A FORMER primary school teacher is celebrating the success of his brewing company.

Trevor Jeffery, 52, used to make beer in his kitchen at home, before deciding to take the plunge and start his own company.

Mr Jeffery established Billericay Brewing Company in 2012, before starting to brew in Billericay in 2013 and opening his premises, which incorporates a pub, in Chapel Street, Billericay, in 2014.

The company now brews 25 different beers, including some interesting concoctions and four beers that they brew all year.

Mr Jeffery said: “We do have some unusual recipes and ingredients.

“We do a chilli porter which has fresh chillies in it and we have another with raisins in it.

“They go down very well with customers.

“The chilli porter won an award from the Society of Independent Brewers.”

To celebrate the award, and another given by the Campaign for Real Ale South Essex for Summer Pub of 2016, the pub organised a beer festival which proved highly successful.

About a hundred people attended the festival and enjoyed sampling a range of beers.

The brewery’s produce includes Mayflower Gold, Billericay Dickie, Billericay Blonde, Billericay Zeppelin and more.

The independent brewery, which has its own micro pub on site, is one of 30 in the county and 1,500 in the country.

Mr Jeffrey, who lives Brentwood, puts the popularity down to two things.

He explained: “People are looking for something different to the mass produced beer you can buy.

“They also want something made locally and I think we meet both of these.

“We use all natural ingredients which we try to get locally.”

Mr Jeffrey, who is a chemist by trade, added that brewing was something he always had a passion for.

It was after going on a tour of the Brentwood Brewing Company that he decided to take the plunge and set up his own company, deciding on Billericay as the best location.

He took on additional work experience to learn more and now offers tours of his own brewery.

The micro shop now stocks more than 100 beers from most Essex breweries, as well as Essex ciders and wines, and other local products.

Fore more information and to find out about other upcoming events visit billericaybrewing.co.uk