The British Brewing Crisis: Inside Keystone’s Situation and What It Means for Our Beer Industry

Over the last few weeks, the British beer world has taken a hit that many drinkers never saw coming. Keystone Brewing Group, the company that owns or manages Black Sheep Brewery, Purity Brewing Company, Magic Rock, North Brewing Co, Fourpure, Brick Brewery, Brew By Numbers, Big Drop, Hofmeister, Maison SASSY and Wolf Pack, has filed a Notice of Intention to appoint administrators. This could mark the start of a British Brewery Crisis.

This does not mean the breweries have stopped producing beer. They are still operating at the time of writing. But it does mean that serious financial trouble is now out in the open, and the impact of this will ripple across the industry for years.

In my latest Behind The Brewer investigation, I break down exactly what is going on. How Keystone built its empire. How fast it grew. Why the UK has lost one hundred and eighty seven breweries since twenty twenty three. And most importantly, what could happen next to the beers and breweries many of us grew up with.

The full documentary is below.

The Keystone Crisis

Why Keystone Matters So Much

This is not just about one business. Keystone controls traditional Yorkshire cask, modern craft beer, alcohol free innovation, supermarket favourites and London taprooms. When a group this large struggles, the smaller breweries feel the shockwave too.

Behind every brewery logo is a team of people with years of skill that cannot be replaced once lost. If breweries start disappearing, that knowledge disappears with them.

A Perfect Storm for British Brewing

Rising costs. Duty pressure. Energy bills. Supermarket squeeze. Pub closures. Households cutting spending. It has all collided at the same time and pulled the ground from under the industry.

Even drinkers feel it. When a pint costs eight pounds in some cities and weekly food shops shoot up, people naturally pull back on the extras. Sadly, craft beer is normally the first thing to go.

British Brewing Crisis: What Happens Next

Keystone’s brands may survive through buyers, restructuring, or new investment. Or they may be broken up and sold off piece by piece. None of this is confirmed, and the situation is changing fast.

But one thing is clear. British beer is entering a difficult chapter. The decisions made over the next few months will shape the next decade of brewing in the UK.

If you care about British beer, now is the time to support your favourite breweries however you can.

Thanks for reading, and if you want the full picture, make sure to watch the video above.

Hopper out!