Northants Breweries

As well as many excellent pubs that serve excellent beer, Northamptonshire is home to several quality breweries which supply a range of real ales to pubs and beer festivals around Britain. (For producers of real cider and perry see the Real Cider page.)

Beer Barrels by 'janusz l': http://www.flickr.com/photos/januszbc/
Some beers still come in wood.

With the exception of Carlsberg (which does not produce real ale), all the breweries in the county are Microbreweries which produce limited amount of beer compared to the national chains.

Some of the beers are brewed all year round, while many are seasonal beers that are only brewed at certain times of the year. There are also some "one-off" special beers that were brewed to mark an occasion that only had one or two limited production runs. Some pubs may specialise in serving beers from local breweries, for example: the Hatton Arms in Gretton is the official "brewery tap" for the Great Oakley Brewery.

Cherwell Valley Brewery

Cherwell Valley Brewery is situated in the pleasant market town of Brackley, and is the first brewery in the town since the 1970s when there was a very short lived brewery called Old Mill. Previously to that Hopcraft and Norris ceased brewing in 1959, having commenced production in 1843.

Beer name ABV Notes
Cherwell Valley Best 3.5% Darkest of the current three Cherwell beers. An easy drinking session beer.
Cropredy Bridge 1644 4.2% A copper coloured beer with a sweetish malty nose. The taste has sweet flavours and some biscuity malt.
Lark Rise 4.0% A clean tasting golden beer with a hint of citrus.
Address:
Cherwell Valley Brewery
Unit 2 St. Davids Court,
Top Station Road,
Brackley
NN13 7UG
(01280) 706888
Location Map

Web Link: Cherwell Valley Brewery.

Digfield Brewery

Digfield Brewery started brewing February 2006, using a 5 Barrel plant supplied by Parish Brewery.

Beer name ABV Notes
Fool's Nook 3.8%  
Barnwell Bitter & Twisted 3.9%  
Barnwell Bitter 4.0%  
New Brew 4.4%  
Shacklebush 4.5%  
Mad Monk 4.7%  
March Hare 4.7%  
Address:
Digfield Ales,
North Lodge Farm,
Thurning Road,
Barnwell
PE8 5RJ
(01832) 293295
Location Map

Web Link:Digfield Brewery Website (none at present)

Frog Island Brewery

The Frog Island Brewery was established in 1994 in one of the few Maltings buildings that still survive in Northampton. The brewery is close to an area of Northampton that has long been known by the nickname of "Frog Island" as it has always been prone to flooding.

Beer name ABV Notes
Fuggled Frog 3.5% Discontinued - not currently in production.
Best Bitter 3.8% A pale brown beer with English Marris Otter pale malt, crystal malt and wheat malt.
Shoemaker 4.2% A copper-coloured beer with an aroma of roasted malt and a hint of passion fruit.
Natterjack 4.8% A golden, smooth-drinking beer with a sweet, hoppy aroma from Target and Goldings hops.
Fire-Bellied Toad 5.0% A pale ale which exhibits the full aroma, flavour and bitterness characteristics of English Phoenix hops.
Croak & Stagger 5.6% A dark, full flavoured beer. Voted Supreme Champion by the Society of Independent Brewers in 2004.
Address:
Frog Island Brewery,
The Maltings,
Westbridge,
St James Road,
Northampton
NN5 5HS
(01604) 587772
Location Map

Web Link: Frog Island Brewery

Great Oakley Brewery

The Great Oakley Brewery, founded by Mike Evans and Phil Greenway in 2005, is a five-barrel plant located in the heart of the Northamptonshire countryside at Bridge Farm, Great Oakley (near Corby).

Currently, two pubs in Northamptonshire serve Great Oakley's beers as part of their permanent range: the Malt Shovel Tavern in Northampton and the Hatton Arms in Gretton.

