Beer cheer for North farmer

The project will provide Mr Urwin with more income

A Northumberland farmer who has supplied the national brewing industry with hops for years, has decided to produce his own tipple.

Having spent years growing malting hops for national beer producers, Steven Urwin has decided to start his own microbrewery at his farm in Matfen.

A Defra grant, through the Rural Enterprise Scheme, has enabled the 29-year-old to set up the High House Farm Brewery on the Urwin family farm.

It is now supplying local pubs with its own recipe of traditional ale.

They are named after his sheepdogs, past and present - Auld Hemp is a traditional bitter and Nell's Best is a premium bitter. Both brews are now on sale in pubs in Northumberland.

'Real interest'

Steven came up with his business idea when the farm was struck by Foot and Mouth disease which severely affected his herd of suckler cows and sheep.

Although the arable side of the business was spared, Mr Urwin said: "The impact of foot-and-mouth made many farmers assess their current operations and look at doing things differently.

"I wanted to find a niche market that wasn't far removed from my core business and that I had a real interest in - the result was the micro-brewery."

With support from Business Link to draw up a business plan and identify funders, Mr Urwin applied for the Defra grant to convert an existing Grade II listed farm building into the brew house.

Allan Jones from Defra said: "In this instance... diversification has also led to the preservation and improvement of Grade II listed traditional farm building.

"Funding has enabled him to maintain a superb example of agricultural building heritage which now houses his entire brewery operation, including a 10 barrel brew plant, a copper fermenter and mash tank.

"The project will provide the farm with a vital additional source of income."

Now Mr Urwin is producing around 360 gallons a fortnight of his two cask ales.