Cumbrian Ales

The history of Cumbrian Ales begins in 2003, when Loweswater Brewery was established using a small three-barrel brewing kit in an outbuilding at the Kirkstile Inn in Loweswater. Initially, the brewery supplied only the Kirkstile, but demand soon grew from other pubs and beer festivals.

As Loweswater Brewery became more successful, the limitations of its original site became increasingly apparent. The business began looking for larger premises that would allow it to increase production and continue developing its range.

In 2009, Loweswater Brewery acquired Cumbrian Legendary Ales, a 10-barrel brewery that had been established in 2006 on the shores of Esthwaite Water near Hawkshead. Production from Loweswater was transferred to the Hawkshead site and the combined operation began trading under the Cumbrian Legendary Ales name.

The brewery's reputation grew significantly through beers such as Loweswater Gold. In 2011, Loweswater Gold was named Champion Golden Ale of Britain, helping establish it as one of the brewery's best-known and most enduring beers.

Continued growth led to another major expansion in 2017, when the brewery increased its capacity with a 20-barrel brewing plant. It now produces around 80 barrels of beer each week and supplies pubs and customers across Cumbria and increasingly further afield.

Cumbrian Ales combines a respect for established beer styles with a willingness to experiment. Its brewers use both traditional and less conventional hops and malts, while its lager is brewed with lager yeast and fermented at cool temperatures rather than being treated as an ale-style substitute.

In 2020 the brewery refreshed its branding and shortened its name from Cumbrian Legendary Ales to Cumbrian Ales. Today, it continues to brew from its Lake District home near Hawkshead, with a team focused on quality, consistency and producing distinctive beers for Cumbria and beyond.