A FAMILY-RUN brewery has more than doubled production in a year, as demand for its craft beers increases across the UK and abroad.

In 2018, The Steam Machine Brewing Company was producing 7,885 pints a week.

Now it is producing around 16,900.

To increase brewing capacity Steam Machine – which is ran by husband and wife team Nick and Gulen Smith – has also doubled the space it occupies in the IES Centre in Horndale Avenue, Newton Aycliffe.

The move has allowed it to buy more brewing equipment whilst also ensuring it’s highly successful brew room could continue.

People flock from all over the North-East, and further afield, to drink the latest beers in the room, with local ‘pop-up’ street food companies queuing up to sate hungry appetites.

The couple set up Steam Machine in 2015 and admit to being staggered by the interest in their beers.

Steam Machine drinks are now being sold throughout the UK, and also in countries such as France and Spain.

Mr Smith, a former chemistry teacher, said: “Compared to other commercial breweries, we started with very little money, with savings from our previous jobs and a small loan was all we had.

“We have had to work very hard and have had great support from so many people, and we are now in a position where we are employing four people and brewing substantial amounts of beer which we sell wholesale, direct to pubs, bars and hotels, in our brew room and now even online.”

Steam Machine initially brewed a range of core beers, complemented by special one-off seasonal beers, but they have now changed this approach.

Mr Smith said: “The craft beer world is very fast-changing and people would be telling us they loved our beers, but asked when we would be doing new ones.

“So, led by the consumer, we now develop a fluid range of beers that change constantly.

"It means we are sticking to our strength of producing an eclectic mix of beers suitable for a range of taste buds, while continuing to experiment with both new and historic styles.

“At the end of the day, we’re making beers that we want to drink, and it seems to be working.”

For further information, call 07415-759945, email info@steammachinebrew.com or visit steammachinebrew.com