James explores the options for beer deliveries both locally and further afield.

These are strange times we face, mainly because we can’t get to the pub! Joking aside, when we must stay home for the safety of others and ourselves, what is a beer drinker to do?

Do you stock up from your local supermarket on your favourite beers, if you can get them? Do you continue to support your local breweries who are still brewing? Do you venture into the online world of beer deliveries? Many have turned to their favourite national breweries and ordered direct.

I find myself in all these places, so want to talk about some of the local options that are still available, as well as some beers I’ve ordered from further afield.

If you follow many of our local suppliers on social media, you will have seen some fantastic stories of them going to extra mile to bring beer to their customers. Some have teamed up with other local producers to bring you groceries and other fresh produce. The sense of collaboration from these producers has really showed great a sense of community spirit.

So which local breweries are still open and what are they doing?

I’ve summarised some of them below with the services they’re offering:

Hook Norton Brewery

Both ‘click and collect’, from their brewery yard in Hook Norton, and delivery options are still going. The brewery shop is understandably closed for browsing, with their selection being available for pre-order. At the checkout, select your chosen date and time for collecting your beer. Delivery is free if you order more than £60, or £9.50 for courier delivery if below that amount.

The beer selection available is brilliant, with cases of 12 bottled beers in stock (starting at £22.20) as well as a good variety of 18 and 38-pint poly pins (starting at £34.40). Wines, spirits and cider are also available.

Get in touch via the website here.

Loose Cannon

Loose Cannon has very quickly pulled together an online shop offering delivery within a 10-mile radius of the brewery in Abingdon, as the onsite shop is closed. Each area of the radius has a delivery day, so check their delivery map for details of your area. Delivery is free on orders over £25 or £6.99 for less.

At the time of writing this, the beer cases available were quite limited (these start at £24.50), but they are offering 5-litre mini-kegs at £20.50 which were all in stock. They’ve also just brought out 1-litre bottles (starting at £3.50) and a 10-litre‘ bag in a box’ (starting at £33.00). Wine is available to order as well. Loose Cannon has teamed up with Natural Bread Company to offer local produce such as bread and eggs that can be added to your order.

Get in touch via the website here.

LoveBeer

Based in Milton near Didcot, LoveBeer is offering a pre-order collection service, so you must email Jim in advance to place your order. They have a great range of rotating beers throughout the year and currently have 4 on tap for their 10-pint boxes (£20), and 500ml bottles costing £2.50 each. Check out their Facebook page for the current selection.

Email Jim for more info or to place an order. Check out their website here.

Little Ox Brew Co

Little Ox, based in Freeland, has beer available to order online and are offering free delivery, which is incredible. They have a selection of 2-litre bottles (starting at £8) and smaller bottles (starting at £2.00). The selection includes the collaboration brew with TOAD, their Barrell Aged Imperial Stout, which does pack a punch at 9.8%.

Get in touch via their website here.

Shotover Brewery

Surprisingly located next to Shotover in Horspath, Shotover has been on the Oxford beer scene for over a decade, producing some great ales, such as Prospect and Trinity. They’re offering cases of beer for £25, plus 10 or 20-litre poly pins at £33 and £64 respectively.

They’re offering delivery within the Oxford ring road (and over within reason) for orders of over £25. You can also collect from their brewery yard. Orders are to be placed either over the phone or by email.

View their website or Facebook page for more info.

Teardrop (Church Hanbrewery)

As some of you may know Teardrop is the Micropub based in Oxford Covered Market. Run by Church Hanbrewery, they have a changing selection of bottled beers on offer as well as some growlers. They’ve also teamed up with other traders in the Covered Market, such as Bonners, to offer local produce.

Deliveries have been made by Pedal and Post over the past few weeks, but the best thing to do is check out their Facebook page or website, alternatively check out the Church Hanbrewery webpage.

To order or you can speak directly to Luciana 07970 272617, or email.

