Ilkley Brewery Blog

And The Winner Is....

2012-02-15T09:23:00.000Z

It’s award season. Who’s going to get Best Actor, will there be a costume malfunction…? Whilst these are important issues, and at the forefront of all our minds I’m sure, we must not forget that beer is, and must be for all time, the winner. Here at Ilkley Brewery we have embraced the award season with vim, vigour, gusto and guffaws, and all the while making beers. Great beers. Award-winning beers!

January saw another red-carpet launch for Ilkley Brewery, with the eagerly anticipated unveiling of MJ Fortis, our new Artisan Stout. Calls Landing cancelled Tom Cruise’s dinner booking and gave over the bar to the great and the good of the press world and the stout drinkers of Leeds. And here’s the twist, or should I say “shuck”. We know that drinkers of a particular Irish Stout are a very loyal bunch. They know what they like and they like what they like and they won’t settle for second best. But what if there’s a stout with more clout? We used our food-pairing experience to give our launch-night and oyster theme, so everyone who bought a pint of the black stuff was given an oyster-shucking lesson and a free oyster. Guests were then encouraged to put their shucked shell in a voting bucket, to show support for their new-found tipple of choice, MJ Fortis, or for the t’other one. And the results are in:

A roaring success at Calls Landing, you can now also sup this sumptuous stout in Dock Street Market, Sela and The Reliance in Leeds, with The Roast to follow next week. MJ Fortis will also be making an appearance at The Volunteer Arms in York, and at The Antelope and The Catford Bridge Tavern, both in London. This marks the start of an exciting new chapter in the MJ Artisan Ales range, as they spread their wings and shine their cask keg light across the country. MJ Pale is now available in Trof and Port Street Beer House in Manchester, and will be debuting in Bristol shortly at The Robin Hood. Anyone who fancies trying all three of the range should get themselves to Harrogate during the Harrogate Beer Festival (16^th-18^th Feb) and pop across the road to The Old Bell Tavern where we will be hosting a pop-up bar showcasing MJ Pale, MJ Summit and MJ Fortis. A selection of our cask ales will be available at the Festival itself.

January also saw the launch of our year-long “Wish You Were Beer” contest. We are inviting all drinkers of Ilkley beers to get in touch with their funniest Ilkley brew-related anecdotes, puns and photos, and each month we’ll choose a winner. Not only does that lucky person get a loverly prize, but also goes into the hat to win a days brewing here at Ilkley Brewery. Wish you were HERE? To get involved simply post on twitter with the hashtag #WishYouWereBeer or Like us and upload to our new Facebook page (The Ilkley Brewery).

Hats off (or on in this case) to January’s winner Ghostdrinker, who floated to the top with this snap of his goulish avatar clutching a bottle of Mary Jane. Congratulations, and a flatcap and bottle of Lotus IPA for your troubles. In acceptance of his award, a humble Ghostdrinker had this to say:

“…that’s how I roll” as well as thanking his parents and everyone who believed in him.

Presenting this next award, please welcome to the stage an organisation that is by the brewers, for the brewers, championing Small Independent Brewers throughout the UK. Yes folks, it’s everyone’s favourite National competition, the SIBA National Beer Festival! Queue rapturous applause… Now, we won a silver medal (for Stout Mary) in this year’s regional finals, and so didn’t have any of our cask competing nationally. However, we did enter into the Craft Beer in Keg part of the competition, alongside 32 other breweries and against over 60 beers from across the country. The judging was held at The Barrels in Hereford on the 3^rd February, and a good time was had by all. The calibre of the judges involved, and the involvement of some of the leading lights in the Independent Brewing scene emphasised the growing importance of this category of beer, and we are delighted to announce that MJ Pale won Gold in the Champion Bitters, Pale and Golden Ales. This is the brewery’s first ever National Gold medal, and is for a beer that was only launched less than three month’s previously! It was with great pride that we lined up the MJ Pale on the bar at this weekend’s SIBA Beer Festival at The Canalhouse in Nottingham. 56 Regional cask winners were on show, but there was also a special section on the bar for Champion Beers of the Past, and there can be found our lovely Mary Jane, award-winner from 2009. The brewery’s own Stewart Ross was one of the chief judges this year, and we had a great day in Nottingham with the great and the good in the industry. We wait with bated breathe to see if MJ Pale will be crowned Champion Craft Beer In Keg in Britain at next month’s SIBA Conference. I would genuinely like to thank everyone who made this possible – the team here at the brewery, the many bars who have got behind the product and helped us develop (you know who you are!), the… sob sob… sorry…. Thank you!

The next award this evening, was voted for by the public. Last week the good people of Lancashire converged on Pendle and beer was king. The Pendle Beer Festival was a riotous occasion, full of beers and cheers. More cheers please: Mary Jane was voted Beer of the Festival by the CAMRA members at the festival!! Wild celebration has ensued, and we hope to ride this beery frothy crest of a wave onwards.

We've just had the fantastic Ilkley Beer Festival, with Harrogate Festival this week, and Rotherham after that… does the fun never stop?!

This next month will see plans move forward for no less than three collaboration brews. Our Spring Beer, Mary Hoppins will be born, as will a Saison Noire and a Rhubarb Wheat Bier. Also being born will be a new mini-brewer, in the form of my son who’s due any day (!!) and if people continue drinking our beer at the current pace, we’ll need to expand the brewery itself… again!!

I’d like to thank you all, for without you, the reader and drinker, none of this would be possible. So let’s raise a glass and salute beer, and all who revel in it: the brewers the thinkers the readers the drinkers. Cheers!

Wish You Were Beer

2012-01-10T09:24:00.001Z

Do you drink beer?

Do you have a camera?

Do you have a funny turn of phrase?

If the answer’s YES to any of the above (although answering yes to at least the first question would definitely help) then we want to hear from you!

