Butcombe
Butcombe Brewery was founded in 1978 by Simon Whitmore, who used his redundancy payment from Courage Western to convert farm buildings in Somerset into a brewery. The timing was unusual: this was before craft brewing existed as a concept in the UK, and Whitmore was essentially building something from scratch, sourcing equipment from surplus Allied Breweries stock and figuring it out as he went. The brewery moved to Wrington in 2005, where it has access to Mendip Spring water, and was acquired by Liberation Group in 2016. It now operates across brewing and a pub estate.
The core range centres on traditional British ales and lagers, with Butcombe Original as the long-standing flagship. A collaboration with TV farmer Adam Henson produced Rare Breed Pale Ale, which picked up recognition on the national circuit. The brewery has invested in its bottling and distribution infrastructure over the years, which means the beers are well-represented across the South West and beyond.
The alcohol-free offer is Goram IPA Zero, a 0.0% IPA named after the mythological giant said to have created the Avon Gorge. It has won gold at both the World Beer Awards and the World Alcohol Free Awards, which puts it among the more decorated AF beers from a traditional British brewery. The flavour profile follows a modern IPA template: hoppy, aromatic, and relatively light on residual sweetness.
Available through supermarkets, specialist retailers, and the brewery's own online shop.
At a Glance
- Price Point
- Mid-range
Available at
The Collection
2 drinks
At a Glance
- Price Point
- Mid-range
Collection
2 drinks
