New farmhouse brewery in Norfolk given go-ahead
The team behind the brewery intend to build a 20hl brew house on a farm that stands on a 12th century priory site on the banks of the River Nar. It hopes to be fully operational by next summer.
Duration Brewing will produce a mixture of crisp, clean beers alongside more complex, spontaneously fermented ales, with a strong emphasis on nature and location.
Despite not having a brewery site, it released its first beer last month in collaboration with Manchester-based Cloudwater Brew Co, and has already brewed a second and third with friends at Brixton Brewery, London and Left Handed Giant, Bristol.
Sense of time and location
Derek Bates, co-founder of Duration and former head brewer at Brew By Numbers brewery, said: “Our vision is to build a destination farmhouse brewery that brings jobs and skills to the Norfolk area. It will be educational and pioneering, and expand the UK craft beer offering.”
“Using local grains, Nar water and yeast from the national yeast bank in Norfolk and right off the farm, I want to cultivate a sense of time and location to make beer that is bound to its origins. Belonging is something intrinsic in me and it follows that if I am of-a-place then I want to make beer of-a-place”.
Miranda Hudson, the brewery’s other co-founder, added: “We want to take brewing back to the farm, using modern technologies. Duration will revive old traditions with improved efficiency and less waste.
“Our initial offering will be a core range of three beers plus seasonals, delivering crisp, juicy, hoppy beers, alongside some mixed fermentation numbers that are more tart and complex. We will use local barley and water from the chalk river, both of which are readily available on the farm.”
Taproom and visitor centre
On the subject of the brewery’s location, Hudson said: “Norfolk gives us amazing values, space for growth and the strong sense of community and history that we desire. It is also well positioned to serve our local and national network map.
The brewery will distribute its beers nationally, to cities such as London, Manchester and Leeds, but also hopes to focus on “regional custom” by adding a taproom and visitor centre at the brewery site, and a bar in Norwich city centre.
“We have a well-known and respected brewer, the perfect setting, a stunning property and a brilliant team,” Hudson added.
