8 Sail Brewery

Microbrewery in Heckington, Lincolnshire, England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿
Associated Venue: 8 Sail Brewery Tap And Shop

Established in 2010

Contact
Heckington Windmill, 4 Hale Road, Heckington, NG34 9JW, England
Subsidiaries
8 Sail Brewery owns 1 brewery:
Description
The unique eight-sailed windmill at Heckington near Sleaford in Lincolnshire is the sole survivor of only seven of the type ever built in Britain. Heckington’s eight-sailed windmill owes its survival to John Pocklington (1865-1941) who combined the machinery from Skirbeck with the tower at Heckington in 1892. He kept the mill in working order even when it became obsolete and was commended by the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings for his restoration of 1933. Kesteven County Council (later absorbed into Lincolnshire County Council) purchased the mill in 1953 and the building has been administered by the Friends of Heckington Mill since 1982.

Tony Pygott set up the six barrel brewery in the adjacent former grainstore in June 2010 and the first brew took place on 22nd June. Having built up a distribution network, 8 Sail Brewery cask and bottled-conditioned beers can be found in Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, South Yorkshire and further afield.

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7
Appearance - 7 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 7 | Overall - 7

Bottle from Beers of Europe. Pours hazy amber to brown with a thin cream-coloured head. Aromas of plum, raisin, toffee. Taste adds some spice. Thin finish.

Tried on 01 Mar 2026 at 17:47


6.5

Tried from Cask on 25 Jan 2026 at 14:48


5.5

Tried from Cask on 25 Jan 2026 at 14:47


7
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 6.5 | Texture - 7 | Overall - 7

Black with ruby ​​highlights and a small, creamy beige head. Aromas of licorice, dark chocolate, molasses, dried fruit, coffee, and ash. Moderate sweetness, quite strong earthy-herbal bitterness. Moderate body, low carbonation. Slightly alcoholic but quite good.

Tried from Bottle on 02 Oct 2025 at 08:29


7

Good. Roasted malts, slightly dry smooth finish.

Tried from Cask on 19 Sep 2025 at 19:28


6.9
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 7 | Overall - 7

Handpull cask at the Two-Tailed Lion, Leicester. Mid- to dark reddish brown with some translucency. Big chocolate malts, some plummy character. Sweet taste, lots of gritty Ovaltiney malt. Some bitterness right at the finish. Thin body with soft carbonation. I think it's pretty good, perplexed by all the lower rates.

Tried from Cask at Two-Tailed Lion on 05 Sep 2025 at 16:48


7.1
Appearance - 7 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7

330ml bottle, 10.9%, from The Offie in Leicester. Pours black with a small white head. Aromas & tastes of coffee, chocolate, liquorice, herbs, pepper & malt. Medium body. Smooth moderate bitter finish.

Tried from Bottle on 30 Aug 2025 at 11:15


5.6
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 5.5 | Flavor - 5.5 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 5.5

Tried from Cask at Whistle Stop on 21 Jun 2025 at 16:54


7

Tried from Bottle on 29 May 2025 at 00:05


6

Tried from Bottle on 29 May 2025 at 00:04