Thornbridge Brewery

Thornbridge began in 2005 in renovated outbuildings within the grounds of Thornbridge Hall, where Jim Harrison and Simon Webster established a small brewery following an idea originally proposed by Dave Wickett. Martin Dickie and Stefano Cossi joined as the first brewers, working on a 10-barrel system. Their first beer was Lord Marples, a 4% traditional bitter, but the beer that would define the brewery's early years followed soon afterwards.

In mid-2005, Thornbridge brewed Jaipur, a 5.9% IPA loaded with American hops at a time when beers of its kind were still unusual in Britain. Jaipur quickly attracted attention at festivals and through a growing collection of awards, pushing Thornbridge into the national spotlight and creating demand that the original Hall brewery struggled to satisfy. By 2007 the brewery was already reaching the limits of its first site, while Martin Dickie departed to co-found BrewDog.

The pressure for additional capacity led to the opening of Riverside Brewery in Bakewell in 2009. The new brewery provided a modern 5,000-litre brewhouse and the capacity required to broaden Thornbridge's range and reach significantly more drinkers. The original Thornbridge Hall brewing equipment was eventually relocated to Riverside too, where it remains in use for experimental beers, bespoke brews and collaborations alongside the larger production brewery.

As Thornbridge expanded, its influence moved beyond the brewhouse. The brewery developed an international export trade and its beers reached markets around the world, while a growing pub estate created permanent homes for Thornbridge beer. Experimentation continued through barrel ageing and collaborations with breweries including Sierra Nevada, Brooklyn Brewery, Firestone Walker and Budweiser Budvar, alongside the development of beers such as Lukas, Necessary Evil and Green Mountain.

Traditional brewing has remained important alongside that experimentation. In 2024, when Carlsberg Marston's retired its historic Burton Union brewing system, Thornbridge acquired part of the set and installed it at Riverside with help from Brooklyn Brewery's Garrett Oliver. Jaipur was the first beer brewed through the restored system, and Thornbridge now operates what it describes as the world's only remaining working Burton Union set.

Visitors are brought directly into that brewing history at Riverside. Thornbridge's Taproom is open seven days a week, pouring brewery-fresh cask and keg beer alongside handmade pizza and hosting quizzes, gigs and other events. The Thornbridge Experience takes visitors inside the brewery for an introduction to its history and brewing process, including the operational Burton Union set, hop exploration and a tutored tasting of six beers.

Two decades after its first brews at Thornbridge Hall, the brewery continues to expand while maintaining the combination of consistency and experimentation that shaped its early reputation. Jaipur remains central to the range, but new beers, collaborations, an expanding hospitality business and continued investment at Riverside have taken Thornbridge far beyond its original 10-barrel brewhouse while retaining a strong connection to Bakewell and the Peak District.