Last Friday our founders Bates and Miranda, giddy from finishing a 3-week beer launch tour to London, Manchester, Leeds, Cambridge, Peterborough and Norwich, sped back to the future brewery site in West Acre where a special event was happening. A hive of activity filled the usually empty and derelict barn complex. The occasion: toasting the start of the build of Duration – a farmhouse brewery for Norfolk.

Guests arrived to don hard hats for a tour of the ‘imagined’ layout of the site. Taking in the main brewhouse, the future tap and exploring the barrel project and coolship room, in the smaller wooden barn. Our founders congratulated the design team, spurred on the build team and welcomed in shareholders, some of whom had not returned to the site since the pitch event 18 months ago. It was an immensely proud moment to raise a glass to a project taking shape with many of the people responsible for making it happen.

Flutes of gueuze were charged with Boon’s Mariage Du Parfait – a fitting style for a farmhouse brewing project an aptly named tipple to toast new partnerships. Our brewer Bates swung a bottle on the wall. 18:12 our bretted farmhouse pale had been made collaboratively at Brew By Numbers – to bestow good fortune on the project.

Then it was off the playground near the site office so languishing children could play and adults could tuck into warm cheese goodness. Bates had a 3 cheese and spinach dip bubbling away in a crockpot. Plans and designs were available and everyone cast their opinions on what the next beer label design should be. Talk often returned to what each person imagined would be good about the project and many beers were enjoyed.

For all involved the excitement was palpable. Thus ends a period of arduous planning and waiting and now begins a period of regeneration and activity. Now, three weeks into the 44-week build schedule, the pace is about to go up a gear and we will begin seeing tangible progress at the future brewery site. Starting with the roof.

Site Complexities

All things considered, 5 months to pass planning and 12 months to clear the detail design isn’t too bad when you consider the site complexities: Scheduled monument;  SSI rating (area of special scientific interest); GradeII* listed building; Bats; Derelict rural site; No mains drainage;  No power.

Milestones Past

2017 Feb – Site Found | April – Project Pitched | Aug – First Beer Released (Collab) | Sept – Planning Approved

2018 Feb – Grant Awarded | May – Shareholders Signed In | Sept – Founder Investment In | Oct – First Beer Released (Own) | Nov – Build Commences

Future Timeline

Phase 1 – Brewhouse and Coolship

We are in week 3 of a 10-month build schedule | 1-month kit install | 1.5 months to brew some beer – and then we’ll be trading on site – and yes we are planning a huge Spring Launch in 2020.

Phase 2 – Taproom 

We will have a temporary tap shortly after opening the production facility.

We will develop the Southern end of the barn into a glazed mezzanine when we know for sure you will all venture out!

Thankfully between now and being operational on site, we have good friends allowing us to make our beers elsewhere, meaning that you will be able to continue trying our beers.  All will be available in mixed 4 and 12 packs here

If you are thirsty now why not get a preorder in for our American Stout 6.5% called Ebb & Flow. Or a mixed 12 pack alongside American Pale 5.5% Turtles All The Way Down and Continental Pale 4.5% Bet The Farm.

Or we have a collab called The Ground Up a Sour IPA 6.5% has just been released by Unity and is out in the world.

Equal parts hoppy and funky, this Farmhouse IPA is lightly soured and fermented on a blend of Saison and Bruxellensis Trois yeast, with a massive dry hop of Styrian Wolf and Dragon.

Made collaboratively by Unity x Boxcar x Duration this beer celebrates three fledging breweries.

Get a can and raise a glass to the many breweries up and down the UK that are implementing their passion into building a business from the ground up.

For those having a first read, Duration Brewing will place a progressive farmhouse brewery at Abbey Farm, West Acre in rural Norfolk. Making wild ales and fresh beers from nature with purpose. See promo video read about our vision for Duration here.