Big Smoke Brew Co has completed a significant upgrade to its Esher brewery with the installation of a brand-new high-speed canning line and the addition of dedicated small-batch fermentation vessels.

The investment, totalling £350,000, marks a major step in the brewery’s ongoing focus on quality, efficiency, and flexible production for both its own beers and partner brands.

The new canning line doubles Big Smoke’s previous output, running at 3,500 cans per hour with improved seam integrity, substantially lower oxygen pickup and greater overall consistency across packaging runs. These enhancements allow the brewery to meet growing demand while maintaining its exacting standards for freshness and stability.

Alongside the packaging upgrade, the installation of new 30hl fermentation vessels expands the brewery’s ability to produce limited editions, pilot batches and collaboration beers – while also giving contract partners more flexibility for smaller-volume projects.

With this increased capacity, Big Smoke is now able to offer contract brewing and packaging to select partners. Minimum brews start at just 30hl, with the option to split batches across cans, keg and cask, depending on customer requirements.

Jenn Merrick, managing director at Big Smoke Brew Co, said: “This investment is a milestone for us. We’ve always cared deeply about the quality and consistency of the beer we produce, and these upgrades allow us to deliver that at greater scale while staying nimble.

“The new line gives us absolute control over packaging standards, and the additional fermentation capacity opens the door to more small-batch innovation—both for our own range and for the partners we brew for.”

Big Smoke Brew Co’s expanded production capabilities come at a time of growing demand across both its pubs and its travel-hub venues, as well as increased interest from breweries looking for reliable, high-quality UK contract production.