Northern Monk and a historian at the University of Leeds have collaborated to brew Mhór,  a beer inspired by a 5,000-year-old recipe made in Northern England. Working with Dr Samuel Gartland, from the University’s School of Languages, Cultures, and Societies, the brewery, based in Leeds, has produced a beer made using traditional ingredients of meadowsweet, spelt, and honey, combined with modern hops. Although few records of ancient beer drinking remain, Dr Gartland’s research analysed tablets written by Roman soldiers near Hadrian’s Wall, demanding beer. An ancient inscription on disp ..read more

The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) is urging the government to throw its support behind a new law being proposed today to better protect community pubs in the wake of the Crooked House scandal.  The burnt out remains of The Crooked House The Heritage Pubs Bill is being presented to the House of Commons by Dudley South MP Marco Longhi. It has been inspired by the destruction of the 18th century pub the Crooked House, in Himley, within Mr Longhi’s constituency. “We welcome this proposal from Marco Longhi MP,” said Gary Timmins, CAMRA’s pub and club campaigns director. “The support he and W ..read more

Cider maker Pulpt has launched a Signature Series, a range of periodic releases showcasing the breadth of flavour and fun that craft cider can provide, throwing down a challenge to macro cider makers. To kick things off, Pulpt co-founders Al Collar and Jim Wakefield have selected Deuces Wild. Weighing in at 7.9% ABV, this is an intense, bold, dry, and complex cider made from a single varietal, Chisel Jersey, and a wild fermented blend, both from the 2021 season. The Chisel is a renowned Somerset bittersweet apple, revered within cider making circles for the intensity of its tannins. It’s no ..read more

The residents of Nenthead, Cumbria, are a step closer to taking ownership of their village’s only pub, which has been closed since 2020. The management board outside the Miners Arms, Nenthead Residents came together and formed a community benefit society known as the Miners Arms Community Pub Ltd (MACPL). They have submitted an application for a government Community Ownership Fund (COF) grant for more than £360,000 and are on tenterhooks waiting for news of the result, which is expected in May. The group were awarded a grant and the help of a specialist advisor by the COF support programme t ..read more

Edinburgh microbrewery Cold Town Beer has undergone a brand refresh across its range of flagship and experimental craft beers. The cans are bigger and bolder in response to consumer demand. The fresh identity aims to tell drinkers the story of the brand, with the new design featuring intricate details of the brewery’s forward mission and history. The brand name has origins in the Carlton or ‘Cauld Toon’ area of Edinburgh where the first lager in Britain was brewed in 1835. Cold Town Beer’s new offerings have three distinct categories. The CORE range features its staple brews, the LAB range fo ..read more

It’s Brew York’s eighth anniversary and the brewery has revealed three celebratory beers which share a common theme in their titles. Appreci8 is an 8% ABV double IPA created in appreciation of the work the Brew York brew team undertake. The team were asked to vote on a new pale and this double IPA, with notes of citrus and floral hop flavours, was selected. Collabor8 is a big 11% ABV Texan BBQ export stout, combining the knowledge and expertise of eight breweries: Amundsen Bryggeri, Elusive Brewing, Fierce Beer, Fyne Ales, Lakes Brew Co, Siren Craft Brew, UnBarred Brewery, and Thornbridge B ..read more

Specialist craft lager producer Pillars Brewery has increased production capacity by 80%, and now plans to build a new brewery. Founded by three brothers, Eamonn, Samie and Omar Razaq, along with their friend, Gavin Litton, the business started out in a garden shed at the brothers’ family home. With huge growth in production year on year, the team have adapted and installed new horizontal tanks to keep up with demand. They are working towards the goal of creating the most sustainable brewery in London. “We are on a mission to become the most loved lager brand in the country,” said ..read more

Dartmoor Brewery has taken its next step towards carbon neutral brewing with a solar energy installation at its Devon base. The brewery commissioned renewable energy specialist Clean Earth Energy for the new solar PV installation. It delivers up to 100 kilowatts of clean energy, amounting to nearly 50% of the brewery’s electricity requirement. “Operating here in the heart of the beautiful Dartmoor National Park, we are acutely aware of our responsibility for keeping our carbon footprint to a minimum,” said Dartmoor Brewery managing director Ian Cobham. “Our new solar installation is an i ..read more

Hop products and services provider BarthHaas is expanding its PHA (Precision in Hop Aroma) product range with a series of water-based alternatives. Photograph: BarthHaas As is the case with the entire range, the new variants enable high-quality beers and other hop-based beverages to be produced more efficiently and more profitably. Because PHA products are added after filtration, they make it easier to produce beers with different flavours from one single production stream. “This enables breweries to diversify their product portfolio and increase product efficiency at the same time,” said Ha ..read more

Big Drop Brewing Co has successfully challenged a trademark on the term ‘Dry January’ in a tribunal held by the UK Intellectual Property Office.  The trademark for Dry January was registered by Alcohol Research UK (now known as Alcohol Change UK) in 2014 to support its science-based resources for harmful and hazardous drinkers. This was in the primary class of educational and behavioural change programmes but, in 2022, ACUK sought to extend the trademark in new areas of products and services. This attempt to trademark the phrase meant that ACUK argued that no-one else — in ..read more