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August 2010
Drinking beer can help you to lose weight
Award-winning Hunmanby based Wold Top Brewery is celebrating after new research suggests that beer contains fewer calories than other alcoholic drinks.
As people strive to lose the last few pounds prior to the annual summer holiday, research from CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) has revealed that, not only can they enjoy their favourite tipple without putting on weight, but swapping from wine to beer for just one week could save as many calories as a half-hour jog! *
The research, published by CAMRA during the recent annual Great British Beer Festival reveals that around one-third of men and women wrongly believe that beer has more calories than other alcoholic drinks. In fact, the opposite is true and, when drunk in moderation, beer can help you to lose weight, cut your alcohol consumption and, more generally, supplement a healthy lifestyle.
CAMRA’s research is based on a groundbreaking report entitled ‘Beer, the natural choice?’, by leading health journalist Isla Whitcroft. The report examined the health properties of beer and its calorie content compared to other alcoholic drinks and revealed that half a pint of a 3.8% ABV bitter contained only 85 calories and 1.1 alcoholic units whereas a medium glass (175ml) of 12% ABV white wine contains 131 calories and almost double the alcoholic units at 2.1.
Wold Top Brewery’s owner Tom Mellor said, “It is great to see the myth of the ‘beer belly’ being exploded. Too many consumers, particularly women, have been discouraged from drinking beer because of concerns that it is more fattening than wine but now we know that the opposite is true. We hope this research makes more people realise that beer is relatively low in alcohol and calories - but is still packed with a fantastic amount of flavor and is made using local ingredients wherever possible.”
Professor Charlie Bamforth, renowned technical brewing expert, also welcomed the report’s findings. He said, “The major source of calories in any alcoholic drink is the alcohol itself, and because beer is the drinks category with the lowest average alcohol content it is also lowest in calories. Beer also contains no fat or cholesterol and very few free sugars. So for someone looking to lose weight, swapping their glass of wine for a beer every day would not only reduce their weekly alcohol intake by seven units – but also cut out more calories than are burned off during a typical 30 minute jog.”
August 2010
Brewery success in Great Taste Awards
A Wold Newton farm diversification business is celebrating after gaining more prestigious national awards for three of its ales.
For the first time, the Guild of Fine Food has deemed three of Wold Top Brewery’s real ales worthy of an award. Falling Stone and Centenary Way were both awarded a two star gold award and Wolds Way earnt a one star award.
Of Centenary Way, the mild beer that was brewed to commemorate the eponymous walk from York to Filey, the judges said; “Lovely chocolate-smell and taste to it. A very pleasing combination” and commended Falling Stone 
on its “Sweet flavours, with notes of honey and fruit. It is clean and clean all the way through, with a bitterness to the front.”
Celebrating its 17th anniversary, The Great Taste Awards are often referred to as the Oscars of the food industry and represent the authoritative, independent standard for Britain’s fine food sector.
Gill Mellor from Wold Top Brewery is delighted with the awards; “We had one beer with an award in 2008, two in 2009 and now three in 2010 – dare we hope for four next year? Given that this is the most important independent nationwide food award scheme and that is renowned for being uncompromisingly rigorous, we are proud to have achieved recognition again and to have put East Yorkshire on the brewing map once more.”
August 2010
Wold Top Brewery supports Burton Agnes Jazz Festival
Award-winning Wold Top Brewery will once again be providing refreshment for the hundreds of visitors at this year’s Burton Agnes Jazz and Blues Festival from 6th to 8th August.
Billed by a critic for The Independent as “Possibly the most enjoyable jazz concert I've ever attended”, the annual festival is held in the beautiful, award-winning grounds of Burton Agnes Hall, near Driffield and visitors will be able to relax to the sounds of summer blues and jazz whilst enjoying hand pulled real ales and fine Yorkshire food.
Tom Mellor, who owns Wold Newton based Wold Top Brewery with his wife Gill, is a keen musician and is delighted to be supporting the festival again; “The festival generates a lot of interest from all over Yorkshire and beyond and the spectacular venue lends itself perfectly to summer music.”
Now in its fourth year, Burton Agnes Jazz and Blues Festival is a popular event over 3 nights and 2 days that 
showcases the best of British Jazz musicians including award winning musicians Clare Teal, Dennis Rollins, Omar Puente, Anita Wardell and many more.
Festival organiser, Simon Cunliffe-Lister is delighted to host the festival again and commented “The 26 bands have been selected to appeal to all and we are proud to be presenting a fantastic line up of performers representing a spread of jazz and blues from the traditional to the funky and from local favourites to internationally renowned acts that will be playing in the Elizabethan Hall and in the Hall’s beautiful grounds.”
