“Why choose your vices when you can combine them” says Rudgate Brewery’s Managing Director, Craig Lee as they launch York Chocolate Stout on the eve of the first York Chocolate Festival.

Chocoholics and beer lovers alike are in for a treat with the launch of Rudgate Brewery’s York Chocolate Stout on the eve of York Chocolate Festival.

The premium stout inspired by York’s long and distinguished history of chocolate making, is a deep, rich brew with a subtle chocolate finish. Hand crafted by Rudgate’s brewers, the concept for a York Chocolate Stout was the brainchild of York designers LazenbyBrown. The design duo have been working on a full rebrand for Rudgate Brewery and approached Craig with the chocolatey idea and set about creating this delicious nod to York’s chocolate and brewing heritage as a joint business venture.

Whilst the brewing team at award-winning Rudgate certainly know their hops they sought the help of Sophie Jewett at York Cocoa House for the missing ingredient. The hint of chocolate comes from single estate Columbian essence specially created by Sophie and added during the brewing process.

Craig Lee, Rudgate Brewery said: “York is the home of chocolate and Yorkshire is Britain’s brewing capital and when LazenbyBrown approached us with the idea, it made sense to combine the two. We wanted the chocolate flavour to be subtle and not overpower the rich complex flavours of the stout itself. Getting the right quality and blend of chocolate was vital and Sophie has managed to help us achieve just that.”

York Chocolate Stout is available in both Cask and Bottle direct from Rudgate Brewery and online with Beer Paradise www.beerparadise.ltd.uk – it will shortly be available in a host of retailers and pubs across the UK.

BURNLEY’S Moorhouse’s Brewery is experiencing rapid growth following last year’s £4.2m. expansion of its Accrington Road facility.

The brewery is seeing a major increase in sales on this time last year.

Sales for February increased by 18.5% against the same period last year – an impressive statistic, considering that February is traditionally the slowest time of year for breweries.

The three months up to the end of 2011 which includes the festive period, saw a 23% increase in sales.

Last year’s £4.2m. investment enabled Moorhouse’s to double its capacity, as well as increase its workforce to 30 people. This year the company expects to turn over in excess of £4m.

Moorhouse’s managing director David Grant said: “We’re delighted with the increased sales we’re seeing – it’s a massive vindication of our faith in our product and it’s a great start in paying back last year’s investment. We’re immensely proud of our roots in this area, which is why we brand our beers the way we do.”

Taken from:  www.burnleyexpress.net

Two award-winning Ilkley businesses, Ilkley Brewery and Lishman’s butchers, have announced they will each welcome HRH The Princess Royal to the spa town on Tuesday 3 April 2012 as part Her Royal Highness’ visit to West Yorkshire.

It is known that Her Royal Highness personally selected Lishman’s and Ilkley Brewery as two of the businesses she would most like to visit during her time in the county. The visit comes after a string of regional and national awards for the brewery and, for Lishman’s, a regional Countryside Alliance Awards win last month.

Speaking about the Royal visit, Stewart Ross, one of Ilkley Brewery’s directors, said: “This is such an incredible honour for everyone here at the brewery, and our families. To hear that HRH The Princess Royal was actively involved in choosing the businesses she would like to visit, makes the occasion even more special: we are all immensely looking forward to welcoming her to Ilkley and hope to give her an inspiring and enlightening visit.”

David Lishman, a Q Guild Butcher and twice Champion of Champions winner for his famous sausages, added: “It’s been a tremendous year for Lishman’s following our region-wide Yorkshire Sausage campaign last summer and our recent ‘rural Oscars’ success so, to top all this off with a visit from Her Royal Highness, is wonderful. We are thrilled to be part of this Royal visit to Ilkley and look forward to meeting HRH The Princess Royal at our Leeds Road shop.”

A Royal brew

To commemorate HRH The Princess Royal’s visit and to celebrate her mother’s Diamond Jubilee this year, Ilkley Brewery will be creating a special ale for the occasion called Ilkley Jubilee, which Her Royal Highness will officially launch during her visit to the brewery.

Before she leaves, Her Royal Highness will also unveil a commemorative plaque which will celebrate the installation of Ilkley Brewery’s sixth fermentation vessel. The new fermentation vessel will allow the brewery to increase the number of pints it makes each week from 33,000 to 40,000.

Ceremonial sausages

The team at Lishman’s will show Her Royal Highness its latest salami production venture which uses locally reared meat to make traditional, artisan salamis. HRH The Princess Royal will be the first member of the Royal family to see Lishman’s celebrated Yorkshire Sausages in production and also see them sizzling on the barbecue alongside other award-winning cuts. Following this, she will see one of Lishman’s popular butchery classes in action before she unveils a commemorative plaque and receives a specially prepared Lishman’s hamper.

Further details of Her Royal Highness’ visit will be revealed over the coming weeks.

To find out more about Ilkley Brewery, visit: www.ilkleybrewery.co.uk or to read the brewery’s blog, go to: www.ilkleybreweryblog.blogspot.com

For more information on Lishman’s, visit: www.lishmansonline.co.uk or to read David’s blog, go to: www.davidlishman.com

William Robinson & Oliver Robinson take the helm at Robinsons

With over 150 years in the business between them, Chairman Peter Robinson and his brothers Dennis and David have announced they will be reducing their involvement with the business, allowing for some changes to the Board.

