Bristol Beer Factory

The Ashton Gate Brewery had stood idle for 70 years before Ferguson revived brewing there, giving the company both a home and a direct connection to Bristol's brewing past. The brewery has grown to include a taproom and several pubs across the city, including the Grain Barge, and distributes through specialist alcohol-free retailers as well as its own direct channel.

The AF lineup covers IPAs and milk stouts. The IPA was launched in 2020 in partnership with Talk Club, a men's mental health charity. Bristol Beer Factory donates 5% of every sale from this beer directly to Talk Club, making it one of the more purposeful AF releases from a regional independent. The milk stout is brewed using the same malt bill as the original full-strength version: same malts, reduced alcohol, preserving the character of the source recipe rather than building a separate low-ABV formulation from scratch.

For sober-curious drinkers who want craft-beer depth with a sense of social purpose, the Talk Club partnership gives the IPA a clear reason to choose it beyond the liquid itself. The brewery's tight regional identity and its connection to the Southville brewing site run through both AF beers. Distribution is available through specialist alcohol-free retailers as well as on-site at the taproom and Bristol pubs.