The first barrels of Brakspear bitter and special ale are expected to roll out of the pub company's new home in Witney in June

Brakspear stopped brewing in Henley 18 months ago to concentrate on running its pub chain.

Production was taken over by Cheshire-based Refresh UK, with the beer being brewed at Burtonwood, near Warrington, and the Wychwood Brewery in the centre of Witney.

Last year, the firm announced plans to enlarge the Witney site at the former Clinch's yard and transfer the production of all Brakspear's beers to the town. Refresh chief executive Rupert Thompson said: "I'm delighted that what was just a vision of bringing Brakspear's beer back to Oxfordshire 18 months ago, is every day getting closer to reality.

"We have worked hard to secure the brewing future of Brakspear and I very much hope that Brakspear lovers throughout the country will support us in this exciting and unprecedented initiative to preserve one of the great beer names in the UK."

Wychwood Brewery operates out of a small part of the former Clinch's Brewery, which was set up in 1841 and which closed in 1962.

Robert Brakspear is believed to started his brewing career at the Cross Keys pub in Witney's High Street before opening his brewery in Henley in 1779.

The concrete foundations for the new fermenting room are complete. By the end of January, Brakspear's square fermenters, which have been in storage since the closure of the Henley brewery, will be in position in what were once the maltings for the old Clinch's brewery.

They will be surmounted by steelwork carrying equipment for Brakspear's fermenting system, which will be installed during February. Brewing trials and product matching, which will be overseen by Wychwood's head brewer, Jeremy Moss, and Brakspear's former head brewer, Peter Scholey, will take place from April, with full-scale production of Brakspear bitter and special expected in June.

The changes are expected to lead to increased capacity for the fast-growing Hobgoblin brand, as well as for Circle Master, Fiddlers Elbow and seasonal cask ales, which are produced each month.