Our Craft Beer Selection

Browse our selection of Local Craft Beer. We have a selection of over 30 craft beers, with a beer to suit every palate and taste.

Craft beer is beer that is made in a traditional or non-mechanised way by a small brewery. Regular beers are beers made in corporate breweries, usually with non-traditional ingredients such as low quality grains and extra water in order for the company to boost their profits.

We only sell craft beer from small distilleries that really care about the quality of the beer they produce. We have selected a few quality distilleries that are located not too far from our shop.

The breweries we support include the following:

Andwell Brewery,

Andwell Brewery, located in Hampshire, England, was founded by Adam Komrower in 2008. The brewery is known for producing high-quality beer including real ales, IPAs, and lagers using only the finest ingredients. Their ethos is to offer great beer at a great price.

The brewery’s beers are supplied to local pubs, farm shops, off-licences, and beer festivals within a 30-mile radius. They also have a Brewhouse Café & Bar, which is open to visitors. Andwell Brewery has built a reputation for consistently producing beers of the highest quality.

Downton Brewery

Downton Brewery, established in 2003, is a renowned microbrewery located in Downton, Hampshire. They are celebrated for producing a diverse range of high-quality beer, including bottled, canned, and cask varieties. The brewery uses both English malts and a variety of hops from around the world to create unique and award-winning beers.

Some of their notable beers include New Forest Ale, Quadhop, and Honey Blonde. They also have a Tap Bar and Shop, which opened in June 2023, where visitors can enjoy their beers directly from the cask.

Hawkstone Brewery

Hawkstone Brewery, originally known as Cotswold Brew Co, was established in 2005 and rebranded in 2022. Located in the Cotswolds, it is known for producing high quality beer including premium craft lagers and speciality keg beers. The brewery supplies over 150 outlets, primarily in the Cotswolds and London.

Hawkstone Brewery offers a variety of products, including their iconic Hawkstone Premium Lager, Hawkstone Breeze, and Hawkstone Cider. They also provide brewery tours and tastings, allowing visitors to experience their brewing process firsthand.

Types of Beer:

Ale

Ale is a type of beer brewed using a warm fermentation method with top-fermenting yeast1. This process typically results in a beer with a robust, fruity flavor profile. Historically, ale was brewed without hops, but modern ales usually include hops for bitterness and preservation.

Key characteristics of ale include:

Ingredients: Malted barley, water, hops, and yeast.
Fermentation: Warm fermentation with top-fermenting yeast, which operates at higher temperatures compared to the bottom-fermenting yeast used in lagers.
Flavors: Often complex and fruity, with a wide range of styles including pale ales, stouts, and porters.

Ale has a rich history and has been a staple beverage in many cultures, particularly in medieval England where it was a significant source of nutrition.

There are many types of ale, each with its own unique flavor profile and brewing process. Here are some of the most popular styles:

Pale Ale: A classic English ale known for its balanced malt and hop flavors. It often has a golden to amber color.
India Pale Ale (IPA): Known for its strong hop bitterness and higher alcohol content..
Porter: A dark ale with rich, roasted malt flavors, often with notes of chocolate and coffee.
Stout: Similar to porter but generally stronger and more robust. Famous examples include dry stout (like Guinness) and imperial stout..
Blonde Ale: A light, easy-drinking ale with a mild malt sweetness and low bitterness.
Amber Ale: Known for its amber color and balanced malt and hop profile, often with caramel notes.

These styles showcase the diversity and creativity within the ale category, offering something for every palate.

IPA:

IPA stands for India Pale Ale, a popular style of beer known for its strong hop flavor and higher alcohol content. Originally brewed in Great Britain in the 19th century, IPAs were designed to withstand long sea voyages to India, hence the name. The hops used in IPAs act as a natural preservative, which helped the beer survive the journey.

In the UK, you can find a wide variety of IPA styles, each offering unique flavors and characteristics. Here are some of the most popular types:

English IPA: This is the traditional style, characterized by a balanced malt profile with earthy and floral hop notes. It’s usually less hoppy and bitter compared to its American counterparts.
American IPA: Known for its bold hop flavors, often with citrus, pine, and resinous notes. These IPAs tend to be more bitter and have a higher alcohol content.
New England IPA (NEIPA): Also known as Hazy IPA, this style is famous for its juicy, tropical fruit flavors and hazy appearance. It has a softer mouthfeel and less bitterness.
West Coast IPA: This style is hop-forward with strong pine and citrus flavors. It is clear, crisp, and typically more bitter than NEIPAs.
Double or Imperial IPA: These are stronger versions of IPAs, with higher alcohol content and intense hop bitterness. They often have complex flavors with a balance of malt sweetness.
Session IPA: A lighter version of IPA with lower alcohol content, making it more drinkable while still retaining the hop character.

These styles reflect the diversity and creativity within the IPA category, catering to a wide range of palates. IPAs have become a cornerstone of the craft beer movement, with many breweries experimenting with different hop varieties and brewing techniques to create unique and flavorful beers.

Lager:

Lager is a type of beer that is brewed and conditioned at low temperatures using bottom-fermenting yeast, specifically Saccharomyces pastorianus. This brewing process results in a clean, crisp taste, which distinguishes lagers from ales, which are brewed with top-fermenting yeast at warmer temperatures.

Key characteristics of lager include:

Fermentation: Lagers ferment at cooler temperatures, typically between 7-13°C (45-55°F).
Storage: After fermentation, lagers undergo a period of cold storage, known as “lagering,” which helps develop and stabilize their flavors.
Varieties: Lagers can be pale, amber, or dark. Common types include Pilsner, Helles, Dunkel, and Bock.

Lagers are known for their smooth, refreshing qualities and are among the most widely consumed beers worldwide.

Lagers come in a variety of styles, each with its own unique characteristics. Here are some of the most popular types:

Pilsner: Originating from the Czech Republic, this pale lager is known for its crisp, refreshing taste and pronounced hop bitterness.
Helles: A German-style pale lager that is slightly maltier and less hoppy than a Pilsner, offering a smooth, balanced flavor.
Dunkel: A dark lager from Germany, characterized by its rich, malty flavor with notes of caramel and chocolate.
Bock: A strong lager that comes in various sub-styles, including Maibock (pale and hoppy), Doppelbock (strong and malty), and Eisbock (concentrated and high in alcohol).
Märzen: Also known as Oktoberfest beer, this amber lager is malty and slightly sweet, traditionally brewed in March and consumed during Oktoberfest.
Vienna Lager: A reddish-brown lager with a toasty malt flavor and a clean, dry finish.
Schwarzbier: A German black lager that is smooth and light-bodied, with roasted malt flavors but without the heaviness of a stout.
American Lager: Typically light-bodied and mild, this style is known for its clean, crisp taste and is often mass-produced by large breweries.
Weiss beer, also known as Weißbier or Weizenbier, is a traditional German wheat beer. The name “Weiss” means “white” in German, referring to the beer’s pale colour.
Session Lager: A session lager is a type of lager designed to be light and easy to drink over an extended period, often with a lower alcohol content, typically between 3% and 4.5% ABV (alcohol by volume). This makes it suitable for social gatherings or “sessions” where people might consume multiple beers without becoming overly intoxicated.