Dave Wickett, who has died from cancer aged 64, played a key role in the British micro-brewing movement and was instrumental in the return of brewing to Sheffield. He ran the Fat Cat pub in the city and added the Kelham Island Brewery, both of which achieved renown.

Wickett was born in Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, but spent most of his life in Sheffield. He graduated from Sheffield University in 1976 and became a lecturer in economics at the city's polytechnic. An early member of the Campaign for Real Ale (Camra), he served on its industry and economics committee, which produced detailed reports on the anti-competitive activities of national brewers.

In 1981, while still a lecturer, he bought a pub in Sheffield, the Alma, which he reopened as the Fat Cat. It seemed a foolhardy move. The pub was dedicated to cask ale at a time when big brewers dominated the market with keg beer. Sheffield was losing its steel industry and, as a result, four major breweries in the city had closed. But Wickett had touched a chord. There were sufficient beer lovers left to turn the Fat Cat into such a success that in 1990 he launched the Kelham Island Brewery next door.

The demands of pub and brewery enabled him to give up what he called "the dismal science of economics". His first beer was a traditional best bitter but he achieved national success with one of the first of the new breed of golden ales, Pale Rider, which won Camra's 2004 champion beer of Britain award.

The acclaim forced Wickett in 1999 to build a new brewery with five times the capacity of the original plant, which included a museum and visitor centre. The timing was right as the industry and the pub scene were changing dramatically. An earlier report by the Monopolies and Mergers Commission into Britain's big brewers had criticised their anti-competitive and price-fixing practices. As a result, the Thatcher government brought in the Beer Orders, which forced the big brewers to stock guest beers from smaller producers. Kelham Island flourished as a result and Wickett was able turn Pale Rider into a beer available throughout Britain.

In 2007 he moved the brewery yet again, to a bigger site, but still within yards of the Fat Cat. With an American business partner, he launched the Old Toad pub in Rochester, New York, which was dedicated to American craft beers, while back home he was a consultant to the new Thornbridge Brewery in Derbyshire.

In January 2010 Wickett was diagnosed with bone cancer. He threw himself into a whirlwind of activity, opening a new brewery at Welbeck Abbey in Nottinghamshire. He also helped develop a department of molecular biology and biotechnology at Sheffield University to run postgraduate courses in brewing. In 2011 he was awarded the Professor Robert Boucher Distinguished Alumni award by the university and in the same year was given a lifetime achievement award by the Commons all-party parliamentary beer group.

In his spare time, Wickett was a committed supporter of Sheffield United FC. He contributed to match programmes and continued to attend games in his wheelchair until he became too ill.

He is survived by his wife, Helen, and son, Edward.

• David Mark Wickett, brewer, born 24 May 1947; died 16 May 2012