Overview
Located in Middleton, Manchester, JW Lees is a brewery and pub company with a rich history dating back to 1828. With an established reputation of producing high quality traditional beer the brewery is also well known for its family owned and independent status.
As well as brewing established ales and lagers, the brewery also owns and operates c.150 pubs, inns and hotels across North-West England and North Wales and after a successful purchase in 1969, owns Willoughby’s; a wine, spirits, and soft drinks distributor, making JW Lees an all-round drinks supplier.
The JW Lees’ journey began in 1828 when its founder, John Lees, a well-known cotton manufacturer at the time, sold all of his business in favour of some land at Middleton Junction. This went on to become the home of Greengate Brewery in Manchester and the heart of the JW Lees’ business. Now the 6th generation Lees family are at the helm, with William Lees-Jones as its Managing Director.
Over the past 190+ years, JW Lees has mastered its core range of beers to perfection, including JW Lees Bitter, Manchester Pale Ale, Manchester Craft Lager and Original Lager. The first sample of JW Lees bitter dates back to the brewery’s founding year and is still affectionately called John Willies by locals who have grown up in the area. As the oldest and most loved of all JW Lees’ beers, it is now the brewery’s flagship product.
And whilst tradition is important to JW Lees, the brewery is keen to innovate and meet changing customer needs. JW Lees’ Boilerhouse small batch brew range is an excellent example of how the brewer has adapted to the evolving tastes of modern beer enthusiasts by offering a selection of exciting craft-style craft and keg ales and keg lagers alongside their classic offerings.
