MEET THE BREWER: Fred Mills, Appleby Brewery

Who is the brewer and how did you start out?

Fred Mills is the owner, founder and head brewer at Appleby Brewery, now based in Morland, near Penrith. Fred, originally from Somerset, was a management consultant, travelling all over the world. His wife was looking for a bed and breakfast business to start up and Fred decided a career change was needed for him too. After hearing about other people who had done this and begun to do something they really enjoyed, he says the penny dropped for him, when he realised that brewing beer was what he wanted to do. With a degree in biochemistry and microbiology and home brewing experience, Fred was able to use this, as well as take a Brew Lab course and begin his new venture. A B&B was found in Appleby and so the location for the brewery decided. The move to The Stables at Morland was made in March 2016, with a three barrel plant.

What are the regular beers?

There are five regular beers, all with local or, as Fred says himself, autobiographical links. Midlife Crisis was Fred’s first beer, plus Horse Fair, Senior Moment and Middle Aged Spread. His Vanya Yam India Pale Ale was developed in collaboration with Eden Mencap as a fundraiser to help them buy their home. Vanya Yam is Cumbrian for almost home, so the link is obvious. Appleby Brewery tap at the Stables has limited opening hours, so beers can also be found at the White Horse in Kings Meaburn and the Butcher’s Arms in Crosby Ravensworth. Bottles of the range are stocked across Booth’s in Cumbria too.

What next?

Fred is brewing at capacity to keep up with demand and will need to increase this at some point. In a county with many other good brewers, he aims to be different by offering workshops to teach people how to brew at home themselves, as well as doing brewery tours. He still uses his management skills too by offering corporate training and customer service skills courses.

Favourite beer?

Fred’s favourite beer of his own is Middle Aged Spread. From other breweries, Loweswater Gold (Cumbrian Legendary) and Swan Blonde from Bowness Bay hit the spot for him.

Article with thanks to beer enthusiasts Chris Holland and Judith Moore