If you are considering starting a craft beer business, or an existing brewer looking to expand your production, contract brewing at our south London brewery may be the right option for you. We offer multiple advantages in terms of cost, quality, and flexibility.

Before we proceed, here are some important questions to consider.

What licenses do I require before I start?  

Several! If you are new to brewing, you require specific licenses, including the most important one: a wholesalers licence. Please ask us about this straight away as we are unable to proceed without it.

What is the budget for contract brewing?  

We will send you a contract brewing questionnaire so that you can factor in the cost of ingredients, haulage, packaging and cold storage with us. This allows us to discuss all the costs of contract brewing with you and agree the aims with you in advance of making any formal agreements.

What is the production capacity at Signal?  

Our one-stop contract brewing service is suitable for 1,000 to 3,400 litre batches.

What kind of beers (and spirits) can Signal produce?  

If you have a specific beer style in mind, we will aim to accommodate it. We have an array of experience of brewing including lagers, pale ales, IPA’s and porters. We also produce craft spirits at our partner distillery in East Sussex. The portfolio currently includes gin, vodka and rums. Check out our beers and spirits.

How will you handle quality control?  

When you are not in control of the brewing process, it can be difficult to ensure that the quality of your beer is consistent from batch to batch. We have strict procedures for our quality control for all our contract brewing arrangements and we have held SALSA accreditation for 3 years.

Who will handle the distribution of my beer?  

There are a few things to consider when thinking about who will distribute your beer. The first is whether you want to self-distribute or use a distributor. Self-distribution means that you will be responsible for delivering your beer to retailers. Distributors have relationships with retailers and can likely get your beer into stores quicker than if you were to do it yourself. We can offer you cold storage at Signal whilst you decide how to distribute.

How soon can you start contract brewing for me?  

Availability of ingredients, recipe specifics and capacity in our fermenters will dictate how soon your contract brewer can start. Our availability can vary, but we’ll work with you to establish an agreeable timeline for production of your beer or spirits.

Last but not least, does Signal have a good reputation?  

You should always research a potential contract brewer's reputation before making any decisions, reading reviews and talking to other brewers who have used their services. You want to make sure they're reliable and that other people have been happy with their work. While we don’t publicise which breweries we work with, we’re very happy to put you in touch with existing contract brewing customers so you can hear their feedback directly.