Jeremy Clarkson’s ambitions for his premium beer model, Hawkstone, are something however modest. What started as an area collaboration utilizing barley from his Diddly Squat farm is now Britain’s fastest-growing privately owned brewery — and it’s simply getting began.
Launched in 2021, Hawkstone is brewed in partnership with the Cotswold Brewing Firm and is now served in additional than 500 pubs throughout the UK. The model, co-owned by Clarkson and entrepreneur Johnny Hornby, posted gross sales of £7.8 million within the 12 months to March, and plans are underway to push into worldwide markets.
“It is a fun business,” stated Clarkson. “When you go out with people in brewing, they actually have a pint — and then usually another. I enjoy that a lot more than water at lunch.”
The unique concept was easy: mix Clarkson’s media profile with British farming and high quality brewing. Hawkstone makes use of barley grown on his 1,000-acre farm and has positioned itself as a premium product — a shift from its early tongue-in-cheek branding concepts like “Lager McLagerface”.
“Once we realised how much brewing actually costs, we knew it had to be premium,” Clarkson defined. The identify ‘Hawkstone’ comes from a neolithic standing stone close to his farm.
The brewery has since expanded its vary to incorporate low-alcohol choices corresponding to “Spa Lager” and a brand new fruit cider with blackberry, blackcurrant, and apple. Clarkson likens the cider to “a children’s party drink — but with a buzz.”
Clarkson’s co-star on Clarkson’s Farm, Kaleb Cooper, lent his identify to Hawkstone’s cider providing, which weathered a high-profile setback in 2023 after a batch was overfermented and needed to be recalled. “We completely cocked up,” stated Clarkson, “but sales went up after we owned the mistake. Our refreshing honesty seemed to go down well.”
Heineken has taken a minority stake within the enterprise, serving to with logistics and distribution. In the meantime, Clarkson and his fellow administrators — together with managing director Owen Jenkins and chairman Hugh van Cutsem — are pushing ahead with plans for nationwide and worldwide enlargement.
Clarkson envisions Hawkstone in “200,000 pubs, from the Pacific Northwest to Brisbane.” Although tongue-in-cheek, the ambition is severe. Elon Musk was lately seen sipping Hawkstone on a yacht in France, including celeb cachet to the model’s worldwide profile.
Jenkins, previously with C&C Group (homeowners of Magners and Tennent’s), says Hawkstone is concentrating on a niche available in the market. “There’s no true premium British lager dominating the market,” he stated. “That’s what we’re aiming to be.”
Growth isn’t restricted to brewing. Clarkson has hinted that purchasing pubs might be the following step, citing a “worryingly large” variety of venues at the moment up on the market. “Owners will literally bite your arm off if you ask to buy,” he stated.
Regardless of his enterprise success, Clarkson stays modest — and barely irreverent — about his credentials. “I don’t know what EBIT means and I don’t want to know,” he joked. “But I like the idea of growing the barley, making the beer, and then drinking it. That part I understand.”
Hawkstone is now sourcing further grain from different UK farmers after Diddly Squat’s personal harvest failed to fulfill brewing requirements final 12 months. “We’re proud to say our beer supports British agriculture,” Clarkson added. “It’s not made with Italian or German barley — it’s homegrown.”
Trying forward, the model is open to new partnerships. “We’d love to talk to British hop growers,” Clarkson stated. “If we could make Hawkstone entirely from UK-grown ingredients, that would be brilliant.”
With new product improvement, retail enlargement, and potential pub acquisitions on the desk, Hawkstone’s journey from Diddly Squat to international pint glasses is nicely underway — even when its co-founder insists he’s making it up as he goes alongside.
