A group of young entrepreneurs are at last living the dream they made over a pint having opened their own brewery. After two years of wrestling with legal red tape and converting an old barn, the team of six mates are looking forward to welcoming their first customers from tomorrow (Saturday). The tap room at Court Farm, Upper Halling, in the shadow of the North Downs, near where most of them grew up, will be serving their lovingly-crafted ales. Coming from a mix of career backgrounds, including accountancy, graphic design and catering, they developed a kinship through their mutual love of beer. They regularly meet up for a bevvy or two in what they term as "moots", which is where the name of their company, Moot Brew, came from. It was in February 2021 that they decided it was time to stop talking and time to put their ambitions into action. Company director Patrick Smith, who has a background in marketing, said: "During a dog walk we noticed that Court Farm had undergone some renovations and we thought 'I wonder if there's a wee space for us there?' "We were then lucky enough to meet the owner Andrew Lingham and lo and behold, not only did he have an old barn we could move into, but he had planning permission for a brewery too. "From there we started the long arduous journey of dealing with licence applications, building regulations and the rest." Head brewer Calvin Gear has spent seven years practising his skills at a brewery in south
London and, ever optimistic, bought the necessary equipment ahead of getting the relevant licences. The former teacher said: "A bunch of our rag tag crew cut their teeth working together in fine dining restaurants before turning to beer. This is partly why our team is so well suited to brewing beer. "Having a deep understanding of complex flavour profiles drives us to explore new types of beers and techniques. "It's been an enjoyable journey getting this far and we are elated we are now open. "After announcing it on
Facebook,
Social Media just went crazy." They showcase English hops, pairing them with hops from around the world as well as selling Kentish ciders, produce and artwork. The business will complement other elements on the 320-hectare farm on the Pilgrims Way which is already home to a butchery, bakery and farm shop. The tap room is an integral part of the operation, providing somewhere for ramblers, cyclists and real ale enthusiasts to sample and socialise. Patrick said: "Our tap room is a place for anyone to rock up, feel welcome and at home. Somewhere for the locals to meet and play board games or ramblers and cyclists to get refreshed." It's open from 10am to 6pm, Wednesday to Sunday. They eventually hope to run educational tours and brewery experience days. The team are Calvin and Patrick who are working full-time at the business, alongside, husband and wife Tom and Danielle Ferguson, Will Auty and Ian Hickmott. For more, visit mootbrew.co.uk