Where are you drinking our beer? Are you in Ilkley or Israel, Yorkshire or Yemen? Perhaps you’ve shared a glass with a celeb? Perhaps it was your reward atop a mountain peak? Do you have a funny story about drinking our beer? Maybe your baby always wears a brewery flatcap? Maybe you just want to share your opinion?

We will be offering a prize each month for the best tweet/facebook-mention regarding Ilkley Brewery Beers; be it a photo, a pun, a story or even a claim to be drinking it in the farthest flung reaches imaginable! Not only that, but each monthly winner will be entered into a draw to win a days brewing here at Ilkley Brewery!

Yes YOU can get involved in making some of our award-winning beer!!

On twitter simply start your tweet with #WishYouWereBeer and be sure to address the tweet to @IlkleyBrewery and on Facebook; just Like us on our new Facebook Page http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Ilkley-Brewery and share your post! Simples!

If you need some inspiration before you begin, we recommend supping on an Ilkley Brewery beverage. Have you tried our new seasonal ales Fireside Porter or American Brown Ale Triple A? Perhaps have a go on our Lotus IPA or Stout Mary, both new to bottle? And if your local doesn’t yet offer the delights of cask-conditioned ale – look out for our MJ Artisan craft-kegged range…

Bottoms up!

(although please don’t include any pictures of bottoms).

Hoppy New Beer: 2012 – The Brewing Revolution Continues

2012-01-05T10:53:00.000Z

We have grown and consolidated on our successes. We have taken our time and learnt our craft. We have listened to our customers. 2012 is the year of endless possibilities. We will experiment, we will create, we will improve. We will push the boundaries. We will unleash our creativity and innovation to take our beers to the next level. We are proud to be enjoyed in Yorkshire, but now we want to make World Class beers of distinction. This is not merely a New Year’s Resolution, it is a New Year’s REVOLUTION!

From Whence We Came

In 1873, The Ilkley Brewery and Aerated Water Company was formed, utilising the town’s rich heritage as a spa town, dating back to Roman times. Unfortunately, having been gobbled up by a large conglomerate in the 20s, the company disappeared from view. The town’s cry for brewing tradition to be reborn wasn’t heeded until 2009, when The Ilkley Brewery Company brewed its first batch – Olicana (the Roman name for the town of Ilkley). Since the inception of the new company, it has been a somewhat whirlwind ride, and an incredibly steep learning curve. It is generally acknowledged that the first brew was drunk mainly out of solidarity from well-meaning friends and locals. However, the determination of the founders, Chris Ives and Stewart Ross, to produce exceptional beers, and using only the finest ingredients, they soon created a winning recipe. Gold winning in fact: Mary Jane won Gold at the 2009/10 SIBA Northern Beer Competition, and then Bronze nationally. And from this platform, the brewery was able to grow from producing just 4000 pints a week in its first premises to 33,000 pints a week now.

Recipe For Success

Half a ton of the finest malt from England and Germany, 4000 litres of the purest Yorkshire Water, the Ilkley Brewery strain of brewers yeast and a blend of the best hops available, from England and the New World. Combine to a precise timetable and leave to ferment for a week, remembering the old brewer’s adage “every beer should see a Sabbath”.

When the above mixture is prepared by hand, in the traditional artisan fashion, with care, skill and dedication, and the same enthusiasm is channelled towards creating a dynamic business structure, growth is the natural result. 2011 saw growth of over 100% in terms of production, and the profile of the brewery increased with Asda, Booths and Morrisons each stocking a selection of the bottled ale.
Deals with national wholesalers now mean that our cask ales are being enjoyed in London, Bristol and Glasgow, as well as throughout Yorkshire on our direct delivery routes. Supplementing our core venues in Leeds, Bradford and the surrounding areas, we now regularly deliver as far afield as Manchester and Preston to the West, York and Thirsk to the East, and Halifax and Huddersfield to the South. Keep your eye out for our bottles in your local boutique wine-shops and off-licenses. 2011 also saw the development of our first craft-kegged ales, the MJ Artisan range.

Catering for venues not able to dispense cask-conditioned ale, the craft-kegged beers allows discerning drinkers at such venues the opportunity to sample great, local ale as an alternative to bland, tasteless lagers that they are so often confronted with. City centre bars and restaurants have welcomed the opportunity to take ale in a different format, and the MJ Pale is already a permanent fixture in 10 Leeds venues, a number expected to double in January. Here’s what Christian Townsley, of North Bar (www.northbar.com) had to say:
"We were absolutely thrilled to host the official launch of Ilkley Brewery’s range of craft-kegged beers at North Bar. The night was a great success and very busy as customers packed out the bar to try the beers for the first time. The beers tasted great, in particular MJ Pale was an absolute triumph. The depth of flavour on the palate was a surprise for such a low ABV beer. It’s been exciting following the rise of this wonderful local brewery and to see them branch out into keg beer is wonderful. Only the most innovative of cask ale brewers are attempting this area of dispense. We’re looking forward to working with Ilkley Brewery again.”

2012 sees MJ Summit and MJ Fortis go on general release, with at least another 30 venues on the waiting list, in Ilkley, Leeds, York and Manchester. 2011 culminated with Mary Christmas; a golden ale infused with festive fruit, spice and rum. What a Christmas Cracker. So good, we sold out by the 5^th December and had to brew it again! Seasonal enough to wash the turkey down beautifully, but good enough in its own right to stand up to (nay, put in its shadow!) any “regular” beer on the bar.

