Independent brewery Strange Times Brewing Co. has launched a crowdfunding campaign to help raise £40K for an on-site canning machine that will allow the brand to distribute its products nationwide.

Enabling the brewery to start small-packaging its beers will mean it can launch an online shop and sell directly to the public while keeping its prices at a competitive rate.

Strange Times Brewing Co. was launched in Salford, Greater Manchester at the start of 2021. Founder Alex Lord and Head Brewer Lauren Guy have a combined 25 years of industry experience between them, and have built up a loyal following of craft beer fans in the past two years which enabled them to hire assistant brewer Aaron Barton-Wells.

Like many businesses, Strange Times Brewing Co.’s growth expectations were somewhat impacted by the pandemic, however, the business has continued to thrive. The brewery offers a range of classic and varied core beers, all of which are vegan.

Now, this crowdfund presents the opportunity for them to further expand into the national market. Alex and Lauren have known from the start that they wanted to can their beers and have put huge amounts of work into the creative side of the business to ensure their products will stand out on the shelf.

The £40K crowdfund is a reward-based campaign that will see supporters receive different benefits based on the amount they donate: 

• £12 – TWO BEER CHEER – Two cans of Strange Times (ST) beer (Two different beers).
• £30 – COUPLE GOALS – Four cans of ST beer + two branded glasses (Four different beers).
• £40 – DEALERS CHOICE – Eight cans of ST beer (Two of each beer) OR six cans of the Name A Beer competition winning beer.
• £55 – TWELVE/TEES – Four cans of ST beer, two branded glasses and a ST T-Shirt OR 12 cans of ST beer (three of each beer).
• £70 – HOODIE BUNDLE OR BEER – Four cans of ST beer, two branded glasses and a ST Hoodie OR 20 cans of ST beer.
• £80 – SUPER BUNDLE – Four cans of ST beer, two branded glasses, a T-Shirt and a Hoodie OR 24 cans of ST beer.
• £100 – MAKE IT YOURSELF – A ST beer cocktail-making experience at Bee Orchid bar in Salford Quays for four people (three cocktails each) OR 34 cans of ST beer.
• £250 – STRAIGHT TO YOUR FACE – 12 cans of ST beer a month for six months delivered to your door OR 24 cans of ST beer a month for three months delivered straight to your door.
• £500 – THERE’S A FRIDGE – An exclusive, one-of-a-kind, only one-in-existence offer! A ST branded beer fridge + 60 ST cans of beer.
• £750 – THE YEAR OF BEER – 24 cans of ST beer every month for 12 months delivered to your door.

If the crowdfund surpasses its target, these funds will go towards the creation of local job opportunities within the business to further widen Strange Times Brewing Co.’s customer base. The brewery’s future goals include opening a small onsite shop to sell beer and merchandise to the public face-to-face, and to contribute to the local community by organising more events and tours at its brewery site in Salford.

Strange Times Brewing Co. Founder Alex Lord said: “We’re excited to be launching this crowdfund not just to raise the money for our on-site canning machine, but also to help spread the word about what we do at Strange Times Brewing Co.

“We launched at the start of 2021 and couldn’t have expected how quickly we’d build such a strong following and we’d love to see more supporters enjoying our beers. This crowdfund will help us sell Strange Times Brewing Co. beers nationwide which is a vital next step for the growth of our business.”

Strange Times Brewing Co. celebrates creativity from its range of recipes to its imagery. The packaging has been designed by artist Mina Mond and is inspired by tarot cards, the meanings of which tie into the stories of each of its five signature brews, and specialty recipes that will be launched throughout the year.

For more information about Strange Times Brewing Co.’s campaign, visit their website.