A Cumbrian craft beer company plans to open a new venue in Keswick.
Crooked River Brewing Co has submitted an application to transform a former gift shop in Packhorse Court into a tap room.
The firm said if the proposal for the building got the go-ahead, it would become its flagship venue where customers would be able to enjoy locally made, brewery-fresh beer and learn about the brewing process directly from the team behind the beers.
Co-founders Phil Scholey and Alan Fitton-Crellin launched a crowdfunding campaign in 2022, which helped kick start their business.
A few months later, they partnered with Tractor Shed Brewing in Workington, enabling them to quickly scale up production to supply bars, pubs, and shops across Cumbria.
Last year, its Double Dry Hopped Pale was awarded silver in the SIBA Regional Pale Ale category and caught the attention of Brewdog, which featured Crooked River beers across its bars nationally in their Up and Coming Fest.
It has since expanded their wholesale business nationally, with customers as far south as London now placing large orders.
Crooked River Brewing Co also runs regular events in Cockermouth and this year partnered with local wedding business Low Hall the Lakes to host their first beer festival.
Phil said: “We’re so grateful for the amazing support from our community, which has helped us grow and improve these events each time. The last one pulled in over 200 attendees, which was great. The success of the beer festival and our events has motivated us to open our own venue as soon as possible.
“We’ve been unsure whether to grow the wholesale business nationally or open a venue to sell our beers directly to customers. We felt it was more important to build a deeper connection with our customers and contribute to the growth of the local beer culture.”
He added that the firm had face several challenges in its bid to open a venue.
He said: “Unfortunately, we’ve faced setback after setback trying to establish premises in Cockermouth, ultimately forcing us to miss out on the summer season and consider other alternatives.
“We eventually chose Keswick as it gives us an opportunity to cater to both locals and tourists. We hope to open a second venue in Cockermouth in the near future.”
Earlier last month, the team met with other hospitality businesses in Packhorse Court to discuss opportunities for collaboration and to build on the courtyard’s reputation as a vibrant food and drink destination for the town.
Phil added: “We’ve had many ideas for the taproom beyond serving beer. We would like to gradually introduce brewing experiences such as tasting sessions, homebrew clubs, and meet-the-brewer events, pulling in guests from other breweries across the country. We also hope to use the space to host co-working mornings, live music, beer yoga, and be the first to serve dog-friendly beer.”
If the plans get the go-ahead, the firm hopes to open the taproom by autumn.
