In mid 2015, Jim Dunphy, owner of the Edmunds Bar and Grill as it was then called, was looking for an opportunity to refresh his Birmingham City centre pub and give it a point of difference over his competition. Acknowledging the growth in popularity of small batch beer, and the growing demand for local products, Jim started to look into options that would allow him to brew his own beer. He quickly realised however, that the space required for a traditional brewery set-up was more than his premises could accommodate.
It was then he came across the DigiBrew microbrewery from Craftmaster. Not only did it cost a quarter of the price of the alternatives, it also had a much smaller footprint and would fit within the space he had available. He was able to visit another pub already using a DigiBrew microbrewery and, after tasting the beer, he was confident enough in its quality and made the decision to purchase his own system.
Commenting on the move, Jim said: “Brewing our own beer had interested me for a few years, but the space required and the technology and knowhow needed had made it impractical. The DigiBrew microbrewery has enabled me to brew on site, producing the high quality beers I know my customers demand.“
An order was placed and Jim's plan to rebrand the pub as Edmunds Brewhouse got underway. Installation was a breeze and the Craftmaster team were with him every step of the way. They even helped him test and develop the recipes until he settled on three beers that became his core range – a Golden Hop, an American Session IPA and an English Pale Ale. The launch was a huge success, customer numbers grew from day one and wet sales were soon a steady 20% higher than before. His initial confidence was confirmed when Edmunds Brewhouse received their next visit from the Cask Marque assessors. The pub, and their three new own brewed beers, passed with flying colours.
