Anglian Craft Brewers

Anglian Craft Brewers are a homebrew club. We cover the East Anglia region, in the United Kingdom. Our membership is consists of keen amateur and professional brewers. The ACB is a volunteer organisation.

Club aims:

  • Further the development of craft brewing
  • Inform and educate each other to drive collective improvement and development 
  • Provide mutual support and friendship
  • Help beginners progress and develop
  • Organise interesting and useful events (online and in person – when possible)
  • Recommend the best suppliers and most useful brewing related material
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ACB aims to keep the regions brewers in touch with each other. This is achieved using this website and various other chat groups, to share ideas and learn from each other.

ACB aim to meet once a month, alternating between local clubs so everyone has the opportunity to attend a local meeting at least once a quarter.

If you are interested in joining, please feel free to contact us or register for an account. All are welcome.

Meetings

We meet on the first Saturday of each month alternating between Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk. Area meetings are usually held in locations easily reached from the main London to Norwich railway line. We use local knowledge to select the best pubs with great food and an awesome selection of craft beer and cask conditioned real ale. 

Each region usually has a monthly mid-week meeting as well.

For more information on all upcoming events check the dedicated Events Page

Club Structure

Anglian Craft Brewers is made up of Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk area groups with an alignment with Cambridge Craft Brewers. If you live in the Anglia region, you’ll have a club near you.

We stay in touch using a multitude of digital methods, including: email, social media (Facebook & Twitter) WhatsApp groups and Slack. 

Each region has a chairperson, who organises (or delegates) monthly meetings in Essex (Chelmsford/Colchester) Suffolk (Ipswich) and Norfolk (Norwich). 

Beer Tastings and Club Competitions

The Covid Effect

During Covid, we’ve been holding online bottle swaps (where possible). Break off groups have been swapping their own beers and comparing them in video meetings from home against BJCP style guides. All good practice for anyone wanting to improve their beer tasting skills while they have some fun with like-minded people.

The homebrew community have also had to evolve, with the numerous homebrew competitions moving to online inter-club competitions.

Annual Festivals

Anglian Craft Breweries hold two annual festivals: Shed Brewers Festival and the ACB Homebrew Competition, which we will return to when allowed. 

Festival History

The original festival is the annual “Shed Brewers Festival”, traditionally held at the Victoria Inn, Colchester, on the first Saturday in November. 

A more recent addition is the popular Norwich Amateur Brewers Festival, held in June, at the Coachmakers Arms, Norwich. Both events are ticketed. We also have a strong showing at the Briarbank homebrew competition in Ipswich.

The first annual Anglian Craft Brewers “ACB Homebrew Competition” was held at the Royal British Legion, Wivenhoe. The event was a great success and more will follow, as soon as we can get back to them.