SIR - I couldn't agree more with Richard Hamer's "In My View" column (T&A, June 22) on beer being the poor relation.

Here at Old Bear Brewery, we've spent the past 14 years shouting out about the qualities that real ale has to offer.

We brew seven different ales, from a mild (3.5%) to a winter warmer (5%), and each one is distinctly different, due to the differing combinations of hops and malted barley.

Richard rightly points out there are six breweries in and around Keighley, and between us we brew 24 different beers. Each one is distinctive in its smell, taste and colour. That's not a bad variety for a small town.

I'm not anti-wine, I enjoy a good claret myself, especially when there's only lager on offer, but my heart is proudly with real ale.

I challenge wine drinkers who have shunned ale to visit one of the many beer festivals held in our region each year and treat every glass as you would a wine.

Go on, stick your nose in the glass to get the aroma; then be prepared for a burst of flavour as its hits your palate.

Ian Cowling, Old Bear Brewery, Pitt Street, Keighley