Big Beer strikes at Dark Star
The global brewer Asahi that owns Dark Star brewery in Sussex has announced that it will close at the end of the year with production moving to Meantime in Greenwich which it also owns. It is at least abiding by UK employment law by opening a period of consultation. It would seem likely that most of the skilled and experienced people at Dark Star will end up being made redundant by reason of location.
Asahi, like similar closures enforced by Marstons Carlberg, claims that Dark Star is brewing under capacity and economic logic dictates the change (i.e profit). Asahi also say that existing Dark Star recipes and beers will be maintained. We have seen this kind of statement many times before. I suspect that before too long the only actually existing Dark Star beer will be a version of Hophead
Dark Star originally sold to Fullers because they were looking for investment and growth. Maintaining an independent brewery in days like these is a tough proposition. Fullers then sold to Asahi who have been promoting Fullers beers in recent times. Let’s hope the Asahi accountants eyes don’t fall on Chiswick
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