Create, Innovate, Inebriate

So what can you expect from the Ilkley stable this year? Naturally, well-balanced, hoppy beers. We will continue producing our core range of beers, with Mary Jane, Ilkley Best and Ilkley Gold part of many Yorkshire-folk’s staple diet. Ilkley Black has shown a surge in popularity and will accompany Ilkley Pale, back by popular demand, on our regular brew-sheet. Stout Mary, fresh from her success at the SIBA Northern Beer Festival, where she picked up a silver medal, shall continue to feature, in both cask and bottle, and our wolf in sheep’s clothing, Lotus IPA will resume duties at the top end of our spectrum.

But fresh out of the blocks in 2012 are two new brews – a signal of our intent to continue the British Ale Revolution. Throughout the colder months, a true winter warmer will be our Fireside Porter, a deep, 4.2% chocolate Porter strongly hopped to add berryfruit with a lasting bitterness and a hint of smoke on the finish. We also welcome some influence from overseas, with an All American Brown Ale currently fermenting away, ready for action next week. It is a 4% ale using heavyweight American hops to deliver bitterness and a huge citrus hit, yet it remains balanced and smooth to drink. Deep amber in colour it is inspired by some of the most popular American Brown Ales currently available in the USA craft beer scene. Best enjoyed with a big hamburger and fries! Our Spring beer, Mary Hoppins is already under development, and other plans for the year include a Saison Noire, a Ruby… but wait, what would you like to see? We are committed to continuing to produce top quality, easy-drinking ales, that you would drink time and time again. So, let’s raise a glass of frothy goodness, toast the success of last year, and look forward to a 2012 brimfull of Ilkley Brewery innovation and evolution.

Hoppy New Beer!

The British Ale Revolution Continues

2011-11-24T19:02:00.001Z

The date was the sixteenth of November, 2011, mark it well. For upon this day, in the centre of Leeds, a new chapter was written. Picture the scene; North Bar, for a decade or more the home of beer connoisseurs in Leeds, nay The North. These purveyors of fine beers from around the world have long been regarded as the epicentre of cultured beer drinking, and upon this hallowed ground the MJ Artisan Ales range was born.

Now, the subject of cask and keg is one that gets some people hot under the collar. Beer is meant to make people happy, not sad. We don’t want to offend anyone, we just want to make good beer; Nay great beer! Cask conditioned ale is our bread and butter, our malt and hops – we are proud of our success(es) in such a short space of time. Our abiding principle is to create beers of distinction. We brew with passion, skill and patience. And we want to give as many people as possible the opportunity to drink our hand-crafted ales. Anyone who read the 2011 Cask Ale Report (and let’s face it, what better bedtime reading is there?!) will have seen that ale is showing growth in a market heavily depressed. They will have gasped aloud at the section that stated that 10% of ale drinkers are under 24, and many of these don’t even have a beard! Now, in order to facilitate this encouraging growth, we all have a duty (let’s not get started on Beer Duty though) to offer as many people as possible the chance to drink our beers. Whilst the British pub is an institution rightly revered and deserving of protection and support, there are a huge amount of other outlets where people drink beer. Restaurants offer fantastic wine lists, but paltry beer selections, as do hotels (see previous blog: beer & food matching), and the boom of boutique independent city centre bars has been a massive success story during the recent downturn. Should the discerning city centre drinkers be denied the opportunity to drink beers of distinction? No of course not. Should they be happy to see bland, mass-produced beers as their only choice, when they can sample the best wines and spirits? No, of course not. And let’s not forget the immense pride the nation should have in its brewing tradition. Why is it that despite our rich ale history, American and Australian craft-brewers are able to corner a section of the UK beer market? (don't just take my word for it: http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/UK-brewers-could-learn-from-US-microbrewers) Don't you think that British Breweries should be championed for bringing remarkable, refreshing and flavoursome beer to the attention of the Great British public? “Proper” beer is becoming popular, and that can only be a good thing for the industry as a whole surely?! The method of dispense is purely a matter of practicality and a tool to be utilised rather than spurned in order to spread the good word. A lot of new beer drinkers are taking their first tentative steps towards drinking flavoursome beers, and realising that you can taste the care artisan brewers put into their brew, the fresh ingredients and lack of chemicals. The big boys (you know who you are!) have had your day in the sun/rain/snow; the day of the British Craft Brewery is dawning!

At night. In North Bar. On the 16^th November.

For those of you that managed to make it down – a big thank you for coming with minds as open as your mouths, as you drank down the delicious drops that we have been making. For those of you who didn’t, it looked roughly like this, but with sound:

It was a great night, and the guys and gals of North were fantastic hosts. Our MJ Pale was as crisp and refreshing as we’d hoped, although between you and me, we might add some extra aroma hops in there in the future. The MJ Summit absolutely flew out and was by far and away the top tipple of the evening. Even our four cask beers on offer went down a storm (naturally – they are rather good don’tcha know!). Unfortunately we experienced some dispense issues with our developmental stout, MJ Fortis, and so we decided not to launch it on the night (I am very pleased to announce that we have rectified the issue, it tastes smashing, and it will be available at our forthcoming Beer Society Evening at the Brewery – 2^nd December). Bear in mind that whilst all of our beers remain hand-brewed, using traditional techniques, we have developed this new brand and range specifically for keg dispense – there are a number of different variables that we have to consider that differ from those when serving ale from a cask. We have taken all of our award-winning experience in producing beers, and created a range of beers that we hope will appeal to all manner of drinkers, and hopefully convert a good many more to the wonders and joys of real British ale, whether cask conditioned, bottle conditioned, craft-kegged or simply bottled.

Beer must and always shall be the winner. And I’ll drink to that!

Breaking News - Read All About It!!!!

2011-11-11T17:45:00.000Z

Happy November Everyone! Sorry it’s been such a long time, but we’ve been so busy making beer, developing new beers, welcoming old friends (not to name drop, but I will…) and winning awards, that I just haven’t been able to find the time to pause for breathe let alone write this blog. Well, I thought that on this day when we all pause for thought, and remember those who have, and who continue to serve their country, now might be a good opportunity to pause and to also look back over the last month here at Ilkley Brewery.

