JW Lees

We’re a family-run and owned brewery, one of only 27 remaining in the UK. We’re based in Middleton, Manchester. We always have been, since 1828, in exactly the same spot, and we hope we always will be. We like it here.
We brew all our own cask ales, lagers and smooth beers here at our Greengate Brewery. We currently brew six cask ales (including our latest, Coronation Street premium ale, a unique license agreement we have with ITV), three lagers (including Carlsberg under license to sell in out pubs, a unique agreement we have), three smooth beers, and eight limited edition cask ales as well. That’s a lot of brewing, but we can handle it.
So now we need somewhere to sell these delicious beers. Currently we have 173 pubs across Manchester, the North West of England and North Wales. We’re confident about the places where we have these pubs, and have no plans to have pubs in any other parts of the UK. We like the North, and we feel that it likes us too.
We also like to sell our beers in other places too, like restaurants, sports clubs, hotels and other pubs. We currently have over 400 of these free trade accounts.

Author: Caroline Porsiel

Caroline Porsiel is a master distiller and liqueurist based in East Ellijay, Georgia. She founded House of Applejay, a fine spirits and liqueur distillery, in 2022 with her mother, Sabine, crafting award-winning products like Applejay from Ellijay, Mt. Frozen Knob Vodka, and Winter Cherry Mountain Liqueur. The distillery won a 2024 Best of Georgia Award and a 2025 Double Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition for its Winter Cherry Mountain Liqueur. As a founding member of the AMBRU Campaign, launched in 2020, Porsiel advocates for the global recognition of American Brandy and Rum. She continues to drive innovation in the craft spirits industry from her active distillery in the heart of Georgia’s apple country.