Brighton Bier to help save historic seafront arches with new brew

Brighton Bier’s new brew will raise funds for the restoration of Madeira Terrace, a series of 151 Victorian iron arches overlooking Brighton Beach, which has featured in films including Quadrophenia and Brighton Rock.

Madeira Terrace was constructed in 1890 and is now in urgent need of repair. Image: Brighton Museums.

The new beer, called Mabiera, will raise money for Brighton’s Save Madeira Terrace campaign. A crowdfunding page, set up by Brighton and Hove City Council, exceeded its target in November 2017, reaching a total of £463,446.

A restoration fund has also been set up to allow people to continue donating so that the whole terrace can be saved.

Brighton Bier has hinted that it would be keen to operate from the site once it is restored.

“We would love to one day be brewing Brighton Bier on Brighton beach as part of a restored and revitalised Madeira Terrace seafront area, and realised we could help immediately by brewing a beer specifically for the restoration campaign,” said Brighton Bier founder and brewer Gary Sillence.

Mabiera is a 4% ABV hop-forward pale ale which “includes subtle nods to the challenge of restoring and modernising the areas surrounding Madeira Terrace”.

The beer includes American hop variety Centennial and experimental variety HBC431, bred by the Hop Breeding Company. It is fermented with a mixture of English ale yeast and a west coast American strain.

25% of the profits made from the sale of Mabiera will be donated to the Madeira Terrace Restoration Fund. It will launch in keg and can on Friday 2 February at Brighton Bierhaus and will then be available at other outlets in the city.

Commenting on the initiative, leader of Brighton and Hove City Council Warren Morgan said: “The crowdfunding campaign demonstrated an overwhelming level of public support for the restoration of Madeira Terrace but it’s essential we keep that momentum up.

“This latest idea will help to keep the ongoing campaign in the public eye and is a great example of how businesses can get involved. Buying Mabiera not only supports the campaign but puts money back into the local economy by supporting local businesses and local jobs so it’s a win-win all round; I look forward to trying a pint soon!”

The Madeira Terrace arches today.

Brighton Bier has also announced its intention to increase brewing capacity by 400% and is currently looking for both a location and investment in order to open a new brewery. With the aim to produce 1 million litres of beer a year, the new site would include a bar and restaurant, beer garden, visitor centre and shop, as well as including new brewing and packaging facilities.

The brewery has said that it would bring 20 new jobs to the area.

“We want to secure a location that will take Brighton Bier and brewing in our city to a new level, building an iconic brewery that will stand the test of time. This year is about finding the right location in Brighton and the right investment to move forward,” said director Stephen Whitehurst.

“When we started Brighton Bier [in 2011] there were very few genuine freehouses in Brighton and we were the only brewery. Fast forward to 2018 and interest in craft beer in the city has exploded, but still very little of the beer being drunk in Brighton is actually brewed in the city,” he added.