May 17, 2022
The Best Yorkshire Craft Beer
For those who love their small scale craft, Yorkshire boasts tonnes of excellent independent craft breweries. We've put together our favourite independent craft breweries and products, featured in our stunning craft beer hamper, which celebrates 8 of our favourite vegan friendly flavours from around the county.
Magic Rock
Starting out life in 2011, this Huddersfield Brewery has become a leader in the field with a multi-award winning range of beers. We love their Common Grounds flavour. A full-bodied, decadently smooth coffee beer in collaboration with local award-winning roaster Darkwoods. 7 different malts combine with 3 different coffees added at 2 different points during the brew. Also a must try is the Highwire Grapefruit. A fruit-infused West Coast pale ale with the addition of 100% natural pink grapefruit flavour. Juicy, tart and deliciously refreshing.
Salt
SALT Beer Factory started brewing in 2018 and has quickly established itself on the craft scene. They now work out of a Grade II Listed Edwardian Tram Shed building, with an award-winning, on-site taproom. The brewery takes its name from its location, in the UNESCO World Heritage village of Saltaire.
Northern Monk
Northern Monk kicks out a wide range of beers from two breweries in the heart of Leeds. Their refectory in the city is a must-visit and they also deliver their core range and special edition beers direct from their website. Faith and Eternal are the winners for us
North
As well as brewing some of the best tasting beers in Yorkshire, North Brewing Co can stake a claim to having opened one of the very first craft beer bars in Britain, with Leeds’ North Bar in 1997. With multiple awards under their belt and regular collaborations with some of the best names in international brewing, North has earned its reputation as one of the most highly regarded breweries in the region. We're obsessed with Sputnik and Pinata flavours. Sputnik is a seriously drinkable Pale Ale with a 5% ABV. Dry hopped with a light body and golden colour with a focus on hops aroma. A blend of American hops provides citrus and pine flavours with a hint of tropical and stone fruit. Freshly brewed and canned to preserve flavour and keep it fresher for longer. Free from artificial flavourings, colours and ingredients with no preservatives. Firmly on the haze wagon, Piñata imparts signature tropical tones with mandarin and grapefruit peel in the boil, and guava and mango in fermentation. The result is smooth, dry, pithy and juicy.
Vocation
John Hickling began brewing beer in his kitchen while working full time in IT for a bank. What started out as a passion project has, in a relatively short period, blossomed into one of the stalwarts of the UK’s craft beer scene. Based in Hebden Bridge, Halifax, Vocation is known for a high quality and affordable core range, as well as a taste - and talent - for experimentation. You've got to try their Life and Death and Pride and Joy.
Roosters
Based in Harrogate and fast-approaching 30 years since being established, Rooster’s remains an independent, family-owned and operated brewery, winning gold medals on the international stage, as well as closer to home. Pilsner, Baby faced Assassin, Twenty Four Seven and Yankee are winners for us.
Great Yorkshire Brewery / rebranded as C84
A micro brewery producing award-winning real ale in a rural setting on the edge of the North York Moors National Park and Cropton Forest. Founders of Yorkshire Lager and Yorkshire Blackout Porter. Specialising in traditional brews with modern methods, creating optimum drinkability and balance.
Kirkstall
The Kirkstall Brewery Co. Ltd. was registered in 1871, and by 1898 was producing around 72,000 barrels of beer a year. The beer was sold in Leeds, Yorkshire and beyond. Kirkstall beers have even been recorded arriving as far as Australia and New Zealand. A new brewery with the same name has been set up close to the original site. It honours its predecessor with references to the old brewery crest and product names, and taking inspiration for their flagship 5% beer, Dissolution Extra IPA, from an original export beer from the 1860s. Hazy Session IPA Perpetuous and Aromatic Session IPA Virtuous tick the box for us.
Ilkley
Our home town celebrates three breweries, Ilkley Brewery situated on the outskirts, Wharfedale Brewery which is housed within the grounds of a former 18th century farmhouse in the town centre and Bini Brew Co a modern craft brewery near the town centre.
