Higsons Brewery
Encyclopedia
Higsons is a Liverpool
brewery
founded in 1780, closed in the 1990s, and reopened in 2005.
. The company brewed beer at this site until 1914, when it moved to the Windsor Brewery in Upper Parliament Street.
area and the Spraggs Brewery in 1919. In 1923, the company bought out Walker Cains Brewery in Liverpool's Stanhope Street. There was one last push for expansion in 1927, when the firm acquired Joseph Jones & Co. in Knotty Ash
. A further 70 public houses were also taken over as a result.
of Manchester
took over Higsons in 1985, deciding to abandon brewing in favour of running a chain of pubs. The Boddington breweries were sold to Whitbread in 1990 who finally closed the Higsons Stanhope brewery site shortly thereafter.
In 2005, the independently owned Mayflower Brewery in Wigan
originally run by a former Higson's Brewing Chemist was commissioned to recreate the original Higsons Bitter in a series of test-brews. Unfortunately, after a short run the brew was once again discontinued.
Currently, the brew is freely available throughout Liverpool.
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
brewery
Brewery
A brewery is a dedicated building for the making of beer, though beer can be made at home, and has been for much of beer's history. A company which makes beer is called either a brewery or a brewing company....
founded in 1780, closed in the 1990s, and reopened in 2005.
The beginning
Higsons Brewery was originally formed in 1780 at 64 Dale Street, LiverpoolLiverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
. The company brewed beer at this site until 1914, when it moved to the Windsor Brewery in Upper Parliament Street.
Expansion through the 20's
In 1918 the brewery was bought out by J. Sykes & Company. The company began to expand further, acquiring several public houses in the WirralWirral Peninsula
Wirral or the Wirral is a peninsula in North West England. It is bounded by three bodies of water: to the west by the River Dee, forming a boundary with Wales, to the east by the River Mersey and to the north by the Irish Sea. Both terms "Wirral" and "the Wirral" are used locally , although the...
area and the Spraggs Brewery in 1919. In 1923, the company bought out Walker Cains Brewery in Liverpool's Stanhope Street. There was one last push for expansion in 1927, when the firm acquired Joseph Jones & Co. in Knotty Ash
Knotty Ash
Knotty Ash is an area of Liverpool, Merseyside, England and a Liverpool City Council Ward. Historically within Lancashire, at the 2001 Census, the population was 13,200.-Description:...
. A further 70 public houses were also taken over as a result.
The later years
In 1962, Higsons purchased a new head office in North Street, Liverpool. The brewery merged with James Mellor & Sons in 1974. The Bents Brewery, which was next to their head office in North Street, was sold to them by Bass Brewery in 1978. BoddingtonsBoddingtons
Boddingtons Bitter is a bitter ale originally brewed at the Strangeways Brewery, Manchester, England. It was promoted as The Cream of Manchester from the late 1980s until 2004, when the Strangeways brewery was closed and production moved to Magor, South Wales and Salmesbury, Lancashire...
of Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
took over Higsons in 1985, deciding to abandon brewing in favour of running a chain of pubs. The Boddington breweries were sold to Whitbread in 1990 who finally closed the Higsons Stanhope brewery site shortly thereafter.
In 2005, the independently owned Mayflower Brewery in Wigan
Wigan
Wigan is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It stands on the River Douglas, south-west of Bolton, north of Warrington and west-northwest of Manchester. Wigan is the largest settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan and is its administrative centre. The town of Wigan had a total...
originally run by a former Higson's Brewing Chemist was commissioned to recreate the original Higsons Bitter in a series of test-brews. Unfortunately, after a short run the brew was once again discontinued.
The future of Higsons
The recipe has been taken up by the Liverpool Organic Brewery and, after a few test casks, is being unveiled at the Liverpool Beer Festival on 24th - 26th February.Currently, the brew is freely available throughout Liverpool.