A quiet corner of the East Sussex countryside, created decades ago by rock icon Roger Daltrey, has become a busy centre for craft beer production. Lakedown Brewing Co., founded in 2020 by The Who’s frontman with his family and entrepreneur Chris Rule, grew its business by opening a dedicated brewing facility on Daltrey’s 400-acre farm in Burwash. The musician bought the site in the 1970s as a peaceful place to escape from international concert tours. There, he dug four spring-fed trout lakes. Today, those same waters surround a modern family-run microbrewery and taproom. The business focuses on craft beers that are easy to drink and enjoy.
From post-lockdown pint to family enterprise
The idea for the brewery began during a quiet period after national pandemic restrictions. In an interview with Bite Sussex, co-founder Jamie Daltrey explained how a casual drink by the water helped start the family business. “We were enjoying a relaxing post lockdown pint together at the water’s edge in the idyllic Lakedown Trout Fishery,” Jamie Daltrey told Bite Sussex. “It was a perfect time and place for a beer!”“We had a vision to create a local brewery that brought people together, celebrated the East Sussex countryside and made for easy, social drinking,” he added. “Inspired by our surroundings and love of craft beer, we decided to make our own beers using the finest quality ingredients and create equally brilliant places to drink them in.”The 41-year-old returned to East Sussex after working in the London television industry. He took over management of the Lakedown Trout Fishery in 2019, then co-founded the brewery the following year. The estate has a strong personal meaning for the family. Roger Daltrey first built the fishery in the 1970s as a place to get away from the demands of touring around the world with The Who. The family’s creative background is also reflected in the brand. Its visual logo celebrates local wildlife while including subtle references to music.
Focus on accessible local craft brewing
Lakedown Brewing Co. operates in a regional market with about 40 independent breweries. It has built its identity around sessionable, full-flavoured beers that are made for a wide range of drinkers. “Our beers are made for easy drinking, and are super fresh and sessionable,” Jamie Daltrey told Bite Sussex. “All of Lakedown Brewing Co.’s beers are vegan and most are gluten-free. We use carefully sourced, quality ingredients that allow the beer the time it needs for a deliciously full-flavored brew.” The brewery follows a grain-to-glass approach. It combines traditional brewing methods with modern production equipment. Its main range includes a Pilsner, English Pale, Pale Ale, NEIPA, Best Bitter, IPA, Porter, American Red and Vermont Pale Ale. The beers are available in cask, keg, bottle and can formats. The company sells directly through its website, including monthly subscription plans. It also serves local customers at its on-site Taproom in the Wealden Valley. Its beers are supplied to independent pubs, bars and bottle shops across Sussex. The family has also used the brand to support local cultural projects. According to company updates shared with Bite Sussex, Lakedown extended its sponsorship of the Fat Tuesday Music Festival to support the Hastings Fat Tuesday Club. The funding provides free creative music workshops and technical training for young people aged 12 to 18 at the Contemporary Music School in St Leonards. The new facility gives the family business room to increase production while keeping its main operations based on the East Sussex farm.