As the evenings darken, and fog descends (particularly heavy down by the Wharfe this year!), this is generally a time for winding down and hibernation preparation. Not on our watch, it’s all about new developments in this brewhous: The Craft-Ale Revolution Continues! And who better to endorse this revolution than the father of the locally-produced crusade himself, everyone’s favourite neighbourly chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. Hugh had previously sampled our beers in 2010 when he was the headline act at the Ilkley Literature Festival, and when he returned this year, he was quick to ask for one of our brews, and had an Ilkley Pale by his side throughout his book signing after his fantastic talk. Few people have done as much as the esteemed Mr F-W for championing local produce, and we want to build on that message, and help establish Yorkshire as the foremost producer of quality food and drink in the UK!

To that end, we felt that we should spread the Ilkley Brewery love a little wider, and make a beer for the York folk in Yorkshire! “Pivo” means “Beer” in Czech, and “Pivovar” are fast becoming synonymous with quality beer in this country, after their flyaway success of the Euston Tap and the Sheffield Tap, the York Tap is to open on the 15^th November at York Train Station, with no less than 25 handpumps. To honour this welcome addition to the Yorkshire fold, and to build upon our early forays into York through the lovely folk at The Slip Inn and Volunteer Arms, we thought we would invite the chaps from Pivovar over to the brewery to brew a special beer for York Tap. Using some fantastic and aromatic Australian hops that have been making waves Up Over as well as Down Under, namely Galaxy, Summer and Stella, we worked with Jamie Hawksworth and Yan Pilkington to create a fabulously hoppy, straw-coloured golden ale, at 4.2%. Tap 3 Northern Clout was born, and we decided to keep it neighbourly and add some Kiwi hops to the party by dry-hopping a few casks. Having sampled the brew all along the way, and seen it get better and better, I can’t wait until Tuesday and to raising a glass of Tap 3 “pivo” to celebrate the opening.

Time to pause again, take a sip of beer, and continue, for there is more to tell, so much more…

We are now the proud owners of a shiny new 30 Brewers Barrel Moeschle DPV, meaning that not only are we hopefully (!) able to keep up with the ever-increasing demand for our beers, but in the future we’ll have the capability to try new and exciting things… watch this space…

I suppose I should tell you about the sip of beer I just had! Ho ho ho, it’s Maaaary Christmas!!! The brewhous has been a veritable assault on the senses, as we’ve been mixing up a spicy fruity storm for our seasonal ale – a golden Christmas Ale (4.7%), Mary Christmas (do you see what we’ve done?!) has wonderful orangey notes and an aromatic nose to whisk you away to a winter wonderland. Well it wouldn’t be the season of cheer without something extra special to “Cheers”!

There is also a particularly exciting bit of news that I would like to share with you… as the brewery gets ready to launch a whole new brand… piqued your interest? To whet your appetite and your whistle, come and see us at North Bar next Wednesday (16^th November) from 7.30pm, where all will be revealed… The Craft Ale Revolution Continues…

Beer Does the Talking at Ilkley Literature Festival

2011-10-11T16:22:00.000+01:00

For those of you lucky enough to have had tickets for last Friday’s Beer and Food Event at The Ilkley Playhouse, thank you for coming, and let me know your thoughts! And for those of you who must have had a really good excuse not to have booked your tickets in time… let me tell you all about it! Part of the increasingly popular and successful Ilkley Literature Festival, we welcomed Melissa Cole to Yorkshire to talk about beer. And as we all know (from reading last week’s blog!), beer goes rather well with food. So add to the already sparkling line-up Stephanie Moon and we had one stellar cast! Melissa Cole has been one of the foremost authorities on beer for some time, and can be found regularly improving the blogosphere (Taking the Beard out of Beer). In particular, Melissa is a champion of expanding people’s beer awareness, and disproving the myth of the “female palate”. She was also celebrating the launch of her first book at the event, Let Me Tell You About Beer (available 24^th Oct from Amazon!). Stephanie Moon, former Executive Chef at Rudding Park and North East representative in last year’s “Great British Menu” (BBC2), has been working with us here at Ilkley Brewery to perfectly pair our beers and food (see last week’s blog for our “Pint Chart”).

The evening started for us back at base, where we welcomed some friends of the brewery old and new, including local MP Kris Hopkins and our longtime collaborator and butcher extraordinaire David Lishman. After a couple of warm-up pints of our latest speciality beer, a Green Hopped Ale* we took a leisurely stroll up to the Playhouse, in plenty of time to prepare the beer and do a final sound check. Stephanie and her team were already in place putting the finishing touches on the quite outstanding dishes that had been paired with our beer, and we got to work making ready the first beer for matching, Mary Jane. As Melissa introduced herself, Stephanie and the subject in hand (as if beer needs an introduction!!), 120 glasses of Mary Jane we presented to each member of the audience, along with an immaculately presented mini cone of fish and chips. Melissa talked everyone through the ins and outs of flavour matching (I won’t steal her thunder – go buy her book!) as we readied the next course: Our seasonal IXB, a beautifully coloured dark Yorkshire ale, which Stephanie had exquisitely paired with rare Yorkshire beef, in this instance cupped in a miniature Yorkshire pudding with a generous dollop of horseradish cream. No sooner had Melissa and Stephanie started gushing forth on the joys of beer and beef, at the back we were getting stuck in pulling another 120 glasses, this time of Ilkley Best, best served (did you see what I did there?!) with a Yorkshire blue cheese tartlet and plum compote.

