Our Brewery

Born in Cheddar, Brewed with Character

Cheddar Ales began its artisan brewing journey in October 2006, nestled at Winchester Farm, just on the edge of Cheddar village — a stone’s throw from the legendary Cheddar Gorge. It’s here, in the shadow of Somerset’s most iconic landscape, that we craft beers full of flavour, tradition, and personality.

Brewing with Precision & Passion

At the heart of our brewery are five fermenting vessels, each holding up to 21.5 brewery barrels — that’s around 6,150 pints per vessel. With a weekly brewing capacity of 30,000 pints, we’re proudly 'micro' in industry terms, but big on quality. This small-batch approach ensures every pint of Cheddar Ales beer is characterful, consistent, and crafted with care.

To complement our brews, we run a bottling line producing up to 1,200 bottles per hour. This not only supports our own range but allows us to help fellow breweries and clients with bespoke brewing and bottling projects.

Meet the Brewer: Jem Ham

At the helm is Jem Ham, Head Brewer and Managing Director. A proud Somerset native, Jem swapped banking for brewing after a year exploring Australia and over 15 years perfecting his craft at another local brewery. After stepping in as a head brewer in Wiltshire, Jem took the leap in 2006 to launch Cheddar Ales — with one goal: to brew the best real ales in the region. Judging by what our customers say, he’s well on his way.

When he’s not playing golf or fishing, you’ll often find Jem at one of his locals, pint in hand, keeping a watchful eye on quality — it’s all part of the job!