A famous brewing family is hoping to to return to its former glory by producing beer from its new base in Braintree.
The Ridley’s Brewery, in Hartford End, closed in 2005 after the company was sold to Greene King.
Now Nelion Ridley, who was working for the family company at the time of its closure, is brewing his own ales using the brand Bishop Nick.
When the brand was established in September 2011, Nelion made use of equipment at the neighbouring Felstar brewery in Felsted.
But this month Bishop Nick started full-time operations at a specialist base in East Street, Braintree.
Nelion, 41, who is the sixth generation of the family to brew ale, worked as a teacher after the brewery was sold in 2005, but was tempted back into the industry after his brother bought a pub.
He said: “I suddenly realised that was where my knowledge was and I decided to stop teaching and start brewing.”
Bishop Nick brews three main varieties of ale and hopes to develop a series of seasonal beers.
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