Following the closure of Vaux Brewery Sunderland and Wards Brewery, Sheffield on 2nd July 1999, the Double Maxim Beer Company Ltd was established the following year by ex Vaux and Wards employees.

The initial aim of the new business was to sell and market the famous Northern beers from the Vaux and Wards portfolio in bottles that discerning beer drinkers had drunk for years. 

The long term aim for the business was always to return to brewing in the North of England. The success of the bottled beer business and support of our consumers has made this possible with the new purpose built site at Houghton Le Spring. 

The 20Brl brewery was previously the Canongate Brewery and was located on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh. This was S&N’s pilot brew house built to very high specification and is probably the best equipment of its size anywhere in the UK. Double Maxim Beer Co bought all the plant and equipment in 2006 and spent most of 2007 commissioning the brewery

Cask beers regularly available are Samson (4% ABV), Double Maxim(4.7%ABV), Wards Best Bitter (4%ABV), Lambton’s (3.8%ABV) Maximus (6.0%) and the famous Swedish Blonde (4.2%) . Samson Smooth 11 gallon keg is now available for selected outlets on mixed Gas dispense.