February has been a busy month for the UK’s Brewing industry with the ever changing climate change threatening hop and barley crops to exciting new beer releases. In our latest round-up, we dive into the latest brewing industry challenges, celebrate the revival of a historic UK brewery, and highlight award-winning beers making waves across the country. Plus, we take a look at the returning JD Wetherspoons Spring Festival which is shown to be as bigger as ever. Finally, we delve into the latest brews from new vegan-friendly beers, to a unique movie-inspired beer collection from St Austell Brewery.
Beer Business
The Critical Climate Change
Climate Change is happening right now across the globe as you read this, it’s inevitable that it’s happening. It’s affecting many continents across the world, from the melting ice caps in Antarctica to threatening Tropical Storms forming across the United States of America and then there’s the warmer summers of Great Britain. All these factors multiplied together are having such a catastrophic effect on the World’s environment. You’re probably wondering what has this got to do with Beer.
In order to brew any beer you need two vital ingredients, Hops and Barley. And the way that the UK weather system is performing and that Earth is in general becoming warmer as years go by, this is putting intense pressure on the Brewing Industry. Hops and Barley require water to thrive throughout the growth period, but with less intense rainfall during the growing season and excess rain at harvest, this is causing crops up and down the country to become dry and ruined, and that means there is less beer to produce, which then equivalates to struggling breweries, which finalises that many pubs are closing their doors due to a lack of sales.
This, added together though, doesn’t necessarily mean that there is an end to beer, it just means that when you look back ten years ago the cost of ingredients have increased and many brewers are having to tweak their recipes to match what ingredient stock they have with affordability.
The Return Of Jennings Brewery
In 2022 Carlsberg Marstons Brewing Company announced the closure of Jennings Brewery located in the unique surroundings of Cockermouth. Now, three years on, two local entrepreneurs have buddied together to bring the life of Jennings back to its former glory. As it stands, until March 2025, bottled beers will continue to be sold by Carlsberg Britvic, before the beer production transfers to the new company – Jennings Brewery ltd. It’s hopeful that the original core range will remain, as to make Jennings beer top notch, the beers need to be brewed with the local water.
Popular Spring Festival Returns to JD Wetherspoons
The well-known JD Wetherspoons Spring Festival launches on Wednesday 5th March until Sunday 16th March. There will be a range of 30 different ales which will be available to sample throughout the festival, and also there will be some international beers up for tasting as well. Plus, customers will be able to purchase three third tasters equivalating to a pint across the whole of the festival.
Another Brewery Shuts Down…How many more??
The unavoidable costs of ingredients to brew beer are continuing to spiral across the UK. And with this in mind it’s causing many small and larger breweries to close. By The Horns Brewing Company which was located in Surrey is the latest casualty due to citing bad debtors, renting hikes and overall economic costs.
Through 2020, the brewery survived the global pandemic of COVID-19, but it is over the past year where the brewery has struggled to continue to thrive and brew beer.
According to reports over the course of 2024, 399 breweries closed across the UK, whilst 335 opened their doors for the first time, this is still a devastating decline of 100 breweries, and as the pressure of costs still prevails in the country, this number could get worse as we sail through 2025.
Cairngorm Brewery strikes for Gold
The Great British Winter Beer Festival which was held in Rotherham turned out to be a total success for the Scottish Highlands Cairngorm Brewery, as their 4.4% ABV Black Gold was crowned CAMRA’s Champion Winter Beer Of Britain at the festival.
The final round of judging took place at the festival after the beer went through a series of blind tasting panels and it was at this moment that Black Gold was given the overall crown. This sessionable stout has a delicate coffee aroma with further coffee on the palate along with sweet malt, orange and dark fruits. An easy drinking stout if you’re looking for a winter warmer to enjoy through the cold dark nights.
Beer Releases
New Vegan Beer from Peak District Brewer
Buxton brewery have launched their hoppiest IPA to date, Plead The Fifth 6.0% ABV is a DDH NEIPA (Double Dry Hopped New England India Pale Ale) which is ultimately packed full of hops. The hops range from Cashmere to Citra and then to complete the package Amarillo. If you’re wanting a tropical fruity beer with lashings of orange, then this is the beer for you. Plus, it’s VEGAN! This is something which is becoming increasingly popular across the beer market nowadays.
