By Sue Crawford

Last updated at 12:16, Thursday, 07 March 2013

For a quarter of a century the heady smell of hops has enticed drinkers to the Cumbrian fells.

Pint of beer

Tucked away behind the Old Crown pub in Hesket Newmarket, the village’s world-fabled brewery has produced pints for some of the world’s most discerning real ale fans.

Beers named after the Lake District’s best-known mountains have jostled with those made for special occasions including Doris’s 90th birthday ale.

Now the brewery has launched another special beer – to mark its own 25th anniversary.

“XXV” is an American style IPA, said by its brewers to balance citrus flavours and aromas from special hops.

It will be available exclusively in the Old Crown for one week and then in other hostelries in Cumbria.

The business, one of the longest-established micro-breweries in Cumbria, was founded by the late Jim Fearnley in 1988 and officially opened by Sir Chris Bonington in April of that year.

Jim decided to retire in 1999 and a group of real ale enthusiasts came together to work out how best to ensure the survival of the brewery in the village.

This led to the creation of the Hesket Newmarket Brewery Co-operative, a community enterprise which now has more than 100 shareholders.

The brewery produces a wide range of real ales, most of which are named Lakeland fells including Scafell Blonde, Helvellyn Gold, Haystacks and Skiddaw bitter. Richard Lowth, chairman of the co-operative, said: “We are very proud of the brewery’s reputation for consistently good quality and our real ales have won numerous awards over the years.

“Most recently, Black Sail, a smooth, rich stout. was voted Beer of the Year by the Solway branch of Camra.

“Competition is tough in the real ale market with many micro-breweries operating in Cumbria as well as some big producers.

“Everyone knows a pub that has closed recently due to the economic downturn and other factors. Nevertheless, we have just had two years with record sales and expect our business to continue to do well.”

First published at 12:11, Thursday, 07 March 2013
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk