HAWKSHEAD BREWERY LTD
Mill Yard, Staveley,
Cumbria LA8 9LR
Tel: 01539 822644
Email: info@hawksheadbrewery.co.uk
Website: www.hawksheadbrewery.co.uk
Brewers: Alex Brodie, Stuart Crawford, Matthew Clarke.
Capacity: 20 barrel plant

Hawkshead Brewery was founded in 2002 by Alex Brodie, the BBC journalist and real ale enthusiast in a 17th Century barn outside Hawkshead, which had been derelict for 12 years. He had bought a home in the Lake District and would regularly visit between assignments. When the Times commissioned him to write a piece on brewing he did his research at the home of his favourite beer, Yates Bitter, by spending a couple of days working alongside Graeme Baxter. From there the idea of setting up his own brewery began to take root.

Although Alex got his practical training from Graeme Baxter, he received invaluable help and advice from David Smith, a brewing consultant based in York, who has helped dozens of microbreweries get started. David worked closely with Hawkshead in the first year and helped Alex to work out recipes for his early beers, for the tastes he wanted to achieve.

He began at Hawkshead with a 7 barrel brew plant. Its aim was to brew traditional beer styles with a modern twist. It must have hit the right note at once for it rapidly out grew its premises and in 2006 moved to its present site beside the River Kent in the village of Staveley which lies between Kendal & Windermere.

This new tailor made 20 barrel plant at Staveley Mill Yard is immediately connected to The Beer Hall, which is an innovative new brewery tap, dining room, dance hall and visitors’ centre (brewery tours available) & was built overlooking the brew house in late 2007. As from 1st March 2008 the original Brewery outside Hawkshead was given up by the Brewery and all production now carried out on the tailor-made 20 barrel plant at Staveley. Some of the original plant has been sold: to Grindlestone Brew House ( Clitheroe) and to the Cumbrian micro, Geltsdale

Hawkshead's HMCR Production Record for the calendar year, 2007, shows that Hawkshead Brewery produced some 2,700 brls, coming in just under the 3,000 brls per year limit for 50% beer duty, an average of 60 brls per week. The move to Staveley allowed the brakes to come off and in 2008 Hawkshead expects to go through the 3,000 brls p.a. barrier and thus will start paying higher beer duty, and under HM Customs and Revenue definitions will be classified not as a micro brewery but as a "local brewery.”

The growth of The Beer Hall has been a showcase for real ale. As campaigners for real ale, Hawkshead are encouraged by the large numbers of young people and women seen at the bar, preaching to the unconverted, and daily introducing new drinkers to real ale.

CAMRA members would be astonished at the age and gender profile of the audience attending Hawkshead’s beer festivals. The beer festivals will now be a fixture -- in February and July.

A first-floor walkway now links the brewery complex and the Beer Hall with Wilf’s Café next door; a renowned well used café where quality food is also available for visitors to take into the Beer Hall.

Hawkshead beers, which now are delivered directly throughout Cumbria and The North West, are becoming a very well known brand through both pubs and bottled outlets but its heartland remains South Lakeland. Hawkshead has won several awards at annual SIBA (Society of Independent Brewers) blind tasting beer competitions, including Champion Best Bitter of Britain, 2005, with Lakeland Gold.

To many local beer enthusiasts Hawkhead beers are characterised by their hoppy tastes and clarity. This is a brewery that produces a range of beers to suit most palates and is not afraid to experiment with excellent special brews.

REGULAR BEERS

Bitter (OG 1037, ABV 3.7%)
A pale, hoppy, fruity and bitter session ale, with the distinctive aroma of Slovenian Styrian Golding hops.

Red (OG 1041, ABV 4.2%) also bottled at 4.4%.
A Red Ale, malty and spicy, bitter-sweet with a long dry finish.

Lakeland Gold (OG 1043, ABV 4.4%) also bottled.
A Golden Ale, very hoppy, bitter, with big fruit flavours from English First Gold and American Cascade hops. Champion Best Bitter, SIBA National, 2005.

Brodie’s Prime (OG 1048, ABV 4.9%) also bottled.
A dark premium beer, a roasted stout-like edge, is followed by surprising fruit flavours from a medley of hops including Bramling Cross and Cascade.

SEASONAL AND OCCASIONAL BEERS:

Lakeland Lager (OG 1045, ABV 5.0%) also bottled 330ml.
A very pale, dry, pilsner-style beer, made with lager malt and wheat, Hawkshead’s ale yeast, and 3 varieties of European lager hops -- a cask conditioned lager.

U.P.A. - Ulverston Pale Ale (OG 1041, ABV 4.1%)
A fruity very pale beer, made with a little wheat and 3 English hops, two traditional and one modern.

Damson Stout (ABV varies)
Oatmeal stout enriched with Cumbrian damsons. Brewed & bottled in 2007 at 4.3% ABV. A high gravity long-maturing version planned – a work in progress.