The assets of the Alcester, Warwickshire-based Purity Brewing Co have been acquired by the Breal Group for an undisclosed sum.

The surprise deal was completed on 22 December and is said to “secure the future of the brewery” and help retain jobs.

Purity Brewing Co was established in 2005 and has become one of the UK’s most respected independent breweries. The brewery has a fierce commitment to sustainability and its impact on the environment by using the latest heat-and-steam technology to reduce energy consumption at its 90,000-hectolitre site.

The company’s portfolio includes well-known names such as Mad Goose IPA, Longhorn IPA and Lawless Lager, each produced at the farm-based brewing facility in the Warwickshire countryside. It also operates a busy taproom and kitchen in the heart of Birmingham.

Purity co-founder Paul Halsey, who stepped down as MD last June said: “Back in 2005 Jim [Minkin] and I set up Purity, following our dream to modernise the face of brewing in the UK in the most sustainable way we could.

“I would like to thank all of our customers, suppliers, staff and supporters – without you Purity wouldn’t have been the same.

“It’s with a heavy heart I’m saying goodbye to the business that I have loved. Here’s to the next part of the chapter.”

Purity MD John Hunt said: “We all know the brewing industry has had a turbulent time of late, and like many others, the business has certainly felt the pressure of rising costs.

“However, we’re incredibly pleased Breal recognises the value and uniqueness of our offering and had the vision to invest in securing the future of the brewery.

“We’re very much looking forward to continuing to brew our much-loved, award-winning beers and delighting drinkers in the Midlands, London and beyond.”

Breal has been looking at Purity as an acquisition target since early 2023.

Purity Brewing Co joins Black Sheep brewery, as well as London-based Brew by Numbers and Brick brewery on the Breal Group’s growing brewing portfolio.

Breal bought South London’s Brick brewery in June. Then, within the space of two days in August, it purchased wine/restaurant chain Vinoteca, followed by Brew By Numbers, another young London brewery. With cash still seemingly to splash, it invested £60m into the D&D London restaurant group, which operates more than 40 sites in the UK.

The Breal Group is described as “a multi-disciplinary equity, lending and advisory services family consisting of complementary businesses that devise, design and deliver successful strategies that drive business excellence”.