York Brewery

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York Brewery
Location12 Toft Green, York, North Yorkshire, England
Opened1996
Owned byBlack Sheep Brewery
Websitewww.york-brewery.co.uk

York Brewery is a brewery, formerly located in York within the city walls, owned by Black Sheep Brewery in Masham where York Brewery beers are currently brewed.

History[edit]

York Brewery opened in May 1996 in York, England, using the disused brewery equipment of Lions Original Brews from Burnley and was the first brewery within the city walls for 40 years.[1] Faced with difficulty in finding outlets for their beer, the brewery opened its first pub, The Last Drop, in a 17th century, grade II listed building in Colliergate, York, 2000.[2][3] A second pub, the Three Legged Mare, opened in High Petergate, York, in July 2001.[4] In 2007, it expanded so to increase its output by 50 per cent to 150 barrels a week.[1]

The brewery was taken over by Mitchell's Hotels and Inns of Lancaster in December 2008, which planned to expand its business and create jobs.[5] In December 2018 Mitchells of Lancaster, and therefore York Brewery, went in to administration with the brewery and four pubs subsequently being purchased by Black Sheep Brewery.[6][7] Brewing was moved to Black Sheep's Masham premises, although their stated intention was to find a new site in York.[8][9]

The brewery was located centrally within York on Toft Green, and offered tours of its facilities to the public. Whilst the frontage of the brewery on Toft Green is relatively modern the rear of the building, overlooking Micklegate, is significantly older and was the birthplace of Joseph Hansom the inventor of the Hansom Cab. The building was also where the furniture company Whitby Oliver was started in 1897; that company remains the landlord to this day[10] and its logo can still be seen on the side of the top floor offices on Micklegate.

Core Beers[edit]

As of summer 2015 York Brewery produces five core beers that are available all year round.[11]

Awards[edit]

In summer 2015, Otherside IPA was awarded a Gold award in the 'Premium Bitters & Pale Ales' category at the SIBA NE Region Beer Competition 2015[12] and a 2nd place in the Pale & Amber 4.5-5% category in the York CAMRA LocALE awards 2015.[13] Both were awarded at the York Beer & Cider Festival 2015 on the Knavesmire in York.

Minster Ale scooped a Bronze in the 'Bottled Gold Beers' category at the SIBA NE Region Beer Competition 2014.[14]

In 2013, York Blonde took home a 1st place in the 'Beers under 4%' category in the York CAMRA LocALE awards.[15]

The brewery's 'Centurion's Ghost Ale' was named champion in the Brewing Industry International Awards 2002 and won the 'Best Strong Bitter' Gold Medal at the Great British Beer Festival in 2006 and 2007.[16][17] Its beer, 'Guzzler' won the gold medal in the bitter category of the Small Independent Brewers Association (SIBA) North Beer Competition in January 2006[18] and the gold medal in the bitter category of the North Beer Competition, held by the Society of Independent Brewers, in January 2007.[19][20] 'Yorkshire Terrier' won the bronze medal in the Champion Beer of Britain competition held at the Great British Beer Festival in 2000,[21] and the silver medal in the Society of Independent Brewers North Beer competition in February 2003.[22]

Beer Name Origins[edit]

Centurion's Ghost Ale, which is 5.4% alcohol by volume, is York Brewery's strongest beer and is named after an incident when an apprentice plumber saw Roman soldiers marching through the cellar of Treasurer's House in York.[23]

'Brideshead Bitter' (no longer available) was produced in conjunction with Castle Howard, where scenes from the television series Brideshead Revisited were filmed.[24]

Pubs[edit]

As well as producing ales, the brewery also ran three pubs within York, namely The Three-Legged Mare, The Last Drop Inn and The Yorkshire Terrier Inn,[25] and one, Mr. Foley's Cask Ale House, in Leeds.[26] The Yorkshire Terrier was not acquired by Black Sheep Brewery when York Brewery was purchased out of administration in December 2018 leaving two premises in York, The Three-Legged Mare and The Last Drop Inn, and one in Leeds.[7] York Brewery beers are however available in many other pubs throughout York and the wider Yorkshire area.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Dooks, Brian (22 September 2007). "Expansion looms large at brewery". Yorkshire Post. Archived from the original on 13 June 2015. Retrieved 3 May 2008.
  2. ^ "Brewery pub plan wins backing". York Press. 7 January 2000. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  3. ^ "At Last". York Press. 1 July 2000. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  4. ^ "Another drop". York Press. 7 July 2001. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  5. ^ "Pub chain takes over York Brewery". BBC News. 9 December 2008. Retrieved 17 December 2008.
  6. ^ Dodd, George (13 December 2018). "York Brewery goes into administration". York Press. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
  7. ^ a b Dodd, George (21 December 2018). "York Brewery and 40 jobs saved after buyout by Black Sheep". York Press. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
  8. ^ Dodd, George (12 June 2019). "York Brewery seeks new home as city site set to close". York Press. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  9. ^ Protz, ROger (2020). The Family Brewers of Britain: a celebration of British brewing heritage. St Albans: CAMRA Books. p. 225. ISBN 9781852493592.
  10. ^ Godfrey, Ron (18 April 2007). "Furniture store to shut after 110 years". York Press. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
  11. ^ "York Brewery | Yorkshire Breweries | Attractions In York". www.york-brewery.co.uk. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
  12. ^ "SIBA Beer Competitions » 2015". www.siba.co.uk. Archived from the original on 25 September 2015. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
  13. ^ "York Beer & Cider Festival – Home". www.yorkbeerfestival.org.uk. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
  14. ^ "SIBA Beer Competitions » 2014". www.siba.co.uk. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
  15. ^ "Within the Walls – A York Pub Guide • CAMRA LocAle Awards I was lucky enough to receive..." withinthewalls.tumblr.com. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
  16. ^ "Triumph for York Brewery". The Press. Newsquest (York) Ltd. 11 August 2007. Retrieved 27 August 2007.
  17. ^ "2007 Champion Beer of Britain". CAMRA. Archived from the original on 26 September 2007. Retrieved 27 August 2007.
  18. ^ "Guzzler goes gold". The Press. Newsquest (York) Ltd. 21 January 2006. Retrieved 27 August 2007.
  19. ^ "The best pint of bitter in the North comes from York". The Press. Newsquest (York) Ltd. 20 January 2007. Retrieved 27 August 2007.
  20. ^ Branagan, Mark (22 January 2007). "Brewery's Guzzler beer takes gold medal". Yorkshire Post. Archived from the original on 13 June 2015. Retrieved 3 May 2008.
  21. ^ "Overall Champions". Champion Beer of Britain. Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA). Archived from the original on 27 June 2008. Retrieved 3 May 2008.
  22. ^ "A vintage year for brewery". The Press. Newsquest (York) Ltd. 24 June 2003. Retrieved 27 August 2007.
  23. ^ Gilmour, Alastair (15 September 2006). "A pint and a poltergeist". The Journal (Newcastle, England). Retrieved 3 May 2008.
  24. ^ Halley, Ned (2005). Dictionary of Drink. Wordsworth Editions. p. 100. ISBN 1-84022-302-2. OCLC 149506653. Retrieved 3 May 2008.
  25. ^ Aitchison, Gavin (18 September 2007). "Pubs brew up a real reputation". The Press. Newsquest (York) Ltd. Retrieved 18 September 2007.
  26. ^ "York Brewery has first out-of-city branch". The Press. Newsquest Media Group. 27 December 2007. Retrieved 3 May 2008.
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