Kelham Island Brewery: Relief as Sheffield's oldest independent brewery is saved from closure

Kelham Island Brewery was said to be the first independent brewery in the city for 100 years when it opened in 1990 in the beer garden of The Fat Cat pub. But its closure was announced in May, the company having been badly impacted by the Covid pandemic.

Brewer famous for Pale Rider to return to business

Today is has been announced that a group including people with connections to well known Sheffield organisations, including the Tramlines festival and Thornbridge Brewery, has stepped into save the business, famous for beers including Pale Rider.

The brewery’s rescue is a collaboration between Tramlines co-founder and Sheffield venue owner James O’Hara, his brother and financial analyst Tom O’Hara, Simon Webster and Jim Harrison of Thornbridge Brewery, Peter Donohoe, founder of Sheffield based creative studio Peter and Paul and Ben Rymer marketing manager from beer festival organisers, We Are Beer.

Pale Rider, previously been named Champion Beer of Britain, will return on cask at the Fat Cat and at CAMRA’s Steel City Beer Festival on October 19

MORE: Kelham Island Brewery: Beer lovers describe closure as 'great tragedy'

James O’Hara, who put the group together after hearing about the brewery’s closure, said: “Kelham Island Brewery, and its flagship beer Pale Rider, are known and revered beyond Sheffield. It’s heritage that we, as a city, should be really proud of. We couldn't let that just disappear, it means too much within the city and to the UK’s beer culture for it to become another Wikipedia entry.”

Kelham Island Brewery was founded in 1990 by Dave Wickett and was the first new independent brewery in Sheffield for over 100 years. Many of its brewing staff went on to set up and work for breweries including Abbeydale, Thornbridge, Magic Rock, Bradfield and Brewdog.

Simon Webster from Thornbridge Brewery said: “Kelham Island Brewery has always been linked with Thornbridge. They were the reason we started the business. Theirs were the first beers we brewed and Dave Wickett was a guiding hand in the early days of Thornbridge.

“When I first heard about the closure, I immediately thought, how can we help? How can we save the heritage that the Wickett Family had built? I chatted passionately about what we could do with James and we formulated a plan to try to save those great beers. I’m so pleased we have been successful. We’re looking forward to brewing the beers and keeping Kelham Island Brewery alive in Sheffield and beyond.”

MORE: 'End of an era' as Covid claims legendary Kelham Island Brewery in Sheffield

Ben Rymer, who works for beer festival organisers We Are Beer, said: “American hops form the backbone of the modern craft beer scene, but what Dave was doing was really revolutionary. He really went out on a limb at the time and was a true visionary. No one was setting up breweries back then and the craft beer industry as we know it now simply didn’t exist.”

“The fact that Dave had to sell the beer he made in his own pub wasn't about creating a scene, it was a necessity. Most pubs at the time were all owned by big pub companies,” he added.

Jim Harrison from Thornbridge Brewery said: “Dave was a good friend and really understood beer and its regional variations. He understood that to be successful you needed to get your beer to people outside of the area. He was years ahead of his time and I’m so proud that we have been able to save these beers from being lost forever.”

When will Pale Rider beer be available again?

Ed Wickett, former Kelham Island Brewery owner and son of founder Dave Wickett said: “I’m really pleased the brewery is in such safe hands. It’ll be great to serve Pale Rider in the Fat Cat again.”

The first pour of Pale Rider will be at the Fat Cat on lunchtime of October 19, it will then also be pouring at CAMRA’s Steel City Beer Festival taking place, at Kelham Island Museum starting on the evening of the October 19 for four days. The beer will then be delivered to the wider on-trade from week commencing October 24