Brewery's first beer festival is a roaring success with punters

Fallen Acorn Brewing Co saw dozens of people attend on Saturday.

The former Oakleaf Brewery site, in Clarence Wharf Industrial Estate, Mumby Road, Gosport, was raising cash for charity.

Head brewer Ed Anderson is running the London Marathon in aid of Naomi House and Jacksplace hospices.

Punters enjoyed craft ales, sitting outside in the sunshine.

Jed Stone, 70, of The Avenue, Fareham, was enjoying a drink with friends.

He had read about the beer festival in The News.

‘I’ve met up with a couple of friends of mine,’ he said.

‘It’s a good chance to try some of the other local brewers and it’s for charity, so it’s not a bad thing. I’d never been to this brewery before – so there’s a lot of boxes ticked.’

Cearah Uwrdeman, 31, from Rowlands Castle was at the event with managing director Matt Curd’s partner Kelly-Ann Norris, 30, of Bishop’s Waltham.

Cearah said: ‘They’ve started new beers, they’ve tried new experiments.

‘There’s a lot of big and exciting things happening here. There’s going to be more days here, it’s really good.’

Matt added: ‘This is the first time we’ve done it.’

Fallen Acorn brews eight beers, not including experimental beers made in a smaller pilot brewery.

The tap room is open on Wednesday and Friday from 4pm to 10pm, with seating for people to enjoy a tipple.

Ed said: ‘I wasn’t going to run a marathon but the cause was so close to my heart I wanted to do it. Having the brewery open is great. It’s been an emotional journey, it’s great to see it still going and it’s just nice not to have the stress of running the place.’

Ed was the owner of Oakleaf Brewery before it went into administration last August.

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FROM MIGHTY OAKS...

FALLEN Acorn sprang up as brewery when another was under threat.

Oakleaf Brewery, in Gosport, was forced into administration in August last year and there was a chance that the brewery could have shut altogether.

But company Just Develop It stepped in to save Oakleaf and rebranded it Fallen Acorn.

Steve Godwin, director of administrators Portland Business Support and Advice helped with the deal.

Former owner Ed Anderson stayed on as head brewer, with Matt Curd, a former software developer, being managing director.

With a tap room and brewery tours, punters are hopeful the firm will be in place for many years to come.

Matt is also hopeful that there will be more festivals to come, with punters invited along.

He said: ‘It’s good for people to see what’s going on in Gosport and support the local side of things.’

For more information about the brewery and what beers are on offer, see fallenacornbrewing.co