Old Speckled Hen beer brand sold by Greene King

2 hours ago

Alex PopeBedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire

News image — Old Speckled Hen was created in 1979 by Morland

Getty Images A large Old Speckled Hen beer sign on the side of a lorry, with three beer kegs, and a man bending down, wearing a high-vis jacket. — Old Speckled Hen was created in 1979 by Morland

The Old Speckled Hen range of drinks has been sold by brewing giant Greene King to Damm UK.

The beer, which dates from the late 1970s, has been brewed at Greene King's base in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, for the past 25 years after it took over the Morland brewery.

It will eventually be made at the Damm Eagle Brewery in Bedford, Damm confirmed.

Luke White, its managing director, said it aimed to "take the brand forward into its next chapter".

Damm UK, the British arm of Barcelona-based independent family brewer S.A. Damm, and owner of the Estrella Damm brand, said it had acquired the Old Speckled Hen, Old Golden Hen, Old Crafty Hen, Old Master Hen and Low Alcohol Old Speckled Hen brands.

During a "transition process" it will continue to be brewed at Greene King's Westgate Brewery, before moving to Bedford, it added.

White said: "Old Speckled Hen is an iconic British ale brand with a rich heritage and loyal following, and we are proud that Greene King has chosen Damm UK to take the brand forward into its next chapter."

He said he looked forward "to working closely together throughout the transition period to ensure continued success for the brand, customers and consumers alike".

Damm Eagle Brewery The production line of a brewery with lots of red cans on canning lines. — Estrella beer is made in Bedford at The Eagle Brewery, which has been sold twice in recent years

Greene King acquired Old Speckled Hen in 1999 from Morland, which was based in Abingdon in Oxfordshire, and transferred production to Suffolk.

Nick Mackenzie, chief executive of Greene King, said he was "delighted to have secured a partner in Estrella Damm, who will continue to brew the ales in the UK".

In 2022, Damm bought the Eagle Brewery from Marston's Brewing Company, after Charles Wells, now known as Wells & Co, sold it to them for £55m in 2017.

Damm then spent £70m on revamping the Bedford site, where it brews Estrella lager.

Greene King is planning to build a new £40m brewery that will see it move from its current site in Bury St Edmunds, where it has had a town centre presence since 1799.

It could relocate next to its distribution centre at Suffolk Park in the Moreton Hall area of the town.

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