JUST a few weeks after the first brewery in Craven for 100 years started production, a second small brewery is gearing up to satisfy real ale fans.

The Wharfedale Brewery, has sunk a 58-metre borehole near Cracoe into the earth's crust tapping into the natural waters of the Dales.

The brewery, conceived and nurtured in Burnsall, will grow to maturity in a barn leased from James and Simon Butcher, of Fleets Farm, Rylstone, and all is set for full production by early August. In the spring the Copper Dragon Brewery in Skipton was launched

The brewery is the brainchild of Steve Blizzard, a resident of Hartlington Hall, in Burnsall, and David Aynesworth estate manager at Broughton Hall, near Skipton.

The idea had been fermenting in the minds of the two Craven men for more than three years and secret recipes were devised and perfected in a small folly adjacent to Hartlington Hall.

Head brewer Adam Witek, whose last job was working for "probably the best lager in the world" in Copenhagen, will tweak the recipes to create the three brands the brewery will make.

Names have already been suggested for these and so far are being identified as Folly Ale, Executioner and Van Der Plas. The latter could be changed to reflect a more local angle!

In charge of sales and distribution will be Simon Yeomans whose first job will be to master the controls of the fully liveried 1926 Model T Ford which will be used to deliver the barrels to the outlying pubs and other establishment who are to stock the new drinks.

Taster days are to be held in the interim period with several variations of each brand to assess the preference. One such date is June 29 when a stand at Broughton Hall Game Show will offer the public the chance to give their verdict.

"The idea for this is to find out which is going to the most popular brew for each brand, for instance is a hoppier beer preferred, or maybe a sweeter or drier drink? Obviously the most popular will be the ones brewed," said Mr Witek.

Taster sessions can also be arranged at any time in pubs. To arrange one call Mr Yeomans on 07759 408523.

The brewery is looking to grow a proportion of the wheat and barley it will use on site, and eventually purchase a couple of Gloucester Old Spot pigs which will be fed off the waste mash, before eventually becoming a product for the local meat market.