Joseph Holts Brewery

Joseph Holt is a brewery in Manchester, England founded in 1849. Holts claims to be the only brewery still selling beer in hogsheads - 54 gallon barrels.

History

Joseph Holt was born in 1813 in Unsworth, a textile village situated north of Manchester. Joseph was attracted to the city of Manchester where he worked as a carter in Harrison's Strangeways Brewery. He married Catherine Parry in 1849, who helped him to finance a small brewery situated behind a small pub on Oak Street in central Manchester.

In 1860 he purchased the current brewery site on what is now known as Empire Street and constructed the current brewery. In 1882 Joseph passed control of the breweries to his son Edward, by which time he had established a chain of 20 public houses. In 1908 he was elected appointed Sir Edward Holt, Lord Mayor of Manchester after his work in politics, most importantly extending the Manchester water supply from the Lake District. Edward died in 1928 and the company was passed to his son, Edward. Today the Holt's brewery is still family owned, Richard Kershaw, the great grandson of the original founder, is the current Chief Executive of the brewery.

Public Houses

Currently there are 127 Joseph Holt's houses, 93% of which are owned by the company. All lie within a convert|25|mi|km|sing=on radius of Greater Manchester.

Looking to the future

Joseph Holt's admits to being old fashioned but it is far from backward looking. Expansion has continued on the three-acre site with extensions in 1979 and again in 1993. Over the last three years, some £200,000 has been spent on the brewery and plans are in place to spend money against well-structured schemes that will increase the control that Holt's has over the brewing process. Although in the entire history of Holt's Brewery, it has never changed its most successful formula - a quality pint at an inexpensive price.

=Products=Holt's public houses offer a selection of Holt's draught, bottled and canned alcoholic beverages.

Draught
* Joseph Holt's Bitter
* Joseph Holt's Jolly
* Joseph Holt's Mild
* Joseph Holt's Crystal
* Joseph Holt's Crystal Cold
* Joseph Holt's Diamond

Bottled
* Humdinger
* 1849
* Touchwood
* Maple Moon
* Sixex.
* Tiny Dancer
* Thunderholt
* 5th Sense

Canned
* Holt's Bitter
* Holtenbrau

Holt's Breweries are the only remaining brewery packaging Hogsheads, the largest barrel size, carrying 432 pints (54gallons) and weighing roughly 300 kg when full.

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References

External links

* [http://www.joseph-holt.com/ Official company website]