Investment in new equipment will help an award-winning brewery increase production by a third to meet growing demand for its cask ales.

Award-winning Ilkley Brewery has installed the new kit as it approaches the fourth anniversary of its launch in the spa town when it became the first brewer to operate there since the 1920s.

The latest investment has brought in fermentation and cask filling equipment that will enable the business to meet growing demand from domestic and overseas customers.

In October, Ilkley Brewery took delivery of a 10ft high, 8,000 litre fermentation vessel, along with a new cask filling machine that will give better quality control. Both pieces of equipment will help to increase production levels by 33 per cent, enabling the brewery on Ashlands Road to produce up to 25,000 litres or 50,000 pints of beer a week.

The investment follows another successful year of business with UK sales 20 per cent higher than a year ago.

In May, the brewery also shipped its first export order to America, a move that has boosted sales volumes even further.

Managing director Chris Ives has identified export as a key growth area for the business.

He said: “Feedback from the States following our initial shipment in May has been positive and we have just had confirmation of a second order which will head Stateside in early December.”

The brewery also exported to Sweden last month, sending 17,000 bottles of Holy Cow, a rich cranberry milk stout, to Scandinavia.

A further 17,000 bottles of the beer will be shipped in early December.

He said: “Export is most definitely a strong sales area for us and we expect to see it develop steadily over the next 12 months to account for around ten to 12 per cent of sales by the end of 2014.

“That said, UK cask sales remain our biggest focus and we will continue to build on this by introducing new beers to the market next year and by recruiting more staff to meet production forecasts.”

Earlier this year Ilkley Brewery clinched a deal to have its best-selling bitter Joshua Jane sold at selected Asda and Booths stores across the region.

Some 22 Asda stores are stocking the beer, including the Shipley and Keighley branches, as well as 18 Booths stores, including the Ilkley branch.

Since its launch in October, 2012, 51,000 pints of Joshua Jane have been sold to pubs across the UK, including all 15 Market Town Tavern sites in Yorkshire and a selection of Craft Beer Co pubs in London.

Ilkley Brewery added to its awards haul in September by winning five medals for four of its beers at the SIBA North East Beer Competition.

It was the only brewery to take home three gold awards, with one silver and one bronze medal completing the prestigious collection.