The historic Jennings Brewery in Cockermouth has been acquired by two local businesspeople and entrepreneurs.
The acquisition of the brewery for an undisclosed sum will see Kurt Canfield, CEO of specialist engineering business Delkia, and Rebecca Canfield, owner of wine and spirits company Wine and the Wood, take ownership of the brewery site, with the intention to resume brewing Jennings beer in Cockermouth following the brewery’s closure in 2022.
The deal also involves the transfer of rights to the Jennings brand, including all trademarks, intellectual property and recipes.
Bottled beer under the Jennings brand will continue to be sold by Carlsberg Britvic until March 2025, following which beer production will transfer to the new company which will be known as Jennings Brewery Ltd.
Rebecca said: “As lifelong residents of West Cumbria, we have cherished Jennings Brewery and its beer for many years.
“Preserving the heritage of the brewery and the Maltings building, which are integral to our community, is of utmost importance to us. We are delighted to bring Jennings back to the local area and to have it once again run by a family-owned business.
“The brewery has almost 200 years of brewing history and one element that really attracted us to the project was the fact that it has its very own well.
This is what makes it so beautiful and unique – an authentic Jennings beer can only be brewed with local water!”
Kurt will continue as CEO of Delkia and set out how the Cockermouth buildings will be brought back into use.
He said: “This project is a remarkable and ambitious endeavour, which we are taking on to benefit the entire community.
“The Maltings building is an historic landmark, and we have extensive plans to enhance the site while respecting its heritage.
“However, critical repairs are necessary and will take time before we can get back to brewing the great beer that Jennings in known for.”
The project is expected to create several new jobs in the area, including the appointment of a head brewer, a brewing team, and a local sales and marketing force.
“We’re pleased to have completed the sale of Jennings Brewery to new, local owners who are looking to preserve the site’s brewing heritage,” David Bodily, head of properties and facilities at Carlsberg Britvic, said.
“The brewery is a unique location in Cockermouth, and we wish Kurt and Rebecca every success for the future.”
Chris France, founder of speciality beer retailer Beer Hawk who grew up in the Lake District, will be joining as managing director.
Chris said: “Jennings was hugely influential as I developed my love for this industry, and the idea of bringing a great beer back to the heart of this town is an exciting prospect.
“There’s a rich brewing history here and we’d love to hear from anyone in the community who wants to join the team or be part of bringing it back.”
Jennings Brewery was established as a family concern in 1828 in Lorton, near Cockermouth.
The brewery was started by John Jennings Senior, son of William Jennings, a maltster. Jennings brewed exclusively in Lorton until 1874 when the Castle Brewery in Cockermouth, was purchased.
A range of ales were brewed from Lakeland water drawn from the brewery’s own well.
Beer was brewed on this site until 2022. The return of Jennings to the Castle Brewery will once again enable Lakeland water to be used, contributing to the unique flavour profile of Jennings’ beers.
