In honour of National Beer Day on Wednesday, here's a look at some of the finest brewing talent our county currently has to offer.
In 2015, the Department for Communities and Local Government announced that Britain had become a 'brewing powerhouse' and revealed that a new brewery was opening up across the country every other day. Many of these great breweries can be found around Norfolk. Here are ten of the best:
• Panther Brewery, Reepham
Since opening in late 2010, this North Norfolk based microbrewery and its real ale with a bite has proved to be popular with locals and tourists alike. Panther Brewery creates artisan beer in eight full flavour breeds, including the award-winning Golden Panther with refreshing citrus flavours, Black Panther stout and Pink Panther, a Belgian style fruity beer.
www.pantherbrewery.co.uk/• The Norfolk Brewhouse, Hindringham
Owned and run by Rachel and David Holliday, The Norfolk Brewhouse is using locally grown barley and water drawn from their own chalk well to make their real ales and lagers. Their Moon Gazer Ale, a name which has been inspired by the hares that live on the Holliday's farm, is available in five styles: Golden, Amber, Dark, Ruby and Gold IPA. Most recently they have also added Moon Gazer HopBean IPA to the range which was brewed specially for City of Ale 2016 in collaboration with Poppyland Brewery and Grey Seal Coffee. The Norfolk Brewhouse also craft two lagers - StubbleStag and DewHopper.
www.norfolkbrewhouse.co.uk/• Jo C's Norfolk Ale, Fakenham
Taking inspiration from Medieval England's 'alewives', Jo Coubrough decided to start her own brewery in rural North Norfolk where she was able to get her hands on some of the area's malting barley. Jo C's (pronounced Josie's) currently produces three award-winning beers: Norfolk Kiwi, blended with locally grown barley and New Zealand hops and named after Jo's husband, a New Zealand native, Bitter Old Bustard, a smooth malt with nutty flavours and Knot Just Another IPA, a traditional style IPA made with British Boadicea hops.
www.jocsnorfolkale.co.uk/• The Fat Cat Brewing Company, Norwich
Established in Norwich in 2005 by Colin Keatley, The Fat Cat Brewery has a range of beers all of which are crafted with locally grown Maris Otter barley. This selection includes the Fat Cat Bitter, Meow Mild, Honey Ale, India Pale Ale, Fat Cat Stout and the Champion Beer of Norfolk 2016, Marmalade Cat, a copper ale that mixes English pale malt with Munich malt.
www.fatcatbrewery.co.uk• Brancaster Brewery, Brancaster Staithe
Brancaster Brewery is working to keep a tradition alive in a village that is steeped in brewing history by producing real ales from regional produce. The five-barrel brewery makes bottle conditioned ale in small batches, with their staple ales being Brancaster Best, Oyster Catcher, Malthouse Bitter, The Wreck and recently added Sharpie K12.
www.brancasterbrewery.co.uk• The Wolf Brewery, Besthorpe
Originally founded in 1995 by Wolfe Whitham on the old Gaymers Cider site in Attleborough, The Wolf Brewery moved to a new, lager, brewplant in 2006 before settling at a site on Decoy Farm in Besthorpe in 2013. With 12 different ales available all year round and a further four ales on offer seasonally, Wolf Brewery offers something for all ale lovers. Their range includes Granny Wouldn't Like it, a dark and fruity drink, Edith Cavell, a hoppy beer brewed in memory of the British WWI nurse, and Lavender Honey, which contains honey from the Norfolk Lavender Company.
www.wolfbrewery.com• Humpty Dumpty Brewery, Reedham
Founded in 1998 and named after the GER Class T-19R steam locomotives that went from Norwich to Lowestoft in the early 20th century, Humpty Dumpty brews a range of core and seasonal 'cracking real ales' such as Broadland Sunrise, an orange-red ale with a dry finish, Norfolk Nectar, an ale infused with local honey and Bad Egg, a malty ale only available during the Easter period.
www.humptydumptybrewery.com• Chalk Hill Brewery, Norwich
Located on the site of The Coach & Horses, Chalk Hill Brewery is a 15 barrel plant which was originally established in 1993. The brewery produces six beers: Chalk Hill Gold, Old Tackle, Brewery Tap, Dreadnought, Flintknappers Mild and Chalk Hill Bitter which was voted 'beer of the festival' at Norwich Beer Festival three years in a row from 2001 to 2003.
www.thecoachthorperoad.co.uk/• All Day Brewing Company, Salle
Set up in 2014 on a farm in Salle, All Day Brewing is working hard to separate themselves from the crowd by malting their own barley and wheat as well as growing their own hops, herbs and fruit. They have three regular beers which are available all year round: All Day Breakfast, Drink Me and Stag Beetle, as well as three seasonal beers and a Green Hop Series.
www.alldaybrewing.co.uk/• Redwell Brewery, Bracondale
Despite the number of breweries in Norwich, Redwell has managed to make a name for itself thanks to the help of skilled brewers David Jones and David Subjak and their assistants Ben Wright and Bob Bullock. Established in 2013 the company produces lagers and American influenced craft beers and has six core drinks, the Kofra Stout, West Coast Pale Ale, White IPA, India Pale Lager, Pale Ale and Steam Lager.
www.redwellbrewing.com• Do you have a favourite Norfolk brewery? Let us know in the comments below.
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