Bitter End Brewing Co

Courtesy Michael Croxford

Bitter End Brewing Co, Bitter End Brewpub, 15 Kirkgate, Cockermouth, Cumbria CA13 9PJ

A brewpub where brewing was started in August 1995 by Mike Askey and Sue Adams. They originally planned to brew for the pub only, on the one-barrel plant but as demand grew they decided to expand.

This coincided with Frank Smith, former brewer at Broughton and Jennings searching for a new venture and Hans Kruger a production manager from the soft drinks part of Jennings, looking for a new challenge. Together the team of four set up in a unit on the Derwent Mill Trading Estate in Cockermouth to brew for the pub and the free trade. A five-barrel plant was used by brewer Frank Smith with a 20 barrel weekly capacity and in early 1997 producing up to 20 barrels a week. In May 1997, Frank and Hans with agreement from Sue and Mike formed the Derwent Brewery (Cumbria) to service the free trade leaving Sue and Mike to concentrate on the Bitter End Brewpub.

The one-barrel plant at the pub, which can be seen from the bar, continued in operation until 2004. This plant was sold to The Masons Arms in Oxford and a two-barrel plant was installed. This came all the way from New Jersey in the US.

They stopped brewing in 2011, but restarted brewing again in October 2025. The official launch was 21st November 2025.

• 
  The brewery tap in 2016
• 
  The brewery tap in 2016
• 
  From the Paul Gunnell archives
• 
  From the Paul Gunnell archives
• 
  From the Paul Gunnell archives
• 
  From the Paul Gunnell archives
• 
  From the Paul Gunnell archives
• 
  From the Paul Gunnell archives