Beer name ABV Notes
Welland Valley Mild 3.6% Dark and flavoursome with a slight roast taste.
Wot's Occurring 3.9% Golden session bitter with a bitter sweet mouth feel with a subtle hop finish
Wagtail 3.9% Straw coloured bitter — CAMRA Herts and Essex Borders Beer of Festival 2007.
Harpers 4.3% Traditional English mid-brown bitter with a malty taste and hints of chocolate and citrus.
Gobble 4.5% A straw-coloured beer with a large smack of hops at the end.
Delapre Dark 4.6% A black old ale with full flavour made from 5 different malts.
Tailshaker 5.0% A complex, full bodied golden ale with a great depth of flavour.
Wobbly Santa 4.8% A dark and delicious seasonal ale — a Christmas pudding of a beer.
Address:
Bridge Farm,
11 Brooke Road,
Great Oakley,
Near Corby
NN18 8HG
(01536) 744888
Location Map

Web Link: Great Oakley Brewery


Hoggleys Brewery

Hoggleys brewer Roy Crutchley began brewing buying tins of concentrate from the local brewshop. After a number of years, he decided to look into full mash brewing. The brewery officially began in 2003 when a licence was applied for, planning permissions were applied for, environmental health were contacted etc. The first beer to be sold was Northamptonshire Bitter and was brewed using the simplest of recipes, pale malt only and a combination of Northdown and Fuggles. This was served up at the Alexandra Arms in Kettering amid great publicity from local press, regional television and national press (the brewery was even a factoid on Radio 2).

Back in 2003 when the brewery first went commercial, it was largely regarded as the smallest licensed brewery in Britain; this is no longer the case. After expanding from the original half barrel run to a one and a half barrel plant it has, since August 2006, become a full-time brewery running an eight barrel plant based in Litchborough in South Northants.

Beer name ABV Notes
Northamptonshire Bitter 4.0% A rich golden beer has intense but well rounded, refreshing bitterness.
Kislingbury Bitter 4.0% A complex beer with deep malty tones balanced with a fresh hoppy finish.
Reservoir Hogs 4.3% Deep dryness and strong bitterness followed by a sweetening aftertaste of dark malt.
Mill Lane Mild 4.0% A dark mild full of malt with chocolate undertones and light hopping. Joint Winner - Milton Keynes Beer Festival 2004/05.
Solstice Stout 5.0% A rich full flavoured stout made with a wide range of malts - brewed all year round by popular demand.
New Brewery Bitter 3.6% A deep golden session beer, offering a fine intensely refreshing beer with a modest ABV.
Nene Bitter 5.0% A mid-golden bitter with a crisp sharp taste and spicy finish.
Yuletide Ale 7.2% A strong seasonal winter-warmer beer.
Address:
Unit 12,
Litchborough Trading Estate,
Northampton Road,
Litchborough,
Near Towcester
NN12 8JB
(01604) 831762
Location Map

Web Link: Hoggleys Brewery

Nobby's Brewery

Nobby's is an independent brewery, originally based in Kettering that started brewing as a commercial licensed brewery on the 1st October 2004. The brewery tap is the Ward Arms in Guilsborough, (also the location of the brewery plant). Ten hand pull beers are always available and at least one of these is always a Nobby's.

Beer name ABV Notes
Regularly Brewed.
Alexandra's Best 3.8% Brewery tap best bitter with crisp clean Hop finish, and a satisfying malt balance.
Wild West Ale 4.6% Dark rich chocolate and cherry flavours with a dry middle ending in a sweet warm finish.
Landlords Own 5.0% Distinctive floral hop character ending in a long lingering medium finish.
Monster Mash 4.3% Light golden and crisp with spicy floral hop character, medium body and subtle sweet finish.
Nobby's Best 3.8% Golden brown, medium body with balanced traditional hops.
Occasional Brews.
Brewhouse Special 4.8% A medium golden brown ale, well hopped with a light floral nose, dry to the finish.
Wet Spell 4.2% Golden ale, well hopped with a floral spicy Nose, medium dry finish.
Dark Spell 4.0% Deep red ale with smooth body, creamy head, hints of coffee and biscuit malts. Blackcurrant and Autumn fruits to the Finish.
Tressler's XXX Mild 3.8% Dark Ruby Mild, Sweet and smooth with a Goldings hop finish.
Crystal Ale 4.3% Nut brown and crystal clear with a malty chocolate infusion. Wonderfully rounded hops and predictable dry finish.
Seasonal Beers, mainly brewed in the winter.
T'owd Navigation 6.1% Delightfully dark Strong Ale from years gone by. Rich malt and hop balance with a wonderfully warm finish.
Merlin's Magic 3.4% Dark Ruby Mild, Sweet and smooth with a local Kettering hop finish.
Santa's Secret 4.7% Dark Winter Ale, Smooth, sweet with honey and cinnamon finish.
Address:
The Ward Arms,
High Street,
Guilsborough
NN6 8PY
(01604) 740265
Location Map

