The West Cumbria branch of CAMRA has been actively campaigning to save Jennings Brewery from permanent closure since the day it ceased brewing and for the past several years, with many articles published by our small band of activists in the local press, on social media and in this website, plus several media interviews.

Members of the branch also staged an exhibition of Jennings memorabilia in a Cockermouth shop window a while ago.

No other organisation or government body locally has come close to the dedicated input of our active branch members in their dogged effort to save this unique brewery.

With a bit of luck, Jennings will be revived big style and the new owners may even see fit to buy a few local pubs in the course of time to ensure the long term survival of the famous Castle Brewery and the precious jobs therein.

I sold Jennings Bitter in a pub I own in Tynemouth for over 20 years so I’ve had a close business connection with Jennings.

The new owners of the brewery have hit the ground running and have already launched a ‘brewery membership’ scheme allowing members of the public to purchase one of several types of membership in return for certain benefits. Details of this somewhat unusual scheme can be seen on Jennings website. Maybe this is a type of crowdfunding ? I am not in a position to judge or to advise whether or not this is a sound investment.

Prior to about 1980, Jennings Castle Bitter was the name of their popular low gravity, full flavoured, session bitter. Shortly after this it was rebranded simply as Jennings Bitter. This same beer will be launched once again with its former name, so a link with the past.

Jennings Castle Brewery has the unique distinction of being located right next to a Grade 1 medieval castle and it even has its own deep well which supplies chemical-free pure water (or ‘liquor’ as master brewers call it). This pure water imparts a unique flavour to their ales.

Active members of the West Cumbria branch of CAMRA are to be applauded for their dogged long term campaigning to revive brewing at Jennings.

At time of writing, brewing has recommenced at Jennings and beer is conditioning within the brewery and will be on sale shortly in their brewery bar and to the free trade.

Hugh Price

Branch committee member & website editor.