Jeremy Clarkson’s venture into the beer industry is proving to be a great fit. The star of Clarkson’s Farm on Amazon Prime Video and a columnist for The Sunday Times is not just a co-owner but also a director of the Cotswold brewery responsible for his Hawkstone lager.

“This is a fun business,” Clarkson says. “When people usually opt for water during meetings, it’s refreshing to share a pint with associates from the brewing world.”

In 2021, Clarkson joined forces with The Cotswold Brewing Company, a family-owned business, to launch Hawkstone using barley from his own 1,000-acre Diddly Squat farm. His high-profile media presence has played a crucial role in marketing the beer.

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Originally founded by Richard and Emma Keene in 2004, the brewery saw a significant minority stake sold to entrepreneur Johnny Hornby and Clarkson in 2021. Following the rebranding to Hawkstone, Emma Keene sold her shares.

Richard Keene continues to be an integral part of the company despite recent changes. “He oversees beer quality and special brews,” states Hornby. “But Emma is moving on after 20 years of dedicated work.”

Clarkson’s co-directors and shareholders include Hugh van Cutsem, who has connections with Prince William and Prince Harry. Since partnering with Hawkstone, sales have soared, reaching £7.8 million last March, making Hawkstone the fastest-growing privately owned brewery in the UK.

Hawkstone is now served in approximately 500 pubs across the UK. Clarkson reveals, “We aim to expand beyond places like Swinbrook and target around 200,000 pubs globally from the Pacific Northwest to Brisbane.”

The brew recently garnered international attention when Elon Musk was seen enjoying it in France. “As beers go, it tastes great,” Musk commented.

Owen Jenkins, now Hawkstone’s managing director, chuckled as Clarkson discussed his global ambitions. “My targets change all the time,” Jenkins quipped after sampling a new 4% cider flavored with blackberries and blackcurrants. Clarkson adds, “It’s like tasting your childhood drink, but with a buzz.”

Originally, Clarkson wanted to name the beer Lager McLagerface but was persuaded to choose a more premium-feeling name, which led to Hawkstone, named after a neolithic standing stone near Diddly Squat.

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Previously the national accounts director at C&C Group, Jenkins joined Hawkstone for the unique opportunity. “We’re aiming to establish Hawkstone as a premium British lager,” Jenkins emphasizes.

Despite his extensive business interests, which include farming and horse racing, Clarkson humbly states, “I don’t consider myself a businessman. I don’t even understand terms like EBIT, but I enjoy growing barley, turning it into beer, and drinking it.”

As Hawkstone’s chief publicist, Clarkson swears by the beer’s quality. “Ultimately, it’s just a really good lager. People love it and feel good supporting British farming by drinking it.”

His co-star Kaleb Cooper helped launch Hawkstone Cider in 2022. Despite a setback involving an overfermented batch last July, Hornby notes that sales have since increased fourfold. “Our honest approach to the issue actually boosted customer trust,” Clarkson adds.

Looking further ahead, Clarkson is considering buying more pubs. “There’s no shortage of opportunities, and many pub owners are eager to sell.”

The third season of Clarkson’s Farm reveals a poor barley harvest, but Clarkson sees this as positive for other farmers, stating, “We’re buying barley from them, which helps UK farming.”

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As Hawkstone expands, there’s a push to source ingredients from UK growers. “We’d love to find locally grown hops,” says Clarkson.

Clarkson’s recent ventures include co-leading a local syndicate that invested in a racehorse named Hawkstonian and reintroducing cattle to Diddly Squat. “I just bought an Aberdeen Angus bull. It’s way more exciting than a horse and much larger,” Clarkson laughs.

With his strong opinions on government support for farming, Clarkson is less acquainted with the intricacies of brewing regulations. Jenkins emphasizes the need for supportive policies to facilitate growth, aiming to have Hawkstone in more pubs and grocery stores while expanding internationally.