Liverpool's Love Lane Brewery has secured four major industry awards and a coveted spot in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide just one year after being saved from closure. The Bridgewater Street brewery, relaunched under new ownership in 2023, has seen significant growth, supplying its beers to numerous pubs and hotels across the city.
Key Takeaways
- Love Lane Brewery won four awards at the SIBA North West Region Beer Competition, including two Gold awards.
- The brewery has been included in the prestigious CAMRA Good Beer Guide for its cask ales.
- This success comes just over a year after T J Morris Brewing acquired the brand in December 2023, preventing its closure.
- The brewery is experiencing record sales and has expanded its supply network to include well-known Liverpool pubs, hotels, and restaurants.
- Future plans include installing a new micro-brewing plant to diversify its beer range and seeking SALSA quality accreditation to facilitate further growth.
A Year of Acclaim and Recognition
In a remarkable turnaround, Love Lane Brewery has collected significant accolades within its first full year of operation under new management. The brewery recently earned a place in the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) Good Beer Guide, a key endorsement that highlights the quality of its cask ale production over the last 12 months.
Further success came at the Society of Independent Brewers & Associates (SIBA) North West Region Beer Competition. The brewery took home four awards, demonstrating the quality of its diverse range of beers.
Award-Winning Beers
Love Lane's recent SIBA awards include:
- Gold: Higson Bitter 3.8% (Cask British Bitter up to 4.4%)
- Gold: Love Lane Lager 4.0% (Session Lager up to 4.4%)
- Bronze: Love Lane NEIPA 5% (Cask Pale Ale 4.4% – 5.5%)
- Bronze: Love Lane NEIPA 5% (Keg Pale Ale 4.5% – 5.5%)
The two Gold award winners will now advance to the national finals, which are scheduled to be held in Liverpool in March 2026.
Rod Grainger, operations director for T J Morris Brewing, expressed his satisfaction with the brewery's progress. T J Morris Brewing acquired the brands in December 2023, preventing their closure and initiating a period of revival.
"We are delighted and really proud of what we have achieved in just the first 12 months," said Grainger. "It’s good to win awards because it shows that people like and recognise our brewery for producing good beer."
Reviving a Liverpool Legacy
The successful relaunch involved more than just restarting production. The Love Lane Brewery Bar and Kitchen in the Baltic Triangle underwent a refurbishment before reopening in April 2024. By June, the brewery had resumed production of its core range, including its popular lager, pale ale, NEIPA, and session ale.
A significant part of the revival strategy was the reintroduction of the historic Higson's beer brand. T J Morris Brewing acquired the rights to produce Higson's, a name with deep roots in Liverpool's brewing history.
The Higson's Heritage
The Higson's brand dates back to 1780 and is considered an important part of Liverpool's cultural and industrial heritage. After being produced by various companies over the centuries, the beer was unavailable for several years before Love Lane Brewery brought it back into production.
"Higsons is a very important brand and a lot of people remember it fondly," Grainger explained. "It’s very much a part of Liverpool’s heritage and history. We’re proud to have brought that back."
Expanding Reach Across the City
Beyond producing beer for its own bar, Love Lane has achieved record sales to a growing network of hospitality venues across Liverpool and beyond. This expansion has been crucial to securing the brewery's long-term viability.
The list of establishments now stocking Love Lane and Higson's beers includes some of the city's most iconic pubs. Venues such as The Cavern, Ship & Mitre, Ye Cracke, and The Baltic Fleet are among its regular customers.
The brewery has also made significant inroads into the hotel sector. Major hotels like the Radisson RED, Novotel Liverpool Paddington Village, and Hope Street Hotel now offer Love Lane brews, recognizing the appeal of a local beer for tourists and visitors. Even high-end restaurants like The Ivy Liverpool now stock its canned beers.
A Growing Network of Partners
The brewery's distribution list highlights its successful integration into the local hospitality scene:
- Pubs: The Cavern, Wetherspoons, Ship & Mitre, Ye Cracke, St Peter’s Tavern, The Baltic Fleet, The Cobden Vaults, The Monro, The Pilgrim, The Brunswick, The Blue House Beer Hall.
- Hotels: Radisson RED, Novotel Liverpool Paddington Village, the Pullman, INNSiDE by Melia, Hope Street Hotel, The Dolby Hotel.
- Restaurants & Bars: The Lock Up Bar, Love & Rockets, Frederik’s, The Quarter, The Queen of Hope Street, The Ivy Liverpool.
"We had to grow and produce good beers and work very hard to sell them to local pubs, bars, restaurants and hotels because there wouldn’t be a future without that," Grainger stated, emphasizing the importance of this local support.
Future Growth and Innovation
With a successful first year completed, Love Lane Brewery is now focused on future expansion and innovation. The company has purchased a micro-brewing plant, which is expected to be installed and commissioned in the coming weeks.
This new equipment will give the brewing team the flexibility to experiment with different beer styles and create a wider variety of products for customers. According to Grainger, this ability to diversify is crucial for the brewery's continued development.
"This will allow us to play with different beer styles and produce a bigger range of beers to our customers, both in our bar and kitchen and around the Merseyside area, and that’s very important for me in terms of being able to diversify," he said.
Another key objective is to achieve the SALSA (Safe and Local Supplier Approval) quality standard. This certification is a requirement for many large pub groups and retailers and would open up new markets for the brewery.
"I’m hoping next year will be an even bigger year as we are seeking a SALSA quality standard that many pub groups and retailers demand," Grainger added. "When we get it, [it] will allow us to grow further and add another layer of confidence in our beers and our brands."
Reflecting on the journey so far, Grainger is optimistic. "We have made great progress, there is more to do clearly, but the proof of the pudding is there. We are definitely getting a following now and hopefully 2026 is yet another year to step on it and move forward."