The Crooked River Brewing Co, which has a taproom in Packhorse Court, Keswick, was recently awarded Silver in the competition for Best Bitter at the CAMRA Liverpool Beer Festival. This was a Champion Beer of Britain area award.

The Liverpool Beer Festival is held in the historic crypt of the Metropolitan Catholic Cathedral in the heart of this iconic city.

The certificate was presented in their Keswick taproom by West Cumbria branch committee member, Stephen Walker,. on the left in the photo. In the centre is Richard Leadbitter, Sales Manager and on the right is Crooked River Director, Phil Scholey.

Phil Scholey is quoted as saying :

'As a brewery that genuinly cares about traditional beer styles and quality cask ale, recognition by CAMRA means an awful lot to us. We've always wanted to create beers that feel at home in Cumbria and that can hold their heads up against national competition. We are incredibly proud of the award at LIverpool CAMRA beer festival.'

Based at Calva Brow, Workington the Crooked River Brewery Company was founded in 2022 by Phil Scholey and Alan Crellin and a few months later they teamed up with brewery owners Graeme and Rachel Mitchell of Tractor Shed Brewery, with the ownership of the Tractor Shed Brewery eventually passing to Crooked River when Graeme and Rachel retired in 2025.

In addition to the taproom in Keswick, Crooked River also have a beer shop in Cockermouth.

(Information and photo supplied by West Cumbria CAMRA committee member Len Wainwright)