4T's Brewery

4T's Brewery was established in April 2010 by John Wilkinson, whose passion for beer developed through years of working in Warrington's brewing and pub industry. John previously worked as a drayman for Tetley Walkers, where he became fascinated by the brewery and its operations. In 1998, he opened his own pub, Wilkies Tavern, later renamed The Tavern Sports Bar, which became a well-known destination for cask ale drinkers in Warrington. His ambition was always to establish a brewery of his own, producing the styles of beer he enjoyed. That ambition became reality when he began brewing commercially using a small half-barrel kit in his garage.

As demand increased, 4T's moved into larger premises at an industrial estate in Runcorn and upgraded to a five-barrel brewing system acquired from Blueball Brewery. John was joined by Jordan Millington, who had worked at The Tavern Sports Bar since 2007 and shared his enthusiasm for traditional real ale. Jordan initially helped with brewery cleaning and general duties before becoming a full-time member of the business and taking responsibility as head brewer. The brewery developed an established range of beers, later refining its selection around Pale Ale, APA, IPA and Stout. Its growing reputation was recognised when Not Too Stout Bob reached the final of the CAMRA Champion Beer of Cheshire competition.

The brewery subsequently relocated to Warrington, returning production to the hometown of its founder and head brewer. Further investment supported the expansion of its range, including stronger American-style pale ales and IPAs, traditional cask beers and dedicated craft releases. In 2017, two additional ten-barrel fermentation tanks were installed, helping the team accommodate increased production. A major rebrand followed in 2018, introducing updated beer identities and two permanent lagers, WA4 Craft Lager and Panzer Pils. In 2019, the brewery upgraded to a 2,000-litre brewing system, while further fermentation capacity and the installation of a canning line in 2021 enabled greater production of packaged beers. The brewery also developed its Warrington Ales brand alongside its established 4T's range.

4T's continued to invest in brewing and packaging equipment during the following years, adding fermentation and conditioning vessels to support cask, keg and canned beer production. Its beers earned recognition at regional and national competitions, including SIBA awards for Panzer Pils, Tripwire and Choc Fudge Stout. The brewery also introduced monthly open weekends, welcoming visitors to its Latchford premises to sample freshly brewed beers alongside food from visiting vendors. Today, 4T's remains closely connected to Warrington's beer community, supplying local pubs including The Tavern Sports Bar and producing a combination of dependable core beers and changing specials. Its development from a garage-based operation into an established independent brewery reflects John Wilkinson's original ambition to create beers with character, quality and broad appeal.