UP CLOSE: With the Macclesfield dog biscuits that are made with local beer

By Alex Greensmith 27th Aug 2023

The bone-shaped biscuits are to the delight of Jonathan's dog Paul, who is licking his lips next to the biscuits in this very photo! (Image - Macclesfield Nub News)
The bone-shaped biscuits are to the delight of Jonathan's dog Paul, who is licking his lips next to the biscuits in this very photo! (Image - Macclesfield Nub News)

Meet the Macclesfield man who makes dog biscuits out of waste byproducts of beer.

Beerscuits is the brand of Macclesfield resident Jonathan Davies.

The doggy treats contain just five all-natural ingredients, including local beer malt that would have otherwise been put in the bin.

Jonathan lives just around the corner from RedWillow Brewery, so it was a no-brainer to strike up a paw-some partnership to find a use for their malt grain leftover from the brewing process.

Ironically, Jonathan is allergic to most dogs, except hypoallergenic dogs like his pet John. (Image - Macclesfield Nub News)

"I baked my first dog biscuits in 2019", said Jonathan.

"My mate sent me link to a recipe for fun, but here we are four years later and I have turned it into my job and a business.

"I noticed a gap in the market as round here there are lots of dogs going in to pubs, particularly as we are a big walking area round here.

"The idea at first was just to be solely in pubs, but I now sell them online as well."

The biscuits start from just one pound (pun intended) each. (Image - Macclesfield Nub News)

The former tech worker bakes biscuits at his Macclesfield home, before sending them off for delivery across the country.

You can also buy the pooch snacks in person at Macclesfield venues like The Picturedrome on Chestergate, and of course RedWillow's bar on Park Green.

Bollington Brewery Company venues like The Fountain, The Vale in Bollington and The Park Tavern also stock Beerscuits.

He sometimes uses malts from Bolly Brewing, and has also used malts from Wincle Brewery in the past, and is open to working with brewers, helping them cut down on their waste.

The biscuits contain just five ingredients. (Image - Macclesfield Nub News)

Furthermore, The feelgood local upcycling success story can be seen on the high street, every month at the Treacle Market.

"One of my favourite parts of the job is seeing the dogs jump up at the table in excitement as they can smell the biscuits," revealed Jonathan.

"My stall is on Mill Street, and I will be there for this Sunday's Treacle Market. [And indeed next month's dog show.]

"I got on to the first Treacle Market after lockdown, they liked the recycled-nature of our story. I've been very grateful for them.

The home dog biscuits use spent malt grain from local Macclesfield breweries mostly RedWillow and Bollington Brewery, and dog friendly peanut butter. The latter, being most dog's favourite flavour! (Image - Macclesfield Nub News)

"I'm also at markets in Prestbury and across Cheshire as well."

The biscuits contain sunflower oil, peanut butter, eggs, malt grain and plain flower. They are packed with nutritional benefits.

Malt grain is full of fibre, perfect for doggy digestion, whereas sunflower oil is great for the dog's coat.

Other local venues which stock them include Five Clouds on Market Place, and The Cask Tavern in Poynton.

Beerscuits is a Macclesfield company which makes dog biscuits, thanks to leftover malt from Macclesfield beermakers. (Image - Macclesfield Nub News)

Forest Distillery, G&T Macclesfield and Happy Valley Taphouse also sell individual Beerscuits.

Selling it locally in bars also means Beerscuits don't have to use single-use plastic. However, the environmental benefit cannot be translated to the online side of his business, as plastic is used to preserve the freshness of the biccies.

As well as the help from a Macclesfield brewer, Jonathan also paid for Macclesfield artist Becca Smith to do artwork for his branding.

If you are not a frequenter of pubs, a large box of 815g of biscuits can be ordered to your door.

The biscuits breathe new life into malt grain that would have previously been discarded, meaning the products are good for the environment as well as your furry friends. (Image - Macclesfield Nub News)

The healthy snacks can be ordered online via this link.

Macclesfield: You can also follow Beerscuits on social media.

See Also: Free gym membership for young people in Macclesfield

Advertise your Macclesfield event for FREE on our What's On section.

Macclesfield: Have you signed up for our FREE Friday weekly newsletter? It contains each week's top five Macclesfield news stories, and one EXCLUSIVE article?

Simply enter your email address on this link.

Free from pop-up ads, or unwanted surveys, Macclesfield Nub News is a quality online newspaper for our town.

You can find us on Facebook and Twitter

     

New macclesfield Jobs Section Launched!!
Vacancies updated hourly!!
Click here: macclesfield jobs

Share:


Sign-Up for our FREE Newsletter

We want to provide macclesfield with more and more clickbait-free local news.
To do that, we need a loyal newsletter following.
Help us survive and sign up to our FREE weekly newsletter.

Already subscribed? Thank you. Just press X or click here.
We won't pass your details on to anyone else.
By clicking the Subscribe button you agree to our Privacy Policy.