Crooked River Brewing Co

Crooked River Brewing Co was founded in 2022 by Phil Scholey and Alan Crellin, two friends who met over a beer to discuss the possibility of starting a small brewing business in West Cumbria. Their original ambition was modest: to produce enough beer to supply a handful of local independent shops. Armed with a small brewing kit, they converted an old garden shed into a makeshift brewery and began developing their first beers. A successful crowdfunding campaign, supported by the local community, helped turn the project into a growing business. The brewery poured its first pint at the Taste Cumbria festival in Cockermouth in September 2022, marking the beginning of its journey from hobby-scale brewing to an established independent producer.

As demand increased, Crooked River formed a partnership with Tractor Shed Brewing in Workington, allowing the business to produce beer on a much larger scale. Much of its early production was brewed at Tractor Shed while the founders developed their own range and customer base. In late 2024, Crooked River opened its flagship taproom in Keswick, creating a welcoming venue where visitors could enjoy its beers, meet the founders and experience live entertainment. A major milestone followed in early 2025 when Tractor Shed owners Graeme and Rachel Mitchell announced their retirement and transferred ownership of the brewery to Phil and Alan. The acquisition gave Crooked River its own established production facility and the opportunity to expand further.

September 2025 brought another milestone when Crooked River opened a beer shop on Cockermouth's Marketplace, exactly three years after its first public appearance at the town's Taste Cumbria festival. The shop subsequently developed into a fully fledged independent drinks bar, showcasing Crooked River beers alongside carefully selected craft beers, ciders, natural wines and spirits. Meanwhile, the Keswick taproom established itself as a lively community venue, with thirteen draught lines and a regular programme of quizzes, open mic nights, live music and other events. Together with the Workington brewery, these venues created three distinct homes for Crooked River across West Cumbria, connected by the River Derwent.

By 2026, Crooked River had developed into an award-winning brewery with an expanding range of cask, keg and special-release beers distributed across Cumbria and beyond. The business was named a finalist in both the Drinks Producer of the Year and Pub, Bar or Taproom of the Year categories at the Cumbria Food Awards, while its Gluten Free Helles won Gold at the National Indie Beer Awards. The brewery also began hosting more events and live music at its Workington production site, strengthening its connection with the local community. Despite its growth, Crooked River remains proudly independent, with Phil and Alan continuing to champion local musicians, food traders and producers while creating beers that bring people together.