Norfolk and its surrounding areas are not just a haven for nature lovers and history buffs; they also serve as a pilgrimage site for enthusiasts of craft beverages. From the innovative farm-to-glass ethos of Duration Brewing nestled in the ruins of a 12th-century priory to the pioneering sake production at Dojima Sake Brewery in the serene grounds of Fordham Abbey, the region offers a fascinating journey through the world of artisanal brewing and distilling. This guide invites you to explore the unique breweries and distilleries that dot the landscape, each with its own story, techniques, and, of course, delightful tipples to sample. Whether you’re a beer aficionado, a gin enthusiast, a wine lover, or a cider devotee, there’s something here to tantalize your taste buds.
1. Duration Brewing
Set in the ruins of 12th-century West Acre Priory, Duration Brewing is a state-of-the-art modern farmhouse brewery that respects its roots in local history and the surrounding countryside. The brewery is housed in a restored barn originally built in the 16th Century with stones from the monastery. In its tap room you can sample a variety of farm-to-glass beers on draught, including pale ales, lagers and saisons, and take home bottled brews aged in Duration’s oak vats, known as foeders. And there’s every chance of meeting the people who made their unique vision for this site a vibrant reality – Miranda Hudson and her husband, a brewer and chef from the Appalachian Mountains known simply as Bates.
Duration Brewing, Abbey Farm, River Road, West Acre, Norfolk PE32 1UA
T 01760 755436 / www.durationbeer.com
2. WhataHoot Distillery
With a name inspired by the barn owls that call from the skies of Norfolk, WhataHoot Distillery specialises in making gins and vodkas with provenance, notably its Signature Dry Gin, flavoured with locally harvested samphire and lavender. It was founded in 2017 by husband-and-wife team Jason and Nicky Crown in a restored 16th-century warehouse by the Great Ouse in King’s Lynn. The doors are open to visitors and the hosts offer educational experiences. They range from an hour-long distillery tour that will furnish you with the basics of gin-making with samples to taste, to a Cocktail Masterclass, to the four-hour Wise Old Owl session, at the end of which you’ll come away with a bottle of gin distilled and labelled by your own hands.
WhataHoot Distillery, 7a King Street, King’s Lynn, Norfolk PE30 1ET
T 01553 401870 / www.whatahoot.co.uk
3. Burn Valley Vineyard
The most northerly of Norfolk’s vineyards, Burn Valley is on the Robinson family’s farm near Fakenham, just four miles from the coast, where the south-facing stony terroir retains the heat required to ripen the grapes. Nine varieties are grown, including Pinot Noir, Bacchus and Chardonnay, and since 2019 a range of white, red and rose wines have been fermented and bottled at the on-site winery. With the harvest getting under way in October, most of the vineyard’s regular events take a break, but through the whole year you can continue to Meet the Winemaker with one of Burn Valley’s team leading a tour of the winery and vineyard, weather permitting, before hosting an in-depth tasting of the latest vintages.
Burn Valley Vineyard, North Creake, Fakenham, Norfolk NR21 9LN
T 07803 925064 / www.burnvalleyvineyard.co.uk
4. Whin Hill Norfolk Cider
Whin Hill Cider began life in 1994 when two friends decided to expand their cider-making hobby by planting 1,000 apple trees from Herefordshire near the village of Stanhoe. Soon after they opened The Ciderworks in an 18th-century barn 10 miles away in Wells-next-the-Sea, installing a full production facility, shop and courtyard where visitors can enjoy a drink on site – but only until the end of September. Come harvest-time they need all the space they can get, although the shop stays open on Saturdays. As well as still and sparkling ciders, apple juice and cider vinegar, you can buy rare Norfolk perry, made with pear varieties grown in the Whin Hill orchards that are virtually unknown elsewhere in East Anglia.
Whin Hill Norfolk Cider, The Ciderworks, Stearman’s Yard, Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk NR23 1BW
T 01328 711821 / www.whinhillnorfolkcider.co.uk
5. Dojima Sake Brewery
Possibly the last place you’d expect to find this taste of Japanese culture, Dojima Sake Brewery was built in the beautiful grounds of Georgian Fordham Abbey, near Ely, in 2018. It is the work of the Hashimoto family, which has been making sake in Osaka for 200 years, and they have tapped into a local source of especially pure water to make an authentic expression of the rice-based beverage over here. The furthest flung of our trail is worth the extra miles. The brewery is a stunning piece of architecture and it opens for tours and tastings with the option of staying for lunch. You can also wander around the Japanese Garden, and there are special events to commemorate the full moon and International Sake Day at the beginning of October.
Dojima Sake Brewery, Fordham Abbey, 39 Newmarket Road, Fordham, Ely, Cambridgeshire CB7 5LL
T 01638 721695 / www.dojimabrewery.co.uk
Conclusion
As we conclude our tour of Norfolk’s finest breweries and distilleries, it’s clear that this region offers much more than just picturesque scenery. It’s a treasure trove of innovative and traditional craft beverages, where the passion for quality and the art of brewing and distilling come to life. From the historic ambiance of WhataHoot Distillery in a 16th-century warehouse to the coastal charm of Whin Hill Norfolk Cider, these destinations provide an insight into the dedication behind producing each bottle.
Download our ‘Congham Tipple Trail Guide’. It’s your ticket to exploring the rich tapestry of tastes that Norfolk has to offer, ensuring that every sip is an adventure.