Golcar first brewed in September 2001 in premises just to the left of this photo. It's now sited in this converted depôt, having been badly damaged by fire in March 2006 which is simply on the opposite side of the same yard, reopening in June 2006.
Swallow Lane is just at the top of the village centre.
Golcar's original premises
On Golcar Lily Day Saturday 9th May 2009, TWO sets of morris dancers, one male and one female, paid a visit to the brewery yard! As well as Golcar beers, barbecued vegetarian sausages were on offer.
Golcar's mash tun (left) and copper (right), the copper is heated by bottled gas.
Golcar brewhouse, a general view
bottling "machine"
It's the laboratory...it's the hospitality suite....
Foam-clad fermenters make a change from the ubiquitous Porter Brewing timber-clad ones.
a dark mild fermenting away nicely
This must be the malt store.
Could this be the hot liquor tank?
from the left, cask storage, mash tun, copper and gas bottles
copper with a converted keg as underback, and sterilising department
morris dancing lasses in the brewery yard
Here's brewer John Broadbent proudly offering Golcar Best Bitter at 3.8%, a special Convallaria Best Bitter at 4.0% (Convallaria = lily of the valley) and Dark Mild at 3.5%. The Convallaria was absolute nectar!
Convallaria Best Bitter
This lady is Sara Jane the partner of the brewer. The guy in the woollen bonnet is one of the brewery's dedicated supporters.
Bob Tomlinson from Huddersfield CAMRA was on hand to guide visitors through the brewing process in layman's terms.
You know who the people are: the flyers are for Kirkburton Beer Festival.
Golcar has all sorts of bits and bats of old equipment including this old pump and brass cylinder.
Bob Tomlinson from Huddersfield CAMRA examines a pint glass of Golcar Best Bitter.
John the brewer
needs no caption
brass cylinder from a autovac
Golcar Brewery visit by Wakefield CAMRA 22/08/2009: local members Albert and June Bradbury, Pat Wallis and George Denton enjoy sampling John Broadbent's malty beers.
Golcar Brewery visit by Wakefield CAMRA 22/08/2009: a photo by Roger Perell - Bob Wallis, David Litten from Hull and our Albert Bradbury
Golcar Brewery visit by Wakefield CAMRA 22/08/2009: there's no other brewery we've visited quite like it for surprises. Proprietor John Broadbent doesn't seem to believe in chucking stuff away that might come in handy one day. Members: Candy & David Owen (facing), Derek & Maureen Waller (facing away)
Golcar Brewery visit by Wakefield CAMRA 22/08/2009: Roger Perrell and David Litten the Bloke from Hull
Golcar Brewery visit by Wakefield CAMRA 22/08/2009: David Litten the Bloke from Hull with Julie and Worm
Golcar Brewery visit by Wakefield CAMRA 22/08/2009: in the foreground is John's bottle labelling machine.
Golcar Brewery visit by Wakefield CAMRA 22/08/2009: information sheet for the Lister stationary engine
Golcar Brewery visit by Wakefield CAMRA 22/08/2009: John's Lister stationary engine
Golcar Brewery visit by Wakefield CAMRA 22/08/2009: another view of John's Lister stationary engine
Golcar Brewery visit by Wakefield CAMRA 22/08/2009: brewery proprietor John Broadbent relates how he began in beer with the servicing of beer engines for Samuel Webster, a job which was eventually taken in-house after Scottish & Newcastle absorbed Grand Metropolitan.
Golcar Brewery visit by Wakefield CAMRA 22/08/2009: John uses dried Nottingham ale yeast for consistent results.
Golcar Brewery visit by Wakefield CAMRA 22/08/2009: what better?
Golcar Brewery visit by Wakefield CAMRA 22/08/2009: hot liquor tank
Golcar Brewery visit by Wakefield CAMRA 22/08/2009: John Broadbent at his hot liquor tank
Golcar Brewery visit by Wakefield CAMRA 22/08/2009: mash tun with grist hopper above
Golcar Brewery visit by Wakefield CAMRA 22/08/2009: if you look at the relative positions of the grist hopper and the mash tun you will appreciate the need for the shape of the vital piece of equipment which John is holding.
Golcar Brewery visit by Wakefield CAMRA 22/08/2009: John Broadbent at the mash tun
Golcar Brewery visit by Wakefield CAMRA 22/08/2009: the sparging arm rotates over the grains in the mash tun to rinse the remaining sugars from the brewing grains.
Golcar Brewery visit by Wakefield CAMRA 22/08/2009: the copper where the wort is boiled: the drum in front of the copper is the hop-back which doubles as an underback.
Golcar Brewery visit by Wakefield CAMRA 22/08/2009: hop-back / underback
Golcar Brewery visit by Wakefield CAMRA 22/08/2009: from the left, casks, mash tun, copper, hop-back / underback, gas cylinder, brewer and Roger Perrell
Golcar Brewery visit by Wakefield CAMRA 22/08/2009: lively head on a newly fermenting brew
Golcar Brewery visit by Wakefield CAMRA 22/08/2009: Guthlac's Porter has settled down now in its fermenter but you can see from what overflowed that it has been a lively one.
