About
When you’re looking for a great beer experience in Suffolk, look no further than the Briarbank Brewing Company. Set just moments from the historic waterfront, in the heart of Ipswich, our award-winning, independent microbrewery and bar was established in May 2013, and we’ve been creating beers ever since.
The craft of beer-making is hard at work at the Briarbank microbrewery. Located in a light and open setting that was once occupied by Lloyds Bank, here you’ll witness our head brewer blending traditional methods with bold new flavours and techniques.
With a two-barrel (BBL) system that’s powered by electricity rather than by gas, we have the capacity to brew over 350 litres – that’s eight casks – at any one time.
Brewing two to three times every week, and with four fermenters on our line, we can produce four different beers at any one time – certainly a unique brewery operation in Ipswich.
Note - Rob, the long term brewer, left early in 2026. Briarbank beers are currently not being brewed at Briarbank. They are being brewed at Chevallier Brewing Company.
The craft of beer-making is hard at work at the Briarbank microbrewery. Located in a light and open setting that was once occupied by Lloyds Bank, here you’ll witness our head brewer blending traditional methods with bold new flavours and techniques.
With a two-barrel (BBL) system that’s powered by electricity rather than by gas, we have the capacity to brew over 350 litres – that’s eight casks – at any one time.
Brewing two to three times every week, and with four fermenters on our line, we can produce four different beers at any one time – certainly a unique brewery operation in Ipswich.
Note - Rob, the long term brewer, left early in 2026. Briarbank beers are currently not being brewed at Briarbank. They are being brewed at Chevallier Brewing Company.
5.9/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 5.5
Keg at the source a opaque orange juice coloured pour with a small scummy head. Aroma is subdued, green mango, rubber, smoked orange. Flavour is composed of chalky green mango, fizzy, harsh back of the throat bitterness. Palate is light chalky, fizzy, harsh bitterness.
Tried
on 14 Mar 2020
at 18:13
6.5/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6
19/2/2020. Tap at Briarbank, Ipswich. Pours almost black with a nice size bubbly off-white head. Aroma of peat, smoked meat, chocolate, roasted malt and cheese. Moderate sweetness and bitterness. Moderate body.
Tried
from Draft
on 19 Feb 2020
at 21:38
7.5/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 6
Overall 8
14/12/2019. On tap at Briarbank, Ipswich. Pours slightly hazy pale amber with a small but lasting white head. Aroma of hops, biscuit, sweet malt, vanilla, citrus, grapefruit, passion fruit and a touch of pine. Medium sweetness and bitterness with a light citrusy tart edge. Medium body, slight oily texture, average to soft carbonation. Very nicely done.
Tried
from Draft
on 14 Dec 2019
at 18:50
7.6/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
24/8/2019. Cask at Briarback, Ipswich. Pours black with a creamy off-white to beige head. Aroma of chocolate, coffee, roasted malt, toffee, dark fruit, wood and nut. Moderate sweetness and medium roasted bitterness. Medium body, creamy texture, soft carbonation.
Tried
from Cask
on 25 Aug 2019
at 10:22
5.9/10
—
Appearance 4
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 4
Overall 5.5
24/8/2019. Cask at Briarback, Ipswich. Pours murky yellow/gold/orange with a small white head. Aroma of orange, coriander, biscuit, hops and lemon. Moderate sweetness and bitterness with light tartness. Moderate body, slight oily and watery texture, above average carbonation. Hint of ginger to finish.
Tried
from Cask
on 25 Aug 2019
at 10:19
6.5/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 6
19/4/2019. On draught at the Briarbank, Ipswich. Pours almost black with a small off-white to beige head. Aroma of chocolate, roasted malt, peanut and dark orange chocolate. Moderate sweetness, medium bitterness. Medium body, slight oily texture, average to soft carbonation. Light bitter nutty finish. Not bad.
Tried
on 20 Apr 2019
at 07:23
5.2/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 5
Texture 2
Overall 4
19/4/2019. On draught at the Briarbank, Ipswich. Pours very dark brown with a creamy off-white to beige head. Aroma of light coffee, roasted malt, chocolate and dark fruit. Medium sweetness, moderate roasted bitterness. Moderate body, sticky texture, quite fizzy which was surprising and offputting. Disappointing.
Tried
on 20 Apr 2019
at 07:21
5.9/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 5.5
28/3/2019. On tap at Briarbank, Ipswich. Poured very slightly hazy golden with a fluffy white head. Aroma of sweet malt, fruit, hops and grain. Medium sweetness, moderate bitterness and body. Slight watery texture, average carbonation. Ok.
Tried
from Draft
on 29 Mar 2019
at 08:51
5.5/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 5
Texture 4
Overall 6
Cask: Poured a golden with white head. Aroma is citrus fruit. Taste is real watery light body some citrus.
Tried
from Cask
on 30 Dec 2018
at 18:46
6.8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
Draft: Poured hazy murky yellow brown with white head. Aroma is dank hops. Taste is danky, some underlying mango. No way this is a NEIPA.
Tried
from Draft
on 30 Dec 2018
at 18:46