After signing on to the Young Entrepreneurs Grant Scheme, run by the University of Hertfordshire and Watford Borough Council, Bowtie Brewers has been able to secure grant funding and turn the ‘BrewShed’ into a full 150-litre brewing system this year.
Peter, who splits his time between brewing and work at the Chiltern Open Air Museum, said: “I started brewing in 2016 when a work colleague bought a beer kit and suggested I should too.“A friend pestered me to go commercial, I suppose they thought the beers were good enough.
“The mentor training was particularly useful in narrowing down what you learned on the course to specifics relating to the business itself, very tailored and concise. “I got £3,000 from the grant, which I used for the shed refurbishment, it cost around £6,000-£7,000 so the grant halved my costs.”After completing the refurbishment, which more than tripled the size of his brewing system, he is planning to take his business to the next level with more beer and events next year.
This year, a Bowtie Brewers stall will be up at Watford Market’s Halloween event and traditional Christmas weekend.