Mold: 'Floret' by Polly's Brew Co. ranked among UK's best
It has been placed 40th in the rankings, above giants like BrewDog's Punk IPA, Theakston's Old Peculiar and Titanic's Plum Porter.
Polly's Co was launched back in 2018 by Arron Fellows, Sean Wheldon and Scott Nixon.
Since then, it has grown 'significantly' according to the team and has just recently launched a new restaurant and taproom (Polly's Social) at the Daniel Owen Centre in Mold.
They are also now capable of brewing up to eight times a week, have exported to 33 countries across the world, and are widely regarded as one of the highest-rated breweries in Wales.
TOP STORIES TODAY
Now, Polly's Brew Co's latest success comes via being ranked on the prestigious We Are Beer list.
Arron Fellows, head of sales for the business, said: "Our inclusion on We Are Beer's annual list detailing the best in the UK is an incredibly huge honour. To have officially had our flagship pale ale Floret recognised amongst, and in some cases ranking higher than the very beers that inspired us to create Polly's in the first place is a marker of how far we've come since our humble beginnings in 2018.
"We can tout how great our beer is until we're red in the face, but when your industry peers, friends in the trade, and our own loyal fans elevate what you bring to the table on something as visually prominent as this, it puts that extra special rubber stamp on things that what you're doing brings so much joy to so many people."
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Leader Live
a day ago
- Leader Live
A look inside the ever-growing Polly's Co brewery in Mold
'Floret', created in Mold by Polly's Brew Co, was listed on We Are Beer's 50 Best Beers in the UK for 2025. Placed 40th in the rankings, that saw it rank above giants like BrewDog's Punk IPA, Theakston's Old Peculiar and Titanic's Plum Porter. Polly's Co itself was launched back in 2018 by friends Arron Fellows and Sean Wheldon. And what started out as a project in an old horse stable at Holland Farm, just outside Mold town centre, has since grown 'significantly' to also see the business have its own restaurant and taproom (Polly's Social) at the Daniel Owen Centre. Polly's, which gets its name from Sean's grandad's horse, are also now capable of brewing up to eight times a week, have exported to 33 countries across the world, and are widely regarded as one of the highest-rated breweries in Wales. Earlier this week, I took a trip to Holland Farm to meet up with another Arron - Arron Fellows, the company's head of sales, who gave me a tour of the site. Being a big beer fan myself, it was a fascinating opportunity to find out more about how some of our local produce is brewed right on our doorstep. I arrived at Polly's and, having met the adorable security (Aka Citra the dog!), then met up with my namesake who explained that the site was once home to a wagon site, belonging to Sean's dad Phil. He added that, after starting out in the former stables, the business rapidly grew from brewing once every 11 days and packaging three times a month to three times a week within the first six months. Arron showed me around the office spaces on site and even the well set up gym they have on-site for staff members - one of many initiatives taken by the company to look after their employees wellbeing, another being a four-day working week. Polly's Brew Co's Arron Fellows. (Image: Newsquest) But the most exciting part, of course, was getting to see the team in action. We walked into the brewhouse and it was immediately apparent just how well-run Polly's has now become. Fermenting machines were chugging away in the background as the hops were prepared by brewers. In the 'Sellar', Arron explained how machines introduced to that area have ensured that beers are produced both safely and quickly, before being sent to the likes of Marks and Spencer, Morrisons and Co-op. The beer is moved from fermenters into the 'bright tanks' where they are then ready to be canned. Water, malt, hops and yeast are the only ingredients used by Polly's, yet their beers can taste totally different based on the hops they use and where they use them during the brewing process. The 'pack' area was among the most impressive factors of the site as team members demonstrated how it works. It is there that the cans, in this instance full of 'California Common' are prepped for being sent out via the highly-efficient canning machine, which can sort out up to 1,200 cans an hour. Once checked for any 'nasties', as Arron put it, they are sent down the conveyor belt to be labelled and boxed. And, even more impressively, that whole process takes just two members of staff to complete. Arron also showed me around the outside 'mini brewhouse', where the beers for Polly's Social are made. This is essentially the same set up as the large-scale brewhouse, only much smaller. What does make Polly's unique also is the fact that their 'coolers' are in fact old lorries from years gone by which have been transformed into several fridges to store beers in. Also admirable is the fact that the businesses uses plastic recyclable kegs where possible and generates its own Nitrogen, which helps push beer from tank to tank. TOP STORIES TODAY 'Totally unique' floating markets to visit North Wales later this month 'This is my livelihood' - Wrexham shop owner puts up 'scumbag' shoplifter signs Woman back in court after 'abhorrent' spitting at others during