With many breweries being swallowed up by big groups or setting up shop in city centres like Leeds or Manchester, Lost Cause Brewing is taking a different path.
The independent brewery, founded in 2024 by Vik and Colin Stronge (pictured above), has launched a crowdfunding campaign to bring beer production home to Castleford. This will create local jobs, build community, and provide investment in a town that needs more independent businesses.
The campaign, now live on Crowdfunder, aims to raise £60,000 to fund a new 10hl brewkit. This will allow Lost Cause Brewing to move away from expensive contract brewing and take full control of their beer production.
“We had the option to go to one of the bigger cities, like Leeds or Manchester, but we chose Castleford,” said Vik. “It’s where we live. It’s where we want to grow.
“There are loads of new houses going up here, but not enough infrastructure or opportunities to bring people together. We’re hoping Lost Cause can be part of changing that.”
Lost Cause Brewing might be new, but its founders are no strangers to making great beer. Head brewer Colin has spent more than 20 years crafting beers at some of the UK’s most celebrated breweries, including Marble Beers, Buxton Brewery, Northern Monk, Black Isle, and Salt Beer Factory. His beers have poured at the most prestigious craft beer festivals around the world, earning him Brewer of the Year 2022 from The Brewers Journal and a dedicated following among beer enthusiasts.
Vik has worked in marketing and branding for some of the UK’s biggest craft breweries, including Marble, Black Isle, Northern Monk, and Magic Rock. Her playful, monster-filled artwork and bold branding have already made Lost Cause’s cans instantly recognisable.
Together, Vik and Colin have built Lost Cause Brewing with an ethos of accessibility, creativity, and community. In just six months, they’ve grown the business, poured beers at some of the UK’s best festivals, and earned a reputation as a brewery to watch.
Colin said: “We’re not here to reinvent the wheel. We just want to make really great beer that people actually want to drink — big on flavour but easy to come back to, time and time again.”
Click here to find out more about the Crowdfunder campaign and the rewards on offer.
