Local Faces at the Chiltern Brewery
A stone’s throw away from Wendover lies The Chiltern Brewery, Buckinghamshire’s and the Chilterns’ oldest independent brewery which this year celebrates its 40th year of brewing. Run by brothers Tom & George Jenkinson, The Chiltern Brewery has become a cornerstone of life for many Wendover residents.
The brothers took on the day-to-day running of The Chiltern Brewery in 2005 from their parents, Richard & Lesley Jenkinson, who had taken the decision to step back. Both Richard & Lesley are in fine health and can often be seen at the brewery’s onsite shop, engaging with customers and recalling fond memories.
Tom & George have been committed to the cause started by their parents in 1980 – that of reviving classic English ale styles and pioneering new ones for drinkers to enjoy time & time again. Their focus has always been on using only the finest British ingredients to create rewarding pints for those who appreciate the finer things in life. Brewery favourites that are synonymous with the local region (Beechwood Bitter, Bodger’s Barley Wine, 300s Old Ale to name a few) remain a core part of the brewery’s range along with new beers brewed for the modern palate, such as their Session IPA which will be available very soon.
Under the leadership of the two brothers, The Chiltern Brewery has enjoyed continual growth and their award-winning real ales can now be found in many pubs throughout the local area. Tom & George also run their own pub, The King’s Head in Aylesbury town centre. The pub dates back to the 1400s, one of the oldest & most historic pubs in the region. They have recently taken on the lease for the whole site and have an exciting plan to bring the buildings back to life.
George and his wife, Anett, look after the day-to-day running of The King’s Head in Aylesbury, where visitors can expect a warm welcome at any time of the day. The pub, perhaps Aylesbury’s best kept secret, offers a wide range of cask ales, keg beers and a carefully selected choice of wines & spirits. Their talented chefs excel at cooking modern British dishes with an exciting addition – Chiltern Brewery beer! Sourcing fresh ingredients from local farmers, growers and bakers, the chefs then add a glug of beer, a spoonful of ale chutney or a generous sprinkling of handmade beer cheese to create balanced, wholesome meals for all tastes to savour.
Although the brothers are aware of the importance of their brewery’s 40 year history, now about the 6th oldest micro-brewery in the country – it’s the future they are focussing on. There are new beers being released as part of their anniversary this year, including their first ever can! On a larger scale plans are advanced for the development of a new brewery which will allow them to continue to meet growing demand for their beers.
The local area has always been important to the Brewery which is why its emblem features a fox and beech tree and most of the Brewery’s beer names are named after local features or people of prominence. Further to this, meeting the needs of the local customers has been the overriding objective of the brewery – most of them live within a few miles of the Brewery. Without their support the Brewery wouldn’t be celebrating its anniversary this year – so the brothers would like to say a very big “Thank You!” to all their local customers and will raise a glass to them on their birthday! Cheers!
To learn more about The Chiltern Brewery, you can visit their shop on Nash Lee Road, browse their website (www.chilternbrewery.co.uk) or follow them on social media – @chilternbrewery.