Peter Robinson stated that from 1^st March, Oliver and William Robinson will become joint managing directors.  He went on to say that this year, with the completion of a number of our investments in the brew house, new training and visitors facilities and a new depot in Cumbria, we feel it is the right time for the transition of the day to day management of the business from one generation to the next.”

Oliver will head up the Beer Division whilst William takes responsibility for the Pub Division.

Commenting on their new appointment, William and Oliver said:-

“We would like on behalf of all our generation to thank our fathers and uncle for their on-going commitment to the Company and the hard work they have put into making it the robust business it is today.  It is the clear principles and values they have instilled in all of us that we will use to develop the Company.”

Robinsons’ investments this year include a new brew house featuring the biggest Hopnik in the world. “As I’m sure people have noticed, from the new website and initiatives such as the beer with the band elbow, we are evolving.  The next noticeable sign of change will be the complete re-branding of our beer portfolio this spring”, said Oliver.

We are proud of the support we give our licensees.  William identified “This year we have plans to further enhance this with the creation of a website for each pub, an industry-leading training platform, a self-help marketing website and a mystery customer programme, in addition to the new training facilities at the Brewery.”

To find out more about what is happening at Robinsons or for information about our pubs, please visit our website www.frederic-robinson.co.uk and follow us on facebook or twitter.

Robinson Director Oliver Robinson & Hawkshead Director Alex Brodie join forces

Regional brewers, Frederic Robinson Ltd, have made an unprecedented deal with Lake District craft brewery Hawkshead, to sell its beer in Robinsons pubs.

This is the first such deal by the Cheshire family brewers with any small brewer.

Hawkshead Brewery’s “Lakeland Lager” will be sold, initially, in some of Robinsons 55 Cumbrian outlets, and by Robinsons into the free trade, from April. Outside Hawkshead’s own direct delivery, Robinsons will be the exclusive supplier of Lakeland Lager.

Oliver Robinson, Commercial Director of Robinsons, said he was delighted with the deal: “Following our great success with 8 new keg lagers at the end of 2011 and more recently with a dozen new crafted bottled beers this was too good an opportunity to miss.  Some of our Cumbrian pubs, like those in Ambleside and Bowness, in the heart of the Lake District, are among our best. Hawkshead Brewery is a very successful Lake District brewery and its Lakeland Lager is the perfect partner in these pubs to our Hartleys beers.”

Alex Brodie, Managing Director of Hawkshead said: “People told me I was mad to try to get a guest beer into Robinsons, but the beer and the time were clearly right. Robinsons know the lager, they keg it for us, and their feedback about it has always been good.”

“Hawkshead is primarily a cask ale brewery, “said Brodie. “Lakeland Lager is our first keg beer; we brewed it so that lager drinkers as well as ale drinkers could have a local alternative. This deal will help get it more widely sold.”

Robinsons plan to offer “Lakeland Lager” to selected outlets, as a premium niche product. “In tough trading times the public are looking for authentic local products,” said David Bremner, Robinsons Director of Marketing. “This beer is certainly that – brewed in The Lake District with Lakeland water and distributed locally. We are having success with premium products at the moment and – in the right pubs – partnerships like this can only be good for everyone.”

“Lakeland Lager” in its first brewing industry competition took a silver medal – at the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) keg competition 2012.

Robinsons of Stockport, was founded in 1838, brews 37,000 barrels a year, is installing a state-of-the-art new brew house at a cost of £5million, and has a 360-strong pub estate.

Hawkshead Brewery, was founded in 2002, brews 5,000 barrels a year, has spent £800,000 on expansion since it moved from Hawkshead to Staveley, and has one tied outlet, The Beer Hall, at the brewery.

Taken from: Goole-Howden Courier

CHEERS! Wombwell-based Acorn Brewery saw record sales last year and is bubbling ahead with new plans for expansion!

Last year saw the nine-year old company’s sales rise by 18 per cent, and the launch of its first pub – the historic Old No 7 in Barnsley town centre.

Acorn also has a new sales manager in the form of David Broadhead, who joins the company after working with Business Link Yorkshire.

Founder Dave Hughes created six new jobs with the pub opening, and now hopes to fuel many more with a possible second Acorn pub launch this year.

“It’s all down to finding the right property”, said Dave, 43. “I’d like to find a good community pub with a sizeable beer garden, and attract families. It would definitely be a food pub, linking beer and locally sourced produce.

“Ideally, it would be within a 10-mile radius of Wombwell.”

The Old No 7 has been open six months now, he added, and has proved a “fantastic showcase” for their beers. Dave has not entirely ruled out the idea of another town pub.

A 50-barrel fermenting unit and cold store helped to develop off-trade sales.

Acorn beers can be found in leading supermarkets, and the company supplies to off-licence chain Rhythm and Booze, that is based at Barnsley.

The pace has been so fast over the past few years it’s been hard to take in, admitted Dave.

