Lisa Hogan, the partner of Jeremy Clarkson and fellow operator of their Diddly Squat farm, has sounded the alarm over looming beer shortages across Britain following a devastating summer of drought.
The actress and TV personality pointed to widespread failures in barley production after two consecutive years of punishing dry weather.
“I think a lot of barley farmers suffered, so that’s less beer all around,” she told the Telegraph.
“And funnily enough, last year our yields were terrible, but the quality was better.
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“This year, after a second year of dry weather, both the harvest and its quality have suffered.”
The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board has confirmed that this year’s barley harvest is on track to be the poorest ever recorded, with farmers unable to secure sufficient water for their crops.
The drought poses a direct challenge to Mr Clarkson’s own Hawkstone beer brand, which has experienced remarkable growth since its founding in 2021 with barley harvested at Diddly Squat.
What began as a single lager, still poured at Mr Clarkson’s pub, the Farmer’s Dog, has since expanded into a broader portfolio encompassing beers, ciders and spirits.
Hawkstone now supplies over 4,000 pubs nationwide, with revenues climbing to £44.9m in the 12 months to March.
Its continued popularity comes at a difficult moment, as the second successive year of poor harvests threatens the very ingredient at the heart of the business.
Mr Clarkson has emerged as one of the most prominent advocates for British farming since launching his Amazon Prime Video series, Clarkson’s Farm.
The couple are also celebrating after Clarkson’s Farm claimed the reality docuseries award at this week’s National Television Awards, marking the second consecutive year the show has taken home the factual entertainment honour.
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Backstage at the O2 Arena following the victory, the former Top Gear host described the win as a “thrill” and suggested the audience vote carried a deeper significance.
“The people who voted for us…I also think they kind of voted for farmers,” he said.
“I think they are going ‘Oh, that is a difficult job’.”
Ms Hogan and Mr Clarkson, who began their relationship in 2017 after being introduced at a Christmas party, were joined on stage by fellow cast members Kit Lynch Robinson and Harriet Cowan to collect the trophy.
Mr Clarkson also reflected on his health during the backstage press conference, revealing he is now in remission from prostate cancer.
He expressed gratitude for the advances of modern medicine, saying: “We are very lucky to live in a time when doctors can mend you very quickly and easily.”
His treatment required just a fortnight away from the farm, a relatively brief absence, though one that came at an inopportune moment.
“I was only also away two weeks too,” he said.
“It was just annoying as I missed a lot of the harvest.”
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