I think we could have all gone home happy at this point, as surely it doesn’t get better than that? Oh yes it does, we haven’t even pulled out the big guns yet – Just in time for winter, our rich and thick oatmeal Stout Mary was next on the scene, beautifully balanced by a twist on Rarebit, using Stout Mary bread and Wensleydale cheese. This winter warmer was just the thing on that blustery evening, and proved almost as popular as the next offering. Ilkley Pale was accompanied by an ingenious take on bangers and mash. Stephanie inverted the norm and put the mash inside one of the aforementioned Mr Lishman’s prize-winning sausages, with a red onion compote to round it off. This perfectly complimented the strong fresh and hoppy flavour that so characterises our 4.2% pale ale. Melissa explained that the use of Nelson Sauvin Hops from New Zealand was akin to matching a grassy New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.

An interested audience member asked why so many of the hops being talked about were New World rather than home-grown. Melissa joked that many hops seem to take on the national caricatures of their host nation; American Amarillo, used in our Mary Jane are loud and in-your-face, the Nelson Sauvin from NZ can be laid back and fresh as the famed glaciers of the South Island. British Hops, often the stable basis for holding a beer’s flavour together, are altogether a more refined and subtle kettle of fish. They queue on your tongue, patiently waiting for your tastebuds to appreciate them. And now, the final course was queuing up. Despite conventional “wisdom” that the stronger the drink the more flavour it will have, beer is often contrary, and our Ilkley Black is a perfect example. The label of a “Mild” may put some people off, but when you allow yourself to taste it you would never know it came from that category. For what it lacks in punch (3.7%), it more than makes up for in flavour. We blend 5 different malts to achieve the perfect balance and colour, and then Stephanie came along and brought her amazing Yorkshire parkin to the party! She even added a little piece of liquorice on top to compliment the liquorice tones you get at the end of your sip. All that was left to do was to finish off the rest of the beer, for Melissa to sign copies of her book and for the whole group to regroup at Bar T’at for more beer and debriefing.

What a great night. It was so good to see so many people there, all asking questions and really getting behind the beer and food matching movement. For those of you keen to know more, please feel free to get in touch through our website, and don’t forget there’s another Beer Society Night at the Brewery on the 2^nd December where you can come to the brewery, meet us, drink the beer and eat lovely food. It really just doesn’t get any better.

*Green Hops are only available once a year and beers made with them are special in that the hops are not dried before transportation and storage, ahead of flavouring the beers of the world. Rather they are picked fresh and sent straight to us to use immediately. There is a window of 48 hours from vine to brew, to maintain freshness, and the result is an extraordinarily full-of-flavour, zingy beer. We have made an IPA this year, at 5%, and almost the whole batch sold out straight away… look out for it at your local alehouse and sup it while you can, as we won’t be making it again until next year!!

Food, meet Beer. Beer, meet Food. I believe we've met before.

2011-10-06T12:08:00.000+01:00

Have you ever had a meal and washed it down with a beer? Have you ever had a pint and thought, “Ooh, I’m peckish, I’ll just have a gander at the menu”? Congratulations! You have “Beer and Food Matched”. You see? It’s not such an alien concept. Still not sure? Remember the last time you went out to that great curry house that does the best mango chutney and lamb Bhuna? Remember that you ordered a pint of Indian beer with it, even though they served Carlsberg?Carling/other standard "cooking lager"? Now imagine that you’re in the pub on a Saturday night, and as you look at the beer taps, you notice that same Indian beer is there right next to Carlsberg/Carling/other standard "cooking lager". Would you pause for a moment before ordering you usual? No. That’s because you know that it goes well with curry, but it’s not what you want right now. There, you know that it “goes well with curry”. Food matched. Done.

You know there’s science to it as well as marketing and phycology? Yes it’s true! Beer has a particular taste. In fact, not only do different styles of beer have different tastes, but within each category of beer, there are of course a whole range of different tastes. And then we have food-stuffs. They too have a whole variety of tastes. And just as your tastebuds are governed by memory, conditioning, sensitivity and a million other variables, so we all have the ability to make decisions about flavour combinations. Some people like Marmite, some people hate it (hey, there’s a catchy phrase!). Some people (admittedly they’re mostly American) like combining Peanut Butter and Jam (sic “Jelly”). Some (call them crazy) put apple sauce on their roast pork. So why is the prospect of matching a particular beer with a particular dish considered so “out there”? I mean, we’re perfectly comfortable with the idea of wine matching. Even those who don’t go in for all of the subtleties of grape variety will know that you generally drink white with fish, but might order something heavier and red when eating steak. Maybe beer matching isn’t considered “out there” at all, but why then is it not part of our everyday dining experience? Why is the wine list given more precedence than the (often paltry, and in comparison derisory) beer list at your local restaurant?

These are questions oft-asked in my household and at this brewery. In fact, tomorrow evening we, and the good folk of Ilkley will be welcoming eminent writer and champion of all things beer, Melissa Cole, as she is speaking as part of the Ilkley Literature Festival (tickets available via https://kiosk.iristickets.co.uk/k?v=ilkleyfestival ). Melissa has long been a vocal proponent of the beer and food matching revolution, and we couldn’t be happier that she’s in town so we can help raise the profile of the nectar of the gods in the food arena. Some of you may also have read the article in last Wednesday's Yorkshire Post http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/lifestyle/food-drink/eating-in-or-out/fine_beer_turns_the_tables_on_wine_1_3814392

This was talking about our recent pairing with Stephanie Moon, chef consultant extraordinaire (she maintained two rosettes whilst Executive Chef at Rudding Park, and you may also have seen her on the Great British Menu). We have been working tirelessly with Stephanie to create the ultimate guide to matching beer to food, and of course in particular, matching our beers to food! And this is what we have come up with:

So whether you want to do something different at a dinner party, or just want to expand your repertoire of tastes and flavour combinations, next time you’re planning to drink something with a meal (you never know, it might catch on!), why not try a beer. And if you’re going to try a beer, why not make it a hand-crafted beer, brewed with patience, passion and skill by us good folk at Ilkley Brewery. We pride ourselves on using only the best ingredients, which means that the flavours are pure and true, and will compliment the flavours of your food. We also aim to maintain a wide range of beers and flavour profiles, so that whatever the occasion, or your particular tastes, we have something for you! If you’ve tried our beers with a particular dish, or have a suggestion, please get in touch, via email ( maryjane@ilkleybrewery.co.uk ) , or via facebook or twitter (@IlkleyBrewery) or of course you are allowed to comment on this blog if you want!! Get involved! Now, whilst I could sit here talking about beer and food all day, I’m off to make some Mary Jane and then eat some food. Who knows, maybe I’ll have a small sup with my sausage roll?!!

