Brewery
Original site: Ryecroft Works, Edwin Road, Twickenham TW2 6SP (Richmond upon Thames)
Current site: 18 Mereway Road, Twickenham TW2 6RG (Richmond upon Thames)
twickenham-fine-ales.co.uk
First sold beer:November 2004 (at original site)
Now something of a London veteran, Twickenham Fine Ales is the fourth oldest of all the London breweries and the oldest independent standalone brewery in the capital. When opened on redundancy money by former IT professional Steve Brown in 2004, it was the first brewery in Twickenham since Cole & Burrows closed in 1906 but passed under the radar of all but a few drinkers by selling only to very local outlets.
All that changed late in 2012 following a major expansion from its original site to long-sought new premises near Twickenham Green. The brewery has continued to grow since, most recently in 2016 when a new 40 hl kit and more fermenters were added. The first head brewer was Tom Madeiros, who joined from Grand Union, a failed Hillingdon micro; he was succeeded by Stuart Medcalf, formerly of W J King, and, since January 2018, Stephen Holland.
Though the beers are now sold widely, the brewery retains a strong local base, and Steve is determined any future expansion would require a site that’s also in Twickenham. Much is made of the locality’s association with rugby union, a sport where real ale is the traditional tipple of choice. Taproom openings on match days at the main Twickenham stadium or at local team Harlequins’ Stoop ground nearby have become a local institution. In August 2019, the company realised a long-held ambition by taking on the Rifleman, a corner pub only a few streets away.
Beers tend towards the traditional with a modern twist, with cask still an important part of the business, alongside keg and off-site bottling and canning.
Updated 16 December 2021.
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