no. 48 | Fell Brewery
Based in the hills and mountains of the North of England, Cumbria-based Fell have been quietly doing their thing for over a decade. And, in their opinion, they think they’re starting to get quite good at it.
When Tim and Andrew founded Fell Brewery back in 2013, they weren’t industry veterans or business gurus. They were two friends from school, fired up by a shared love of great beer and the place they call home — South Cumbria. A decade on, they’re still powering on, inspired by the rugged beauty of the North West.
The name Fell is a nod to the landscape that shaped the brewery, reflecting the hills and mountains that define Cumbria and its people. “We’re proud of where we’re from,” they say, and it shows. The brewery isn’t just based here because it’s home; it’s because they want their beer to be a part of how locals and visitors experience the region.
Operating far from a big city does come with its quirks. “Winter deliveries can be interesting”, we’re told, but the team wouldn’t have it any other way. They’re also fortunate to share the area with other talented producers (including an artisan sticky toffee pudding maker), and are able to tap into a community that values flavour, provenance, and craft. The Fell team now spans 14 people at the brewery, with many more across their four bars dotted across the North, and a much-loved pub just down the road.
When it comes to a brewing ethos, Fell follow a simple mantra: “we brew what we love”. That means a broad range that includes hazy, hoppy pints, but also nods to traditional styles, and always with an eye to what’s next. There’s precision and passion in the process, and a quiet confidence born of years spent honing their craft. “We’ve been doing this a while now,” they say, “and we’re starting to get quite good at it”.
Sustainability is top of the agenda for Tim and Andrew right now. In 2024, they conducted a full carbon footprint analysis of their beers, and now they’ve set an ambitious target to halve emissions from 2023 levels within three years. They want to figure out what truly sustainable small-scale brewing looks like and are busy getting on and doing it.
Design is another pillar of the Fell approach, and it’s not just skin-deep. They’re one of the few breweries of their size with a full-time in-house designer. Watson designed the logo based on the topographical rendering of St Sunday Crag and it speaks to a wider visual language that runs through every can and clip.
And yes, some of those pump clips have made a real impression. One dedicated regular recently had the Tinderbox IPA design tattooed onto his leg. We can’t think of a a higher compliment to one of the very first beers Fell ever brewed. It’s still pouring, still beloved, and still quietly doing its thing — much like the brewery itself.