Phipps NBC
Encyclopedia
Phipps Northampton Brewery Company Ltd, formerly known as P.Phipps and Phipps Brewery is a brewing company with a long and varied history, currently specialising in historical real ales and stout, based in Northampton, England.
where founder Pickering Phipps
started brewing in 1801. A second brewery was opened on Bridge Street, Northampton
in 1817. All production was moved to Northampton in 1900 following a fire which destroyed the original brewery.
Trading as P.Phipps under the chairmanship of Pickering Phipps II (1836–1890), the company grew to become the largest brewer in the Midlands by the end of the 19th Cent. The Phipps family were prominent in Northampton in the 19th and early 20th century; both Pickering I and II were mayors and the latter an MP. An area of the town to the east of the racecourse was developed by the family and is known as Phippsville.
Other regional brewers absorbed by Phipps included, Ratliffe and Jeffery of Northampton in 1899, Hipwell and Co. of Olney in 1920, T.Mannings of Northampton in 1933 and Campbell Praed of Wellingborough in 1954. In 1957, P.Phipps merged with neighbours, Northampton Brewery Co. Ltd. At this point, the company had 1131 tied house
s (pubs), 711 from Phipps and 420 from NBC.
In 1960, London based brewer Watney Mann launched a successful bid for the company. The new owner's keg bitter, Red Barrel, was soon brewed in Northampton alongside the local beers. By 1968, all traditional draught bitters were axed and the company re-named Watney Mann (Midland). The general spread of keg bitter in the late 60's, and in particular Watney's treatment of Northamptonshire drinkers, were key spurs to the formation of the Campaign for Real Ale
in 1971. Since Phipps NBC had dominated its trading area, Watney's removal of all traditional hand pumps from its Midland pub estate led to CAMRA describing Northamptonshire as a real ale desert.
At the beginning of the 70's, a partnership was formed between Watney Mann and Danish brewer Carlsberg Group with the aim of rebuilding the Phipps Bridge St. Brewery site into a modern lager plant. Watney Mann ale and stout brewing ended on 26 May 1974, and most of the original brewery was demolished. Above ground the relatively modern office block was retained as part of Carlsberg's brewery, renamed Jacobsen House. Below ground the giant Ratliffe well on Kingswell St. (which Phipps had enlarged to form the principle water source for the site) was incorporated into the new brewery.
in Oakham. His deputy and final head brewer, Bill Urquhart, founded the country's first microbrewery
in 1974, Litchborough, based in the Northamptonshire village of the same name. Other former Bridge Street brewers rose to prominence in the industry in the following decades; Pat Heron became head brewer at Hall and Woodhouse, Bob Hipwell and Peter Mauldon remained in the Grand Met empire, although the latter eventually returned to Suffolk to revive his family brewery, Mauldons. Phipps' chief chemist, Mike Henson, became Carlsberg UK's first chief chemist.
The company continued trading as a pub chain, using the title Mann's Northampton Brewery Co. after 1977. Ownership passed from Grand Metropolitan
, who had taken over Watney Mann in 1971, through the Courage division of Foster's Group
from 1992 to '95 when Scottish and Newcastle (S&N) purchased Courage. In November 2003, S&N sold its remaining pub estates to the Spirit Group, later Punch Taverns
.
The pub chain's Northampton managers had been preparing to re-introduce a Phipps draught bitter at the time of the S&N sale and took the opportunity to take over the dormant company name and trademark. Draught Phipps IPA was re-launched in December 2008. This was followed by NBC's Red Star and then Ratliffe's Celebrated Stout in 2009. The beers are brewed from original recipes at Grainstore brewery, Oakham under the supervision of a number of old Phipps brewers.
Early History
The company began in the West Northamptonshire town of TowcesterTowcester
Towcester , the Roman town of Lactodorum, is a small town in south Northamptonshire, England.-Etymology:Towcester comes from the Old English Tófe-ceaster. Tófe refers to the River Tove; Bosworth and Toller compare it to the "Scandinavian proper names" Tófi and Tófa...
where founder Pickering Phipps
Pickering Phipps
Pickering Phipps is the name of three related men, father, grandson and great grandson, who were all residents of Northampton, England from 19th and early 20th century. The first began the Phipps Brewery in Towcester in 1801. The company survives today as Phipps NBC.-Pickering Phipps I:Pickering...
started brewing in 1801. A second brewery was opened on Bridge Street, Northampton
Northampton
Northampton is a large market town and local government district in the East Midlands region of England. Situated about north-west of London and around south-east of Birmingham, Northampton lies on the River Nene and is the county town of Northamptonshire. The demonym of Northampton is...
in 1817. All production was moved to Northampton in 1900 following a fire which destroyed the original brewery.
