A brewery in Stone is toasting its own success after doubling sales in a year.
Owners of Lymestone Brewery have revealed their turnover has increased to around £200,000 in the past 12 months.
The upturn in business follows a £30,000 deal with Wetherspoons to supply 400 of its pubs with Ein Stein ale at the end of last year.
Now, director Ian Bradford said the company planned to venture into the pub trade - and could open their first boozer in Stone or Stafford.
"It's really pleasing that we can say things are going so well, we've had several new accounts and are working very hard," he said.
"We are a small family run business and a continued upturn in buiness can only mean more staff. However, how and when we do that has not been decided.
"We now want to open a pub. Titanic Brewery have shown the way forward with local pub ownership - and we want to follow in their footsteps."
Mr Bradford and business partner Dr Ron Makins opened Lymestone in 2008 on the site of the former Bent's Brewery in Mount Road, which dates back to the 1880s.
It has developed a range of five regular beers along with an increasing roster of seasonal ales.
Its Foundation Stone, Ein Stein and Stone the Crows beers are available in bottles from the brewery and a number of local outlets.
The brews will be on show at Stone Food & Drink festival at the beginning of October Mr Bradford said: "A lot more beers are in the pipeline - such as Stone Dead to celebrate Halloween. "We have also invested in a fourth fermenting vessel - a significant but justifiable investment with high volume orders already confirmed for 2011."
