breweries in cumbria...

In the past ten years, microbreweries have flourished in Cumbria. Combine spectacular surroundings with high quality ingredients, soft Cumbrian water and obsessive attention to detail and something special happens.

Cumbria's microbreweries all have distinct personalities, and that goes for the brewers and the beers. Dent Brewery's Paul Goodyear uses spring water straight from Rise Hill. Originally, Dent's ales were intended only for the local village, but demand for these award-winning ales spread far and wide.

Keswick Brewing Company is a small family-run business with quality and environmental issues at its heart. Ales have been brewed on site since 1875 and the brewery has now opened its doors to visitors with a fascinating tour (booking essential) and brewery shop.

Many microbreweries are run at the back of pubs like Loweswater and Great Gable breweries. Barngates Brewery at the Drunken Duck Inn near Ambleside gives its beers names like Tag Lag and Chesters after the pub's pets.

Coniston Brewery can be found behind the Black Bull in Coniston and in the village of Hesket Newmarket, the eponymous brewery at the Old Crown pub was set up by the villagers - a very tax efficient way to drink beer.

Hawkshead Brewery, now in new premises in Staveley, is owned and run by ex BBC correspondent Alex Brodie. Alex has set up a viewing gallery and beer hall where you can try all his ales. Bigger still is Jennings Brewery in Cockermouth. Take one of their excellent tours and learn all about how beer is made. At the end of it you get to sample some of Jennings hugely successful beers.

There are many more brewers who combine a passion for what they do with a love of the landscape. There's wonderful world of flavours, tradition and refreshment waiting for you in the Lake District and Cumbria.