Alexandra Brewery, Erskine Street, Hulme

Additions for James Cronshaw, Alexandra Brewery, Erskine Street, Hulme Manchester in 1872 including tower brew-house 120 feet high with no floors as such, all the brewing vessels being supported on beams.

SOMETHING NOVEL IN BREWERY BUILDING. - An addition to the Alexandra Brewery, in Erskine Street, Hulme, Manchester, belonging to Mr James Cronshaw, has just been completed, and opportunity has been taken to add to the architectural appearance of the building, as well as to introduce many novelties and improved appliances. The brew-house is in the form of a huge tower without floors, 46 feet 9 inches square, and rising120 feet above the street; it contains two sets of vessels supported on beams, and the utensils of each set are placed one above the other. The process of brewing is commenced at the top and is continued on the various stages as the liquor gravitates; thus pumping, which is supposed to injure the wort, is dispensed with. In each of the three walls of the brew-house are inserted two arched openings, filled in with windows and louvres; each opening is 34 feet high by 8 feet 9 inches wide. The roof is surmounted by a louvred turret, which affords a ready exit for the steam arising from the liquor pans, and has on each side a dormer containing a window or loading door. The chimney is built up from the south‑west angle of the tower, and has an altitude of 126 feet. The cooler adjoins the tower, is 80 feet by 40 feet, and has a gangway round. Two working rooms will ultimately contain fourteen rounds of 120 barrels each; these vessels are considerably above the ordinary size. The floors are fireproof, and covered with the Val de Travers asphalte pavement. The whole of the basement storey, 11 feet high, under the working rooms and yards, has a vaulted covering, and is occupied as a store. The boiler‑house and stabling are detached and built in the yard. The style adopted is of an Early Lombardian‑Gothic type. Stock brick facing is used to two of the elevations, and common to the others, finished with black jointing, and relieved with blue Staffordshire and moulded red bricks and Colne stone dressings. The tower has a bold cornice, with trusses and string course of stone, au arcade of ornamental brickwork, and vitrified glazed green and red brick panels in the frieze. The chimney on plan is square with canted angles, and has a capping of stone with ornamental brick blocks under. The woodwork throughout is of red deal. Special attention has been given to facilities for thoroughly cleansing all vessels. The building has been designed and supervised by Mr James Redford, FRIBA, of Princess‑street, Manchester. Mr John Tomlinson, of Lucy Street, City Road, was the contractor. [Building News 10 May 1872 page 383].

Reference    Building News 10 May 1872 page 383
Reference    Brewers Journal, May 1872, p.146
Reference    The Builder 30, 11 May 1870, p. 370