'People want variation' - Take a tour of Neepsend Brewery and find out why their beers are always changing
Established in 2015, Neepsend Brewery has been ‘quietly brewing the kind of beer we enjoy’. The small but lean team known for its Neepsend Blonde has been consistently changing its range and expanding its crafting repertoire. Christopher Hallam went down to take a look around and spoke with Head Brewer Harry Geeves.
“We’re a small team. There’s only two of us in the brewery full-time, a driver, and some office staff as well. So, we’re a small but productive team. Despite our size, we do produce a considerable amount of beer each year, so yeah… a productive team,” says Harry as he adjusts his spectacles and halts the current production run to talk to me.
This 10BBL (10-barrel brewing system) brewery is based in the Neepsend area of Sheffield, cue the name. At its inception, Neepsend Brew Co was based just up from the Ball Street bridge over the River Don – a suitably apt inspiration for the brewery’s logo.
In 2020, Neepsend Brewery made the move to 92 Burton Road into a location that it shares with a host of other makers and independent businesses.
Its close proximity to Factory Floor and Peddler has been a boon for all parties, especially so in the case of Factory Floor which receives fresh tank beer from Neepsend Brewery.
This partnership also feeds directly into events like the annual Neepsend Craft Beer Festival, which features a number of breweries for a weekend-long celebration of all things beer.
Harry takes me around the brewery, it initially seems like a confined space, it’s almost as if the unassuming exterior of the brewery tricks you into thinking that this ludicrously efficient brewing system is operating on a much smaller scale than it is.
As you make your way through the door or under the shutters you realise that it may not be quite a Wonka-esque factory in scale but it’s definitely capacious – there’s plenty of room in here, and it’s all being used so effectively. Both Harry and David Manna are the two key full-time brewers in this industrial beer haven.
We make our way through the beer production zone, while Harry explains the working purpose of each of the massive tanks and vessels situated around the space:
“The brewhouse section of the brewery is where we process all of the malted barley, hops and all of the raw ingredients that go into the beer. On a typical brew day this is where much of the initial process takes place”
The layout of the brewing systems is streamlined, procedural, factory-like in its exactness. Every single piece here from tanks to hand-held tools, kegs, floor-based girders and so on, has a purpose. A necessity to it all.
What can initially seem clustered or cluttered is actually necessary… and it has this continual focus on cleanliness, I mean it. Everything shines. Harry continues, oblivious to my scanning eyes taking in the two-man op.
“The other-side of the brewery, where you can see a number of tanks that are used for fermentation, maturation and conditioning. We ferment the beers in these tanks before we package them into a variety of vessels. We do lots of cask ale, we do keg beers and we also can our own beers.”
Over by the entrance, I couldn’t help but notice the pallet with tens of aluminium cans. Each of these cans is labelled by hand before being packaged up and sent to various pubs, or sold directly from the brewery.
The building that houses Neepsend Brewery is an unassuming (at least on the outside), yet highly effective operation. The brewery system in-use is a sleek, yet versatile size that is capable of producing approximately 310 gallons (around 1,759 litres) of beer per batch.
Praise is given where due though and it’s important to note that the brewery has continually delivered a stellar selection of ales, in many cases leading to deserved recognition.
Last year, Neepsend Brewery took a number of prizes including the ‘Champion Beer of the Festival’ at the Brewers’ Selection Beer Awards 2025, for its Imperial Porter ‘Junda’.
Recognition like this is just rewards for a continuing desire to tweak ingredients, adjust hop usage or just stop something altogether – It’s a pursuit for delivering variety and quality, consistently. Takes some doing that. It’s something that Harry is seemingly quite proud of.
“One of our approaches to brewing is to produce a really large range of different styles, tastes and strengths. People are always after variation and new things. We embrace that as part of our approach to brewing.”
But, “what is it that got Harry into brewing in the first place?” I asked.
“I’ve been brewing commercially for around 15-years. Before then I think it was like a lot of people, kind of home-brewing. In my family, particularly my dad who was a keen brewer and he taught me how to get into it,” he said.
“I joined the brewery in 2021, just as we were coming out of the Covid pandemic.”
Before we finished, I had to ask what his recommendation would be for newcomers to Pale Ales. This is what he had to say.
“One of the most palate-friendly introductions to IPAs would be our Alcis. It’s crisp, very light, yet still nice, fruity, and hoppy still. It’s probably more easy drinking than some of our stronger IPAs.”
Neepsend Brewery supplies beer to a number of Sheffield’s alehouses, you can sample its wares at The Sheaf View in Heeley, The Wellington in Shalesmoor and The Blake Hotel in Upperthorpe.
But you could always pop down to Burton Road and speak to brewers Harry Geeves or David Manna, who will be more than happy to recommend a good sup, or even a mini-keg if you should fancy.
Where to find it: Neepsend Brewery, Unit 13, Kelham Arcade, 92 Burton Rd, Neepsend, Sheffield S3 8DA.
Find out more: https://neepsendbrewco.com/