Ludlow Brewery marks 20 years of brewing in a restored Ludlow railway shed

Twenty years ago Gary Walters was brewing beer in a bucket in his garage. In 2026 his business, Ludlow Brewery, celebrated two decades of independent brewing in the south Shropshire market town, with a trophy cabinet that keeps on growing.

The brewery is based on Station Drive, a short walk from Ludlow railway station, in a Victorian railway shed dating from 1857 that the business brought back from dereliction. Following major upgrades in 2024 and investment in sustainable technology such as solar panels, it now has the potential to produce more than two million pints a year, and currently brews just under 1.4 million.

The anniversary year began with silverware. At the CAMRA Champion Beer of Britain Area Awards 2025, in the West Midlands and West Central Area, Ludlow Best and Black Knight both took Gold in their categories, while Red Dawn won Bronze in the regional heats. Closer to home, Blonde was named Runner-Up Beer of the Festival at the Shrewsbury CAMRA Beer and Cider Festival after blind tastings by CAMRA members and trained judges.

Gary, the brewery's Managing Director, said the awards were a fantastic endorsement of the passion that goes into every pint, and a boost for independent brewing in the region because the results are decided by knowledgeable and discerning beer lovers.

To mark the milestone, the brewery threw open its doors on Sunday 3 May for a free family fun day. The Bewdley Concert Band and acoustic artist Matt Williams, the former frontman of Frontrunner, provided the music, and there were vintage vehicles, free brewery tours, face painting and inflatables. Andrew Francis Butchers and Bao To The Broth served street food.

The beer range has grown well beyond the original cask ales. Alongside the multi-award-winning Ludlow Gold, the brewery produces the craft-led Derailed range and the newly launched Latitude 52 lager, and it keeps to a low beer miles policy, supplying pubs, shops and festivals across Shropshire and the Welsh Marches.

Gary said the anniversary was a way of thanking the community that has supported the business on its journey from a small start-up into a regional powerhouse.

Details of the brewery bar and covered beer terrace on Station Drive, brewery tours and the full beer range are on the Ludlow Brewery website.