Web Link: Nobby's Brewery


Potbelly Brewery

Potbelly Brewery is situated in Kettering - a 10 Barrel (2888 pints) plant which commenced brewing in February 2005. It was set up by Toni Hooper and Glenn Morris with a view to produce a quality range of Real Ales that would appeal to both established drinkers and realizing the trend of recent years - those near to being converted from lesser offerings of the continental type.

During the first year of brewing the brewery has already had success with two beers- Beijing Black and Sunny Daze, both gaining Gold awards at two prestigious events. The brewery intends to build on this by continuing to use only the best traditional malts and hops available.

Beer name ABV Notes
New Ales (as of 2007).
Ambrosia 4.0% A drink of the Gods - the life extending properties of which are still under investigation.
Welland Truly 4.9% A light coloured beer brewed using only Lager Malt together with German Select Spalt Hops.
Captain Pouch 3.8% A light / medium coloured bitter - a refreshing ale using Fuggles for bitterness and aroma.
Regularly Brewed.
Aisling 4.0% A smooth pale bitter with an excellent balance of hops and malt.
Beijing Black 4.4% A strong dark mild, Mild but not Meek!
Pigs do Fly! 4.4% A Light and Golden Ale, a single hopped brew using Styrian Goldings.
Crazy Daze 5.0% A very light golden Bitter with hidden strength.
Seasonal Brews.
Streaky 3.6% A straw coloured bitter Light and refreshing.
Made in England 4.4% A Medium English Ale, full of flavour with moderate bitterness.
Inner Daze 4.6% Light in colour but not on taste, a refreshing mid strength Beer.
Redwing 4.8% A full bodied ruby red bitter with malt and fruit in the aroma
Black Sun 5.0% A blend of two award winning beers, Beijing Black & Crazy Daze.
Jingle Bellies 5.0% Christmas Ale. A medium coloured bitter, easy to drink with four malts and Fuggles & Goldings hops.
Eastfield IPA 7.0% A Strong IPA, named for a local Punk Rock group [ Eastfield - Urban Rail Punk ]
Address:
25-31 Durban Road,
Kettering
NN16 0JA
(01536) 410818
Location Map

Web Link: Potbelly Brewery

Rockingham Brewery

A part-time brewery that started brewing in a converted farm building near Blatherwycke in 1997. A large number of different beers have been produced. A full list can be found at Beermad.

Beer name ABV Notes
Forest Gold 3.9%  
Hop Devil 3.9%  
A1 Amber Ale 4.0%  
Fruits of the Forest 4.2%  
Black Forest 5.0%  
Dark Forest 5.0%  
Address:
Rockingham Ales,
c/o 25 Wansford Road,
Elton,
Peterborough
PE8 6RZ
(01832) 280722
Location Map

Web Link: Rockingham Ales

Silverstone Brewing Company Ltd.

Based between Silverstone Circuit and the picturesque village of Syresham, the Silverstone Brewing Company is situated in the beautiful Northamptonshire countryside.

The brewery was set up in 2008 under the tutelage of a record breaking master brewer, Barrie Parish, to produce the very finest real ales. Using the best natural ingredients — English malt, hops, yeast and water — their aim is to produce a range of cask conditioned and bottled beers of the highest quality and taste.

Beer name ABV Notes
Pitstop Bitter 3.8% hoppy, light, session beer
Address:
Kingshill Farm,
Syresham,
near Silverstone
NN13 5TH
(01280) 850629
Location Map

Web Link: Silverstone Brewing Company Ltd.

Carlsberg Brewery

No Real Ale is brewed here - just fizzy lager. Included for the sake of completeness only.

Web Link: Carlsberg Brewery

Information about breweries and their beers taken from the respective brewery's website(s). Please acknowledge the site owners' copyrights.