Ilkley brewery taps into market for craft beers

Since it was founded in January 2009, the Ilkley firm has been a non-stop success story in an increasingly competitive market.

Beers are now big business, not just in the UK but in Yorkshire, with Ilkley Brewery Co at the heart of this popularity surge.

The county has 60 breweries featured in CAMRA’S 2015 Good Beer Guide, 18 up on last year’s total and more than London’s 54.

To keep up with the competition, Ilkley Brewery Co has had to relocate and innovate.

In January 2011, the firm moved to the current 2,600-square-foot brew house in Ashlands Road, which now produces 50,000 pints of its award-winning ale each week, or 25,000 litres of beer.

Luke Raven, sales director, who joined the company in 2011, says the competition means they continue to strive for more and more success.

He said: “The competition is very intense. A lot of pubs are closing, but 18 new breweries have opened up in Yorkshire this year.

“It’s good. It means we have to make good beers. It’s about consumer choice.

“Just this year we have brewed 41 different beers. At least ten new beers will be produced next year.

“Mary Jane is our most successful beer.

“The competition among breweries in Yorkshire is a good thing.

“There are more breweries in Yorkshire than anywhere in the country.

“It keeps us on our toes. You need to be constantly innovative.

“There’s been a real surge in popularity for small breweries. It’s very exciting to be a large part of that. You have to keep up with demand.”

Ilkley Brewery Co Ltd has continued to expand, from its 150 customer base in 2011 to more than 650 customers currently.

Mr Raven added: “We go across the whole of Derbyshire and Cheshire. We also distribute nationally through wholesales and are available in pubs in London.”

Ilkley’s expansion also means a taste of Yorkshire’s real ales reaches ten countries overseas including the USA, China, Holland, Italy and throughout Scandinavia.

Their beers are also stocked in four supermarkets throughout the north of England including Asda, Morrisons and Sainsbury’s.

But despite the national and international distribution and export markets exploding, it’s their presence and history in the spa town which makes them tick.

The firm’s founders, Chris Ives and Stewart Ross, made the move from nearby East Parade back to Ilkley, wanting to re-establish brewing there following the closure of the original Ilkley Brewery and Aerated Water Company in 1920.

The brewing tradition was subsequently revived in the town, which dates back to 1873.

After starting up in the late 19th century, it soon grew to become one of the region’s leading beverage producers and suppliers.

Importing fine wines and spirits from the around the world then followed. They used the town’s natural spring water to good effect, as the beers produced were commended for their quality, purity and condition.

The original brewery was eventually taken over by Bradford-based Hammonds Brewery in 1923.

So far this year, they have produced 40 different beers and have at least ten new ones planned for 2015.

Mr Raven added: “Being local, we can be more versatile.

“As we grow and adapt, you still have a large core of traditional customers.

“We have become well known for creating new beers, such as chilli chocolate.

“I’m a big believer in there being a beer for everybody.

“People have different palates. People are learning more about beers. Everybody already knows about different wines.

“Ilkley is a beautiful town and wonderful part of the world. We are still very proud to be part of that.

“It would be difficult to move from Ilkley. The community is very important to us.

“We are looking at new sites to expand to. We produce 50,000 pints a week here currently. It’s a very small site here.

“It’s constantly busy, every day brings a new challenge. All of our tanks have a different brew in every day. It’s a juggling act.”

Despite national recognition and international exports, Ilkley Brewery Co Ltd remains a small, local business.

It’s all hands to the pump, as it employs just 12 people at its site.

In its short life, the company has already won several national and local awards for its beers, including its best-selling Mary Jane and Ilkley Black dark mild.

This year, the awards keep on coming in for Ilkley Brewery.

The firm picked up three gold stars in the Great Taste Awards 2014 for their Siberia beer.

Their new ale, Ruby Jane, was crowned with gold in the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) competition.

The Mayan also won gold to accompany its two Guild of Fine Food stars won in August this year.

As with other real ale firms, their products have interesting and unique names.

These include Holy Cow, World’s End, Wit Marie, Dinner Ale, The Chief and Longhorn.

It’s not just the names that are exotic and unique, but also their flavours.

The science of coming up with new and innovative flavours is keeping Ilkley ahead of the competition.

It aims to cater for all types of palates. Flavours used in previous beers include passion fruit, chocolate stout, cranberry milk stout, and a Caribbean pale ale with coconut and lime zest.

Mr Raven said: “There’s a lot of science behind it. We have an experimental range.”

But what lies next for Ilkley Brewery Co Ltd?

They are already looking at possible new sites to relocate again but stay in Ilkley. Apart from that, it seems to be targeting more of the same.

Mr Raven said: “We are looking to continue our growth and expansion.

“Ultimately, we are ambitious. We are confident about our beer and engage with as many people as we can on developing our beers.

“There will always be new trends in the beer industry.

“There are always new things coming around and it’s about pushing boundaries. It’s important for us not to lose momentum with what we’re doing.”