Anstruther Brewery

Business: William Key

Location: Anstruther

Type: Brewery

The Anstruther Brewery was sold to James Rodger in 1795 by the heirs of James Johnston. David Rodger then inherited it from his father in 1817. When David died in 1836 the brewery was offered for sale by public roup along with a number of associated properties.

The advertisements indicate that the brewery was a substantial concern with an "excellent dwelling house of three stories … brew house, malt barn, kiln, granary, cellars, close and pertinents" being offered together with "the whole machinery and fixtures within the premises, including the malt mill and steep, copper, boiler, mash tun, two fermenting tuns, two coolers and a water cistern" as well as the "water which is collected in that field to the north of the churchyard of Anstruther Easter".

The brewery appears to have been briefly tenanted by Taylor & Co but was eventually bought by John Russell in 1839, who established the partnership of John Russell & Co. John’s son William Russell ran the brewery from 1852 until 1858, when it was offered to let.

The brewery was then acquired for £1,150 by James Key, who owned the Crail Brewery. James put his eldest son, John Melville Key, in charge of the Anstruther Brewery. When John died in 1874, management of the brewery passed to his brother William. William inherited the brewery in 1886 when James died, and he then traded on his own account. Brewing ceased in 1905 when William sold the company’s aerated water interests to the Anstruther Aerated Water Company and put the brewery up for sale. Part of the complex was then leased by Bonthrone & Son as a cooperage and barrel store.