Time For A Change – What’s A-Brewing?

2011-09-16T16:01:00.000+01:00

I think it’s official, today heralds Winter. We were lulled into a false sense of “Indian Summer” security yesterday, after our brush with the “hurricane” at the start of the week, and now reality bites. A new season arrives, and with it comes “New Winter Menu”, “Get That Autumn-Look”, “Wrap up warm – we don’t want you to catch cold” has replaced “Watch out for that nasty pollen – it’s out to get you”! But before we pack away the flip flops and bring out the wooly jumpers, we must remember that it’s not just clothing that we must change to suit the “Great” British Weather (oh, dear, I’m using those annoying “speech marks” rather a lot aren’t I?). For as we all know, it’s far too superficial to just look at the outside, it’s what’s inside that counts. Isn’t that the latest fad we’re being told to think like? In this case, what we have glugged inside of us. What beer is swishing around happily in our innards? That is the “inside” I’m talking about.

And so it with a heavy heart that we bid farewell to our fairweather friend, Ilkley Summer ale, crowned Beer of the Month in August by our friends; the discerning drinkers at The Narrowboat in Skipton. She was light and dry, with a hint, just a twinkle in the eye, of tropical fruits. Ah how we can reminisce about those heady sunny days (or day)…

The circle of life continues, the show must go on, the beer must still flow forth. And so it is here at Ilkley Brewery. Ilkley Summer will have her time in the sun once again (did you see what I did there?!), but for now, we must turn to tipples that warm our cockles. We have plans a-foot and beer a-brewing. First out of the tank, and making its debut to critical acclaim at the York Beer Festival yesterday, was IXB, a deep, strong Premium Yorkshire Bitter. Unfortunately, we fell just outside of the 25 mile radius set out by the judging committee at the festival, and had to be content with long queues and the clamour of excited and thirsty Ilkley Brewery fans surrounding our taps, rather than the rosettes and medals that perhaps our beers could have claimed. However, buoyed by the reception of IXB (4.5%), it is now available across the region – look for it in your local ale house of choice, and if you can’t see it – demand forthwith that your esteemed landlord must immediately straightaway get on the blower (01943 604604!!!) to us and we will henceforth tout-suite rectify said problem.

You might think that the release of this wonderful, rich Autumnal ale would suffice. Suffice to say that here at Ilkley Brewery, nothing ever suffices, and even as I speak (I often mumble out loud while I type, a trait often bemoaned by our long-suffering Office Manager, Julie) our Head Brewer Chris is busy concocting yet another seasonal special…The Green Lotus... I am going to tell you all about how it goes next week, but I will say this – we’re using Green Hops in this one, fresh from the Kent Farm, directly from vine to vat in the space of 48 hours. Only the freshest, only the best – I for one can’t wait to see (well… “taste”…) the finished product. Oh, and for good measure, watch this space, but I foresee the return of our old friend, Smoked Witch…

Well, there’s certainly always something a-brewing at Ilkley Brewery.

Join the Debate – Who Knows (Ilkley) Best?

2011-09-06T15:31:00.000+01:00

Come on people, get involved!! We want to hear from you! Don’t think you’ve got anything worth writing home about? Write brewery about it then – we won’t judge, we’ll still love you! Don’t be afraid, get stuck in! Maybe you just follow us on Twitter (#IlkleyBrewery) and quietly keep an eye on what’s occurring. And that’s great, but come on now, surely you have an opinion, a voice, an argument?! You might not agree with something I say? You might think what I say is the most amazing thing to happen since hops were first added to beer in the 9^th Century? More likely you may have a question about our beers or where you can get them? Whatever you have to say, let it be said!

So, in order to coax you out of the cocoon of quiet observation and into the noisy world of opinion, I thought we could have a debate. The burning question now of course is… what to debate?! Well, we’ve made a lot of Ilkley Best this week, so I thought we could kick things off with a question dear to all of our hearts: What is the “best” Ilkley Brewery Beer. There. I’ve gone and asked the question. What’s the answer then? You tell me! To help you make an informed decision, I will tell you a little bit about each beer, and what goes into making it. Step 2 is the fun bit – active research. After all, we can’t expect you to make an important decision like this without first undertaking a thorough period of taste testing. If you’re not sure where you can sample a particular ale near to where you live, let me know your location and I’ll point you in the right direction (did you spot my sneaky extra attempt to get you to get in touch?!).

Mary Jane. Perhaps our most well known beer, and the first award-winning member of our stable, Mary Jane is a floral and hoppy pale ale. We use Amarillo hops from America, which are responsible for the citrus burst you get, and we add quite a lot of them late on, which is why MJ has such a distinctive hoppy aroma.

Ilkley Best. A classic Best Bitter. We let this one ferment a bit longer than the others, at a higher temperature, and the result is a slightly stronger, chestnut ale

Ilkley Gold. Cascade hops, famous for their bitterness, are balanced by the sublime hybrid Celeia hops from Slovenia. One of our weaker strength beers, the Gold has developed a cult following due to its subtle flavours and sessionableness (is that a word? It is now!).

