Watsons Brewery in Colchester is making all the right moves

For me, two jump out.

One is the surprisingly reasonably priced St James’ Gate Brewery in Dublin city - home to, you’ve guessed it, almost every Irishman’s favourite, Guinness.

Millions of tourists pass through its doors every year to find out a bit about the history of the Black Stuff, how it is marketed, where it is exported to across the world and, of course, the obligatory pint at the top of building in the aptly named Gravity Bar.

The other is slightly closer to home, in Suffolk.

Almost every beer drinker in this part of the world will have tried something from the Adnams Southwold Brewery - some of us, probably, more than others.

There, visitors get a lesson in hops, where they come from, which hops give what flavour, and then you’re led through the brewing areas where that fantastic smell almost takes your breath away.

Crucially, visitors are then treated to a selection of Adnams beers before, generally, frequenting a few of the fine pubs which are helpfully all within walking distance.

My visit to the 10ft by 6ft Watsons Brewery, in Old Heath Road, Colchester, was, therefore, quite different.

It was by far the most informative brewery tour I’ve been on.

I was treated to an exclusive taste of Sanity Claus - the special Christmas ale which is probably being enjoyed in pubs in north Essex and Suffolk as you read this.

Watsons has quite a story and it’s one every home brewer should heed.

After about a year of being officially classed as a home brewer, owner Mark Watson has made the move into the commercial world - and that meant spending.

Instead of what Mark admits was effectively a lean to, he has built a small extension on his semi-detached home, which now houses the micro brewery.

In it, there’s a space to keep beers cool, important for the second fermentation stage, a cupboard to keep beers warm, vital in the first part of fermentation, as well as three stainless steel vats where it all begins.

Owner Mark said: “I think I just fell into it.

“My wife bought me a homebrew kit for Christmas two years ago and I sort of got into it.

“I was making beers at home, nothing more, and I found when I was giving them out for people to try they were saying: ‘This actually tastes quite good’, and it was getting a good reaction.

“So I thought I might try a few more.”

At the moment, many Colchester beer lovers will be aware of Mark’s Black Otter Pale Ale, often seen in the cask in Colchester pubs, the Victoria Inn, the New Inn, the Ale House and The Black Buoy, in Wivenhoe.

It’s one of very few beers he has made twice.

Give his slogan ‘Singular beers from Colchester’, it’s important not to rest on your laurels.

In fact to date, 34 different beers have been made by Watsons Brewery.

Among his repertoire are the Mosaic Pale Ale, the Dutch Quarter Porter, Amarazaka and the 8 Grain American Stout.

In short, he has so far catered for all tastes.

The Hartlepool native, who moved to Essex in 1982, added: “Not making the same beer, it does have its advantages.

“Once you start doing that, you start having to adhere to the strength every single time.

“Big breweries can do that because it is all mechanised.

“You don’t get your hands in and brew anymore, you push buttons and every thing is set to a certain mark, be it temperature or whatever.

“It’s very difficult to get the same exactly the same every time.”

So, I ask, when you’re making so many new beers from scratch, does it work every time?

“So far,” is his reply.

He must have had to throw one or two away? No, comes the answer.

Despite his obvious talent. becoming a brewer was never in his plans.

He worked for years at the National Social Work Library, in London, and left just over two years ago having taken early retirement.

The married dad-of-two had designs on pursuing a second career in Wordpress website development but that has been put on hold while he explores brewing.

It’s not a full-time job just yet, though.

The 57-year-old brews two days a week and he spends other working days contacting pubs and off licences where he hopes to sell his beers, among them Two Brews.

Some might say he has entered the craft beer world at the right time.

Never has there been more of a want for beers which are not mass-produced and don’t taste the same.

Indeed, so popular has craft beer become, it is now included the consumer price index basket - the tool used to calculate inflation in the UK.

According to the Campaign for Real Ale, the UK now has about 1,300 breweries - the highest number since the 1930s - even though people are actually drinking less.

But it isn’t all about London, Manchester and the west coast of America, just look at what is happening on our own doorstep, with more pubs in Colchester taking beer much more seriously these days.

The ever-popular Odd One Out has been taken over by Colchester Brewery, the Victoria Inn not only continues to bring in beers we’ve often never heard of, but it’s also giving microbreweries, such as Watsons, a crucial chance to get their product out there.

Then there is the Three Wise Monkeys’ own brewery downstairs, meaning when you order a pint from there, it is a very local drink.

For a man who never set out to be a brewer, Mark is certainly making waves in the beer world.

It might be some time before you see his wares in the Tesco aisles, but he wouldn’t have it any other way.

For more information on the brewery, go to watsonsbrewery.co.uk.