North is still ale and hearty

Oct 18 2009 Sunday Sun

“We’re promoting local brewers to counteract the sort of globalisation which has seen Newcastle Brown Ale moved to Tadcaster. That just shows what happens when decisions aren’t taken locally.

“The micro breweries are quite labour intensive as well, employing a lot more people in relation to how much they produce, than the bigger breweries.”

One of the best known is the Black Sheep Brewery in Masham, North Yorkshire. It was set up by Paul Theakston, whose family had brewed in the area for six generations. After a series of acrimonious battles which culminated in the family firm of T & R Theakston Ltd becoming part, ironically, of Scottish & Newcastle Breweries, he started Black Sheep from scratch.

It has now been producing beer in cask and bottle form since 1992 and boasts a clutch of awards.

Paul said: “The cask ale category has proved much more resilient than some of the other categories being produced. We’re having as good a year as we’ve ever done and I think many micro breweries are too.

“Talk to any of the sensible cask ale producers around the region, they will tell you the same story.”

It is a sobering thought that none of the global brewing companies are British owned, the last of which was S&N before it was bought by Heineken.

Paul added: “The British market for them is in decline. There is no growth and perhaps there is no excitement in it.”

However, he said, the same does not apply to the micro breweries who stand or fall on the quality of their product.

He said: “In general the smaller companies take much more pride and have much more passion in producing the product. We absolutely need to keep the quality because we don’t spend enormous sums on marketing. We are prepared to pay for the best quality materials and give the brewing of the beer the appropriate length of time, we don’t cut corners.”

Paul added: “I think we’re quite blessed with the quality and quantity of breweries we have in the North.”