Hook Norton is Locking Steady with it’s new release
Oxfordshire based Hook Norton Brewery have recently released a new low strength beer – Lock Steady 2.5% ABV. This zesty, light and refreshing pale ale is one for the folks who want that beer that is not low alcohol but is also not too strong. The Cask Connoisseur were privileged to receive samples of Lock Steady and will be conducting their own review on this new beer which seems to be the showcase of spring arriving.
St Austell Brewery At The Movies
Cornwall based brewery, St Austell are releasing five limited-edition cask beers which are based on different film themes. The beers will be forming part of St Austell Cask Club Series, which is where the brewers bring beers to life by using the brewery’s small batch brewery located on site.
The five beers will be launched at specific times of the year starting from March and ending in December.
The Five beers are:
- Shark Bait 3.9% ABV – A zesty session pale ale with stone fruit flavours. This beer will be available from 3rd March.
- Outta Time 4.3% ABV – A floral and herbal Golden Ale which is packed full of tropical fruity tones. This beer will be on sale from 6th March.
- Breakfast Club 4.5% ABV – This collaboration between St Austell Brewery and London based brewery, Toast Brewery will be using surplus bakery bread to create this unique cask ale. This beer will be available to try from 30th June
- Maverick 4.5% ABV – This American IPA will be brewed with Amarillo, Cascade and Citra hops to deliver a full-bodied beer. This beer will be available in bars from 1st September.
- The final beer in the series is Jingle All The Way 4.1% ABV – This rich amber ale is packed full of rich aromas along with textures of, piney hops, raisin, toffee and malt notes. I am sure this is one beer that Arnold Schwarzenegger will approve of.
Upcoming Beer Festivals
Saturday, 1 March 2025
- Chapel Winter Beer Festival, Colchester, Essex, CAMRA
- Bradford Beer and Cider Festival, Shipley, West Yorkshire, CAMRA
- 37th Wigan Beer Festival, Wigan, Greater Manchester, CAMRA
- Gosport Winterfest XXXI, Gosport, Portsmouth, CAMRA
Thursday, 6 March 2025
- 48th Loughborough Beer Festival, Loughborough, Leicestershire, CAMRA
Friday, 7 March 2025
- 48th Loughborough Beer Festival, Loughborough, Leicestershire, CAMRA
Saturday, 8 March 2025
- 48th Loughborough Beer Festival, Loughborough, Leicestershire, CAMRA
Friday, 14 March 2025
- Chester Beer Festival, Chester, CAMRA
- Wasps FC Beer Festival, Acton, London (Non CAMRA)
Saturday, 15 March 2025
- Chester Beer Festival, Chester, CAMRA
- Wasps FC Beer Festival, Acton, London (Non CAMRA)
Sunday, 16 March 2025
- Wasps FC Beer Festival, Acton, London (Non CAMRA)
Thursday, 20 March 2025
- Scarborough Beer and CIder Festival, Scarborough, North Yorkshire, CAMRA
Friday, 21 March 2025
- Scarborough Beer and Cider Festival, Scarborough, North Yorkshire, CAMRA
- Winslow Beer Festival, Winslow, Buckingham, (Non CAMRA)
Saturday, 22 March 2025
- Scarborough Beer and Cider Festival, Scarborough, North Yorkshire, CAMRA
- Winslow Beer Festival, Winslow, Buckingham, (Non CAMRA)
Sunday, 23 March 2025
- Scarborough Beer and Cider Festival, Scarborough, North Yorkshire, CAMRA
Wednesday, 26 March 2025
- 16th Wandsworth Common Spring Beer and Cider Festival, Wandsworth, London (Non CAMRA)
Thursday, 27 March 2025
- 16th Wandsworth Common Spring Beer and Cider Festival, Wandsworth, London (Non CAMRA)
