Brewing Up a Storm at Stour Valley Business Park

If you take the 10 minute journey down the A28 from Canterbury to Stour Valley Business Park you’ll find the offices of Canterbrew, Canterbury’s newest brewery. There’s a good chance you’ll be greeted by the smiling face of Martin Guy looking for all the world like the cat that got the cream. Over a drink - coffee I hasten to add –Martin started talking about his business. It soon became obvious why he looked so happy. Martin loves his work!

"I’ve always been a Real Ale fan,” said Martin. “As youngsters growing up in Hertfordshire with my friends I used to make pilgrimages to a country pub to try “proper” beer and escape the mass produced, electronic pumped stuff available in our local pubs.”

It wasn’t long before he decided to try his hand at making his own beer at home with, it’s fair to say, mixed results in the early days! His first opportunity to brew in larger quantities came when excavations at Kentwell Hall in Suffolk revealed the remains of a 16th Century brewery. The owner of the house asked Martin to brew some traditional 16th Century beers on the facility and to operate the brewery on open days.

Although this was huge fun and a fantastic learning experience brewing was still just a hobby. Then came the crash and Martin’s employer, a London based publishing house, struggled. Despite the uncertainty Martin seized the chance to take redundancy and make the career change into brewing.

“I knew if I didn’t do it then I never would. I decided I didn’t want to get to 65 and look back at a missed opportunity.”

The search for suitable premises was not an easy one. He scoured estate agents and the internet and discovered Stour Valley Estates Ltd. “I looked at the CT3 Business Park in Aylesham and the Stour Valley Business Park in Chartham. I found it difficult to decide, but settled on Stour Valley Business Park because of its closer proximity to Canterbury. It’s the perfect location for my business.”

Martin could not speak highly enough of Stour Valley Estates. “What really impressed me was their flexibility, their willingness to negotiate terms that helped me get started and the fact that they offered a one stop shop making it really easy for me.” Martin rewarded Stour Valley with a 10 year lease.

“Stour Valley Estates fitted out the accommodation exactly as I needed it, and to really demanding timescales. Any slippage to the building work and I would have missed my window with the brewing equipment supplier and that would have meant a six month delay! Thankfully Stour Valley delivered absolutely on time.”

Martin’s first brews were ready in time for Christmas and are now being sold in 14 pubs across the area. To say they’ve gone down well would be an understatement. They’ve sold so well that Martin finds himself in the slightly embarrassing position of having run out of beer!

“The Unicorn at St Dunstans, Canterbury was the first pub to take my flagship ale, The Wife of Bath. The first barrel sold out in 6 hours. The second in 8 hours. I was somewhat taken aback. I’m now working as hard as possible to replenish stocks.”

All Canterbrew beers have a Chaucerian theme; The Wife of Bath is kept company by The Reeve and The Millers Ale. These three standards will be joined by numerous seasonal ales throughout the year.

If the first few months are anything to go by Martin, Canterbrew and Stour Valley can look forward to a long and successful partnership.

Further details on Stour Valley Estates Commercial Properties can be found on this website, or speak to our Property Managers Katie Dove and Sharon Corrigan on 01304 849210.

January 2011