Jennings Brewery

Cockermouth, Cumbria. This is a departure from my usual posts, but this is a local/regional brewery I wanted to talk about. It was founded in 1828 and renowned for its ales brewed with pure Lakeland water. It was originally established in the small Cumbrian town of Lorton, with operations being relocated to Cockermouth in 1874, situated beneath the shadow of the Norman fortress, Cockermouth Castle. In 1884 an artisan well was sunk into the castle grounds, providing a supply of pure, local water that formed the foundation for all of the brewery's beers. By 1895 they had acquired 46 local pubs, cementing Jennings as Cumbria's largest independent brewer.

In 2005 the family-led legacy ended when Wolverhampton and Dudley Breweries (later Marston's) purchased Jennings. A decade and a half later Marston's merged it's brewing operations with Carlsberg. Citing economic changes, the Cockermouth brewery was closed in 2022. The historic site was saved from permanent closure when local entrepreneurs Kurt and Rebecca Canfield purchased the Castle Brewery, and reopened in 2025. I had a great conversation with Kurt about the brewery and brewing, and tasting all the beers he had on tap - Bratey Brew Traditional Ale, Sneck Lifter (a Northern English/Cumbrian/Scottish dialect term that refers to a person's last sixpence used to "lift the doorlatch" of a pub to buy a pint) Strong Dark Ale, Cock(r) Hoop Golden Pale Ale, Cumberland Deep Golden Ale, Castle Bitter Lakeland Ale, and Green Hop (of course my favorite). All were delicious.

One other note/fact. The brewery is located near the convergence of the Rivers Cocker and Derwent. The word Cocker comes from the Brythonic Celtic word kukra, meaning "the crooked one". Because both rivers drain steep Lake District fells, heavy rainfall can cause them to peak simultaneously, making the town historically sensitive to flooding.