Thanks a million says wellloved local micro brewery

The brewery, which creates craft ales in a former milking parlour on a farm, has gained a cult following in the Rye area with it’s distinctive bovine branding.

In some Rye pubs it is even now outselling popular Sussex staple Harveys.

The Old Dairy has used locally grown wild hops from Northiam in its distinctive brews and last autumn created a highly sought after green hop ale, using fresh, undried hops.

It celebrated the landmark at the Bull Inn at Rolvenden where local MP Damian Green raised and enjoyed the millionth pint of the brewery’s bench-mark session beer Red Top.

Mr Green, who was in favour of the Chancellor scrapping the hated beer duty escalator, said: “It is great that we have so many small independent brewers, such as Old Dairy, who offer such a diversity of taste and flavours.

“The industry has been struggling for a long time and needs support.

“Following a number of campaigns on this issue, including from CAMRA, the Commons held a debate on the Escalator in November.

“At the debate, the Treasury Minister responsible for beer duty made it clear that the Government recognises the importance to the British economy of pubs and brewers”.

Old Dairy Brewery was set up at the end of 2009 and continues to expand to meet growing demands.

A spokesperson for the brewery said: “As a rural, small business, Old Dairy Brewery employs a young, local workforce, a good proportion of whom are female, and in the face of beer duty increases, endeavours on its quest to continue to produce good, affordable beer.

“To put a million pints into context, it means 13,888 firkins (the most common cask size), or 127,992 gallons have been brewed since its humble beginnings.

“It also amounts to 100,000 kg of malt, 2,300 kg of hops and 330 kg yeast; so the brewing industry is also doing its bit to keep other rural-based suppliers in business too.”