- 50th Anniversary Burton and South Derbyshire Beer Festival, Burton Upon Trent, Staffordshire, CAMRA
Friday, 28 March 2025
- 16th Wandsworth Common Spring Beer and Cider Festival, Wandsworth, London (Non CAMRA)
- 50th Anniversary Burton and South Derbyshire Beer Festival, Burton Upon Trent, Staffordshire, CAMRA
Saturday, 29 March 2025
- 16th Wandsworth Common Spring Beer and Cider Festival, Wandsworth, London (Non CAMRA)
- 50th Anniversary Burton and South Derbyshire Beer Festival, Burton Upon Trent, Staffordshire, CAMRA
Wednesday, 2 April 2025
- 20th Maldon Beer and Cider Festival, Maldon, Essex, CAMRA
Thursday, 3 April 2025
- 20th Maldon Beer and Cider Festival, Maldon, Essex, CAMRA
Friday, 4 April 2025
- 20th Maldon Beer and Cider Festival, Maldon, Essex, CAMRA
- Nottingham Independants’ Castle Beer Festival, Nottingham, (Non CAMRA)
Saturday, 5 April 2025
- 20th Maldon Beer and Cider Festival, Maldon, Essex, CAMRA
- Nottingham Independants’ Castle Beer Festival, Nottingham, (Non CAMRA)
Wednesday, 9 April 2025
- Newcastle Beer and Cider Festival, Tyne and Wear, Newcastle, CAMRA
Thursday, 10 April 2025
- Newcastle Beer and Cider Festival, Tyne and Wear, Newcastle, CAMRA
- 47th Farnham Beerex, Farnham, Surrey, CAMRA
Friday, 11 April 2025
- Oldham Beer & Cider Festival, Oldham, Manchester, CAMRA
- Newcastle Beer and Cider Festival, Tyne and Wear, Newcastle, CAMRA
- 47th Farnham Beerex, Farnham, Surrey, CAMRA
Saturday, 12 April 2025
- Oldham Beer & Cider Festival, Oldham, Manchester, CAMRA
- Aberdeen Beer Festival, Aberdeen, (Non CAMRA)
- Newcastle Beer and Cider Festival, Tyne and Wear, Newcastle, CAMRA
- 47th Farnham Beerex, Farnham, Surrey, CAMRA
Thursday, 17 April 2025
- Easter Beer Festival, Hertford, (Non CAMRA)
- The Old Cannon Brewery Beer Festival, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, (Non CAMRA)
Friday, 18 April 2025
- Easter Beer Festival, Hertford, (Non CAMRA)
- The Old Cannon Brewery Beer Festival, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, (Non CAMRA)
Saturday, 19 April 2025
- Easter Beer Festival, Hertford, (Non CAMRA)
- The Old Cannon Brewery Beer Festival, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, (Non CAMRA)
Sunday, 20 April 2025
- Easter Beer Festival, Hertford, (Non CAMRA)
- The Old Cannon Brewery Beer Festival, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, (Non CAMRA)
Monday, 21 April 2025
- Easter Beer Festival, Hertford, (Non CAMRA)
- The Old Cannon Brewery Beer Festival, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, (Non CAMRA)
Friday, 25 April 2025
- Chippenham Beer Festival, Chippenham, Wiltshire, CAMRA
Saturday, 26 April 2025
- Chippenham Beer Festival, Chippenham, Wiltshire, CAMRA
- London Spring Cider Festival, Elephant and Castle, London, CAMRA
Friday, 2 May 2025
- Albatross Beer Festival, Bexhill-On-Sea, Sussex, (Non CAMRA)
- The Queens Real Ale, Cider and Street Food Festival, Warwick-On-Eden, Carlisle, (Non CAMRA)
Saturday, 3 May 2025
- Albatross Beer Festival, Bexhill-On-Sea, Sussex, (Non CAMRA)
- The Queens Real Ale, Cider and Street Food Festival, Warwick-On-Eden, Carlisle, (Non CAMRA)
Sunday, 4 May 2025
- Albatross Beer Festival, Bexhill-On-Sea, Sussex, (Non CAMRA)
- The Queens Real Ale, Cider and Street Food Festival, Warwick-On-Eden, Carlisle, (Non CAMRA)
Monday, 5 May 2025
- The Queens Real Ale, Cider and Street Food Festival, Warwick-On-Eden, Carlisle, (Non CAMRA)
