10 New UK Beer Brewers To Try This Year

While the UK isn’t short on historic breweries, there’s been a steady flow of new entrants onto the beer scene in recent years too. For craft beer fans, and indeed those looking to stock their bars with new and exciting brews, there are plenty of up-and-coming UK beer companies to choose from.

Below is a selection of just some of the freshest, new UK breweries that began releasing their beers in the past year or two.

Rising from the ashes of Cotleigh Brewery in the West Country is new Nuttycombe Brewery. Not long after Cotleigh closed its doors in September 2021, publican Ross Nuttycombe reopened them, resuming brewing on the site in May 2022. The new brewery has a focus on sustainability, from sourcing to production, not to mention the use of reclaimed oak for its merch.

The brewery’s first beer, Sovereign, launched around the time of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, and is made with Sovereign hops. Also in the range are beers such as Just One More Best Bitter and Cheers Session Bitter.

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This Manchester brewery has been set up by the founding brewer at Cloudwater, James Campbell. Although founded in 2020, the Sureshot began setting up its own brewery at the start of 2022.

The colourfully-named range of beers includes How Much Does Water Weigh, a pale ale at 4.2% ABV, a New England IPA entitled I Lost My Bag In Newport Pagnell (6% ABV), and Bring Me The Head Of John The Accountant, an 8% double IPA.

Micro brewery and taproom Black Box Brewery began brewing in January 2022. Initial beers included Auto Pilot IPA, First Class Blonde Ale and Landing Gear Bitter.

The Southend-on-Sea brewer’s taproom opened in March, currently open Wednesday to Friday, serving its range on tap, while the bottled range is available from the brewery’s website.

Northern Ireland independent, family-owned Our Brewery set up in the latter half of 2021, with a focus on creativity and innovation, and a mission to introduce more people to local craft beer.

The initial core trio of beers, launched in mid-2022, are Once in a Lifetime Oatmeal Stout, Modern Love Pale Ale and Pressure to Pick Italian Style Pils. The latter gets its name, as well as its simple label and quality ingredients, from the brewery’s intention to not be daunting to consumers, in a category with no shortage of obscure beer names and busy labels. 

Scottish microbrewery Strangers was set up in a shed on eco-friendly Narrowboat Farm in 2021. The intention is to brew small batches of beer inspired by local flavours, particularly the seasonal specials that complement the brewery’s core range. The use of local ingredients – including malts from Fife less than 25km from the brewery – ties into Strangers’ commitment to sustainability, with plans to become carbon net zero.

The core trio of beers consists of pale ale / lager Suntrap, Narrowboat IPA and Cockleroi Best Bitter. Seasonal beer New Shoots is an American-style pale, made with foraged conifer tips.

Cask-led Craven Brew Co has been set up to create modern styles of traditional beers in Skipton, North Yorkshire. Core beers include BAP Black Angus Porter, YAP Yorkshire Pale Ale and EFA Extra Fine Ale. Head brewer Dave Sanders has more than 25 years of brewing experience.

Craven’s taproom is open to visitors from Friday to Monday, serving cask and keg beers, including seasonal specials, alongside a range of other drinks.

Previously brewing at the East Coast Organics farm in Pencaitland, Newt recently moved to Eskbank, Musselburgh, not far from Edinburgh. Producing beer in small batches no larger than 1,000 litres, the brewery combines traditional methods with modern techniques and equipment. Malt and hops used in the brewing process are organic.

Beers include the certified organic and vegan-friendly Bavarian Pale and Organic Blond.

Newton Abbot-based Copperhead’s first beer was Deliverance, a pale ale made with Maris Otter malted barley, and joined by others such as extra pale ale Pale Rider at just 4.1% ABV, and the eponymous Copperhead, a “Motley Best Bitter”. Black Flamingo, meanwhile, is the brewery’s 8.8% ABV imperial stout.

After three years of developing beers, Copperhead debuted in January 2022, after moving into a new brewery in late 2020. 

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