Closed or relocated breweries

12 Steps (Darwen) Stopped brewing in 2025 and future unknown Started brewing September 2021. The name comes from the number of steps to the cellar of the Bird in th'hand pub in Darwen where a 2½BBL plant is used. Address: Bird in th'hand, 225 Duckworth Street, Darwen BB3 1AU

Bluestone (Whitworth) Closed early 2020 Out of the blue in Autumn 2012, Glen Speak and John Chadwick decided to start a microbrewery in the rear of their Landrover business garage. Brewing takes place mainly at the weekend in a small 3.5-barrel brewery, using traditional methods including 'double dropping' fermentation. They sell cask conditioned bottles with casks available for beer festivals on request. Address: Unit 6 Daniel Street Industrial Estate, Whitworth, Rochdale, OL12 8BX

Doghouse (Darwen) Closed early 2020 A small independent brewery previously based in Darwen, which commenced brewing in 2016, having purchased the equipment from the brewery of the same name based in the Isle of Man. Thought to have relocated to Bury in Greater Manchester in 2019 but never confirmed. Address: Unit 6 Watery Lane Ind Est., Darwen, BB3 2EB

Fallons Exquisite Ales (Darwen) Closed in Spring 2013 First brewed in May 2008. A 10BBL Johnson Brewing & Engineering Ltd plant was used. Test and experimental beers also appeared under the name Graffiti Brewery. The brewery Address: Unit 15 Darwen Enterprise Centre, Railway Road, Darwen, BB3 3EH

The Folly Brewery (Clayton le Dale) Brewing was sporadic but had ceased by 2023 due to a change in personal circumstances however may be back in the future Started brewing mid 2020 on a one-barrel pico-brewery in home garage. Brews once a fortnight around day job. Three core beers; a flavoured stout, a rye IPA and a blonde. Address: Folly Industries Ltd, 18 Beech Close, Clayton le Dale, Blackburn, BB1 9JF

Hopstar (Darwen) Stopped trading in 2026 due to Barry's ill health In 2004, Barry Tyson started brewing on a 2.5-barrel plant, based in the garage at the back of his home, as a hobby to produce some great local beers using only the finest ingredients. The enjoyment came in producing good quaffing ale where folk come back for more and have won over 20 awards nationwide. The brewery relocated to a to a new unit in 2010 and expanded to a six-barrel plant and started suppling more than 100 outlets around Lancashire and the Greater Manchester area, along with the Number 39 Hopstar Brewery Tap in the heart of Darwen town centre. In May 2024 they downsized from the larger unit and have relocated back to the original site. PLEASE NOTE - The brewery tap is a separate business from the brewery. Address: Rear of 11 Pole Lane, Darwen BB3 3LD

The Old Boot Brewing Co (Bacup) Closed 2022 due to knock on effects of the COVID pandemic and rise in costs Set up by two brothers, Stephen and Andrew Pilling. in 2020 in memory of their Grandad of whom many happy memories as children helping him make home brew in the kitchen in the 1970’s. Beers are sold at The Old Boot Café and Wine Bar in Bacup. Address: The Old Boot Brewing Co, Waterside Mill, 55 Burnley Road, Bacup, Lancashire, OL13 0EH

Mighty Medicine (Whitworth) Brewing ceased in late 2022 First brewed during Summer 2016 and committed to using the finest ingredients to produce an eclectic range of beers. The plant and premises were taken over by Whitworth Valley Brewing Limited. Address: Unit 4, Daniel Street, Whitworth Lancashire OL12 8BX

Moonstone (Burnley) Closed January 2020 on Michael Jacques 71st birthday, when he took in a well-earned retirement A three-barrel brewery previously based in the front room of the Ministry of Ale, Burnley’s 1st brewpub, which closed 3rd January 2020 after being unsuccessful in finding a buyer for the pub and brewery. Brewing started in 2001 continuing right up until it's closure, which coincided with Michael Jacques 71st birthday, upon when he took in a well-earned retirement. Address: Ministry of Ale, 9 Trafalgar Street, Burnley, Lancashire, BB11 1TQ

Peregrine Brewing (Rishton/Accrington) Closed May 2024 A 1.5bbl brewery based in part of a former paper mill in Rishton founded in late 2020 on the back of Anthony Rothwell running the Caskbar in Darwen, where new brews created in the in-laws’ garage were put to the test on the not so unsuspecting locals and proved to be a real success. After selling the Caskbar to Mayflower brewery near Wigan (at the time Mayflower’s first pub/bar), Anthony made the move into full time brewing.

Snaggletooth (Darwen) Stopped brewing sometime in 2025/2026 Established in 2012 by three beer geeks with a passion for crafting ales. Cuckoo brewing using a 2.5-barrel plant previously used Hopstar (before they moved to a new site) which is used to produce small batch cask/bottle conditioned real ale. Rumour has it, if the Snaggletooth doesn't like it, it doesn't get sold! Address: Rear of 11 Pole Lane, Darwen BB3 3LD

Spring Hill (Belthorn) Only one beer has been seen at the Clitheroe Beer Festival 2024 Launched in Spring 2024 in a milking barn on a farm in Belthorn. Address: Springhill Farm, Belthorn Road, Belthorn, Blackburn BB1 2NY

Strata Brewing Co (Whitworth) Brewing was put on hold from August 2021 when Andy was offered a job brewing in the Cayman Islands which was impossible to turn down. Will Andy be back and we will see Strata beers again? Only Time will tell. The Strata seed was sown way back in February 2018, but was only truly realised in January 2019 when the opportunity arose to set it up, on a cuckoo basis (does not have its own brewery but brews at others) at the Mighty Medicine based in Whitworth, complete with it's own taproom bar. The Strata name and themes running through the branding come from Andrew Morrison’s (formerly of Rammy Craft) background in geology and love of the outdoors. Address: Unit 4, Daniel Street Whitworth Lancashire OL12 8BX (Cuckoo brewing out of Mighty Medicine)

Worsthorne (Briercliffe) Closed early 2022 due to adverse trading conditions brought on by COVID restrictions. Began brewing in 2011 using a 5.5-barrel plant, they then moved to larger premises behind the original building in 2014, followed by an expansion to a 10-barrel plant in 2016, which includes a licensed visitor centre. Address: Unit 11, Siberia Mill Holgate Street, Briercliffe, BB10 2HQ

Please note some of the information on this page was taken from www.quaffale.org.uk

Quaffale is a not-for-profit site run by enthusiasts, be they in the industry or just like a drink, for enthusiasts that aims to present the visitor with a resource that is one of the most up to date lists of UK based Real Ale Breweries available on the Internet.

(Page last updated June 2026)