Cumbria brewery makes first beer for exclusive use of England's "best" services
A Cumbrian motorway service area which is known as the best in the country has become the first to commission a specially brewed beer.
Brewer Jason Hill (left, holding bottle) and Alex Evans from the Tebay Farmshop.
The beer, which is aptly named ‘Tebay Blonde’, is described as “a light blonde ale produced from Marris Otter Pale Ale malt and a new British hop, 103, grown for its alpine & floral tones and a hint of liquorice”, and is now available at Tebay Services on the M6.
This isn’t your average motorway services though, this is Tebay Services, the UK’s only family owned and run motorway service area, who are famed for being rooted in their region, with fresh, local and artisan food at the heart of the business. As well as no franchises the farm shops and kitchens sell and make proper food.
And now available in their farm shop is their very own beer, but it’s not only the contents of the bottle which is touching a note with customers – Tebay services fans will also notice the beer label features one of their now famous ducks.
Alistair Urquhart, business manager of the services, said: “People will quite often describe us not as Westmorland or Tebay services, but the ‘one with the ducks’ due to us having large ponds both north and southbound which are inhabited by our mallard ducks. With that in mind it seemed only right that they would be at the centre of our new beer bottle design.”
Tebay Blonde has been made especially for the services by the nearby Eden Brewery. Eden Brewery is one of the newest of Cumbria’s many independent breweries and was established in October 2011.
Brewer Jason Hill said: “Obviously Tebay is more than just your generic motorway stop-off, it is actually somewhere that people like having the chance to relax and enjoy themselves and the quality and service on offer mean it has become a destination in its own right.
“We are a local brewery and we are lucky that the Westmorland Family really loved our other beers and decided to commission their own with us. They are doing a great job of promoting local food and drink to the thousands who pass through the services every month.”
Eden Brewery’s bottles of Tebay Blonde will now join the other ranges of local products on sale at Tebay, and the beer will also be sold at The Rheged Centre, which is a part of the Westmorland family of businesses.
Eden’s beers (which include Eden Best, Eden Gold, First Emperor, Eden Fuggle and Dark Knight) have proved popular in Cumbria and further afield since the brewery began production in March 2012.