Thursday, 8 May 2025
- 18th Bexley Beer Festival, Bexley, London, CAMRA
- Biggleswade Beer and Cider Festival, Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, CAMRA
Friday, 9 May 2025
- 18th Bexley Beer Festival, Bexley, London, CAMRA
- Biggleswade Beer and Cider Festival, Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, CAMRA
- 33rd Yapton Beerex, Yapton, Sussex, CAMRA
Saturday, 10 May 2025
- 18th Bexley Beer Festival, Bexley, London, CAMRA
- Biggleswade Beer and Cider Festival, Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, CAMRA
- 33rd Yapton Beerex, Yapton, Sussex, CAMRA
Sunday, 11 May 2025
- 33rd Yapton Beerex, Yapton, Sussex, CAMRA
Friday, 16 May 2025
- Red River Inn, Gwithian Beer and Music Festival, Gwithian, St Ives, (Non CAMRA)
Saturday, 17 May 2025
- Red River Inn, Gwithian Beer and Music Festival, Gwithian, St Ives, (Non CAMRA)
Sunday, 18 May 2025
- Red River Inn, Gwithian Beer and Music Festival, Gwithian, St Ives, (Non CAMRA)
Saturday, 22 May 2025
- Lincoln Beer Festival, Lincolnshire, CAMRA
- 2nd Dulwich Beer and Cider Festival, Dulwich, London, CAMRA
Friday, 23 May 2025
- King Of The Beer Fests (King Of The Belgian Pubs), Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, (Non CAMRA)
- Lincoln Beer Festival, Lincolnshire, CAMRA
- 2nd Dulwich Beer and Cider Festival, Dulwich, London, CAMRA
Saturday, 24 May 2025
- King Of The Beer Fests (King Of The Belgian Pubs), Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, (Non CAMRA)
- Lincoln Beer Festival, Lincolnshire, CAMRA
- 2nd Dulwich Beer and Cider Festival, Dulwich, London, CAMRA
Sunday, 25 May 2025
- King Of The Beer Fests (King Of The Belgian Pubs), Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, (Non CAMRA)
- One Inn The Wood Beer Festival 2025, Petts Wood, Orpington, London, (Non CAMRA)
Monday, 26 May 2025
- King Of The Beer Fests (King Of The Belgian Pubs), Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, (Non CAMRA)
Tuesday, 3 June 2025
- Thurrock Beer and Cider Festival 2025, Grays, Essex, CAMRA
Wednesday, 4 June 2025
- Thurrock Beer and Cider Festival 2025, Grays, Essex, CAMRA
Thursday, 5 June 2025
- Twyford Beer Festival, Berkshire, (Non CAMRA)
- Thurrock Beer and Cider Festival 2025, Grays, Essex, CAMRA
- Braintree Real Ale Festival, Braintree, Essex, CAMRA
Friday, 6 June 2025
- Twyford Beer Festival, Berkshire, (Non CAMRA)
- Thurrock Beer and Cider Festival 2025, Grays, Essex, CAMRA
- Braintree Real Ale Festival, Braintree, Essex, CAMRA
- CAMRA KESR Railway Real Ale and Cider Festival, Tenterden, Kent, CAMRA
Saturday, 7 June 2025
- Twyford Beer Festival, Berkshire, (Non CAMRA )
- Thurrock Beer and Cider Festival 2025, Grays, Essex, CAMRA
- Braintree Real Ale Festival, Braintree, Essex, CAMRA
- CAMRA KESR Railway Real Ale and Cider Festival, Tenterden, Kent, CAMRA
Wednesday, 19 June 2025
- Stockport Beer and Cider Festival, Stockport, Manchester, CAMRA
Thursday, 20 June 2025
- Stockport Beer and Cider Festival, Stockport, Manchester, CAMRA
Friday, 21 June 2025
- Stockport Beer and Cider Festival, Stockport, Manchester, CAMRA
- Change is Brewing Beer Festival, Oxford, (Non CAMRA)
Wednesday, 26 June 2025
- Leicester Indie Beer Festival, Leicestershire, CAMRA
Thursday, 27 June 2025
- Leicester Indie Beer Festival, Leicestershire, CAMRA
Friday, 28 June 2025
- Leicester Indie Beer Festival, Leicestershire, CAMRA
