November, a new brewery, flooding, and new beer

Following four days of heavy rain last week, Bitter End Brewing Co's new brewery site to which we moved less than one month ago -Derwent Mills, in Cockermouth was surrounded by floodwater and inaccessible to those without water skis, or an ark.

We waded across on Friday, as the water level began to fall, in order to asses the extent of the damage, and I am relieved to report that the new premesis resisted the best attempts of the river to get in and very little damage occured -We're very fortunate that the brewery is housed a hundred yards upstream of the confluence of the Derwent and Cocker where the worst flooding took place. Had we been a few yards downstream it could have been a very different story.


We've been brewing fine beers again this week for bottle and for cask, and remain open for business. It's strange to be cut-off from the town -the only foot bridge washed away and the road bridge closed, pending structural assesment.


There have been some exciting developments at the brewery in recent weeks of which I will do my best to keep you abreast off...the development of our first ever India Pale Ale -Lakeland IPA -5.5%ABV -get down to the Round Table Beer festival in Cockermouth next weekend for a taste. Keep your eyes open for a special bottled version too!

In addition to IPA, there will also be two more additional brews available at your local farmers' market or foodhall -Visit www.bitterendbrewingco.com for detail and more of the latest news.

'Special brew' and bottled beer

Firstly, may I say how good it is to be in touch and with excellent news after some period of time. The brewery has been operating at full steam for the better part of the last three months -mash tun full of the finest English malted barley Thomas Fawcetts can supply, copper boiling all steam and hops, fermenters fermenting, casks rolling. So now it is that I am able to grab a moment to let you know what has been going on.

Brewing through the heatwave last month was fun, and visitors to the pub will have sampled the thirst quenchingly pale 'Grasp the Nettle' all though June -a seasonal special back by popular demand after it was so well recieved last year. Also a brand new beer, Bitter End Wheat Beer has been available, and so good was the response from customers at the pub that we immediately brewed a second gyle of it. Here's a snap of the whole-flower hops in the hop back before running into the FV last week:



If you missed these beers however, do not dispair! After some months of pilot brewing I can present to you the first two bottled beers from our bottled beer portfolio -straight from the bottling line and 3 weeks conditioning, Lakeland Bitter and Lakeland Pale Ale ever popular at the Bitter End, and now also on your dinner table, infact anywhere you want for that matter....



...and keep your eyes peeled for very special one-off beers available only in the bottle. Something certainly to look forward to -keep an eye out at your local co-op...plans are also afoot for an online beer shop via www.bitterend.co.uk so fear not readers in the United States, but more on that later!