Ilkley Pale. Another pale ale? Yes! This time though, we’ve sourced the wonderfully crisp Nelson Sauvin hops from New Zealand. You can almost taste the mountain-y freshness!

Ilkley Black. Like your beers a bit darker, but not in the mood for chewing it? Well then you’ll love our dark mild. Rather than going the whole hog with roasted malt, we blend no fewer than five different malts to achieve the perfect profile.

Stout Mary. Like your beers dark and chewy? Come on over and wrap your lips around this! Our oatmeal stout is a force to be reckoned with, utilising American Galena hops for bittering, and homegrown Bramling Cross. Creamy, rich, satisfying.

Lotus IPA. The thoroughbred of the stable. Do. Not. Mess. With. The. Lotus. Coming in at 5.6%, this classic IPA combines Cascade and Summit hops, and we brew at a much higher density to achieve the lustrous colour and strength.

Righto, now it’s your turn. Remember, it’s important to take a proper scientific approach when considering joining a serious debate such as this, so go forth and drink beer. Only then will you be able to make a fully informed decision. A decision that could affect the rest of your beer-drinking life! Well, maybe that’s a bit strong, but you never know… what do you think?!!

The Morning After the Week After the Night Before

2011-08-30T10:33:00.000+01:00

I think it’s official folks, summer may finally be over. There may be no more bank holidays with their sizzling bbq’s and bustling beer festivals. The days may be getting shorter, and we may be starting to think about switching on the central heating for the first time (obviously we’ll at least wait until Thursday so it’s not August anymore!). But “Wait!” I hear you cry, “I’m not ready yet! We may get an Indian Summer! The kids aren’t even back at school yet!”. It’s a good thing beer tastes good all year round! And come rain or shine, it still gets made round here! We’ll just have to look forward to sitting by a cosy fire in our local, pint of Mary Stout in hand, warming our cockles... or whatever else it is you have to warm. And we’re still making the lovely Ilkley Summer for those of you who refuse to give up the ghost of summer – if you drink it, it will come.

So, what did you all think of the Beer Society night? For those of you that didn’t make it, have no fear, we’ll be throwing another one soon for you to make amends... watch this space. For me, it was a great opportunity to meet so many of the Ilkley Brewery fans and enthusiasts (and a couple of confused, yet ultimately rewarded, passers-by). Those of you I did meet will by now realise that I can talk the hind legs of a donkey, but hopefully as long as I stay on-track and limit my gushings to beer-related chat, hopefully you won’t mind too much! The beer flowed as freely as my chat, and finally ran out at about 10pm (not really surprising, it was only £2 a pint!). We were thrilled with the turn out, with people from near and far attending - one fellow was over from New Zealand and left with a mighty smile on his face knowing he can return to his adoptive home full of “proper beer”!

Lishman’s once again provided much needed sustenance, although I must say, that as I was manning the bar inside for the first few hours, I was mightily disappointed to miss the boat! As soon as I managed to wangle a free-transfer to the outside bar, you lot had snaffled all of the burgers and hot dogs!! Don’t worry, I’m assured stock levels will be higher at the next event!! With Lotus IPA on draft that night, lining stomachs was certainly recommended. It comes in at a hefty 5.6%, and it was one of the first to run out, testament to its lip-smacking tastiness. I must point out right here and now, that Lotus is my tipple of choice too. Alas not on the 19^th, for my wife has not yet learned to steer a car and I was unfortunately on driving duty!

The brewery was truly transformed, a haven of sparkling lights, rain-protecting-marquee and flowing beer. Most people congregated outside, where we had Mary Jane, Ilkley Gold, Ilkley Best, Summer and Lotus available. However, those that ventured inside weren’t to be disappointed, for we had Ilkley Black and Stout Mary ready and waiting... alongside our “Mystery Beer”. Crisp, cold and refreshing, this experimental brew hit the spot for so many of you, and we only made it to 8.30pm before it ran out entirely! Well done those brave beer explorers who gave it a shot, and thank you to those who came back for more! Yes, I am talking about our first foray into the realm of kegged beer. Now, I’d like to save the cask Vs Keg debate for another day if you don’t mind, suffice to say that we don’t like “versus” here at Ilkley Brewery, we like “hand-in-hand” (preferably with the beer being in my hand!).

So, to keep the mystery going a little longer, I’ll sign off for now, as there’s beer to be made! I went on holiday straight after the Beer Society night, and have come back to find the orders piling up almost as high as the casks that need cleaning! So office clothes off, overalls on, and away we go with this week’s batches of Mary Jane, Ilkley Best and Lotus IPA!

I’ll be back at the end of the week to let you know how we’re getting on, but in the meantime, please let us know your thoughts – did you come to the brewery night but can’t remember getting home and need clarification as to when you left? Maybe you came from further afield than New Zealand and wanted to brag about beer-inspired-travel? Did you want to know more about our mystery beer? Did you just want to laugh at my Ilkley Brewery flatcap?

Cheers!

New BrewBoy on the Block

2011-08-18T11:20:00.000+01:00

Well, hello there! My name is Luke and I am the latest edition here at Ilkley Brewery. Not only am I going to be helping Chris and the guys in the Brewhouse and the office, I’m also going to be talking to you about what it’s like to be a budding brewer! So I guess you may (or may not!) want to know a little bit about me before I get down to what really matters: malt, hops, water and yeasty goodness.

