The Caveman Brewery, run by local businessmen Nick Byram and James Hayward, was set up in part of the cellar of the George & Dragon pub, Swanscombe, last Friday 5 April.
The pair, who previously produced the ale in a friend’s brewery, negotiated the unusual terms with freeholders Bronwen and Bob Veal, Hayward’s parents.
“The benefit for us is having a market right on our doorstep, and getting instant feedback,” Byram — who has managed the Dartford Working Men’s Club for the past 20 years and owns three restaurants — told the Publican’s Morning Advertiser.
“The benefit for the pub is having a brewery on site, which drives more business. We will also be providing brewery tours for small groups, which should also help to increase footfall for the pub.”
Four core beers and monthly specials will be produced by the brewery, with each named to reflect the historic nature of Swanscombe where a series of bone fragments and tools believed to belong to a 400,000-year-old human population were discovered in 1935.
The range, which includes Palaeolithic (3.8% ABV), Neanderthal (4.6% ABV) Megalithic (5.9% ABV) and Neolithic (4.1% ABV), is already served in some London pubs and real-ale pubs in Kent, but arrangements have also been made with special real-ale wholesalers.
“Opening the brewery was a natural progression,” Byram adds. “We’ve been in the industry for over 30 years, won local and national awards for keeping and dispensing real ale, and have extensive links with the burgeoning craft brewing scene and real-ale distributors.
“We have a deep passion for real ale and the many hop varieties. We strive to provide the fullest flavour from our beer and as such are inspired by brewers from all over the world, from US breweries’ hoppiest double IPAs to bittersweet UK porters.”