The Lincolnshire Agricultural Society Impact Group visit Pheasantry Brewery 13 Feb

The group enjoy a wide variety of visits throughout the year to extend their knowledge but also draw upon their interests. We enjoy supporting local businesses in the county and nearby and chose a visit to the Pheasantry Brewery in East Markham for a tour in January by Head Brewer Mark Easterbrook.

To give a brief history in 2012 the original farm buildings were converted into a modern microbrewery. The brewery’s name is derived from the cottage next to the brewery which original maps show was a Pheasantry used for breeding and rearing game birds. The beers are brewed using traditional methods, from malted barley, hops, water and yeast. This particular area was an important hop growing region for around 150 years from the early 18th century, when nearby Tuxford had its own Hop Fair. The farm sale details from 1943 show that the field down from the restaurant was called the Hopyard, and there are hops growing wild in the hedges there today. There was a brew house within the original buildings at The Pheasantry which was used for personal use.

Malting barley is grown on the farm today, and new hops have been planted for demonstration purposes, this allowed for us to see the brewing process from beginning to end and taste the finished product too!

The farm has recently diversified further by hiring out the venue for a range of events such as weddings, parties and corporate entertaining. With a unique setting of the brewery and a specially designed event room it’s a great private location.

One of our IMPACT members and attendee said the following regarding the tour.

“The recent Pheasantry brewery tour was extremely enjoyable, as you might expect! Pheasantry beer is held in high regard locally and it was great to see how a ‘micro’ brewery had now formed trading relations with some of the largest retailers in the country, including Wetherspoons!

It was great to see how a farm diversification project has turned into a really successful and highly regarded business. We learned a great deal about the brewing process including the different types of malt, hops and the ways in which water is treated before they use it for brewing.

It is great to go with a group of likeminded people and learn all about different businesses and organisations”

Michael Jarmuz – Key Account Consultant for Agrovista UK LTD.

I provide agronomic services to farmers in Lincolnshire as well as technical and commercial support to customers throughout the UK.

I have worked in Lincolnshire for several years and have been attending events organised by the IMPACT group since 2016.