Exmoor Brewery toasts new look as sales grow

Pouring the first pint from the new branded hand pulls are (left to right) Simon French; Managing Director (Designate); Rachel Gilmour, MP for Tiverton and Minehead, and Jonathan Price, Chairman, Exmoor Brewery

Somerset’s Exmoor Brewery is sporting a proud new look on the bar, marking a year since new investment in the business rescued brewing in its home town of Wiveliscombe.

Local MP Rachel Gilmour (pictured) celebrated the launch of the new branding, along with the upturn in Exmoor Brewery’s fortunes which has seen sales increase, by pulling the first pint from the distinctive new-look hand pull at the brewery tap in Wiveliscombe.

The new branding is based on an old enamel sign found whilst clearing the brewery and now on display in the Exmoor Brewery tap. On the new pump clips, the iconic Exmoor Stag stares out proudly, with his antlers extending either side of the modernised, shield-shaped clip. Behind the stag is a bold circle of light, representing the sun or the moon on the moors, with the colour changing according to which Exmoor beer is being poured.

The clip is moulded, with a metallic finish which catches the light, adding a sense of movement to the stag and giving Exmoor’s beers a premium image and strong stand-out on the bar. 

Managing director designate Simon French said: “The new look reflects the heritage of our beers but is far more modern than the original image it’s based on. It leaves Exmoor Brewery’s existing loyal customers in no doubt they are ordering their favourite pint, while also having strong visual appeal to beer drinkers ordering an Exmoor cask ale for the first time.

“With a new generation of cask ale drinkers taking an interest in trying the beers that their fathers – or even grandfathers – enjoyed, the new branding celebrates the 45-year history of Exmoor Ales, whilst moving us forward into a new era.”                   

French, who rejoined the company in 2025, added: “We’ve come a long way since the brewery was under threat of closure this time last year, and have kept Wiveliscombe’s brewing tradition alive.

“Despite continued over-taxation of pubs and breweries, and consumers feeling the pinch, we’re now seeing an increase in sales of our beers. That success is a tribute to the faith in the brand shown by both the Exmoor team and our partners at Hogs Back Brewery, since the launch of our collaboration a year ago, along with our loyal local customers who have stayed with the brand.

“We’re very proud to be building on the legacy of long-time owner Jonathan Price and the original Exmoor team. Rachel Gilmour MP has also been incredibly supportive of the new brewery and the continuation of Wiveliscombe’s brewing tradition, and so we’re delighted that she is pulling the first pint featuring the new Exmoor branding.”    

The new branding will appear on the core Exmoor range of cask ales, including Exmoor Stag, Exmoor Gold and Exmoor Ale, as well as being adapted for seasonal beers. It will also be rolled out on bottled Exmoor beers over the next few months. 

ABOUT THE BREWERY

• Exmoor was founded in 1979 as one of the first microbrewery established at that time, along with the likes of Butcombe, Ringwood and others.
• The original site was on the corner of the Victorian Hancock Brewery in Wiveliscombe on Golden Hill, hence its original name of “Golden Hill Brewery”.
• The Brewery achieved early fame winning the National CAMRA GBBF in 1980 with Exmoor Ale (3.8%) winner Best Bitter.
• Exmoor Gold proved a famous breakthrough, being the first and original “Golden Ale”. It started a whole new category of “Golden Ale”, which virtually all breweries now include in their ranges. It remains the Brewery’s biggest seller in both cask and bottle.
• The range of cask and bottle beers also includes:
  • Exmoor Beast 6.6%, a famous strong dark Porter.
  • Exmoor Stag 4.8%, brewed to celebrate Somerset CCC 100^th anniversary in 1991 and still going strong as a premium Bitter.
  • Wicked Wolf 4.2%, a golden ale brewed with a slight hint of Juniper, is the result of a unique collaboration with Wicked Wolf Gin, based on Exmoor.

• In May 2025, Hogs Back entered into a collaboration with Exmoor Ales, investing in a restructure and taking a significant minority stake in the new business, Exmoor Drinks Ltd.

• Exmoor Drinks continues to distribute all Exmoor Ales brands, as well as Hogs Back’s flagship Tongham TEA, into pubs and bars across the south west, while Hogs Back handles distribution into other areas and the off-trade.