Bullhouse Brew Co takes top honours at BBC Food and Farming Awards
In a resounding victory for independent brewing in Northern Ireland, Bullhouse Brew Co has been crowned the UK's Best Drinks Producer at the 2024 BBC Food and Farming Awards. This prestigious accolade, encompassing the entire drinks industry from spirits and wine to cider and soft drinks, highlights the Belfast brewery's exceptional quality and commitment to innovation.
The awards ceremony, held at Glasgow's Old Fruit Market on Monday 2nd December, saw Bullhouse Brew Co stand out amongst a fiercely competitive field. The judges were captivated not only by the brewery's diverse range of high-quality beers but also by founder William Mayne's tireless campaign to modernise Northern Ireland's licensing laws, fostering a fairer market for small producers.
"This is an incredible honour, not just for Bullhouse, but for the entire brewing industry in Northern Ireland," said William Mayne. "To be recognised on a national stage, amongst such a diverse range of talented drinks producers, is testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire team."
Renowned brewer and twice winner of Brewer of the Year, Jaega Wise, commented on Bullhouse's win: "This is a fantastic achievement for Bullhouse. Their dedication to quality and their commitment to pushing boundaries within the industry is truly inspiring. It's a well-deserved win that showcases the hard work Bullhouse have been doing in a hugely challenging market in Northern Ireland."
The BBC Food and Farming Awards judges lauded Bullhouse Brew Co. for their innovative approach to brewing, producing world class beers which are exported throughout Europe from the brewery in south Belfast. They also acknowledged the significant impact of William Mayne's advocacy work in reshaping Northern Ireland's drinks industry.
"Bullhouse Brew Co. is a shining example of how passion, innovation, and a commitment to community can drive success," said one of the judges. "Their dedication to improving the industry for everyone is truly commendable."
This national recognition marks a significant milestone for Bullhouse Brew Co, further solidifying their position as a leading force in the UK's vibrant craft beer scene and a champion for small producers across the drinks industry.
Bullhouse Brew Co began back in 2011, when founder William Mayne got a taste for great beer on a road trip around the west coast of the US with his brother.
Coming back from the trip, William started homebrewing on the farm he grew up on just outside Belfast, Northern Ireland. After homebrewing for four years, he set to work converting the old bull’s house on the farm into a tiny 500sq ft brewery. Working full-time and living at home to save money, over the space of 12 months he converted the Bullhouse into a small brewery, buying second-hand equipment from dairy farms and other breweries across Ireland, including a mash tun made from a converted catering fridge.
Even before launching Bullhouse onto the market, the difficulties operating in Northern Ireland - the most restrictive beer market in Europe - became obvious. But the desire to put new styles of beer on the market and the idea of making a tiny dent in this ridiculous system overcame any doubts about the viability of the project.
Before long, the weekends and evenings started creeping into the afternoons, and eventually, in September 2017, William took the plunge to pack in the day job and go it alone, brewing P45 for the occasion. One of the early successes was winning Champion Beer of Belfast at CAMRA’s Belfast Beer and Cider Festival in November 2017.
Fast forward to September 2020 and backed by a Bounce Back Loan, the team (now grown to 3) finally moved out of the cramped Bullhouse to a 6000sq ft industrial estate in south Belfast.
Bullhouse opened Belfast’s first permanent brewery taproom (Bullhouse East) in June 2022, a pivotol moment of change in the local beer industry. Bullhouse now sells their beer throughout Northern Ireland, GB, the Republic of Ireland, France, Italy and the Netherlands and employ 26 people across the brewery and taproom, Bullhouse East (awarded Best Urban Craft Beer Bar in the UK 2023 at the SIBA Business Awards).