News / Beer
Independent brewery opens first permanent taproom
The founder of a small batch brewery says their new brew pub will be “a chilled out place where people can drink local pints and share interesting food”.
Bruhaha is opening its first permanent premises (with walls) having spent almost two years as a pop-up brewery at Windmill Hill City Farm.
The new space on Wells Road, Totterdown, is replacing what used to be vegan cafe Eat Your Greens.
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It is the culmination of months of hard work by the Bruhaha team, made up of Simone Dougall, Dave Partridge and founder Steve England.
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England, who lives in Brislington, was a home brewer for ten years while working as a computer engineer until he decided he wanted a career change at the end of lockdown.
“I thought: ‘I want to do something I really enjoy and I love brewing’,” he told Bristol24/7.
“Especially because it is nerdy as well as it’s quite similar to programming where input goes in and something good comes out.
“In this case, it’s beer which is a lot better than an app or a website.”
He went on to found Bruhaha, what the team describes as “a small batch independent brewery using ultra sustainable methods”.
Brohaha’s new premises will not only house a dozen different beers but other tipples including Bristol Distilling Co’s spirits, Bristol Rum Co’s rum and Dunleavy Wines.
A freshly renovated kitchen will be the setting for changing pop-up food businesses that will serve dishes to accompany drinks.
England said: ”The margins are really tight with brewing and there’s already really good big breweries in Bristol and that wasn’t something I wanted to compete with.
“Coming up with this kind of tap room/ pop-up tap room/ brew and serve hub idea seems to have worked.
“We’ve got this far and now we’re in a place where there’s a window in the winter which is handy.
“That was the major problem at the farm. It just got too cold in winter – at one point the beer froze.”
Find Bruhaha on 156-158 Wells Road
He added: “I’m really happy that we’re going to have a permanent space that can have 12 different beers inside.
“I plan to do more interesting brewing and have a space where people can come and chill out and enjoy some good food.”
Bruhaha opens on October 21. It will be open on Thursdays and Fridays 5pm-10.30pm and Saturdays 12pm-10.30pm
All photos: Betty Woolerton
Read next:
- Major transformation plans unveiled for one of Bristol’s busiest roads
- Plant-based cafe to close
- Meet the women championing inclusivity in the brewing industry
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