Wood’s Shropshire Lad was first brewed in 1996 to celebrate the centenary of the publication of AE Housman’s poem collection, and today it and Shropshire Lass are two of the county’s most popular real ales. Now Shropshire brewery Wood’s are planning a new addition to their family – Shropshire Born and Bred. Wood’s are hoping the offspring ale will be just as successful as its ‘parent’ brews, which have won numerous awards. Managing director Edward Wood said, “We wanted to introduce a new beer and thought it would be fun if Shropshire Lad and Shropshire Lass got married – leading to the birth of Shropshire Born and Bred.”
The Wood Brewery is believed to be the oldest of the ‘new wave’ of real ale breweries to still be under the same family ownership, having opened as a modest set-up in the 1980s to being a modern plant today. Mr Wood says he’s proud of the way his family have kept their company strong and supported community causes and activities across Shropshire and the West Midlands for decades, donating money raised by special edition beers.