Accidental Brewery is an independent brewery based in Morecambe, Lancashire. Beginning as a homebrewing project before opening commercially in Lancaster in 2018, Accidental later moved production to a larger brewery in Morecambe. Its original Lancaster home remains as the brewery's tap room and micropub, while the Morecambe site combines a 650-litre brewhouse with a smaller pilot system used for experimental and small-batch beers.
Brewery story
Accidental Brewery's story began in 2015 with homebrewing in a kitchen using a Grainfather system capable of producing around 20 litres at a time. As the brewing became more ambitious, the operation outgrew the kitchen and moved into a converted corner of a garage in 2016.
A major step followed in June 2018 when Accidental moved into The Old Stables in Lancaster, a converted stable building dating from the late 19th century. The new home provided space for a 140-litre nano brewery as well as a public bar.
At the end of October 2018, Accidental officially opened its nano brewery and bar. Over the following 15 months the venue served hundreds of different beers, hosted tap takeovers from breweries including Cloudwater, Verdant and Overworks, and produced an expanding range of Accidental's own beers.
Like many hospitality businesses, Accidental was forced to close its bar in March 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic began. The brewery quickly adapted, moving entirely to online sales and local deliveries of its own and guest beers in cans, bottles and growlers.
When outdoor hospitality became possible, Accidental created its Beer Yarden behind the Lancaster bar. At the same time, work began on a substantially larger production brewery in Morecambe, with the Lancaster bar eventually reopening in October 2021.
Production subsequently moved to the Morecambe brewery at Old Market Court, a historic building associated with the town's former fishing industry. The site's main brewhouse is a 650-litre two-vessel Brewiks system supported by three pressurised fermenters.
Accidental's original 140-litre brewing equipment was also moved from Lancaster to Morecambe rather than being retired. It now acts as a pilot brewery, with two SS Brewtech unitanks allowing the team to produce experimental recipes and special small-batch beers alongside the main brewing operation.
The original Lancaster site remains an important part of Accidental Brewery as its public tap room and micropub. The Morecambe production brewery is not currently open to visitors, although the brewery has expressed plans to introduce a tasting room, brewery tours and special events there in the future.
Taproom
Accidental's Lancaster tap room is housed in a converted late-19th-century stable building in the city's Canal Quarter. Originally home to the brewery's 140-litre nano brewing kit, it now operates as a micropub serving Accidental beers alongside a changing selection of guest beers. During warmer months, drinking extends outside into the Beer Yarden, while customers can also order wood-fired pizza from nearby Aquila Pizzeria for delivery to their table.
The Old Stables, Lancaster, Lancashire
Accidental's Lancaster tap room is housed in a converted late-19th-century stable building in the city's Canal Quarter. Originally home to the brewery's 140-litre nano brewing kit, it now operates as a micropub serving Accidental beers alongside a changing selection of guest beers. During warmer months, drinking extends outside into the Beer Yarden, while customers can also order wood-fired pizza from nearby Aquila Pizzeria for delivery to their table.