Wriggly Monkey Brewery

Located at Bicester Heritage, Wriggly Monkey is offering 500ml bottles in 6 or 12 crates, alongside 3, 5, 10 and 20-litre ‘bag in a box’ options that should cater for just about anyone. Price-wise, bottles of 6 are £20 with 12 being £30, the bag in the box options starting at £12 for 3-litre, and up to £72 for the 20-litre. The offering of beer styles is good but a lot of items were out of stock at the time of writing, they are still brewing though so items will come back into stock. They’re offering free local beer deliveries or £8 for everywhere else.

Get in touch via their website.

XT Brewery

XT has just re-vamped their website, to now allow you to order online, which is great. Based out near Long Crendon, the brewery shop is open for collection orders only and it’s recommended you order in advance if possible. The range available comes in either a 5-litre mini cask (from £20) or crates of 12 bottles (from £25).

Delivery is free if you order 2 or more crates/casks, or will be £5 if you just have the one item. Delivery days are Thursday and Friday, so you need to get your order in before midday on Wednesday for delivery that week.

Get in touch via their website.

What about National beer sellers?

I’ve also turned to some national suppliers for beer deliveries over the past few weeks, on more than one occasion. These are a few I’ve ordered from and worth a look!

Siren

I suppose we could call Siren ‘fairly local’, as they are just the other side of Reading. It’s probably due to their locality they pop up in a few of my favourite pubs in Oxford on keg and cask. I have always been a fan of their beers, especially Broken Dream.

They’re still brewing and bringing out new beers, which is great to see. The range on offer is brilliant and now on ‘version 7’ of their popular ‘Brigthside box’ (£30), which has a selection of beers including old favourites and new releases. Each version has some differences, some have included a branded glass. The other case on offer is the ‘Flagship Mixed Case’ – this has 12 of their core range priced at £24. Beers are available to order individually, so you can effectively create your own case. 2 can sizes are available – 330ml and 440ml – which start at £1.90, up to £5.50 for their more speciality beers. Delivery is free if you order £60 or more, under this will set you back £5.99.

Shop online here.

Thornbridge

Thornbridge, based up in Bakewell, has been on the beer scene since 2005. I’d be surprised if anyone doesn’t recognise the name if you’re an Oxford pub regular. I still remember my first pint of Jaipur in The Chequers on High Street many years ago!

Their webshop is set up with single variety and mixed cases, typically of 12 beers, but I have seen larger ‘fridge filler’ cases. Mixed cases are changing all the time; as one sells out, another appears. Cases vary in price from £16 to £27.35 at the time of writing. You can also ‘pick and mix’ your own case, but bear in mind you must hit a minimum of 12 beers ordering this way or your order will not be shipped! Delivery is free if you spend over £30 or £5.95 under this.

Shop online here.

Tiny Rebel

Based in Newport Wales, you might know them for their unusual beer combinations – such as their limited run Stay Puft Marshmallow Porter varieties. I’ve just ordered some Mint Choc Chip packs where proceeds go to the NHS.

They’re still brewing, and stocking a good selection of their core beers and special editions in their online shop. You can choose individual cans/bottles (starting at £1.80), 4-can single variety packs (starting at £8), or they have a range of mixed packs from 12 to 24 cans starting at £20. Delivery is £5.50.

Shop online here.

Wild Beer

Wild Beer, located in Somerset, produce some wild beers as the name suggests! I have some bottles of their limited run Chocolate Orange Milkshake Milk Stout. They also produce spirits and fermented sodas.

Again, they are still brewing and coming out with new varieties and new mixed case ideas in line with their stock. Single beers, single variety/mixed cases and 5-litre mini-kegs are available online. Individual cans start at £2.25, single variety cases start at £24, with mixed cases starting £27. The mini-kegs are £22.50. Beer deliveries are free for orders over £50, or £4.50 if under.

Shop online here.

Let us know if you give any of these beer deliveries or takeaways a try! We’d love to hear from you on socials @BittenOxford, or in the comments below.