Craft beer enthusiast launches new Wigan brewery

John Rawcliffe, from Standish, has founded State of Kind and launched the concern’s first range of four beers a few weeks ago.

John says that as well as celebrating his love of all things hopped State of Kind has a very strong ethos of giving back to the community, with plans to run a social enterprise alongside it as it expands.

The 47-year-old said: “This has been a bit of a dream for a while. The arcade machines business did pretty well and that has allowed me to follow my main passion which is beer.

“It’s a very expensive thing to do, setting up a brewery, but it’s also fuelled by me wanting to do some good in the world and give something back. State of Kind is based around that.

“We’re trying to create a movement, not just beer.

“It has come out of the last five years and seeing so much division in the world, between people who wanted Brexit and didn’t or over whether we should wear masks or not.

“It would be amazing if we could all come together. It’s all about helping each other and lifting up our communities.

“I’ve been on a journey of drinking craft beer for about 10 years or so.

“My love of it has just grown and grown. If I go anywhere now I look for a local brewery or taphouse.”

State of Kind has launched with a quartet of ales: a session IPA called Don’t Be A Dick, Just Be Kind, a six per cent American-style West Coast IPA called TogetherAs One, a double IPA (DIPA) which is 8.5 per cent called Hello Is It Me You’re Looking For? and a mighty 11 per cent chocolate and vanilla imperial stout called Take Me Back To Tokyo.

Those four ales are expected to form the core range and will be produced alongside a rotating selection of creations, which John says could involve anything from Belgian-style beers to hazy New England IPAs to sours.

Currently State of Kind is being run as what is known as a gypsy brewing operation, using spare capacity at a variety of sites around the North West to make its beers and an office and warehouse at Hemfield Court in Ince.

However, plans are in the pipeline for the concern to have its own brewery and taproom.

John also wants to run a social enterprise called It’s A State of Kind alongside the brewery which will invest in community projects ranging from litter picking to attempts to improve the local environment.

He also hopes to start apprenticeships in brewing for teenagers and young adults from disadvantaged backgrounds.

For more information, visit www.stateofkindbrew.co

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