Ludlow's first lager is here

Meet Latitude 52. Ludlow Brewing Company is thrilled to announce the launch of its first lager.

Ludlow’s Latitude 52 lager (4.0% ABV) is an English version of a premium pale Czech lager.

Latitude 52 lager takes its name and design cues from the brewery’s location, with Ludlow’s GPS coordinates being at 52 degrees north latitude. It embodies Ludlow Brewing Company’s signature artisanal craftsmanship, while emulating traditional European lager brewing processes.

The launch marks a significant milestone for the brewery, which in the last two years has embraced the keg beer trend, while retaining a strong emphasis on traditional core cask ales.  

Managing Director Gary Walters said: “Latitude 52 is the first Ludlow Brewing lager to be launched since we founded the company in 2006. Launching our very first lager has been a huge new learning curve, but it’s been worth it now we have the finished result. I am delighted to be offering our own lager on tap here and to our on-trade customers; and couldn’t be prouder of our brewing team. Latitude 52 is everything a good lager should be: smooth, crisp and well-balanced flavours.”

Head brewer Cody Palin describes the beer as ‘a light, crisp session lager inspired by the original Czech-style Pilsner with a clean, refreshing palate. Crafted for timeless, exceptional refreshment.’ He said: “Lager is arguably by far the most popular beer style in the UK. We are thrilled to be offering a premium lager to our on-trade customers, and rolling this out later to off-sales. We are confident that Latitude 52 will become one of the stalwarts of our portfolio.”

The word ‘latitude’ also means scope for freedom of action or thought, which sums up the brewing team’s ethos and style of modern brewing, especially in the values of the Derailed brand, crafting adventurous keg beers.

The Pilsner project has been in the pipeline since before Covid. The new lager plant has entailed the expansion of the cold storage warehouse, followed by installation of four steel brewing tanks / vessels; keg-filling machinery; plus a state of the art CO2 recapture system, allowing the brewers to harness and store CO2 generated during fermentations. An aerial pipeline was also constructed, spanning the tap-yard, to transport lager and keg beers from the 20-barrel brewing kit housed in the renovated Victorian railway shed brewery and taproom.

Prior to the installation of the new tanks, the brewery had the capacity to produce 25,000 pint per week, around 1.3 million pints annually: Expansion has enabled doubling this capacity.

In line with the brewery’s planet-friendly pledges, the brewers use local ingredients where possible. The lager is no exception, brewed with a malt base of nearly 100pc British Maris Otter, and British Magnum hops grown in nearby Stockton on Teme (in Worcestershire). Imported Czech Saaz hops and a small addition of German pale malt complete the ingredients.  

Creative branding agency The Visual Works, in Ludlow, were asked to create the visual branding for the beer. Creative Director Ben Stone said:
“The design creates a visual identity for Latitude 52 that reflects its dual nature; a premium craft lager brewed with traditional, artisanal methods. The use of a dark navy blue and copper colour palette evoke a sense of sophistication and heritage, aligning with the look of a high end craft beer.

“The central design element Latitude 52 is the key brand identifier and Ludlow’s geographical location. Subtle contour lines reference the Shropshire Hills and Ludlow Castle, hinting at the brewery’s local roots without overwhelming the design. Overall, the design choices effectively communicate the lager’s connection to Ludlow Brewery’s heritage and craftsmanship.”