Nethergate Brewery

The Brewery was established in 1986, in the small town of Clare, in Suffolk. From the very beginning it set out to brew distinctive beers of a consistent quality, this being quickly recognised in the many awards won at beer festivals throughout the region. Click here for a summary of these awards.

The beers brewed mostly exhibited special features, such as our coriander flavoured Umbel ales, (coriander was much used before hops became cheaply available), or Old Growler itself, a dark porter which is our most famous beer.

Over a period of time we built up a range of eight so-called permanent beers, these being beers that are brewed throughout the year, as opposed to seasonal beers, which are brewed from time to time, and cover a very much larger range.

Interesting, huh? Well, there’s a lot more where that came from. Why not surf on over to the Old Growler?

Brewery Pictures:


Augustian Ale

Premium beer 4.5 % abv

A wonderfully smooth drinking premium beer, with a hint of crystal malt. The late addition of Styrian Goldings in the boil lends the beer a continental flavour. Originally brewed to celebrate the 750th anniversary of the founding of the Augustinian priory in Clare, the original home of Nethergate.


Old Growler

Porter 5.0 % abv

Our famous porter has won at the CAMRA winter festival twice, the only brewery to do so, first in 1998 and again in 2003, also winning the highest accolade Supreme Champion in 2003. Also Supreme Champion at the Chicago International Beer Festival in 2004, in the porter category. A complex, satisfying porter, smooth and distinctive. Roast malt and fruit feature in the palate. The finish is powerfully hoppy with a hint of liquorice.

Sometimes available as Growler Extra, at 5.5 % abv.