Brewery raises glass to expansion

A YORKSHIRE brewery is planning further growth after winning a top industry accolade.

Elland Brewery, which was recently acquired by a group of real ale enthusiasts, saw sales increase by 10% last year and has had the busiest start to a year in its eight years of trading so far in 2010.

It has been invited to brew a special beer which will be sold in almost 100 Wetherspoons pubs with money from its sales being donated to a charity connected to the London Marathon.

The brewery’s 1872 Porter beat off competition to be judged Supreme Champion Winter Beer of Britain at the National Winter Ales Festival in Manchester. 

The prize was handed to brewery staff at an awards ceremony held at The Grove in Leeds.

Mark and Fiona Smith, Dickie Bird and Andy Parker have plans to increase West Yorkshire-based Elland Brewery’s distribution area and are in negotiations with a bottling company so the company can sell its beers to supermarkets and other retailers.

The owners are based in Lincolnshire and Peterborough and hope their connections outside Yorkshire will help the business expand.

Mr Smith said: “Things have got off to a flying start, and there’s no doubt we’ve got Martin, Dave, Gary and David (Elland Brewery’s four brewers) at the brewery to thank for that. 

“We’re lucky to have such a strong and experienced team in place who manage the day-to-day operation incredibly well, know what our customers want and consistently deliver great ale and excellent service. 

“This award is testament to their skill, hard work and commitment. I would also like to thank Tim Drake, the previous owner, for all his help during the handover.” 

Elland Brewery was originally launched in 2002 and currently has a core range of six beers, backed by a selection of constantly changing seasonal brews and a brand new monthly Head Brewers Reserve. 

The brewery, which is looking to create new brews, presently has the capacity to produce almost 11,500 pints a week, but Mr Smith said there were plans to extend its output and recruit additional staff.

Its ales are supplied to more than 150 free trade customers in Yorkshire and Greater Manchester and a hand picked group of wholesalers who distribute the beers further afield. 

Mr Smith added: “We’ve all been interested in beers all our lives. What the brewery does at the moment is really good. There’s no need for us to change things radically. But we want to get into the bottling market.”

Elland Brewery’s head brewer Dave Sanders previously ran the Eastwood and Sanders Brewery.

The Elland Brewery was formed as Eastwood & Sanders (Fine Ales) by the amalgamation of the Barge & Barrel Brewery Company, based in Elland, formerly owned by White Rose Inns, and West Yorkshire Brewery, based in Luddendenfoot.

It became Elland Brewery in 2006.

Mr Bird added that despite an increasing number of pub closures, Elland Brewery was confident it would continue to prosper because of the demand for real ale and the fact the company’s beers are mainly sold in independent pubs.

The National Winter Ales Festival is organised by the Campaign For Real Ale (CAMRA). 

The judges comprise beer writers, licensees and CAMRA members, who praised the 1872 Porter’s “creamy, full-flavour with rich liquorice flavours, a hint of chocolate from roast malt and a soft but satisfying aftertaste of bittersweet roast and malt.”