ALMOST half a million pints of beer have been produced at Moorhouse’s new brew house which opened last month.

The first month of operating at the tower brewery, which is part of a £4.2 million expansion, saw over 1,600 brewer’s barrels - the equivalent of more than 460,000 pints -produced.

The first phase of the expansion has enabled the internationally-acclaimed beer-maker to treble production at the Accrington Road site to more than 1,000 barrels a week.

Bosses said the new facility had helped them cope with the extra demand for real ale over the Christmas period.

Managing director David Grant said: “The old brewery was at maximum capacity. With the new plant we are firing on all cylinders for the festive season to deliver the very best quality beer – I believe even better than before.

“In recent years Moorhouse’s has seen remarkable growth. Our directors bravely ignored the recession to go full-ahead with this major investment.

“Industry indicators show there is an exciting future for well crafted cask-conditioned ale. As a fully fledged regional brewer we will play a central role in that future.”

Moorhouse’s directly supplies several hundred pubs throughout the region and distributes nationally via leading wholesalers and major pub chains.

Award-winning ales such as the Pendle Witch brands have captured the imagination of beer enthusiasts in the United States and are also exported to several other countries.

On completion in spring, the £4.2m complex will include a visitor centre with restaurant and a training school.

It will create twenty jobs and help in the regeneration of Burnley, which has suffered economic decline in recent decades. Funding has come from company directors and bank support together with help from the North West Development Agency and Burnley Council.