaring up to the constant challenges thrown the way of the brewing industry, but like most other brewers and the wider hospitality industry we face unprecedented issues as we navigate our way forward into our 30th year.

“Once again we need to join industry calls for the Government to implement a three point plan of measures urgently needed to ensure the survival of brewers and hospitality businesses.

“Those measures are a cut in excise duty on draught beer, a business rates holiday for pubs and a reform of the not fit for purpose business rates system and support for small brewers and pubs with their soaring energy and fuel bills.”

Oakham Ales dates its beginning from September 13, 1993 when it was founded by John Wood and was among the pioneers of the use of hops from America and the New World.

The brewery was originally based in Oakham before its move to Westgate in 1998 where the site is now home to the Brewery Tap. Oakham Ales moved to its current base in 2006 and three years later produced its famous and award-winning Citra ales. In 2019, Oakham Ales was named Brewery of the Year.

Mr Jones added: “As tends to be our style, we not planning any huge events or fanfares.

"Significant milestone and achievement as it may be, we’ll just be getting on with brewing good beers as we always have.

“But throughout 2023 we will revisit some of our favourite beers from the past 30 years. Six of our 12 “Seasonal” beers will be retrospectives of past Oakham classics, as will six of our eight strong “Cask Aged” beers. All will sport a retro looking “30 Years of Oakham Classics” pump clip design.”