UK: Breal Group rebrands as Keystone Brewing Group

Private equity firm Breal Group has rebranded as Keystone Brewing Group following a number of acquisitions in the craft beer space in the past year, The Drinks Business reported on February 27.

The firm, which has purchased Masham-based Black Sheep Brewing, London’s Brick Brewery and Brew by Numbers and Warwickshire’s Purity Brewing in the past year, has made the change to reflect its strategy of purchasing struggling craft breweries.

The London-based firm said it was doing the rebrand to “act as a unifier for each brewery within the group” and it also “aims to articulate its hope for the future of the brewing industry and commitment to supporting and nurturing both established and emerging brands within its portfolio”, it said.

It comes as Breal announced its London breweries Brick and Brew By Numbers (BBNo) are in the process of closing down, with staff being laid off and brew kits being moved to Black Sheep’s site.

The firm has also said invested £1 million into Black Sheep Brewery with the sum going towards a new brewhouse as well as expanding the beer range.

Mark Williams, CEO at Keystone Brewing Group, said the rebrand would “build upon the legacy” of Breal Group, and was “an exciting new chapter of growth and innovation”.

He said: “Our rebranding represents our unwavering commitment to excellence, creativity and progress in the brewing industry.”

Williams said the name change to ‘Keystone” was because it is “a central architectural element that locks an arch into place, which we see as representing the pivotal role that the company plays in the brewing industry”.

He continued: “Just as a keystone supports and sustains an arch, Keystone Brewing Group is dedicated to supporting and nurturing both established and emerging brands within its portfolio”

The firm also “remains steadfast” in its “dedication to delivering exceptional quality, variety, and innovation to consumers both in the UK and worldwide.” Williams added.

He said: “The group is poised to continue our legacy of excellence and shape the future of the brewing industry.”

The name is a popular one within the beer space and there are a number of other Keystone brands.

Keystone Beer is a Molson Coors-owned brand, with its Light variety being one of the company’s top growing brands, and Keystone Brewery is an ale producer in Wiltshire, England. Liverpool’s Chapter Brewing also produce a Keystone West Coast Ale, which featured in beer writer Adrian Tierney-Jones’s 250 top beers in bottle and can.

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