Exmoor brewer’s dream takes flight as Cottage Beer Project wins top awards
by Lewis Clarke · DevonLiveDan Clayton didn’t just throw caution to the wind when he started Cottage Beer Project—he threw hops in, too. From pheasants wreaking havoc on van windscreens to pouring his heart - and a good amount of yeast - into every brew, Dan’s journey from corporate life to full-time brewer is a tale of passion, perseverance, and a pint-sized brewery that’s proving to be anything but small beer.
Set in the rolling hills on the border of Devon and Somerset, Exmoor provides the perfect backdrop for creativity and craft. Here Dan brews up more than just beer—he’s fermenting a dream into reality.
Dan’s brewing journey started not as a full-time pursuit but as a passion project alongside his corporate career. In 2021, he took the plunge and founded Cottage Beer Project, brewing from his home on Exmoor. November 2024 marks four years since the company’s inception, though brewing full-time commenced only two years ago.
Dan vividly recalls the moment it all became real: “One of the most memorable moments was pressing the button to pay for our brewing equipment. This was a scary moment, when it all became very real. When collecting the equipment from Swindon, a pheasant smashed the rental van windscreen on the return journey on the M4, leaving us stranded for several hours before we were taken back to Devon on a low-loader.”
From early trials and tribulations like these to the joy of seeing customers return for more at local markets, Dan and his wife Claire have been on a journey filled with passion and learning.
Balancing a full-time job and a burgeoning brewery wasn’t easy. Dan found himself burning the candle at both ends, working late into the evening, brewing and bottling beer during any free moment he could find.
“I resigned from my full-time corporate role in July 2022, leaving that business in October 2022. Running the business part-time for the first 18 months was great, but it became a passion I wanted to do full-time,” Dan explains. “I didn’t want to be sat behind a laptop for another 15 years wishing I’d tried developing my own business in brewing.”
The transition to full-time brewing wasn’t without its challenges, but for Dan, the reward was worth the leap of faith. "It’s taken quite some time to adapt the mentality from working so many years in a corporate environment, to often working alone in a small business on significantly less in monetary terms," he says. "But time is more important than money."
He acknowledges that he misses the social interaction from his corporate days but appreciates the balance and lifestyle shift that brewing full-time has allowed. After all, how many of us can say we live and work on the edge of the stunning Exmoor National Park?
As well as brewing, Dan and his team have actively contributed to various local organisations and causes, making the brewery an integral part of the area’s cultural fabric.
“Local organisations really appreciate our support. We engage with the National Park as a Business Partner and Sponsor, and we support local events. We’re building a good rapport with many in the area, particularly in Bampton and Dulverton,” says Dan. The brewery has even been a Platinum sponsor for Exmoor 70, celebrating the National Park’s 70th anniversary.
Their community involvement doesn’t stop at sponsorships, though. Dan has recently secured a contract brew for a business in Sidmouth, allowing him to brew a one-off beer using his equipment. In addition, they’ve committed to being a single-use plastic-free business, even earning recognition for their efforts from Exmoor Plastic Free and Surfers Against Sewage.
“We’ve removed all such plastics from our business. The bottle labels we use are now completely sustainable, recyclable and biodegradable,” Dan says.
Cottage Beer Project has made waves in the local brewing scene, especially after scooping prestigious awards from Food Drink Devon. Dan says: “We won a top prize for a beer we released this year! Panther, our Black IPA (5.5% ABV), won Best New Drink Product 2024-25. Both beers that we entered for judging, Hit for Six, our Copper IPA (6.0% ABV), and Panther, achieved Platinum status.”
Receiving such recognition has been a significant milestone for Dan, whose journey from homebrewer to award-winning brewer has been nothing short of extraordinary. “Hit for Six was described as a complete beer and one of the best the judges have ever had,” says Dan. “Panther was described as having great depth and an exemplary finish.”
Since the award wins, interest in the brewery has increased, with new outlets showing interest in stocking their beers. “It all goes to building greater awareness of our little business,” says Dan. And how did he celebrate? “We had a great evening at the black-tie awards night, and my proud Mum is taking us out for a meal!”
Brewing is as much about passion as it is about process, and for Dan, his water source plays a pivotal role. The brewery’s water comes from a borehole on his property, and this, he believes, lends a unique quality to his beers.
“Our water is perfect for brewing many types of beer, and as it’s a bore hole, it doesn’t contain the chemicals you’d find in mains water,” explains Dan. “It lends a unique profile to our beers as we don’t alter it to be like any other water type.”
Dan’s brewing philosophy also embraces tradition with a modern twist, reflected in the decision to make his beers vegan-friendly. By using carrageenan, a seaweed-based fining agent, he avoids traditional methods that rely on animal-derived products.
“I’ve always created beers using the same fining agent, even when I first started out as a home brewer. I want our water to produce the beers specific to our area – which is clearly a big plus point.”
At the heart of Cottage Beer Project lies a deeply personal symbol—his father’s weather vane, "Wise Owl". This cherished item is more than just a logo; it embodies his father’s resourcefulness and spirit.
“My late father always enjoyed classic British style beers, and always had a solution to mechanical or electrical matters in his work environment,” Dan says. “His approach to finding solutions, and his enthusiasm for this, are always in my mind when the inevitable issues crop up in the brewery.”
As for the future, Dan is focused on staying true to his roots. While he has no plans for large-scale expansion, he’s excited about continuing to brew high-quality beer and expand into new flavour profiles. A new beer, launching in November, promises to be a modern twist on a traditional bitter.
“We don’t have plans to expand, as we need to retain the work/life balance that was our initial reason for going full-time with the brewery,” Dan explains. “But we’re always excited to create new beers and hold brewery visits.”
And as a final nod to his brewing heritage, Dan hopes to recreate one of his father’s favourite beers in the future, an amber bitter inspired by Everards' Beacon Hill.