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03

Jul 2020

Last Updated: 03/07/2020

Harrogate breweries prepare for pubs re-opening

by Thomas Barrett

| 03 Jul, 2020
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Breweries in Harrogate and Knaresborough are reporting healthy sales as pubs begin to reopen tomorrow, but the long-term landscape remains uncertain.

matthew

Breweries in Harrogate and Knaresborough are reporting healthy sales ahead of pubs reopening tomorrow, but the long-term landscape remains uncertain.

When lockdown began, drinkers agonised at reports of breweries and pubs having to pour gallons of unwanted beer down the sink. However, Robert Millichamp, head brewer at Daleside Brewery, told the Stray Ferret they managed to bottle most of their stock as demand for drinking at home soared.

He said even though pubs have been shut for three months, “people haven’t been drinking less”.

Daleside is now sold out of bottled beers and is trying to meet a big local demand for cask ales. But Robert said beyond this weekend it's hard to predict how busy pubs will be.

He said:

“We’ve no idea but we’ve brewed as much as we can with the ingredients we’ve got. We need to replenish the stock after running out very quickly in the last three days.
"After that, we’re going to have to be reactive. Within a few weeks we’ll hopefully find some stability.”


Daleside also sells its beer around the world and they’ve seen steady demand from Sweden during lockdown, one of the only countries in Europe where pubs didn’t close.



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In Knaresborough, Aron McMahon from Turning Point Brew Co, told the Stray Ferret he is looking forward to supplying beer and lager to local pubs again. Their stock is sold in several independent bars in Harrogate and Knaresborough including Major Toms Social, Blind Jacks and the Old Bell Tavern.

He said:

“They’ve all bought beer which is great but not many [of the pubs we supply] are opening on Saturday, which is probably quite sensible.”


Aron said one of their 4% beers takes around two weeks to brew, which posed a challenge as the government only gave the green light for pubs to reopen two weeks ago. He said Turning Point began pre-emptively brewing ahead of the announcement to ensure they'd have beer to sell.

Turning Point also has a tap room and Aron is looking forward to welcoming drinkers back from July 11.

“When people get a beer and chat among their groups then people will enjoy themselves despite the measures we’ve put in place.”


Harrogate Brewing Co is also gearing up for pubs reopening in Harrogate and Knaresborough. A typical barrel of beer has 164 litres but owner Matthew Joyce told the Stray Ferret they have been delivering smaller 20-litre boxes of beer to pubs who are unsure of how much footfall there will be.

He said:

"Some pubs requested them as they were conscious over whether people would come to the pub.
"They didn't want to crack open a full cask and then tip it because they only have about five or 10 people coming to the pub. That seems unlikely and I think the pubs will be very busy."