Finchampstead’s Elusive Brewing is celebrating an important milestone this month as it marks 10 years of brewing, and to celebrate a decade of helping to put Berkshire beer on the national map, the five-person team is inviting the local community to step behind the scenes and visit its onsite taproom, culminating in a free entry 10th birthday party on Saturday, May 30.
Since its first brew in 2016, Elusive Brewing has quietly built a reputation as one of the UK’s finest small independent breweries, racking up over 70 prestigious awards.
Amongst its accolades are the UK’s Best IPA at the World Beer Awards in 2022, The British Guild of Beer Writers Beer of the Year 2025, and Best IPA at the 2025 CAMRA Champion Beer of Britain awards.
Reflecting on reaching a decade as a commercial independent brewery, founder Andy Parker said: “In some ways it feels like yesterday we got the keys but we’ve achieved a lot since that first brew.
“When I started Elusive, I didn’t want it to be big, I just wanted it to be good and do good – to be a part of our local community and contribute to it in a meaningful way.
“Our local community provided wonderful support as we navigated the challenges of Covid and we’ve been able to repay some of that by supporting some important local charities in recent years including Berkshire Search and Rescue Dogs, SHARE Wokingham, and this year we’re looking forward to working with CLASP.”
The heart of Elusive’s community spirit lives in its onsite brewery taproom, and locals are being encouraged to come down and experience the award-winning atmosphere first hand.
On Saturday, May 30, the taproom will host its 10th birthday celebration from 12pm – 8pm. Visitors will have the chance to try Elusive’s flagship Oregon Trail West Coast IPA alongside three exclusive birthday beers, and something special on cask.
The event will feature live music from The Amp Cats and independent street food from Funky Pickle, pairing great local entertainment with world-class beers.
The celebrations carry over into the following weekend, where Elusive will host the bar at Wokingham’s annual Party in the Park music festival, donating 50p from every pint sold to local charities.
For those who can’t make the birthday bash, Elusive Brewing’s taproom is a permanent fixture of the Berkshire beer scene, offering a welcoming, vibrant space to enjoy fresh beers on tap, alongside a great range of local wines, ciders, spirits, and soft drinks.
They also have a ‘Fridge of Dreams’ fully stocked with their cans and guest beers, plus low and no alcohol options.
Beers are available to drink in or take out, and the taproom features four retro gaming consoles.
The address is Elusive Brewing, Unit 5, Marino Way, Hogwood Lane Industrial Estate, Finchampstead, Wokingham, RG40 4RF. Well-behaved dogs are welcome, too.
For beer enthusiasts or anyone wanting to learn more, the team also hosts exclusive Brewery Talk & Tasting sessions one Saturday per month. These sessions offer an insight into Elusive’s award-winning brewing processes, alongside a curated tasting of their latest beer releases. Spaces are limited and can be booked directly via the brewery website.
