A man who left his day job behind after the pandemic to pursue his dream career as a brewer is bringing his operation to Salford.
Sean O’Reilly is the “owner, managing director, head brewer, drayman and accounts manager” behind an independent brewery migrating to the city with its Rochdale base set to close.
Named after St Bridget – the patron Saint of brewers – Brid’s Cross brewery will begin to supply a range of traditional cask ales, stouts and bitters from Hideaway Brewing on Kansas Avenue.
Sean dreamt up the idea for Brid’s Cross in the winter of 2021 and was the driving force behind the company releasing its first commercial beer in September 2023.
The 55-year-old first took up home brewing at 18 before stepping away from the hobby, only to return to it a decade ago after a long hiatus.
“I had long thought about getting into the brewing industry and very nearly bought a pub before Covid in 2019,” he explained.
“The idea of that pub was it was going to be a brew pub where I would brew beer in the back of the pub and serve people in the front.” With the impending pandemic set to bring lockdowns that would devastate the hospitality sector, Sean explained he dodged a bullet.
“I decided that the numbers didn’t quite work for me from a business point of view with the pub I was looking at buying. So I pulled out of that and with Covid and lockdown and pubs being closed, I was very glad that I didn’t,” he said.
Lockdown gave Sean a chance to reflect on his career and, when it ended, he decided to take the leap and pursue his brewing interest.
“Going back to work full-time, I decided that I wanted to make a change. I didn’t want to carry on doing what had been my day job for 25 years,” he added.
“I wanted to get out of it and I was keen to have a good go at setting up as a professional brewer. So that led to starting the brewery up just about two and a half years ago now.”
Sean admitted that it’s been “a slog” to get Brid’s Cross Brewery up and running, but said the hard work has been worthwhile.
“The beer industry is a difficult place to be. It has been for the last couple of years, but it’s very enjoyable.
“I enjoy the creativity of it. I enjoy talking to people about what I’m doing. I’m just glad that I made the decision to give it a go.”
It’s not yet clear whether Salford drinkers will be able to sample Sean’s beers while tucking into smoked brisket or a burger inside the Hideaway’s taproom, but they will be available online.
“My best-selling beer is called Ash and Elm. It’s an American pale ale that I try to keep in stock as much as I can. It’s quite a light, refreshing beer with a slight bitterness to it that gives a nice counterbalance to the fruity flavours.
“It’s one of those beers that you can enjoy a couple of pints of quite easily, so it’s the one I’d recommend,” he said.
Sean originally lived in Suffolk but moved to Rochdale four years ago this summer and has found time to catch the tram into Salford to sample the city’s finest pints.
“I’m at the end of the tram line. So, it’s easy enough for me to get into central Manchester and into Salford. I enjoy some of the pubs and bars that are around the Salford area. I’m very conscious that it’s a real kind of burgeoning scene in recent years.”
Despite living across the other side of Greater Manchester, Sean’s already left a mark on the local brewing scene by supplying the Independent Salford Beer Festival for the last two years.
“Last year, Jim Cullen, who’s the organiser of the Salford Beer Festival, came and actually brewed beer with me and it was a full collaboration with the festival,” he said of the event, which was held at Hemsley House and raised money for Salford-based mental health charity Start.
Sean is hopeful Brid’s Cross Brewery can go from strength to strength in Salford as he continues to follow his beer-making passion in the city.
