The Lake Districts Best Breweries
The Lake District is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the UK. It’s also a great place for a holiday if you are a beer lover.
Between the rolling hills and lakes, there are several small, independent microbreweries from Hawkshead to Ulverston. Not only will you find some delicious and unusual beers on offer but there will be a warm welcome too. Here are just a few of our favourites:
Hawkshead Brewery
Set up in 2002, Hawkshead Brewery is the perfect place for beer lovers. You’ll find everything from cool pale ales to amazing IPAs on sale here. The Beer Hall is a brilliant place to spend the afternoon or evening and take in everything the Lake District has to offer while quaffing some exceptional ales.
Keswick Brewing Company
The company has recently developed an Anti-Imperial Stout to help raise money for Ukraine in these difficult times and it’s a business with strong ties to the local community. The Fox Tap & Beer shop is well worth a visit if you are spending any time in the Lake District. You can also order their beers online if you get a taste for them.
Hesket Newmarket Brewery
This is a small cooperative brewery with a niche craft beer set-up that was established in 1988. Their Scafell Blonde pale ale is a popular brew in the local area and the company is beginning to gain notoriety further afield with online deliveries.
Ulverston Brewing Company
With funky beer titles such as Laughing Gravy and Call of the Cuckoo, this is another great place to visit for the afternoon. The beers are sold across the region and are found in many pubs and bars. You can organise a brewery visit and a tasting by contacting the team directly.
Coniston Brewing Company
Located in the scenic Coniston hills near the Black Bull Pub, this is a longstanding local brewery with a wide range of ales to select from. Since the late 90s it’s won plenty of CAMRA awards and its reputation has spread far and wide around the world.
Ennerdale Brewery
If craft beers are your thing, then you’ll want to visit Ennerdale Brewery. It’s a family-owned concern that is making some great brews including the quirkily named Cable Guy and Star-Spangled Nanna.
One of the great things about local microbreweries such as these is they are always innovating and creating something new. Some cater to pubs and bars in the Lake District area, others have plans to expand their horizons. If you are a member of CAMRA or just someone who enjoys a real, authentic beer, then you won’t be disappointed.
These local breweries all offer something different when it comes to traditional ales to more modern craft beers. There is literally something for everyone to enjoy. Combine this with the stunning scenery and abundance of outdoor activities we already associated with the Lake District, and you have the perfect place to relax and enjoy a cold beer.
