Member Article

Unique brew room opened by local brewery

A town’s first-ever craft beer brewery has opened a unique ‘brew room’ - enabling people to drink its beers in the same place they are made.

The Steam Machine’s Brew Room is open three times a week, from 5pm to 11pm on Thursday and 12pm to 11pm on Fridays and Saturdays.

Despite being based in a unit on a private industrial estate in Newton Aycliffe, word has spread quickly and people are flocking to the licenced Brew Room in their droves.

As well as being able to buy and take away the brewery’s current core range of eight bottled beers – including an Indian Pale Ale, Brown Ale, Treacle Toffee Stout and even a beer infused with Earl Grey Tea - drinkers can also try the beers on keg.

Steam Machine founder Nick Smith explained: “We want to turn the brew room into a social space where people can come and enjoy our hand-crafted beers in literally the same place they are made.

“We have only been open a few weeks but have been staggered by the interest. People are coming from all over to try our beers and we have even had impromptu live music sessions as well.

“It’s even more astonishing that we are based in a small unit on a private compound on the Newton Aycliffe Industrial and that people have to call us to get access. We are certainly no longer the best kept secret in the area!”

The Steam Machine was set up in 2015 by 30-year-old former chemistry teacher Nick and his wife Gulen.

Their beers, which are heavily influenced by the American craft beer scene, are now being sold in shops and pubs across the region, and demand is rising.

Nick added: “We currently produce around 1,600 bottles a week and at this rate we will be looking to expand further later this year.

“We have the ability to double the size of our premises which means we could brew more beer and increase the size of the brew room.”

People who visit the brew room have the option of taking home the keg beer via US-style glass bottles known as ‘Growlers’. All they need to do is leave a small deposit for the Growlers, which is then returned when they bring the bottle back.

“Whilst growler-fills are common in the various bottle shops and breweries around the country, we believe we are the first to offer this service in County Durham,” added Nick.

“The beauty of the brew room is that people can take home the beer at its very freshest and we will also be making beer exclusive to the venue.”

The Stream Machine Brewery and Brew Room is located behind the Blue Bridge Centre at 22a, IES Centre, Horndale Avenue, Newton Aycliffe, DL5 6DS. For further information, call 07415 75 99 45, email info@steammachinebrew.com or visit www.steammachinebrew.com.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Neil Shaefer .