Aston Manor Brewery

Aston Manor Brewery is a brewery and beer bottling company in Aston, Birmingham, England. The company produces beer, cider and perry. In 2008 it was the third largest cider company in the UK by market share, and the fourth largest in the world. It is managed by Peter Ellis, son of Doug Ellis. Its products include Frosty Jack's Cider, which was described in 2008 as the UK's leading brand of white cider, and 3 Hammers.

The company was formed in 1981 by four ex-employees of Ansells, after Ansells closed its Aston Cross brewery. A new brewery was opened in the nearby Thimble Mill Lane (at 52°29′56″N 1°52′22″W / 52.4989°N 1.8728°W / 52.4989; -1.8728Coordinates: 52°29′56″N 1°52′22″W / 52.4989°N 1.8728°W / 52.4989; -1.8728). In 1984, Herefordshire hop farmer Michael Hancocks, one of the company's suppliers, bought into the business. By 1998, Aston Manor was reporting profits of over £1million, with 70% of its sales being cider. Because of a slump in the market and strong competition, by 2001 profits had fallen to £740,500, but by 2009 had risen to over £3 million, due to a large rise in demand in the UK. In 2009 the company took over the Devon Cider Company, based in Tiverton, Devon and has expanded the manufacturing facilities on that site.