argument I asked the team if they had any non-alcoholic beers on offer, which they said they do currently have the one on offer at Polly's Social, with plans to introduce more. Head brewer Joe Webb explained that that was a matter of getting the 'balance' right before introducing anything further to the market. Arron explained that, while a local target audience is key, Polly's was also importing to the likes of Bulgaria, Switzerland and Belgium as we spoke. He added that they also have 'very good relationships' with Scandinavian countries like Norway and Denmark. But, of course, brewing and selling beer is not without its obstacles - particularly since the Covid-19 pandemic struck. You can watch a glimpse of my Polly's tour here ... Polly's, however, managed to push through that and come out the other side as a success story, with Floret becoming star of the show. Arron told me: "Making the top 50 beers in the UK was a really big flag for us to be able to wave. But, the reality is that it's never been harder to sell beer than it is right now. "Gen Z have changed their drinking habits so there's more graft needed from our side in that respect. We've had to adapt to the market. "But, we're very lucky to have Sean in that respect as he's always two steps ahead and really knows what he's doing." He added: "The Floret is by far our most popular beer and we're really trying to push that as our standout beer, as other companies do with their biggest sellers. "We're also hosting a national Floret day on an annual basis in March and we had 100 venues across the UK take part this year." One thing that was very apparent during my visit was that Arron really knows his stuff and that the team were equally passionate about the process of brewing. One team member described the brewhouse as a 'hidden gem' in Mold and that is exactly what it is. Having beers made in your own town is something quite special and the people of Mold should certainly cherish that.
BBC News
5 days ago
- BBC News
BrewDog ad banned for implying beer beats boredom and loneliness
A poster for BrewDog has been banned by the advertising watchdog for implying that alcohol can beat boredom, loneliness or ad for the firm's Wingman beer, seen in May, was headlined: "BrewDog. Always Got Your Back."It continued beneath: "Some things in life go AWOL - WiFi fails, the weather turns hostile, and your buddy's 'five minutes' turns into a full-scale delay. But Wingman? Wingman stands firm. Always on station, always mission-ready, always got your back. Because every great operation deserves a great Wingman."The Advertising Standards Watchdog (ASA) said it received one complaint. BrewDog said the ad promised reliable quality rather than implying any sort of relief. The firm said it did not believe the ad claimed or implied that the beer had any therapeutic or mood-altering effects, nor that the ad suggested alcohol was essential or a priority in ASA acknowledged that the poster had an air force theme, including the product's name, references to "always on station, always mission-ready", and some of the imagery, which included a bird wearing a flying jacket, helmet and also noted BrewDog's comments that the advert portrayed Wingman Session IPA as being of reliable it said the comparison of scenarios where someone was "frustrated and bored, potentially lonely" was "likely to be viewed as problematic".It added: "The implication was that Wingman was a solution to overcoming those problems that were likely to result in boredom, frustration and potentially loneliness."For those reasons, we considered the ad implied that drinking alcohol could overcome boredom, loneliness or other problems and concluded it breached the code." The ASA ruled that the ad must not appear again, adding: "We told BrewDog to ensure their future ads did not imply that drinking alcohol could overcome boredom, loneliness or other problems."A spokesman for BrewDog said: "We acknowledge the ASA's ruling on our recent Wingman advert and we are disappointed with the outcome, which we believe does not reflect the spirit or intent behind the campaign."It is not the first BrewDog advert to be criticised by the July 2022, an email was sent to BrewDog customers suggesting its fruit-flavoured beers counted as "one of your five-a-day". The regulator said the advert could not appear again and warned BrewDog not to repeat the claim. The previous year, the Scottish brewer offered shoppers the chance to find a gold can worth £15,000 hidden in cases sold from its online some winners complained to the ASA after they discovered the cans were not solid gold, but were gold-plated regulator banned the adverts, with BrewDog co-founder James Watt admitting the firm had got the campaign "wrong". The company was founded by Mr Watt and Martin Dickie, both fishermen at the time, in Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire, in 2007, before growing into a £1bn brand in just a is known for its craft beers and IPAs, and has breweries and pubs across the globe, including 71 in the UK, of which 17 are in Scotland. It also has bars in Dubai, the US and earlier this month, BrewDog announced plans to shut 10 of its bars, saying they were no longer "commercially viable", sparking a furious response from unions over fears of job Watt stepped down as CEO in May last year, saying he would move to a newly created position of "captain and co-founder" while retaining his shares in the company.
