Brewers still in high spirits despite beer recipe raid
A brewery targeted by callous burglars, who took recipes and even a university dissertation, are refusing to let it get their spirits down.
The Stourbridge micro-brewery the Green Duck Beer Company, suffered the loss of two laptops, £100 in takings and damage to their office in the raid.
Stored on one of the laptops belonging to the head brewer were the all important recipes for the brewery's five cask ales, while on the other was a bar maid's university dissertation.
As it was still due and not saved elsewhere, she is now having to start again from scratch, and can't get an extension.
Head brewer Alex Hill said: "The worst thing is that to them those laptops aren't worth that much - they aren't going to get that much money from them, but to us they had important and personal things saved on them. But they obviously don't think about things like that."
Although the break-in and thefts - which happened on Friday - initially shook the 10 employees at the independent business on Rufford Road, they are now focusing their attention on new projects, and say they are very much 'back to business as usual'.
"Fortunately I had other copies of the recipes, although I did have some ideas on there for new ones.
"But we're not letting it get us down and we've just opened a new gin bar.
"It serves 40 different gins and is opened on Fridays and Saturday nights."
Director Nathan Kiszka added: "It's back to business as usual. We have already done all the repairs. It has been a nuisance, but we're not going to let this get us down. "
The brewery confirmed that they had handed some on site CCTV to police to aid with their investigation into the burglary, and have also upgraded their security so that there is now CCTV in the room that was targeted.
It took place on Friday morning at about 5am, on the eve of the Gainsborough Trading Estate brewery's Oktoberfest beer festival.
The brewery makes its own five cask ales – Duck & Dive, Duck & Cover, Duck Blonde, Duck Under and Duck Dastardly.
They also run a monthly guest beer, which is this month Duck Dazzling Chocolate Stout.
The business brews five beers on the site, which also includes a real ale and keg bar.
It is open on Fridays from 4pm to 10pm and on Saturdays from 1pm to 7pm.
They can also be followed on Twitter @greenduckbrew or on their Facebook page by searching for GreenDuckBrewCo