“I look back at photos of me and our brewer, Steve Bunting, and wonder where the years have gone!”

His background as a chef working in top hotels and restaurants around Blackpool will stand him in good stead should he decide to embrace the pub food side in 2012.

But he plans to stay with beer brewing for some time to come…”I absolutely love it,” he said. “The flavours you can create by tweaking recipes. I love it as much now as when we started out eight years ago.

“It’s been a big learning curve, running our own pub for the first six months. There’s still a great deal to learn and we’ve got plenty of ideas to explore.”

A special Acorn Diamond Jubilee beer will be released very soon, and expansion at the Wombwell base is on the cards, with the hope of associated new positions in production and administration.

Acorn uses the same yeast strains as the original Barnsley Brewery, founded in the 1850s. Their many award-winning ales include the popular Barnsley Bitter.

Birkenhead’s Peerless Brewing Company is celebrating after its lager beer Storr was proclaimed the top tipple in a prestigious contest for Merseyside’s brewers.

The pioneering cask-conditioned lager Storr emerged victorious as the ‘best beer’ in a challenge for the region’s nine real ale brewers, including Cains Brewery, at the famous Camra (Campaign for Real Ale) Liverpool Beer Festival.* With beers judged by 70 ‘laymen’, Storr took the title well ahead of the closest runner-ups by several points.

Named in tribute to Wirral’s Viking heritage, Storr (4.8%abv) is a pale and hoppy beer, authentically brewed to premium strength with lager yeast and British lager malt combined with hedgerow variety Sovereign hops. It is cold matured for several weeks ‘to develop a crisp, refreshing flavour’. The name derives from the Old Norse word for great or strong.

Toasting the win, Peerless head brewer and managing director Steve Briscoe said: “For our cask lager to win this competition was a wonderful. It shows that Storr is a lager with real taste, something very new to British craft brewing. It is produced in the true tradition of lager brewing. We are one of very few brewers in the country are doing this. The win proves that lager, if brewed properly, can be just as rewarding a tipple as traditional cask ales. “

Storr’s popularity with ale drinkers has grown rapidly since the Pool Street brewery began brewing in 2010.Peerless has now built up a strong following for all its core brands among discerning casks ale drinkers around the North West, delivering to pubs from South Cheshire and North Wales to Greater Manchester as well as Merseyside.

Anne Jones At Liverpool Beer Festival

One hundred and forty female beer enthusiasts joined Hawkshead Brewery’s Sales Manager and beer missionary, Anne Jones, at the trade day of CAMRA Liverpool Beer Festival for a tasting of beer, cheese and chocolate.

The event held in the crypt at Liverpool’s Metropolitan Cathedral was the latest of Anne Jones’ beer and food matching events aimed specifically at women, during which she explained the brewing process, with the help of a range of hops and malts, and matched four Hawkshead beers with a selection of cheeses and chocolate.

Some weeks ago the famous Liverpool pub, The Dispensary, was packed out by a similar event. “We were delighted by the response” said Jones. “It showed how many women were keen to learn more about beer and particularly about matching beer with food. So we got a bigger room this time, and that got packed out too.”

“We women don’t need beer specially designed for us, nor to be patronised with talk of adding fruit flavours. What we appreciate is good flavoursome beer made with exciting varieties of hops….and that’s what the modern British brewing industry is providing. Beer is exciting now. That’s why women are getting more involved.”

Lancashire’s internationally acclaimed Moorhouse’s Brewery is rolling out a trio of beer festivals to celebrate its new £4.2m brewing complex.

The famous ‘Pendle Witches’ brewer will hold the first event on March 17/18 March. It will feature champion brews from the annual Camra (Campaign for Real Ale) Great British Beer Festival (GBBF) and the Brewing Industry International Awards (BIIA) to highlight the best of British craft cask ales – the only growing sector of the UK beer industry – while showcasing Moorhouse’s major investment.

With the opening of the 1000-barrel-a-week capacity complex last year a spacious visitor centre, complete with bistro-bar, was also launched to attract both private and public events to the Burnley brewery.

A July festival (27/28) will feature ales from a growing band of brewsters (female brewers). It will include a special tasting evening for female drinkers led by top beer writer Melissa Cole. For October a festival will mark the Halloween season and the 400^th anniversary of the trial and execution of the legendary Pendle Witches. Entry for the festivals is £3.00 (Camra members £2.00) and advance tickets are available from the brewery – telephone 01282 422864.

Managing director David Grant said: “This ambitious programme of festivals will celebrate the major commitment we have made in the future of the cask ale industry and focus attention on this growing market. The new visitor centre means we are now able to cater for both private functions, such as weddings and corporate celebrations, as well as large public events. The festivals will showcase what we have to offer while giving both enthusiasts and newcomers to cask a chance to enjoy some of Britain’s top brews.

“Our brewsters’ festival will highlight the considerable contribution that female brewers are now making to the growing cask ales market at a time when cask is rapidly growing in popularity among women. And, of course, as the nation’s award winning ‘Halloween Brewer’ we wish to mark the 400^th anniversary of the Pendle Witches story appropriately.”