The Best Breweries in the UK
If there’s one thing we’re sure of, it’s that Britain knows its beer. There are loads of things our idyllic island should be proud of, but the 1,400 breweries lining our stunning shores is undoubtedly one of the best. The thing is, with so many stupendous brewers cooking up batch after batch of brilliant booze, it can be hard to know where to look for a particularly special pint of suds.
Well, at SnapTrip, we’ve got you covered. With national drink beer day just around the corner, we thought it was our duty to help you celebrate in style, and let you know our picks for the best breweries in Britain. If you see anywhere you like, why not make a trip of it, and book one of our incredible holiday cottages nearby. If you’re dreaming of a UK getaway but have left everything a little late, worry not, just check out our selection of last-minute cottages.
Harvey’s Brewery
Location: Harvey and Son, Lewes, BN7 2AH
Contact details: 01273 480 209
Must try beer: Sussex Best Bitter
The pride of Sussex. This fantastic family brewing company is home to one of the best-known beers in the UK. Renowned throughout the South East for their excellent selection of traditional craft beers, their core cask ale really does live up to its name as ‘Sussex Best’ bitter. As the oldest independent brewery in the county, this lovely local spot is steeped in history, not to mention more than its fair share of quality beers.
Well worth a stop off if you’re in the area, if you can’t make it down but want to check them out, why not visit their website, which features a 360 degree tour of their fully-stocked shop. We aren’t lying when we say that this quaint country brewery produces some of our favourite beers in the UK, but you don’t have to take our word for it! We’re not the only ones raving about this quaint countryside gem, as this year it will be featuring in East Sussex’s biggest beer-based celebration – The Eastbourne Beer Festival. Why not head down and immerse yourself in all the wild fermentation fun, by booking one of our Eastbourne holiday cottages nearby.
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Purity Beers
Location: Upper Spernall Farm, Alcester, B49 6JF
Contact details: 01789 488007
Must try beer: Longhorn Unfiltered IPA
When this wholesome Warwickshire brewing company set out, their mission was simple: to craft great beer with a conscience. To make a brew that was as good for the environment, as it was for our taste buds. Years later, this eco-conscious fermenter has more than achieved its goals. Their brewery uses the latest energy-saving technology, their on-site packaging saves hundreds of miles in air-travel, and any excess products from the brewing process are fed straight back into the ecosystem, helping to enrich the earth from which they came.
What they’ve also managed to do along the way, however, is pick up an absolutely tremendous selection of awards. Home of the officially named World’s Best Amber Ale and the World’s Best German Style Lager, these delicious beers really do speak for themselves. But don’t take our word for it, why not book yourself onto one of their brilliant brewery tours and judge these brews for yourself. Better yet, why not make a trip of it, and check out our selection of Warwickshire holiday cottages nearby.
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Jennings Castle Brewery
Location: Brewery Ln, Cockermouth CA13 9NE
Contact details: 01900 820362
Must try beer: Sneck Lifter
If you’ve been doing anything for over 160 years, you’re sure to be pretty good at it, and this top-notch traditional brewery is no exception. Nestled in the heart of the Lake District, Jennings has been using the same, time-tested methods to make its delicious drinks for over a century and a half. And let’s hope they never change, as they’ve knocked out countless batches of award-winning ales.
Proudly using only the finest raw materials, many plucked from the surrounding countryside, they are Cumbria’s last remaining major brewery. But what makes their brew so special? Well, all the water in their beer is drawn from a unique well within the brewery, giving every one of their large and small batches that distinctive Jennings taste. If you want to check out this, and their many other super brewing secrets, why not take a trip, and book one of our Lake District holiday cottages nearby.
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Black Sheep Brewery
Location: Wellgarth House, Ripon HG4 4EN
Contact details: 01765 689227
Must try beer: Pineapple Milkshake IPA
Any brewer who, alongside an award-winning selection of traditional ales, offers Limoncello Sour, Milk Stout, and Pineapple Milkshake IPA, definitely deserves a shout out. This innovative and imaginative brewery has certainly earned its name as the ‘black sheep’ of the brewing community. Nestled in the depths of North Yorkshire, these rule-breakers have come a long way.
Founded in 1992, their founder and creator is the latest in five generations of beer makers, and you can certainly tell. The deep, rich flavour in every one of their sumptuous servings of suds can only come from years of experience. One of the best breweries to visit, their tours are determined to be entertaining and begin in a specially refurbished visitors centre, where you can enjoy a hefty helping of home-cooked food. So why not head on over, and book one of our North Yorkshire holiday cottages nearby.
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Skinner’s Brewery
Location: Newham Rd, Truro, TR1 2DP
Contact details: 01872 271885
Must try beer: Lushingtons
Steve Skinner had a simple goal; to set up a quality community brewery on the banks of the Truro River. Two decades, countless barrels and hundreds of awards later, it’s safe to say that Steve is living his dream in style. With the help of his head brewer Simon Lewis and their small, family-orientated team of beer brewing professionals, this quintessentially Cornish business has a reputation as one of the best breweries in the South West.
Home to award-winning pale ales, cracking cask beers, superb stouts and brilliant bitters, you’d be a fool not to join one their daily brewery tours, which end with a trip to the tap-room for a terrific tasting session, where you can sample their stupendous styles of beer. Of course, nothing pairs better with their selection of wonderful wild beer than a view of the Cornish countryside. Why not try this delightful duo out for yourself, and book one of our Cornwall holiday cottages nearby.
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Northern Monk
Location: Marshalls Mill, Leeds LS11 9YJ
Contact details: 0113 243 0003
Must try beer: Northern Monk Imperial Stout
Back to Yorkshire again, for this relative newbie on the brewing scene. Set inside a Grade II listed mill in Yorkshire, beer aside, this independent craft brewery is a sight to behold. Bringing out their first brew, a sumptuous and seriously strong 6.2% IPA in 2013, this innovative young company has already managed to whip out a vast variety of beers. Their impressive selection ranges from a 9% Imperial Stout, all the way down to a range of delightfully drinkable sessions at 3.7%.
As a modern brewer, it’s no surprise that their methods aim to break the mould. Taking the very best elements from international brewers in the US, tradition and history from the UK, and even some of the finer points of monastic brewing, these imaginative beer makers manage to cook up some truly unique flavours. But don’t just read about it, get down there and sample some suds for yourself. Their terrific taproom houses all of the best creation. So why not visit, and book one of our Yorkshire holiday cottages nearby.
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Bonus brewery… (because there’s always room for more!)
Location: Bencombe Farm, Marlow Bottom, Marlow SL7 3LT
Contact details: 01628 476594
Must try beer: Rebellion IPA
Our head of marketing said we had to add this iconic independent brewing company because it’s his favourite: The Rebellion Brewery. After the closure of the famous Wethered’s Brewery in 1988, this medium-sized micro-brewery revived Marlow’s brewing scene just five years later. Committed to producing a wide range of beers that offers something for every drinker, their brewing style involved combining only three elements: Premium ingredients, traditional methods and modern technology.
While the ethos might be simple, their range of fantastic flavours certainly isn’t. But don’t take our, or rather or head of marketing’s word for it. Head on over, taste these terrific flavours, and book one of our Buckinghamshire holiday cottages nearby.
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