We’re Buying Good Chemistry Brewing
Left to right: Bob Cary, Kelly Sidgwick, Marc Griffiths, Patrick Daly
World Famous Dive Bars has agreed to acquire Bristol brewery Good Chemistry Brewing, bringing one of the city’s best-known independent breweries into the World Famous family. The acquisition will take effect later this month, with current Good Chemistry operations continuing from their St Philips’ base and the brewery’s team, brands and taproom to remain in place as the businesses begin an exciting new chapter together.
Good Chemistry Brewing has been a fixture on Bristol’s beer scene since 2015, operating a brewery, occasional taproom and a small portfolio of local pubs while building a reputation for collaborative, community-minded brewing. The deal involves the brewery, its production facilities & taproom, but the pubs will remain in the hands of Good Chemistry’s founders, Kelly Sidgwick & Bob Cary.
World Famous Dive Bars will operate Good Chemistry as a distinct brewing arm within our wider group while investing in capacity, route-to-market and local outreach to help the brewery grow.
“We’ve always admired what Good Chemistry has done for Bristol’s independent beer culture - great recipes, genuine community ties and an obvious care for sustainability and quality,” said Marc Griffiths, one of our directors. “Our plan is simple: keep everything that makes Good Chemistry special, and back it so it can reach more locals, pubs and beer lovers across the city and beyond.”
“We’ve worked with WFDB for a number of years supplying their venues with our beer, so it’s great to see them investing in the brewing side of the industry. We wish them all the best with Good Chemistry and are excited to see what they will achieve as it heads into its second decade,” said Kelly Sidgwick, co-founder of Good Chemistry. “Bob and I would like to thank everyone who has helped us get the business to where it is today, and we hope Bristol’s venues and beer drinkers will continue to support this independent local business.”
Good Chemistry's co-founders publicly announced in September that they would be stepping away from the business after building the brewery over the past decade; the acquisition provides continuity for staff and customers while opening opportunities for reinvestment and growth.
Under the terms of the agreement, Good Chemistry’s brewing operations, can shop and East Bristol premises will remain active, and World Famous Dive Bars has committed to maintaining the brewery’s existing relationships with Bristol venues and independent retailers. The companies will work together in the coming months to expand the brewery’s distribution, develop collaborative taproom events and strengthen Good Chemistry’s role as part of the wider Bristol craft beer scene.
Good Chemistry Brewing was set up by Bob Cary and Kelly Sidgwick to create good chemistry in its broadest sense – not just in the quality of the beer they produce, but using that to allow them to celebrate community and relationships across science, the arts, music, food, and social experiences, as well as beer & brewing. They have been up and running in their St Philips brewery since 2015, opened their first pub, The Good Measure, in Redland in December 2018, and their second, the beautiful and historic Kings Head, in central Bristol in November 2022. In addition to serving Bristol drinkers on draught and in can, Good Chemistry is increasingly reaching further afield. All their beers are suitable for vegans.
World Famous Dive Bars Ltd isn’t a chain, it’s a scrappy Bristol outfit. We don’t do velvet ropes or £15 cocktails — we do bars that actually feel like bars. Pubs where the lights are a bit too low, the music is loud, and the floor’s seen better days, but you’ll always find a good pint, a good price, and a crowd that feels like home. We’ve made our name by backing local music, giving a damn about the community, and keeping the bullshit out. Bristol knows us because we’re not trying to be anything other than what we are: nights worth remembering (and some worth forgetting).
