The small village of Tirril nestles quietly on the edge of the Lake District in a curve of the River Eamont, the old Cumberland, Westmorland boundary. Its main claim to fame has been Thomas Slee's Mathematical Academy and a heavy presence of the Wordsworth clan. In the early 1800s, despite the adjacent hamlet being mainly Quaker, Tirril boasted two breweries (marked on the 1845 Ordnance Survey Map) one of which was the Queen's Head Inn.
 |
 |
Having been at the Queen's Head over three years now, this discovery prompted me further towards a long held ambition to brew my own beers. The time seemed right and thus the Tirril Brewery was reborn. From a slow start from drinking trade at the Queen's Head, we have gained entry into the Good Beer Guide. As well as being one of the first pubs in the country to gain prestigious Cask Marque for serving quality cask ales (recently re-awarded for the 2nd year). The icing on the cake for myself, being a CAMRA member, would be serving my own Real Ale, brewed on the premises.
Once word of the brewery in Tirril became known, Alan Risden the local CAMRA secretary produced some fitting historical facts. It is, in fact, 100 years since Glasson's took over (and closed) J Siddle's Tirril Brewery - September 1899 - and high time to put an end to the village's dark ages.
Nothing pleases us more than placing our own beers up with the best of Cumbria's Cask Ales in our annual Cumbrian Beer and Sausage Festival, in which each August we have 16 locally brewed ales and a similar number of sausages on offer.
Despite ten years in the pub trade, my knowledge of the brewing process was at best sketchy so I took advice and hands on experience from Martin Stafford of the successful Dent Brewery and John Lloyd who had recently started up at Barngates on the small scale we intend to run on. Both helped to remove my rose tinted glasses and show me exactly what I was getting into. Undeterred I booked onto Sunderland University's BrewLab Course to complete my education. The packed course, which set Ian Bradley of Coniston brewery on his way to success certainly crammed me full of the necessary information and made me even more enthusiastic and determined to brew.
|
After conversions to an old outhouse behind the pub brewing commenced in October 1999. We started off with a best bitter (an early version of which took third place at Cockermouth Beer festival) . This has since been complemented by two further beers. Due to greater demand, Tirril Brewery then found a larger home at the historic Brougham Hall where it brews today. |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
The
Best Bitter is 'John Brewsher's Best Bitter' after the enterprising
Landlord in the early 1800s who bought the Inn off the Wordsworths and
changed its name to the Queen's Head Inn in time for Victoria's Coronation.
|
Thomas
Slee and his famous Mathematical Academy, a contemporary of John Brewsher
gave rise to 'Thomas Slee's Academy Ale'.
|
Charles Gough was a hapless wanderer who died in the late 18th Century on Helvelyn (he was only identified by the name on his hat when his body was found a few months later). As a Quaker he was buried in the nearest graveyard at Tirril,. 'The Old Faithful' commemorates his dog that was in good health when found guarding what was left of his master. |
For further brews there are plenty of opportunities with William Wordsworth and his works, to commemorate his long association with and ownership of the Queen's Head Inn in the first half of the 19th Century.
Other beers on the pumps are Paul Theakston’s Black Sheep Bitter, Boddingtons and a local Jennings' beer usually Cumberland Ale or Cockerhoop. We also rotate guest ales from all around the country, but with a heavy bias towards some of the super local microbreweries. Notably, Hesket Newmarket’s range of beers. Also beers from Coniston Brewing Co. , as well as beers from Dent and from Jennings.
MALTS AND WINES
The Queen’s Head Inn runs at least 40 malt whiskies all the time with the likes of rare bottled vintage 1968 Glengoyne and 1964 Glen Keith to tickle even the most discerning palate.
|
The discerning palate may also be interested in our wine list, 24 wines from around the world by the bottle, and six by the glass, as well as six traditional English country wines from the holy island of Lindesfarne by the glass or bottle for you to try. |
 |
