Jeremy Clarkson is making waves in the beverage industry with his Hawkstone beer. The TV personality, known for his role in Clarkson’s Farm on Amazon Prime Video and as a columnist for The Sunday Times, co-owns and serves as a director of the Cotswold brewing company that produces his Hawkstone lager.

“It is a fun business,” Clarkson shared. He noted that when dining with people in the brewing and pub industry, the atmosphere becomes lively, in stark contrast to those who opt for water. “At least when you go out with people involved with brewing and pubs they have a pint and then usually another one, and I enjoy that a lot,” he added.

Clarkson entered the brewing scene in 2021, collaborating with The Cotswold Brewing Company to introduce Hawkstone lager, crafted from barley cultivated on his sprawling 1,000-acre Diddly Squat farm located just ten miles away.

The Cotswold Brewing Company, founded in 2004 by Richard and Emma Keene, sold a significant minority stake to entrepreneur Johnny Hornby, alongside Clarkson, in 2021. Since then, their investment has grown, while Emma Keene has exited her shares in favor of transitioning to the Hawkstone brand.

Significant figures in the brewery include chairman Hugh van Cutsem, a longtime family friend of Prince William and Prince Harry, who assisted Clarkson with deer hunting during the third series of Clarkson’s Farm. As a result of their collaborative efforts, sales surged to £7.8 million for the year ending in March, establishing Hawkstone as Britain’s fastest-growing privately-owned brewery.

Contrary to speculation, Richard Keene remains an influential shareholder and is deeply involved in ensuring the quality of Hawkstone beers. Hornby emphasized, “He continues to have a role overseeing beer quality and special brews. However, after 20 years of hard work, Emma is moving on to explore other opportunities.”

Despite Hawkstone now being available in around 500 pubs nationwide, Clarkson revealed plans to further expand. Notably, he mentioned having spotted the lager on tap at the Swan Inn in Swinbrook, Oxfordshire. “We are looking to extend beyond Swinbrook — we want it to be available in 200,000 pubs from the Pacific Northwest to Brisbane. That is my ambition,” Clarkson stated. Such aspirations may not be as exaggerated as they sound, as even prominent figures like Elon Musk have been seen enjoying Hawkstone.

Owen Jenkins, Hawkstone’s managing director for the past nine months, shared a lighthearted exchange with Clarkson about the ambitious target of reaching 200,000 pubs. Jenkins laughed, asserting, “My targets change all the time,” while Clarkson insisted, “It is a solid ambition.” Their banter was lightened by a new 4 percent cider they had sampled, which Clarkson humorously described as reminiscent of childhood drinks but with an adult twist.

Initially, Clarkson had proposed the name Lager McLagerface, until it was pointed out that the beer would price at a premium. Instead, the beverage was named after a local neolithic standing stone.

Jenkins came to Hawkstone after a successful tenure as national accounts director at C&C Group, which owns brands like Magners cider and Tennent’s lager. Clarkson humorously remarked about Jenkins’s shift, claiming they “held his children hostage,” to which Jenkins joked they would be returned in three months. Jenkins expressed genuine excitement about the opportunity at Hawkstone, aiming to redefine it as a premium British lager.

Clarkson, while embracing new ventures in farming and brewing, doesn’t consider himself a business expert. He humorously remarked about possibly venturing into cinema next, stating, “Farming, the pub trade… those are tough businesses right now.” He also admitted, “I don’t understand what ebit means, and I don’t want to know. But I enjoy the straightforward process of growing barley, crafting the beer, and then enjoying it.”

Clarkson plays an active role in promoting Hawkstone, emphasizing, “Ultimately, it is just a really good lager. People taste it and recognize that they are supporting British farming by choosing it. Where’s the downside, other than it being slightly more expensive than Carling?” The brewery has recently expanded its offerings, including a low-alcohol spa lager that Clarkson branded as a “wellness lager.”

Clarkson’s agricultural partner, Kaleb Cooper, is associated with a Hawkstone cider that was introduced in April 2022. Despite a hiccup in production where a batch had to be recalled for over-fermentation, Hornby noted that the incident inadvertently boosted cider sales by four times. Clarkson remarked on the importance of honesty in handling the recall with customers, stating, “I put my hands up and said, ‘We have completely cocked up here,’ and sales, as Johnny said, increased.”

Looking ahead, Clarkson expressed interest in acquiring pubs, stating, “We’re exploring options, and let me tell you, there is no shortage of available pubs.” As captured in the latest series of Clarkson’s Farm, challenges in agriculture persist, as his barley yield did not meet quality standards, prompting Clarkson to source from fellow farmers. He noted, “We’re building a brand without relying on imported barley, thus benefiting UK farmers by buying their products.”

As Hawkstone continues to expand, they plan to engage more extensively with local UK growers for sourcing ingredients. Clarkson expressed enthusiasm about finding local hop producers, saying, “If we could get suitable hops, that would be fantastic.”

Recently, Clarkson took ownership of a racehorse named Hawkstonian, and he is also looking to breed cattle at Diddly Squat, having procured an Aberdeen Angus bull. He humorously remarked on the bull’s impressive size and potential, comparing it favorably to a horse.

While Clarkson has strong opinions on government support for farmers, he and Jenkins are optimistic about how political measures could benefit brewers. Jenkins noted, “We haven’t seen any responses regarding duty or anything like that from the political parties. We want to grow this business rapidly. Currently, we’re in 500 pubs, but we have aspirations to significantly increase that within the next few years and expand into grocery and international markets. Any support to facilitate that growth would be greatly appreciated, whether through loosening regulations or enhancing trade opportunities.”