A NORTHWICH craft brewery has become so popular it has been forced to expand into bigger premises just six months after producing its first commercial beer.

Hush Brewing Co. began production in September 2021, but owners Chris Birtwistle and Simon Appleton’s beers were being drunk faster than they could brew them, so they had to come up with a plan quickly.

Now the team have just moved into a brand-new brewery in Navigation Road, Northwich, and to mark the event it will be opening up to the public this weekend, where customers will be able to have a pint, a chat and a look around.

Northwich Guardian: Chris and Simon hard at work (Hush Brewing Co.)Chris and Simon hard at work (Hush Brewing Co.) (Image: Hush Brewing Co.)

Chris said: "We quite like traditional cask beers, but we also like the more modern craft beers, and that’s reflected in what we brew as Hush.

"Going forward into the new year, we’re also looking at ways we can get canning.

"One thing we both quite like is seasonality in beer, which is a bit lost at the moment. Everyone seems to want a pale ale or an IPA, but there is a lot more out there.

"Now is the time for stouts and amber beers, but they don’t do quite as well because of the very strong trend towards pale ales."

So far, Hush’s beers have been sold at the Salty Dog, the Salt House, and the Bird and Hat, all in Northwich, as well as Barnton and Davenham Cricket Clubs, and further afield at Beer Heroes in Chester, The Crewe Dog, The Delamere Street Dog in Winsford, the White Bear in Middlewich and at Kingsley beer festival.

The new brewery at Unit 4, Riverside Trading Estate, Navigation Road, will be open as a tap room from Thursday, November 17, to Sunday, November 20, and there will be a pizza van outside providing food to soak up the beer. 

Northwich Guardian: Lego brewers (Hush Brewing Co.)Lego brewers (Hush Brewing Co.) (Image: Hush Brewing Co.)

Chris added: "At the moment it’s a one-off event to see what interest there is in us opening more permanently as a tap room.

"We’ve made the unit quite bright and colourful – it doesn’t look like your traditional sort of brewery. We’ve had a bit of fun with it.

"We plan to celebrate the long journey of getting this kit up and running, and it’s an opportunity for everyone who follows us on Facebook, or engages with us in the pubs, to come and see what we’ve been getting up to."

Thursday’s session is an event for invited trade partners and members of the local CAMRA branch are welcome, but everyone is welcome to drop in on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, between 12.30pm and 11.pm, or until the beer runs out.