Thursday, 3 July 2025
- Totnes Beer and Cider Festival, Totnes, Devon, CAMRA
Friday, 4 July 2025
- Totnes Beer and Cider Festival, Totnes, Devon, CAMRA
- Merchant Adventures’ Charity Beer Festival, York, Yorkshire, (Non CAMRA)
- Chasewater Railway Beer Festival 2025, Brownhills, Walsall, (Non CAMRA)
Saturday, 5 July 2025
- Haddenham Summerfest, Buckinghamshire, Aylesbury
- Totnes Beer and Cider Festival, Totnes, Devon, CAMRA
- Merchant Adventures’ Charity Beer Festival, York, Yorkshire, (Non CAMRA)
- Chasewater Railway Beer Festival 2025, Brownhills, Walsall, (Non CAMRA)
Sunday, 6 July 2025
- Chasewater Railway Beer Festival 2025, Brownhills, Walsall, (Non CAMRA)
Friday, 11 July 2025
- Shanty Town 2025, Portsmouth, (Non CAMRA)
Saturday, 12 July 2025
- Shanty Town 2025, Portsmouth, (Non CAMRA)
Tuesday, 5 August 2025
- Great British Beer Festival, Birmingham, West Midlands, CAMRA
Wednesday, 6 August 2025
- Great British Beer Festival, Birmingham, West Midlands, CAMRA
Thursday, 7 August 2025
- Great British Beer Festival, Birmingham, West Midlands, CAMRA
Friday, 8 August 2025
- Great British Beer Festival, Birmingham, West Midlands, CAMRA
Saturday, 9 August 2025
- Great British Beer Festival, Birmingham, West Midlands, CAMRA
Wednesday, 20 August 2025
- 33rd East Anglian Beer and Cider Festival, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, CAMRA
Thursday, 21 August 2025
- 33rd East Anglian Beer and Cider Festival, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, CAMRA
Friday, 22 August 2025
- 33rd East Anglian Beer and Cider Festival, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, CAMRA
- Mid-Norfolk Railway Beer and Music Festival, Dereham, Norfolk, (Non CAMRA)
Saturday, 23 August 2025
- 33rd East Anglian Beer and Cider Festival, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, CAMRA
- Mid-Norfolk Railway Beer and Music Festival, Dereham, Norfolk, (Non CAMRA)
Sunday, 24 August 2025
- 33rd East Anglian Beer and Cider Festival, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, CAMRA
- Mid-Norfolk Railway Beer and Music Festival, Dereham, Norfolk, (Non CAMRA)
Monday, 25 August 2025
- 33rd East Anglian Beer and Cider Festival, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, CAMRA
- Mid-Norfolk Railway Beer and Music Festival, Dereham, Norfolk, (Non CAMRA)
Friday, 12 September 2025
- Wedmore Beer Festival, Wedmore, Somerset, (Non CAMRA)
Saturday, 13 September 2025
- Wedmore Beer Festival, Wedmore, Somerset, (Non CAMRA)
Sunday, 14 September 2025
- Wedmore Beer Festival, Wedmore, Somerset, (Non CAMRA)
Friday, 24 October 2025
- Time and Tide Rising Tide Craft Beer Festival, Canterbury, Kent, (Non CAMRA)
Saturday, 25 October 2025
- Time and Tide Rising Tide Craft Beer Festival, Canterbury, Kent, (Non CAMRA)
Background – Here at The Cask Connoisseur, even though we’re not subscribed to every potential newsletter or source of information, we receive around four hundred emails over the course of a month with various promotions, new release information, brewery newsletters,updates etc. Add on social media posts and that amounts to somewhere well over 1000 pieces of information being reviewed per month. The aim of this monthly round up is to provide a summary of the most interesting bits along with upcoming events that can be gleaned from them. The downside to a monthly review is a lot of “special offers” will have come and gone.
