Launceston-based Firebrand Brewing Co has strengthened its retail presence with the launch of two of its beers into 86 Co-op stores across Cornwall. These are Shorebreak alcohol-free hazy pale and Diamondback West Coast IPA.
Shorebreak has become one of the brewery’s biggest success stories. Brewed with Simcoe, Cascade, and Citra hops, it’s gluten-free and vegan. It was named best alcohol-free pale ale at the 2025 World Beer Awards.
Diamondback began life as a limited-edition small-batch brew before customer demand saw it become a permanent addition to the range. Brewed with Centennial, Citra and Simcoe hops, the 6% ABV beer delivers bright citrus, pine, and tropical fruit flavours alongside crisp bitterness.
• Six beer and cider products picked up the coveted 3-star honours at the Great Taste Awards. They were: Orchard Premium English Vintage Cider, made for Aldi; Estrella Damm lager; Dreamhouse IPA, by Left Handed Giant; Orangutan kveik NEIPA and Pygmy hazy table beer, by Missing Link Brewing; and Raspberry Sour Beer, by Vault City.
• Williams Bros Brewing’s premium Scottish lager, Ceilidh, has been awarded a 2-Star Great Taste Award. It was the only Scottish lager to receive two stars in this year’s awards.
Launched earlier this year, Ceilidh is a crisp, cold-conditioned premium Helles-style lager brewed in Alloa using locally-grown Scottish extra pale malt, Scotland’s naturally soft water and a carefully balanced blend of traditional Hallertau and modern Tango hops.
• Siren Craft Brew have won three Great Taste Awards. The winning beers were Lumina session IPA, Siren Pils modern lager, and Soundwave 0.5 low-alcohol IPA, the latter picking up a double star award!
• Damm UK has taken a stake in London-based Dalston’s Soda Co,as the first soft drinks partnerinthe accelerator programme at the Damm Eagle Brewery in Bedford. With the acquisition of the Old Speckled Hen brands earlier this month, this marks another step in Damm’s journey to becoming a total beverage company and an opportunity for Dalston’s to accelerate growth nationally.
“We are excited to welcome Dalston’s as our first soft drinks partner, which is well aligned with Damm’s premium offering that centres around craftsmanship, excellent ingredients, and outstanding quality,” said Damm UK managing director Luke White.
• An iconic Leicester music pub is set to re-open following a £418,000 refurbishment. The investment in The Donkey, on Welford Road, is being carried out by Heineken-owned Star Pubs and new publicans Ollie and Jonathan Wainright, who operate two other much-loved Leicester locals. The project aims to put The Donkey back on the map as a pub and major music venue, complete with a new festival-themed garden.
The contractors break ground at The Donkey on Monday (3rd August), and the pub is expected to reopen by mid-September, creating 20 new jobs. Due to the scale of the work, the pub will open first, with the garden launching a few weeks later.
• The Albion, in Bootle, Liverpool, has re-opened after an investment of more than £389,911. The pub, which has new flooring, a games area, and an updated bar, games and snug area, is part of Admiral Taverns’ Proper Pubs group.
Another venue in the group, The Meadows, in Bransholme, has also re-opened after a refurbishment. The pub has been completely transformed, with new flooring, and fixtures and fittings throughout.
