William’s creativity and passion for craft beers wins UK acclaim
A craft brewery which began in a cow shed on a family farm in Newtownards has been crowned as the UK's Best Drinks Producer at the prestigious 2024 BBC Food and Farming Awards for its quality brews and commitment to innovation.
William Mayne, who began the small brewery on the farm as a bit of a hobby, has seen his Bullhouse Brewery become one of the leading craft producers in the United Kingdom and part of a hugely successful enterprise that now includes Bullhouse East in east Belfast.
The BBC Food and Farming Awards, held at Glasgow's Old Fruit Market at the start of December, saw Bullhouse stand out amongst a fiercely competitive field.
The judges were captivated by the brewery's diverse range of high-quality beers and founder William’s tireless campaign to modernise Northern Ireland's licensing laws, fostering a fairer market for small producers.
William says: "This is an incredible honour, not just for Bullhouse, but for the entire brewing industry in Northern Ireland.
"To be recognised on a national stage, amongst such a wide range of talented producers, is testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire team."
The BBC Food and Farming judges praised Bullhouse for its innovative approach to brewing, producing world class beers which are exported throughout Europe from the brewery in south Belfast.
They also acknowledged the significant impact of William’s work in reshaping Northern Ireland's drinks industry.
Formed in 2011, William decided to brew his own beers following a trip around the west coast of the US, a craft beer hub, with his brother.
Oh his return trip, William set up a small home brew operation on the farm in Newtownards, owned by his grandparents, where he grew up.
In September 2017, William took the plunge to pack in the day job and go it alone.
In 2020, he moved the operation to an industrial estate at Boucher. He opened the bar in 2022 in the Greenway at the Holywood Arches.