FRENSHAM Brewery has been held up as a shining example of Britain’s “flowering” real ale industry by editor of the CAMRA Good Beer Guide, Roger Protz.

Mr Protz recently dropped by the brewery, set up at Pierrepont Farm in 2014 by husband and wife Miles and Emily Stephens, to open its new tap room - recently renovated by farm owners the Countryside Restoration Trust from a 17th century smithy.

The tap room will allow Frensham Brewery to expand on its already busy schedule of social events, and will soon be joined by a new brew house, itself restored from an old bull pen.

Speaking at the grand opening, Mr Protz said: “It’s a remarkable fact that there are so many breweries opening in this country. Back in the early days of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), the first Good Beer Guide in 1974 listed 40 operating breweries. There are now 1,700 at the last count.

“Beer is flowering in this country, and I can’t think of a better country than Britain to drink beer in these days simply because of the enormous choice there is available.

“So well done to Miles and Emily who are brewing some remarkable beers in such a lovely setting. It makes quite a change from all the new breweries opening in industrial estates.

“What I particularly like is they are putting something back. They’re not just making beer, but they’re providing spent hops and spent malt to the farm, they’re using good old English barley, English hops and putting something back into the community.”

Frensham Brewery’s new tap room is fully licensed, and provides a large indoor space, bar and a picturesque outdoor courtyard for the brewery’s regular events as well as private functions.

It is located next to the brewery’s new brew house which, once complete, will enable Miles and Emily to up their production from around 20 casks of their award-winning ale per brew to 30.

Emily told The Herald: “It’s just lovely to have the tap room up and running - it’s been such a long time coming, and once we’ve finished the new brew house the brewery will be complete. It’s very exciting.

“When we put our business plan in, it was all about those two buildings. But at the time we didn’t have water or electricity into them, so there was the barn on the end there that was ready to go, and luckily we didn’t hang around because it’s taken three years!

“The tap room is a lovely little spot, and it’s nice to be where we originally endeavoured.”

Frensham Brewery holds barbecues from 12pm to 4pm on the first Sunday of every month throughout the summer season (May to October).

Each feature live music, food from award-winning Rowledge butcher Michael Humphries, a cocktail bar and children’s play area - not to mention the brewery’s coveted beer.

Emily continued: “It was a risk setting up a brewery in such a tucked away location, but it’s definitely become a destination - it’s everything we would have hoped and people treat it like their little secret.

“Our customers have got somewhere to bring their friends to when they visit, it’s a conversation - it’s a nice little thing for them to come and visit, and the view now that we’ve got is just stunning.”

The brewery has also recently extended its opening hours, and is now open for direct sales on Fridays from 12pm to 6pm and Saturdays and Sundays from 12pm to 4pm.

For more information, visit the website www.fren

shambrewery.co.uk or find the brewery on Facebook and Twitter. The next monthly barbecue will take place on Sunday, July 2.