The Founders Journey - how Allkin came to life.

After 17 years in engineering, I had what many would call a successful career, but beneath it all was a calling I couldn’t ignore, a drive to build something of my own. Something with purpose. Something that would do good, for people and for the planet.

I launched Crafted Crate, a beer subscription service that took me on the road across the UK, meeting brewers, hearing stories, and tasting the country’s finest beers. But behind the scenes, I was always in engineer mode, tracking energy usage, spotting inefficiencies, and imagining how I could make a real difference.

I realised that to create true, lasting change, I couldn’t stand on the sidelines. I had to build something myself. So I took the leap and built a brewery that embodied everything I believed in, sustainable, community-powered, future-focused.

For five years, I poured everything into it. Until one night, it got struck by lightning & all went up in flames. I lost the brewery. I lost my family home as a consequence, everything was gone.

That moment could have been the end, but neither I or our community would let it be. Their support didn’t just lift me up, it gave me purpose & further drive. On their own accord our loyal tribe started raising funds to help get us back on our feet. With nothing but resilience and their belief in us, I began again.

What followed was brutal: two years battling insurers, a year stuck in planning limbo, working without pause, learning the true meaning of resilience. But through it all, one idea kept growing, bigger, bolder, and more meaningful than anything before.

My wife and I took to the road, needing space to breathe. Somewhere between the miles, the name Allkin was born, a name that captured everything we were building: All Kin. All community. All of us.

Allkin isn’t just a brewery. It’s a living, breathing community movement. Built on belief, fuelled by purpose, and powered by the people who lifted us from the ashes. This is no longer just my journey, it’s all of ours. Together, we’re building something bigger than any one person could alone.

So much has happened since. Take a look around, join the community, and be part of what comes next.

Thanks for reading :) 

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