Canny Bevvy 243

BREWERY VISIT
HEXHAMSHIRE BREWERY
Northumberland’s oldest brewery started brewing 25 years ago, the
company originally started as a partnership between a brewer and
a pub landlord who wanted to source locally produced beer. The
original brewery was up the hill from the landlord’s pub, the Dipton
Mill Inn and housed in a farm building that had previously been used
for dairy farming. After a few years the partnership split-up and the
brewery was run by Dipton Mill’s landlord, Geoff Brooker. Sadly in
2015, Geoff died, he is fondly remembered and missed.
The brewery is now run by Geoff’s son Mark and it has relocated
into the grounds of the Dipton Mill Inn, a move that had been
discussed for many years. Geoff very much took the view that he
wanted to concentrate on his core range of beers, ensure that the
recipes were perfected and then brewed to consistent standards.
Mark is continuing with the core range but is also interested in
developing new one-off and seasonal beers. The move took some
time to progress as it required infrastructure work with utilities, their
rural location needed upgraded electricity supplies.
The 5 barrel plant is based in an old outbuilding/garage in the back
of the Dipton Mill’s beer garden. There are glass doors so it is possible
to see the brewery from the outside. Mark generally brews twice a
week, part-time staff help with sales and deliveries. Mark also does
the supporting lab work to monitor the yeast, which is done with a
microscope on the kitchen table. He continues with his father’s policy
of using British hops. Currently, he is working on the creation of a new
rye beer, which may well be available at the time of the Newcastle
Beer & Cider Festival in April.
Mark enjoys his work
Hexhamshire supplies beer to a number of pubs throughout
Northumberland and Tyneside. Some pubs order through the SIBA
direct delivery scheme. Hexhamshire was one of the first breweries
to join the scheme when it was first launched. However, the best place
to drink Hexhamshire beer is in the Dipton Mill Inn.
Generally, Hexhamshire beers are named after local places. The logo,
which is of 2 people carrying a barrel is from a Bewick print, most
people assume that they are carrying is beer, in fact, the image relates
to Hexham’s tanning industry and the content is probably urine.
What’s brewing?
As Hexhamshire Brewery celebrates its first 25 years, I have a couple
of thoughts, I remember when it first started (I got a job in Hexham
in 1993) – doesn’t time fly and I look forward to the next 25 years.
Martin Ellis
Press & Publicity Officer
Issue 243 • Spring 2018
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