A NEW brewery with a strong Belgian influence is opening in Hampshire.

Unity, which launches next month, will be Southampton’s only commercial brewery.

At present Unity is a one-man band.

Jimmy Hatherley, is not only the head brewer, he’s also responsible for marketing, bottling and delivery.

Jimmy, 33, worked at Camden Town Brewery and Earl’s Brewery in Islington before returning to his hometown of Southampton in 2015.

After a stint at Red Cat brewery in Winchester and Romsey’s Flack Manor, he is now fulfilling an ambition to be his own boss.

He has five years’ experience in the brewing industry and started out in sales and marketing.

“I was more interested in making than selling it – now I do both!”

To start, Unity will produce around 1,600 pints per week – which will be on sale in local bars, restaurants and bottle shops, as well as the taproom at the brewery on the Belgrave Industrial estate in Portswood.

The beer will be Belgian and American-influenced and the core range will include a pale ale, a saison and a table beer. There will also be special seasonal and one-off brews.

Jimmy said he fell in love with Belgian beer on a trip to Europe with his father at the age of 19.

The saison beer is based on a Belgian farmhouse style beer which agricultural workers would brew in the winter, while there was little work in the fields, ready for drinking come harvest time.

The table beer is based on the brew produce by Trappist monks to accompany food, which is traditionally not to so strong as other beers in Belgium.

“We’re proud to become one of the city’s only breweries and to play our part in Southampton’s booming craft beer scene,” he said.says founder and head brewer Jimmy Hatherley.

He adds: “We believe in the collaborative culture the beer industry is known for, and will be working with other breweries, organisations and customers as part of our mission to not only make delicious, interesting beer, but also to have a good time doing it.”

A launch party for Unity is on Friday, December 2, at The Rockstone in Beovis Valley from 7pm.

This will see the first release of four Unity beers, plus a meet-the-brewer session.

The Rockstone’s head chef Bolo Hooper has created a special food menu to match the beers.

The brewery taproom will then be open to the public from December 3. Opening hours will 4-9pm Thursdays and Fridays and midday to 9pm Saturdays.