Cockermouth

Jennings have been brewing traditional beers for 160 years, and still use the same traditional methods that were used by their founder as long ago as 1828, in the village of Lorton. In 1874 the brewery moved to a site at the foot of Cockermouth Castle, at the confluence of the River Cocker and River Derwent, a site which was influenced by the availability of pure and plentiful water from the Castle well.

The well has supplied the Castle with pure water since around the time of the Norman Conquest, and helps to give Jennings ales their distinctive savour

Jennings is Cumbria's last remaining independant brewery, and has a policy of continuing to use the traditional, time-honoured brewing methods using only the finest, British-produced raw materials for which the Company has long been famous among knowledgeable beer drinkers.

Jennings owns over 100 public houses in the North of England, but its largest market is the free trade.

The vast majority of Jennings' ales are sold in cask-conditioned form - 'Real Ale', the main characteristic of which is that the brew is 'still alive', and continues a secondary fermentation after it is casked.

A 1.5 hour tour takes you round the Jennings Brewery, explaining such intriguing brewery expressions as Hop Back and Mash Tun (below).
The tour is completed in the best way possible with the chance to sample some ale, the famous Jennings Bitter noted for its malty taste, Cocker Hoop, Cumberland Ale or the strong Sneck Lifter.
There is a shop selling various products from the brewery, and some 30 other items of Jennings merchandise, including the famous alternative WI calender. All the goods are also available by mail order.

Jennings are sponsors of various sporting and cultural events, including the Kirkgate Centre in Cockermouth, and the new Theatre by the Lake in Keswick.

For more information see www.jenningsbrewery.co.uk