A BURNLEY brewery is marking its 150th anniversary by hosting a festival of historic beers.

Moorhouse’s Brewery, in Accrington Road, will open its doors to the public tomorrow and Saturday with a theme of ‘beer down the ages’ with some of Britain’s oldest breweries like Shepherd Neame of Kent and Cameron’s of Hartlepool contributing beer along with new brewers like Nine Standards of Cumbria.

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Managing director David Grant said: “It is somewhat of an achievement. There’s not that many businesses that get to the ripe old age of 150 – especially in the recent economic climate.”

The company was founded by William Moorhouse in 1865 and produced mineral waters. After it had passed through many different hands it began producing low alcohol beer before the first alcoholic ‘Premier Beer’ in 1978.

Businessman William Parkinson took over in 1985 and has invested in the business allowing it to grow from 10 barrels a week production to up to 400 barrels a week – around 96,000 pints.

The current site, opened in 2011, replaced the old brew house dating back to 1870 on the same site.

The company has also reached a turnover of £5million to first become the ‘north-west’s newest regional brewery’ and now Lancashire’s leading independent.

Beer is made from water, malted barley, hops, yeast and sugar. Each ingredient can affect flavour, colour, carbonation, alcohol content, and other subtle changes in the beer.

David Grant, managing director, said: “Brewing beer hasn’t changed for 5,000 years. The process is the same but we’re more efficient now. “We have a fully equipped laboratory because people expect the best quality.”

The company has six core brands – Black Cat (3.4% abv), Premier(ship) beer (3.7%),White Witch (3.9%), Pride of Pendle (4.1%), Blonde Witch (4.5%), and Pendle Witches Brew (5.1%) and sells nationally and internationally.

Black Cat and Pendle Witch ale will also be stocked on the shelves of 74 Marks and Spencer stores in the North of England from June.

The beer festival will feature 25 beers – including some older brews in the UK and some of the youngest.

The brewery is open 3-11pm on Friday and 12-6pm on Saturday, with a brewery tour at 1pm.