The Brewhouse is situated in the yard at the back of the
Golden Lion Public House. The Inn's history can be traced from the early 17th
Century. The present brewhouse is a fascinating example of a Victorian domestic
brewery, a rare survival of a once common establishment. Built to supply the
Inn, the premises also had a license to bottle brandy - a keg survives. In
a directory of 1855 , James Hunt is listed as farmer and brewer at the Golden
Lion, and in 1895 the incumbent was one William Hunt.
A photograph displayed in the Golden Lion dated 1945, shows a sign 'Hunts
Home Brewed Ales', indicating the family were still the brewers at this time.
Activity at the brewhouse ceased in 1956/57 when the last brewer retired.
The brewing process began in the malt store where the Grist Mill cracked the
malt. Malt and water (known as 'liquor' in a brewery) were run into the Mash
Tun and left to infuse for about two hours. A mechanical rake turned the mixture
to ensure an even consistency. It was here that the chemical change from starch
to soluble sugar took place. This solution, known as 'wort' , was passed to
the Copper via the Underback. The copper was coal fired from below, and it
was at this stage that the hops and sugar were added. From here the wort passed
to the Hop Back where the spent hops fell to the bottom before the wort passed
to the cooler.
After cooling the product passed into the fermenting vessels - here the yeast
was added. The strength of the beer was indicated by the specific gravity,
which along with the quantity would be entered in the charge book kept in
the brewer's desk at the top of the staircase. This was checked frequently
by the Excise Officer.
Fermentation took three to four days. After about twelve hours a head began
to form and this was removed at intervals. During the fermenting process a
rise in temperature occurred and this was controlled by cooling. The beer
would then be drawn off into casks on the ground floor, to mature until it
was taken off to the public house,where it would stand for a further twenty-four
hours before being ready for consumption.
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