The Fat Cat Brewery was opened on 26 September
2005 by Roger Protz, editor of 'The
Good Beer Guide', and Beer Drinker of the Year 2004. That moment was the
Culmination of a long-held ambition of Colin Keatley, Landlord of 'The Fat Cat',
CAMRA's Pub of the Year 1998 and 2004. After running The Fat Cat Pub for 14 years
Colin Keatley decided to invest in creating a brewery. Colin had bought 'The Wherry'
on Lawson Road earlier in the year, and transformed it into 'The Shed', a popular
pub and music venue run by Ryan Burnard, but Colin's main interest was the space
on the premises he had set aside for the Brewery. He had already assembled the team
that would be working there, and the brewery had gained a huge boost when Ray Ashworth,
formerly of Woodforde's Brewery, agreed to take part in the project as the brewery's
consultant. Ray was hugely successful at Woodforde's, and won the brewing world's
highest accolade, Champion Beer of Britain, with two of his beers, Norfolk Nog and
Wherry. Mark Winter (Son of Dave Winter of Winter’s Brewery) became the sole brewery
at the age of 18 and Chris Riches, former Fat Cat Pub Bar Manager, transferred from
pub to brewery to tackle the day-to-day running as Brewery Manager. In 2010 The Shed
was renamed The Fat Cat Brewery Tap, with Mark White (Colin Keatley’s nephew) installed
as the new landlord. Since taking over the pub The Fat Cat Brewery Tap has been inducted
into the CAMRA Good Pub Guide. In 2012 Colin Keatley opened a third Fat Cat pub,
The Fat Cat & Canary (named due to it’s proximity to the Norwich City F.C Stadium.
The real ale produced at The Fat Cat Brewery is available at the three Fat Cat pubs
in Norwich as well as The Fat Cat (Ipswich), The Fat Cat (Colchester) and The Artichoke
(Broome). For more information about The Fat Cat Brewery don’t hesitate to contact
us by phone: (01603) 624364 or send an email to Chris@fatcatpub.co.uk. Cheers!
