Coronavirus forces Stoke brewery to pour profits down the drain

A brewery in Stoke are, literally, tipping their profits down the drain because of coronavirus.

The Titanic Brewery was established in 1985 and they pride themselves on brewing great beer for great people.

Manager Keith Bott says that now pubs and bars are closed 95% of their staff have had to be furloughed.

The brewery are trying to stay afloat by continuing to sell a small amount of stock online, in their shop and through supermarkets.

But the drastic reduction of stock being used means that the majority of beer that was brewed has now gone to waste.

The company recently sold large amounts of beer and ales to be used for beer festivals. Now coronavirus means these events cannot go ahead and Keith says that cellars across the country are full of unwanted beer.

Keith adds that he is concerned about how the excess beer can be returned and disposed of safely.

Mr Bott says that his staff are some of the "lucky ones" because when pubs and bars are reopened there will be a huge demand for their stock and everyone will be able to return to work.

However, he says the uncertainty of not knowing when the lockdown will end is problematic for the business.

The brewery will need to be fully restocked in time for when the hospitality industry can be reopened, as people will likely take full advantage of being able to go out and socialise.

But brewing beer takes time and Keith says they needs to have some notice to be able to be prepared for when the lockdown ends.