Tenuous link incoming! I’ve already mentioned Alnwick Castle in a another article, and a certain Henry Percy (Harry Hotspur) was born there in 1364. I mention this because Alnwick Brewery, where His Nibs and I had just arrived for a tour, is owned by Harry Hotspur Holdings. Another fun fact: the Percy family’s lion crest is the brewery’s emblem – I love a local history link, don’t you?
Alnwick Brewery opened in 2006 on the site of a former turkey farm (!), though its taproom didn’t come to life until 2023. Walking into the taproom (having parked the jalopy in the ample on-site car park), we were greeted by the lovely Phillippa and served our choice of beer to wet our whistles before we went upstairs to the actual brewery.
Whilst we were supping, Phillippa gave us a whistle-stop guide to brewing; the main four elements are: hops, barley, yeast and water. Housed in Alnwick Brewery half-pint glasses, we were handed some barley/malt to sniff and sample; how much the grains are roasted determines the style and flavour of the beer produced.
The pale ale malt was very much like Ovaltine or Maltesers, Crystal 150 was lightly roasted and had a caramel/toffee note to it, and the chocolate malt (whilst not the strongest one around) was like burnt toast, used in the production of tipples like dark ales or stouts.
Having sniffed and sampled the malts, our attention turned to the hops. There are a multitude of types, but the main ones used at Alnwick Brewery are Pilgrim, Bramling Cross, and Mosaic (Mosaic is the only American hop variety used here). I was expecting to see the hop flowers, which we did, but then Phillippa brought out hop pellets; apparently these are more convenient and uniform in the brewing process.
Concluding her ‘spiel’, and refreshing our glasses (mine’s an Earl Grey IPA, please), it was time to head upstairs to meet brewer and owner Phil. Phil was a mine of information, as Phillippa had been, and explained the timings, temperatures, and techniques in the brewing process as we passed the various barrels used in the production of Alnwick Brewery’s various offerings. Each week, this team produces about 100 kegs and 400–600 cases (of 12 bottles); sounds a lot but, as fast as they can produce it, it flies out of the stockroom! Testament to its quality and popularity.
Merch is available in the taproom, and if they don’t have what you want in stock, ping them a message and they will happily order in what you require. The taproom is open seasonally from 1 April to 1 October: Monday–Thursday, 11am–6pm; Friday, 11am–9pm; Saturday, noon–8pm; and Sunday, noon–6pm. Regular live music and quizzes are featured, as well as their own food daily and street food weekly.
Multi-award-winning for its libations (available in cask, canned, and bottled forms), this venue is more than worth a visit – Hot Wings given here!!
To find out more, book a brewery experience or order beers to enjoy at home, visit alnwickbrewery.co.uk.
We were invited to visit here as part of our press trip organised by Experience North East England, supported by NewcastleGateshead, Visit Northumberland and Visit County Durham.
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