May 10th 2007

                      Today 22 members had a day out to visit the Greene King Brewery at Bury St Edmunds. An early start from the Burlington Hotel ensured we had plenty of time for the tour at 11am. The museum was most interesting plotting the history of the Company from its beginning in 1799.The tour showed us how real beer is produced using natural ingredients and traditional brewing methods. The top of the building gives the best view of Bury St Edmunds and surrounding countryside. The process from top to bottom of cleaning the water, grinding the barley, adding the various hops for flavour and the fermentation to producing the final product was explained in great detail.

                       The highlight for many was the tasting of all the beers made on the site,  in the " Brewery Tap ", where we also had a fine lunch of steak pie and vegetables.

Outside the Visitor Centre entrance.                  A view of Bury St Edmunds from the roof.

The fine bar of ales in the Brewery Tap.             Members tasting the various brands.

Cheers !                                                          Norman taking advantage of the chair lift !

The History of the Greene King Brewing Company

                       Benjamin Greene started the Company in 1799, he bought Wrights Brewery situated in Westgate Street, Bury St Edmunds and renamed it The Westgate Brewery. He lived just around the corner in Crown Street, in the house of the last Abbot of Bury St Edmunds, which is where the flagship beer, Abbot Ale gets its name.

                        Benjamin had 13 children, Edward his third son, worked in the brewery from the age of thirteen and took over from his father in 1836. He doubled the work force to 50 people and built houses on the opposite side of the street for them to live in.

                         In 1887 Edward joined forces with Fredrick King, who was a rival brewer. He owned the St Edmunds Brewery which was next door. He had a knowledge of farming and malting. They soon became one of the largest county breweries in England and the owners of some 148 public houses.

                         They produced 2 types of beer, OLD ALE and Bitter. Today Greene King are famous for their four core brands.... Abbot Ale , Greene King IPA , Old Speckled Hen and Ruddles County, as well as many other well known cask ales.

                          A Head Brewer, one Miller and six members of staff work in the Brewhouse. There are two shifts a day , 6.00am to 2.00pm and 2.00pm to 10.00pm.

                           There are two water tanks on the roof of the Brewhouse, ( water is called liquor at the brewery ) each tank holds 300 barrels of liquor which is pumped up from bore holes below the building. Greene King employs around 800 people in different departments on a site spread over 40 acres.

                           The new Brewhouse was built in 1938 in a central position between the two old breweries. It is a gravity fed system, so all the ingredients are taken to the top and gravity fed down through the various processes.

Inside part of the Museum.                            Bags of barley waiting to be processed.

The familiar Greene King Sign.                    Display of brands sold today.

  The flagship brands of Greene King.

Photos by Rtn. Alan Spinks