Lynette Pinchess of Nottinghamshire Live reports

Cask ale sales have struggled since the pandemic, while energy bills and raw material costs have increased

Dom Flynn (pictured) was head brewer at Navigation Brewery in Nottingham

An award-winning Nottingham-based brewery has closed down to the dismay of beer drinkers who loved the "cracking" brews. Navigation Brewery, at the rear of the Trent Navigation pub, in Meadow Lane, was known for its cask ales and craft beers.

The vacant space will allow the pub to expand its popular fan zone at the Big Shed, with the addition of more seating and a food court. The brewery opened in 2012. One of its most famous brews was Grounds for Divorce, a 23% ABV, made especially for the 2022 Robin Hood Beer and Cider Festival, while Nottingham Forest Pale Ale was the ultimate brew for die-hard Reds fans.

The first wind that something wasn't right came when the brewery didn't have a bar at last October's beer festival at Trent Bridge. The directors and shareholders from the Great Northern Group and Libra Drinks Wholesale said they made the difficult decision to close the brewery after careful consideration.

Given the current economic climate and the substantial challenges in the small brewing sector, combined with the expansion plans of the Trent Navigation to include a food court and more seating meant the brewery either needed to relocate or wind down.

Cask ale sales have struggled since Covid-19 and haven’t recovered to the levels they were at before, while energy bills and raw material costs have increased to "eye-watering" levels.

In response to the evolving business landscape, especially after the challenges posed by the pandemic, they have decided to focus their energies on other business interests including the wholesale drinks distribution company, the Trent Navigation pub and The Big Shed outdoor events space. The Great Northern Group venues, including the Trent Navigation, the Refinery in West Bridgford and the Ram in Newark, will look into sourcing beers from other independent Nottingham breweries and craft beer producers.

Director Dave Willans said: “We understand the impact this decision may have on our loyal customers and the community, and we sincerely appreciate their support for our products over the last decade. We’ve really enjoyed serving the Nottingham beer drinkers and we’ve had some great times along the way. And a huge thank you to all the staff, both past and present for all their hard work throughout the years."

The hugely popular all-weather fan zone at Trent Navigation is to have more seating and food courts

The brewery, headed up by Dom Flynn, combined cutting-edge technology with traditional brewing methods. The three-man team was reduced to just Mr Flynn by the end.

The brewery won multiple awards over the years. Rebel session IPA, with the taste of tropical fruits and citrus and a well-balanced hoppy bitterness, was crowned the best cask ale in the Midlands last year at the annual Regional Independent Beer Awards, organised by SIBA (Society of Independent Brewers Association).

An American IPA also scooped silver and speciality beers Key Lime Pale, Pog Slammer and Arizona Wave, also took silver and bronze awards. Gravitational Anomaly, a 11.5% Imperial Stout won gold in the Imperial and Strong Beer category, making it the best imperial in the Midlands.

Steve Westby, chairman of Nottingham CAMRA, said: "We understand that the brewing plant is in the process of being removed and sold piecemeal. This is a sad loss for local drinkers as they produced some excellent beers.

"Talented head brewer Dom Flynn created several award-winning brews and who can forget his amazing 23% special for Nottingham Beer Festival in 2022, Grounds For Divorce?"