Bone Crusher beer highlights heritage
ABREWERY has come up with bespoke beer to help promote an important heritage site.
The Wincle Beer Co, which brews ale from its site in Wincle Village, has developed a new cask beer – Bone Crusher – to celebrate the Etruria Industrial Museum.
The museum, in Stoke, is home to the last working steam powered potters mill in the world and it is hoped the ale, which is being sold in pubs across the country, will raise awareness of the important project.
Giles Meadows, head brewer at Wincle, has been working with volunteer Barry Job on the project.
He said: “It’s a great idea, with strong synergy between our customers. It’s a real pleasure to work with Barry and the volunteers and to support the museum. I loved the connection from day one.
“We chose the brand name to clearly reflect the bone mill’s history.
“I hope it will encourage more people to visit the museum where they can see the volunteers operating ‘Princess’ the giant steam engine and working machinery.”
The mill originally operated from 1857 to 1972 calcining and grinding bone, flint and Cornish stone to blend with china clay as the raw material for producing English bone china.
The pump clip briefly tells the story of how the mill was saved by a team of volunteers in 1978 when it was at risk of closure.
Giles added: “There is a strong correlation between our customers. So each time a pint is ordered at the bar the volunteers will connect with their target audience and encourage more visitors.
“The beer will be listed in pubs throughout the Potteries and beyond.
“We will also be promoting the museum and its calendar of events on our website and in the brewery shop,”
Barry Job, who is one of the original volunteers set up to save the mill in 1978, said: “We are always looking at ways to raise the profile of the mill so this is a great opportunity.
“Their beers are each based on a real life character.
“The idea is to extend the range with a beer that will have an authentic potteries heritage and increase awareness of the site to a wider audience.”
Bone Crusher is a 4.3 per cent ABV, full bodied, classic chestnut English ale.
To find out more about the museum go to etruriamuseum.org.uk. To find out about the brewery go to winclebeer.co.uk.