I started working in the bar trade in1999, but it wasn’t until I moved to Leeds and worked at North Bar that, like a rich foamy head, my love of all things malty really surfaced. I left North Bar, turned right, and helped set up Sandinista Cantina Bar, just up the road, growing that company to include two more bars and an outside event company before taking a sabbatical at the end of 2009. I spent a year hopping (I’ll warn you now, I am prone to add many more terrible puns throughout my blogging… it’s a terminal condition for which my wife has so far found no cure!) around Australia and New Zealand, from Hop to Antipodean Hop. I got married whilst away, and much ale was of course supped in celebration! My new wife and I then managed to wangle our way into another brewery, and this time instead of just sampling the beers, we started making it! After completing the in-house Brew School at The Monk Brewery in Fremantle, WA, our passion for beer became ingrained. However, it wasn’t long before the urge to drink “proper” beer (not that we weren’t enamoured by the offering down under, but more of that another time) overcame our love of the beach and we returned to the sunny shores of England. Also, our visa’s ran out. It was just after returning that we met up with the esteemed gentlemen from Ilkley at a Meet the Brewer night in Leeds, and a plan began to ferment. So here I am, squeezed in with the latest delivery of Galaxy Hops, occupying a space in the middle of the brewery. And believe you me, it feels good. To my right; the sound and aroma of beer being born, to the left; the iconic Cow & Calf vista, to the front; the wonderful sound of progress as Directors Chris and Richard discuss seasonal beers! I can’t see behind me, but I’m pretty sure that there’s something beery going on there too!

And as for me, having cut my teeth cleaning out the mash tun on the last run of Mary Jane, and transferring gallons of Pale into casks ready for delivery last week, I hopped my first batch of the lovely Lotus IPA on Wednesday, as well as transferring yet more Mary Jane and Ilkley Black to casks. I tell you, no blood and a few tears, and plenty plenty sweat goes into shoveling out the ¾ tones of hot spent grain in the mash tun!

So, my first full week in the Brewhouse, and I’m ready for more! I look forward to seeing you all at the Beer Society night on Friday – easy to spot; I’ll be the one with a beer in my hand!!

Beer Society Night: Friday 19th August

2011-08-16T16:08:00.000+01:00

Roll up roll up, there’s beer to be drunk and brewers to be met! For those of you who haven’t yet added the date to your diary, or realised that at the end of this week it will in fact be Friday the 19^th, we are fast approaching our next Beer Society Evening.

Following the success of past events, we’re running our penultimate society night of 2011, and it promises to be bigger and better than ever!

Meet the brewers: Chris and the team will be ready to welcome you from 5.30pm, and you will be welcome to have a look around the brewery, whilst of course supping on our award winning brews! We will be talking-the-ears-off any who dare listen, about how we do what we do, why we do it and what we’ll be doing in the future. This night should appeal to you if A) you like beer, B) are interested in how it’s made, and C) want to know more about Ilkley Brewery… what’s that? We had you at “A”… righto!

Our whole range will be available for you to sample, for the staggeringly reasonable sum of £2 per pint. We start at “home-time”, and finish when it’s time to go home or when there’s no more beer – whichever happens first! So maybe you’re a fan of Mary Jane, our flagship American Pale session ale, but you’ve never tried the wolf in sheep’s clothing that is the Lotus IPA? Or perhaps you’ve heard rumours about the rich and satisfying Ilkley Black? Maybe you stumbled across our seasonal Ilkley Summer on a blustery Yorkshire day recently, and just want to get you some more of that tropical refreshing goodness? New to the area or new to the beers? Take a trip down Ashlands Road to the new and improved Brewhouse and see where the magic happens this Friday.

We look forward to seeing you, and to raising a glass of the good stuff!

Cheers!

The Ilkley Brewery Team

Click here to download the event flyer

We are proud to make British Beer!

2011-07-28T13:48:00.000+01:00

Have a look at this short film made by our Society of Independant Brewers (SIBA) to help promote our national drink British Real Ale!

Proud of British Beer: A Celebration

2011-07-18T10:28:00.000+01:00

Date for your Diary

2011-05-09T08:35:00.000+01:00

On the 17th June we will be hosting our first Beer Society event here at Ilkley Brewery. Come along to see the Brewery, meet our team and sample a few of our beers

New Brewery Launch

2011-03-31T14:32:00.000+01:00

We had a few people over earlier this month to celebrate the opening of our new Brewery. I've put a few photos on the blog

A fermenter full of Mary Jane

Soem of our guests enjoying the free bar

Ilkley Black looking and tasting fantastic!

Ilkley Pale - late hops

2011-03-01T12:46:00.000Z

Didn't have time to finish off the blog yesterday - things got a bit busy finishing off the beer making process. The last and most important part of the magic are the aroma hops. We use Nelson Sauvin from New Zealand in ilkley Pale as the primary late hop and add just before the end of the boil, and a bit more after the heat goes off to get all the fantastic hop flavour, but not too much of the bitterness.

Nelson Sauvin hops - the aroma off these is just fantastic!

After the heat is turned off we let things stand for 15 minutes or so to let the wort settle and hops to drop and form a filter bed before we start the chill and transfer in the fermenter.

The result, after our yeast has completed its task is our premium blonde beer Ilkley Pale! Just have to wait a week or so before we can try it!

Wort run off and sparge commences

2011-02-28T15:42:00.000Z

Hi again,
Run off from Mashtun to Underback has started - colour is looking good!

Big bucket of Cascade hops from

the States ready to go in as boil commences

Test brew of Ilkley Pale

2011-02-28T14:53:00.000Z

half a tonne of the finest Marris Otter malted barley

Afternoon everyone!

We are test brewing Ilkley Pale today on our new Brewhouse and a few pictures to show you how we do it!
First is a very large hopper full of marris otter malted barley, and this is mashed into the mashtun - fantastic smell as it goes in!

Mashing in

Once mashed for 80 minutes or so we will start the run off and sparge - see next blog!

The New Brewery

2011-02-25T11:27:00.000Z

Hi Everyone
The new Ilkley Brewery is nearly here. Installation of our 20 barrel brewhouse by those nice people at Moeschle is well on the way!

First test brews are very promising and we will hopefully be fully up and running in early March!