Trading as P.Phipps under the chairmanship of Pickering Phipps II (1836–1890), the company grew to become the largest brewer in the Midlands by the end of the 19th Cent. The Phipps family were prominent in Northampton in the 19th and early 20th century; both Pickering I and II were mayors and the latter an MP. An area of the town to the east of the racecourse was developed by the family and is known as Phippsville.
Other regional brewers absorbed by Phipps included, Ratliffe and Jeffery of Northampton in 1899, Hipwell and Co. of Olney in 1920, T.Mannings of Northampton in 1933 and Campbell Praed of Wellingborough in 1954. In 1957, P.Phipps merged with neighbours, Northampton Brewery Co. Ltd. At this point, the company had 1131 tied house
Tied house
In the UK a tied house is a public house that is required to buy at least some of its beer from a particular brewery. This is in contrast to a free house, which is able to choose the beers it stocks freely.- Definition of "tied" :...
s (pubs), 711 from Phipps and 420 from NBC.
In 1960, London based brewer Watney Mann launched a successful bid for the company. The new owner's keg bitter, Red Barrel, was soon brewed in Northampton alongside the local beers. By 1968, all traditional draught bitters were axed and the company re-named Watney Mann (Midland). The general spread of keg bitter in the late 60's, and in particular Watney's treatment of Northamptonshire drinkers, were key spurs to the formation of the Campaign for Real Ale
Campaign for Real Ale
The Campaign for Real Ale is an independent voluntary consumer organisation based in St Albans, England, whose main aims are promoting real ale, real cider and the traditional British pub...
in 1971. Since Phipps NBC had dominated its trading area, Watney's removal of all traditional hand pumps from its Midland pub estate led to CAMRA describing Northamptonshire as a real ale desert.
At the beginning of the 70's, a partnership was formed between Watney Mann and Danish brewer Carlsberg Group with the aim of rebuilding the Phipps Bridge St. Brewery site into a modern lager plant. Watney Mann ale and stout brewing ended on 26 May 1974, and most of the original brewery was demolished. Above ground the relatively modern office block was retained as part of Carlsberg's brewery, renamed Jacobsen House. Below ground the giant Ratliffe well on Kingswell St. (which Phipps had enlarged to form the principle water source for the site) was incorporated into the new brewery.
Post Brewery History
Phipps' Bridge Street head brewer, Noel "Dusty" Miller, initially transferred to Carlsberg as deputy head brewer along with many brewery workers and office staff. After just two years, he left to take up the head brewer's post at Ruddles BreweryRuddles Brewery
Ruddles Brewery is a former English brewery. The brand is now owned by Greene King who still brews beers under the Ruddles name in Suffolk though the current recipes are not those used at the original brewery....
in Oakham. His deputy and final head brewer, Bill Urquhart, founded the country's first microbrewery
Microbrewery
A microbrewery or craft brewer is a brewery which produces a limited amount of beer, and is associated by consumers with innovation and uniqueness....
in 1974, Litchborough, based in the Northamptonshire village of the same name. Other former Bridge Street brewers rose to prominence in the industry in the following decades; Pat Heron became head brewer at Hall and Woodhouse, Bob Hipwell and Peter Mauldon remained in the Grand Met empire, although the latter eventually returned to Suffolk to revive his family brewery, Mauldons. Phipps' chief chemist, Mike Henson, became Carlsberg UK's first chief chemist.
The company continued trading as a pub chain, using the title Mann's Northampton Brewery Co. after 1977. Ownership passed from Grand Metropolitan
Grand Metropolitan
Grand Metropolitan plc is a former United Kingdom-based company operating hotels, holiday centres, entertainment centres, public houses and casinos...
, who had taken over Watney Mann in 1971, through the Courage division of Foster's Group
Foster's Group
Foster's Group is a beer group with interests in brewing and soft drinks. Foster's Group is the brewer of the Foster's Lager. Foster's Group Limited is a publicly-listed company on the Australian Securities Exchange and is based in Melbourne, Victoria...
from 1992 to '95 when Scottish and Newcastle (S&N) purchased Courage. In November 2003, S&N sold its remaining pub estates to the Spirit Group, later Punch Taverns
Punch Taverns
Punch Taverns plc is the largest pub and bar operator in the United Kingdom, with around 6,800 leased, tenanted and managed pubs. It is headquartered in the traditional brewing centre of Burton upon Trent in Staffordshire...
.
The pub chain's Northampton managers had been preparing to re-introduce a Phipps draught bitter at the time of the S&N sale and took the opportunity to take over the dormant company name and trademark. Draught Phipps IPA was re-launched in December 2008. This was followed by NBC's Red Star and then Ratliffe's Celebrated Stout in 2009. The beers are brewed from original recipes at Grainstore brewery, Oakham under the supervision of a number of old Phipps brewers.