Unity Brewery (reopened)

Unity is no longer at Portswood. They have moved to:
 23-27 Princes St, Northam, Southampton SO14 5RP

Unity was a small brewery in the north of Southampton, that opened its doors to the public every Friday and Saturday.  As CAMRA say, all the draught beers are keg, there's no cask, though that shouldn't matter, as it's a pleasant experience to get a freshly made beer served to you by the brewer, Jimmy Hatherley. Jimmy also serves jugs of pretzels, which seems to be a growing fad, and is great fun. I love the idea of small breweries opening their doors at the weekend, similar to the Bermondsey Beer Mile in London, started by Kernel.  Jimmy would know about the Bermondsey Beer Mile as he used to work in the London Fields brewery  in London, "when it was good", before it became a cuckoo brewery and the brand name was bought by Carlsberg.

Unity owner and brewer, Jimmy, serving me a drink

Jimmy likes to brew to style,  keg his beers and inject carbonation, as then he retains control - keeping the beer fresher and more stable.  He feels that arguments about carbonation are pointless  anyway, as all carbonation is the same - be it natural or from a bottle. It's a good argument, and though my own preference is for natural beer brewed for a purpose rather than to copy a style, Jimmy's beers are clean and tasty, and in many cases most people would not know the difference on a blind tasting between cask or keg these days.

The brewing tanks, from right to left
(out of the picture is the mash tun where the brewing starts):
the brew kettle where the wort is boiled (usually with the hops);
the whirlpool tank where the beer is spun to clear it of hops and waste;
four closed fermenting vessels where the yeast turns the wort into beer;
a bright beer tank, where the finished beer is carbonated. 

I sampled three beers,  Congregate,  Amalgamation,  and Conflux; and then bought several bottles to take home.


Date: Oct 2017   Score: 6 

 

The end

Unity closed during the weekend of  25/26 Feb 2023. Jimmy Hatherley said it was a combination of Brexit, Covid restrictions, and the impact of the war in Ukraine. Yes, we've all felt that triple whammy. No news yet on what will happen to the brewery at Northam, though it is usual for the equipment to be bought up and taken away than for someone to move in. 

The Cloud Wine shop in Bedford Place that Hatherley bought and took over, remains in his hands. It will now be renamed Good Libations, and will offer tasting sessions, as well as the ability to drink purchases on the premises for a small fee. 

Date: Feb 2023   Score: N/A  

In April 2023 the company was bought by two businessmen, and four of the original staff have returned. Hatherley is not involved, and nor is the sales manager who is now working for Siren. The stated intention is to continue as under Hatherley with the same recipes, etc.  The relaunch party takes place all day 24th June at Princess St,  Northam. 

Date: June 2023   Score: N/A 

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