Golcar Brewery visit by Wakefield CAMRA 22/08/2009: a waste not, want not cover for a fermenter
John and Sara Jane live in this converted barn and Sara Jane has created a sub-tropical garden to make the best of the sheltered yard's micro-climate.
Golcar Brewery visit by Wakefield CAMRA 22/08/2009: the sub-tropical garden created by Sara Jane.
Golcar Brewery visit by Wakefield CAMRA 22/08/2009: the brewery offices
Golcar Brewery visit by Wakefield CAMRA 22/08/2009: the sub-tropical garden and Bramling, who's named after the Bramling-X hop variety.
Golcar Brewery visit by Wakefield CAMRA 22/08/2009: good drainage and shelter from Pennine winds makes it possible to grow all kinds of tender plants outside the brewery offices.
Golcar Brewery visit by Wakefield CAMRA 22/08/2009: wherever you turn you are likely to find one of the brewery's dogs.
Golcar Brewery visit by Wakefield CAMRA 22/08/2009: John extols Fawcett's malt.
Golcar Brewery visit by Wakefield CAMRA 22/08/2009: the hatch in the copper is big enough for someone to crawl inside for cleaning.
Golcar Brewery visit by Wakefield CAMRA 22/08/2009: a photo by Roger Perell - as well as all the guys you can see Golcar's hi-tech bottling machine (left)
Golcar Brewery visit by Wakefield CAMRA 22/08/2009: a photo by Roger Perell - Publicity Officer Bob Wallis
Golcar Brewery visit by Wakefield CAMRA 22/08/2009: cling film protects a brew from wild yeasts and other airborne contamination.
Golcar Brewery visit by Wakefield CAMRA 22/08/2009: Bob Wallis, Wakefield CAMRA's Publicity Officer makes a short thank-you speech, suggesting that Heaven must be some place like this!
Golcar Brewery visit by Wakefield CAMRA 22/08/2009: congratulations to John Broadbent, who has just received a commemorative certificate from Wakefield CAMRA (the cardboard back of the IKEA frame has been varnished too, on both sides because there's sometimes a fair bit of steam in a brewhouse. We like those IKEA frames too because the acrylic glazing doesn't get broken when we're on our travels.
Golcar Brewery visit by Wakefield CAMRA 22/08/2009: a photo by Roger Perell - presentation of commemorative certificate by Bob Wallis to brewery proprietor John Broadbent
Golcar Brewery visit by Wakefield CAMRA 22/08/2009: a photo by Roger Perell - Bob Wallis gives thanks to brewer John Broadbent on behalf of the branch.
The lovely Sara Jane is also a lecturer at Huddersfield University. On the unlabelled middle wicket is a mix of Porter and Pennine Gold.
Golcar Brewery visit by Wakefield CAMRA 22/08/2009: a photo by Roger Perell - Rod Naylor with Bramling the dog, Sara Jane laughing in the background.
Golcar Brewery visit by Wakefield CAMRA 22/08/2009: Bramling won't take no for an answer.
Am I camera shy? The human is Rod Naylor.
Golcar Brewery visit by Wakefield CAMRA 22/08/2009: a photo by Roger Perell - Bramling clearly knows who's in charge.
Golcar Brewery visit by Wakefield CAMRA 22/08/2009: Julie tucks in to hot pork pie and mushy peas.
Golcar Brewery visit by Wakefield CAMRA 22/08/2009: we're only here for the local pies, say Rod Naylor and Roger Perrell.
Golcar Brewery visit by Wakefield CAMRA 22/08/2009: Julie, Albert and Rod get down to the serious business.
Golcar Brewery visit by Wakefield CAMRA 22/08/2009: if this place is Heaven, is that Bob Whitehead or who, shovelling out the mint sauce? Next in line is Steve Walmsley from Monk Bretton, a bar manager at Wakefield Beer Festival.
Golcar Brewery visit by Wakefield CAMRA 22/08/2009: what, mint sauce AND vinegar?
Golcar Brewery visit by Wakefield CAMRA 22/08/2009: I just can't wait says this hungry local member, John Mason.
Golcar Brewery visit by Wakefield CAMRA 22/08/2009: watch out pork pie here I come, says this hungry local member, who hopefully will send in his name (please)
Golcar Brewery visit by Wakefield CAMRA 22/08/2009: branch secretary and beer festival organiser, June Bradbury
Golcar Brewery visit by Wakefield CAMRA 22/08/2009: hospitality area of the brewhouse, and a brewery dog
Golcar Brewery visit by Wakefield CAMRA 22/08/2009: from the days when John needed to handle heavy beer coolers, the brewery's forklift is on lighter duties nowadays.
Golcar Brewery visit by Wakefield CAMRA 22/08/2009: a photo by Roger Perell - you can see what a great time everyone is having.
