Chas Wright (above far right) founder of Uley brewery, in the Gloucestershire village of the same name, died at the end of January aged 74.

Back in the 1980s, Chas was the South-West brewery representative for Theakstons. It was about this time he discovered a derelict Victorian brewery in the village of Uley. The building, known as the Price brewery was built by Samuel Price in 1833 and was run by William Price.

At that time, Uley was a thriving village surrounded by wool mills, which enabled it to support 13 pubs. By the end of the 19th century the wool trade was in sharp decline with the introduction of cotton, which resulted in the closure of the brewery.

In 1984 Chas acquired the site and designed a 10-barrel tower brewery. All made in stainless steel, the copper is fired by a gas burner and the fermenting vessels are similar to Yorkshire squares.

All this work was undertaken by local tradesmen and was finished by 1985. The first brew was a four per cent bitter called Uley Bitter, sometimes dubbed UB40 for the benefit of people who didn’t know how to pronounce Uley (Yew-Lee). This beer is known for featuring in the Roger Protz book 100 Beers to Try Before You Die and was the South West CAMRA Best Bitter of the Year 2013.

Chas initially only wanted to brew his four per cent bitter but he then brewed a one-off five per cent dark ruby strong ale called Old Spot for an early Bristol Beer Festival.

It won beer of the festival, and the demand was so great that it is brewed to this day. Later for another festival, a 4.5 per cent copper premium bitter was brewed and the remainder was sold at the Old Spot in Dursley. It was so popular that locals named it Old Ric after the landlord Ric Sainty. It is still sold in the pub and delivered in kilderkins to keep up with demand.

One day Tuckers Maltings delivered lager malted barley to the brewery by mistake. Chas complained and the maltster said you may just as well keep it. With this windfall Chas brewed a one-off brew to use it up, a five per cent golden, lightly hopped beer, ironically called Pigs Ear.

Once again it was so popular, especially at beer festivals, it is still in production but brewed with pale malt. So, through fate the brewery has a fine portfolio, which is augmented with a 3.8 per cent pale ale and seasonal beers, Gilt Edge 4.5 per cent in spring/summer, a green-hopped Harvest Special in the autumn and in winter the six per cent Pigor Mortis and Severn Boar.

All beers are made with floor-malted barley, Hereford hops and spring water that rises at the brewery and continues into a stream in the brewery yard.

Chas had been a CAMRA member since its early days and upheld the aims of CAMRA by only brewing quality real ales. He also was a founding member of SIBA, but due to disagreement over policy, he severed his involvement with them.

Chas was well known throughout Gloucestershire and neighbouring counties. A single-minded person, who with his determination made a great brewery from limited resources and kept it running successfully. In 2018 Chas retired from the helm, which is now in the hands of his son-in-law, Martin Brooks.

Pictured: at the Crown, Uley in 2013 for the presentation of the South West CAMRA Best Bitter of the Year award to Uley – From left: Stu Crowshaw, Chris Arrowsmith, Ken Lush, Jody Veale and Chas Wright