Revolution In Cumbria

There's a small beer revolution going on in one of the remotest parts of England. The village of Hesket Newmarket in Cumbria has a bus once a week, and the nearest rail link at Penrith demands a long drive along narrow, twisting country lanes.

But one Wednesday evening in April 2008, the village was buzzing. Mud-spattered and even snow- spattered cars lined the streets. When I walked round the back of the only pub in the village, the Old Crown, its small brewery was packed to the proverbial gunwales. A celebration was under way and it was considered of sufficient importance for Prince Charles to send a message of congratulations.

Right: celebration party in full swing

The Hesket Newmarket Brewery is unique. It's not only owned by the villagers but it's also a co-operative. All the shareholders own one share each and they can't cash them in for personal gain but can only hand them back to the co-op. The owners have rejected the offer of cash dividends and receive their annual pay-out in the best possible way free beer in the Old Crown.

But the villagers were determined to save both the brewery and the last pub in the village. They formed the co-op, a democratically-run community enterprise. The co-op hired a professional brewer and the quality of the ale started to spread. The beers won prizes at local Campaign for Real Ale festivals and a network of other pubs in Cumbria started to take the beers.

When the first brewer moved on, the co-op recruited Mike Parker, a former brewer with Bass. Mike used his skill and experience to improve the quality and consistency of the beers and he added to the range. There are now 10 regular beers and most of them take their names from local mountains and fells, as in Sca Fell Blonde, Catbells Pale Ale, Blencathra Bitter and Skiddaw Special.

The brewery has expanded, with smart new equipment that allows10 barrels a week to be produced. It now has 20 regular outlets for the beer apart from the Old Crown and a further 20 pubs take the beers on an occasional basis. Six of the beers are now available in bottle-conditioned form but they are sold either from the brewery or from specialist shops in Cumbria: the co-op voted not to get involved with supermarkets with their insatiable demand for deep discounts.

Pub and brewery are deeply rooted in their community. When the Fearnleys decided to retire completely, the Old Crown was also saved from closure by the creation of a second co-op. In 2004 Prince Charles visited Hesket Newmarket to officially open the brewery extension. He also toured the Old Crown as part of his commitment to saving rural pubs through his Pub is the Hub initiative. He returned in 2007 to see the new equipment installed to produce bottled beers.

The term villager has taken on a new meaning in Hesket Newmarket. Some of the shareholders in both pub and brewery live far from Cumbria. There are supporters in the United States and one shareholder, Peter Krugmann, regularly comes from Cologne in Germany to attend meetings. He was present in April, brandishing a copy of the Good Beer Guide, supping a pint or two and saying that English ale was superior to German lager.

The beers are superb and, with an irony not lost on Peter Krugmann, meet the strictures of the German pure beer law: they are made only with malt, hops, yeast and water. They have a rich and inviting aroma and flavour of biscuity malt and tangy hops. A new beer launched for the occasion, XX 20th Anniversary Ale at 5.1%, is a fine example of a true India Pale Ale, bursting with juicy malt and citrus flavours from imported American hops.

This is a marvellous local enterprise. The control exercised by the community creates great passion for the products and the pub. Hesket Newmarket may be almost off the map but it's pointing the way for how beer is produced and our pubs are run in the future.

Bottled beers

The beers are bottle conditioned. Following fermentation, they are filtered and re-seeded with fresh yeast. It's essential they are left to stand for at least 48 hours before consuming them: if they are opened and drunk too quickly they will be cloudy and will have off-flavours. 72 hours would be even better.

Scafell Blonde (4.3%) Brewed with pale and lager malts and hopped with Cascade (US), Challenger, Goldings and Styrian Goldings varieties. Pilsner-pale colour with a fruity, pear-drop aroma balanced by hops resins and biscuity malt. Bitter hops, sappy malt and ripe fruit dominate the palate followed by a light but quenching finish that becomes dry, gently bitter and fruity.

Catbells (5%) Brewed with 100% pale malt and hopped with Cascade, Challenger, Goldings and Styrian Goldings varieties. A straw-coloured beer with spicy hop, citrus fruit and biscuity malt on the aroma. Tangy, bitter hops, tart fruit and juicy malt fill the mouth with a dry, bitter and hoppy finish that is balanced by fruity and biscuity malt.

Old Carrock (6%) Brewed with pale, crystal and chocolate malts and hopped with First Gold, Goldings and Styrian Goldings varieties. An amber/red beer with an intensely fruity (raisins and sultanas) aroma with woody and earthy hop notes. Dark vine fruits, roasted grain, a hint of chocolate and hop resins fill the mouth while the finish becomes dry with ripe, dark fruit, roasted malt and bitter hops.

Haystacks (3.7%) Brewed with 100% pale malt and hopped with Cascade, Goldings, Northdown and Pioneer varieties. A pale bronze beer with pear fruit on the aroma along with hop resins and rich malt. Intense hop bitterness builds in the mouth, with tangy fruit and juicy malt. The long, dry and hoppy finish is balanced by tart fruit and biscuity malt.

High Pike (4.2%) Brewed with pale, crystal and chocolate malts and hopped with Fuggles, Goldings, German Hallertau and Styrian Goldings varieties. An amber/red beer with a big vine fruits and dark malt aroma. Bitter hops break through in the mouth, balanced by tart fruit, juicy malt and a chocolate note from the dark malt. The finish is bitter, with hops, tangy fruit and rich grain, with a hint of chocolate.

Doris' 90th Birthday Ale (4.3%) Brewed with pale and crystal malts and hopped with Challenger, First Gold, Fuggles, German Hallertau and Styrian Goldings varieties. A gold/red beer with a fruity, blood oranges aroma, with earthy hop notes and nutty malt. The palate is bittersweet and bursts with tart orange fruit, rich malt and hop resins. The finish starts bittersweet but becomes dry, hoppy and biscuity, with a continuing tart fruit note.

*A pack of the six beers costs 12 plus postage direct from the brewery: 016974 78066; hesketbrewery.co.uk. The beers are also on sale in Cranston's store in Penrith.