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Daily Mail
Brewdog suffers fresh blow as advert is BANNED as brand reels from pub closures
Scottish craft brewery BrewDog has had an advert banned for implying that alcohol could overcome boredom, loneliness or disappointment. It comes as the firm, best known for its trademark Punk IPA pale ale, closes 10 of its bars across the UK, including the first one it ever opened. The ad for the brewing firm's Wingman beer, seen in May, featured the headline: 'Brewdog. Always Got Your Back'. Alluding to troubles like bad weather, a friend being late and WiFi failure, the craft beer company inferred its Wingman Session IPA could be the answer to these problems. The text said: 'Some things in life go AWOL - WiFi fails, the weather turns hostile, and your buddy's "five minutes" turns into a full-scale delay. 'But Wingman? Wingman stands firm. Always on station, always mission-ready, always got your back. Because every great operation deserves a great Wingman.' The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has since banned the ad after receiving a complaint that it implied that alcohol was a remedy for disappointment, suffering and isolation. BrewDog said the ad did not imply that the beer provided comfort, relief or escape from any form of distress, and positioned the product as being of reliable quality rather than a remedy or coping mechanism. BrewDog has announced last month it would close 10 bars across the UK including its Camden branch (pictured) as its financial performance stalls in a challenging market It also did not believe the ad claimed or implied that the beer had any therapeutic or mood-altering effects or that the ad suggested alcohol was essential or a priority in life. The ASA acknowledged that the ad had an air force theme, including the product's name, references to 'always on station, always mission-ready', and some of the imagery, which included a bird wearing a flying jacket, helmet and goggles. The watchdog noted BrewDog's comments that the ad positioned Wingman Session IPA as being of reliable quality, and acknowledged that the scenarios presented in the ad - WiFi outages, unexpected bad weather and a friend running late - were mundane and everyday annoyances. It said: 'However, we considered that those scenarios, which would likely result in a person having to wait for an outcome outside of their control and having their day interrupted in a negative way, were likely to result in people feeling frustrated and bored, potentially lonely and would be likely to be viewed as problematic. 'We considered that although the ad used metaphorical language to evoke Wingman's reliability, consistency and a sense of camaraderie, the scenarios presented were real-life problems that were likely to impact people in a negative way and the implication was that Wingman was a solution to overcoming those problems that were likely to result in boredom, frustration and potentially loneliness. 'For those reasons, we considered the ad implied that drinking alcohol could overcome boredom, loneliness or other problems and concluded it breached the code.' The ASA ruled that the ad must not appear again, adding: 'We told BrewDog to ensure their future ads did not imply that drinking alcohol could overcome boredom, loneliness or other problems.' A spokesman for BrewDog said: 'We acknowledge the ASA's ruling on our recent Wingman advert and we are disappointed with the outcome, which we believe does not reflect the spirit or intent behind the campaign.' However, the beer company confirmed that it 'won't be running the ad again'. Earlier this year, staff at 10 of BrewDog's bars were told they would be moving locations or be 'leaving the business' as the brewery planned to close the sites. The news came as CEO James Taylor told investors that BrewDog's financials did not make for 'happy reading'. Mr Taylor, who is the second new CEO to take over since founder James Watt stepped back amidst a flurry of accusations of improper conduct, has previously warned the firm is likely to report a pre-tax loss for 2024. And the chain had started the year by closing six pubs across the world, including two in England, three in Europe and one in England. BrewDog has weathered a number of publicity storms in recent years as its reputation has taken a hammering. But it has also faced stiff competition from new entrants into the 'craft beer' market. Among the bars closing was BrewDog's first commercial pub based in Gallowgate in Aberdeen, close to their headquarters in Ellon, Aberdeenshire - as well as one in Dundee. Three bars in London also closed: Camden, the first one opened in the capital, as well as branches in the trendy Shoreditch district and Shepherd's Bush. Pubs in Brighton, Leeds' North Street, Oxford, Sheffield and York shut their doors too. A note circulated to staff by Mr Taylor states that the focus will turn to 'destination hubs' such as those in Waterloo - which features a bowling alley and a large spiral slide - and smaller 'community bars'. 'We are working hard to minimise the impact on our people, and we expect to redeploy many affected team members across the BrewDog network,' he said. 'For those leaving the business, we're providing as much support as possible during this transition.' And writing on the 'Equity for Punks' investor forum, Mr Taylor said the company's headline financial numbers 'do not make for happy reading'. 'There's still a lot of work ahead to do across our business. But I'm confident that H2 (year half two) will reflect the progress we're making. We're on the right path, doing the right things and the results will follow,' he said. BrewDog was accused by Unite Hospitality of giving staff as little as 'three days' notice that their bar would close. BrewDog co-founder James Watt stepped back as CEO in 2024, months after a complaint over a BBC documentary outlining allegations against him was dropped A spokesperson for the brewery said staff were going through a 'meaningful and appropriate consultation' that would last at least 14 days. Bryan Simpson, of Unite, which represents BrewDog staff, said: 'For Brewdog to give loyal workers less than four days' notice of the closure of their workplace is not just morally repugnant, it is potentially unlawful.' He added that Unite are 'supporting our members across these 10 sites to collectively challenge these redundancies, and we would urge anyone impacted to reach out to us for legal support.' A spokesperson for BrewDog said: 'We can confirm that following a review of our bars business we have made the difficult decision to close 10 bars – which reflects a more focused strategy and a rationalisation of our bar footprint. 'Despite our best efforts, and the hard work of our teams, it has simply not been possible to make these bars commercially viable. 'We are working hard to minimise the impact on our people, and we expect to redeploy many affected team members across the BrewDog network. 'For those leaving the business, we're providing as much support as possible during this transition.' In June, the firm reported earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of £7.5million for 2024 - and has admitted that its conventional pre-tax profit measure will show 'a loss'. BrewDog is on its third CEO in just over a year after James Watt stepped back from the role in May 2024, three months after Ofcom rejected a complaint he had lodged against the BBC after it made a documentary outlining misconduct allegations. He denied claims that he made female bartenders feel 'uncomfortable' and 'powerless' and that he would take intoxicated women on private late-night tours of the brewery. He then married Made In Chelsea media personality Georgia Toffolo earlier this year, and has become a frequent critic of the Labour government on LinkedIn. The self-described BrewDog 'Captain' faced a number of improper conduct allegations in 2021 concerning female staff, and was revealed to have invested in Heineken, contrasting with his brewery's anti-establishment 'punk' image. Months before he quit, he announced that the firm would paying staff the 'real' Living Wage as calculated by the Resolution Foundation as it struggled to turn a profit. The firm is continuing to weather accusations of an image problem after ditching its claim to be 'carbon negative' after it ditched offsetting schemes that it claimed were both too expensive and not efficient enough to justify the label. It had already been criticised for using the label by advertising watchdogs, and was slammed by environmentalists for its claim of creating a carbon-negative forest in Scotland after it was revealed half of the 500,000 saplings had already died. Despite this, CEO James Taylor told the Grocer in June that he did not believe the firm had an image problem. He said: 'It's boring to focus on data, but the data says consumers think of us as a business that produces really high-quality beer. That's how we're perceived by the vast majority of the public.' Alongside Punk IPA, BrewDog produces a range of beers as well as spirits. It bought cider producer Hawkes in 2018 but has since mothballed cider production.