Simon continued; “As ever, it is a laid-back family event with a Children’s Corner with play area face painters,a children’s entertainer plus 15 acres of magical gardens to explore and a woodland walk with forest creatures to find.”
Made from the finest hops and home grown malting barley coupled with the purest, chalk-filtered Wolds water, Wold Top Brewery real ales are brewed with passion from traditional recipes. They are available through the website www.woldtopbrewery.co.uk, farm shops, delis, hotels, pubs and off licences throughout Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.
The festival runs from 6pm-10pm Friday, 11am-10pm Saturday, 11am-6pm Sunday and prices range from £20 for an evening ticket to £40 for a weekend ticket. Tickets are available online at www.burton-agnes.co.uk, from Burton Agnes Hall or by calling the estate office 01262 490324 or visiting the courtyard shops at the hall.
Click here to see Michael Nagasaka's great coverage of the 2010 Festival
July 2010
Festival Success for Yorkshire Coast microbrewery
A Wold Newton microbrewery and an East Yorkshire festival organiser are celebrating the sell out success of the second Moonbeams Wold Top Folk Festival last weekend (9/10 July).
A combination of headline acts, great weather good food and beer and a campsite with stunning views made for an enjoyable weekend that attracted over 500 people.
Visitors to Wold Top Brewery’s home at Hunmanby Grange were entertained by artists including Adrian Edmondson and the Bad Shepherds, Edwina Hayes, Steve Tilston, Flossie Malavialle, The Duncan McFarlane Band and many more. In between sets, entertainment was provided by Captain Kipper, Theatre on the Wolds, Flash Company, Yorkshire Coast Morris dancers and Ron Davies.
Organiser Leila Slater from Driffield was delighted with the event; “It was a fantastic event - great acts, amazing location, good weather and fabulous food and drink made it a very successful festival. I have had dozens of emails complimenting the festival’s friendly atmosphere. We’ve already set a date for next year – 8th and 9th July and early bird tickets are available at a special price just until 26th July!”
Brewery owner Gill Mellor echoed Leila’s sentiments; “It was a very relaxed, fun-filled family event that attracted people from as far afield as Surrey. The gusty winds proved challenging to campers on the Sunday morning – you could say they were blown away by the event and blown home afterwards!”
June 2010
Glastonbury comes to Scarborough
As hordes of music fans enjoyed the annual Glastonbury festival last week, an enterprising family closer to home is planning its own event.
Staxtonbury Family Music Festival takes place at Manor Farm, Staxton from Friday 2nd to Sunday 4th July and will showcase the finest local groups, singers and musicians including chart topping York band Morpheus Rising, Grand Urge, Bigme, Shamrockers, Blue Alibi, Bad Panda and Swagger.
There is plenty to do for all the family. Award-winning Hunmanby brewery, Wold Top Brewery, will be running the Real Ale bar and there will be a bouncy castle, slides and lots of fun, free things for kids to do. Camping is also available on site.
Tickets cost £6 on Friday, £10 on Saturday and £4 for the Sunday afternoon session. For more information about the festival and to book, contact Ray Roberts on 07798 655416 or visit www.staxtonbury.com
June 2010
Busy weekend for Brewery
An independent Wold Newton brewery will be spending the forthcoming Independence Day weekend spreading the word about its award-winning real ales throughout Yorkshire.
On Saturday 3rd, the Wold Top Brewery team will be attending both Driffield and Hovingham Farmers’ Markets with Independence Day offers on selected beers and will be talking to people with coeliac disease about Against the Grain gluten free beer at a Coeliac Fayre in Middlesbrough, whilst on Sunday 4th, the team will be running a bar of its best selling ales at Farmer Copley’s Festival in Pontefract. In addition, the brewery will be running the bar for the second consecutive year at the popular Staxtonbury Family Music Festival in nearby Staxton.
Commenting on the forthcoming weekend brewery co-owner Gill Mellor said; “It will be a challenging weekend logistically but a rewarding one in terms of being able to engage with our customers and get valuable feedback. I can’t recall any other weekend where Wold Top Brewery has been represented in three out of the four ridings of Yorkshire – I hope that the weather stays fine!”
June 2010
Check out this footage from Beverley Folk Festival to give you a taste of what the Moonbeams Wold Top Festival has in store - click here to view. Enjoy!
June 2010
Wold Top brews beer for local Haiti appeal
An East Yorkshire brewery is joining forces with a Scarborough charity to raise vital funds to help people in Haiti.
Wold Top Brewery was approached by former employees Will Brown and Melanie 
Coull who set up SASH (Sustainable Aid Supporting Haiti) with a team of volunteers to help people in the rural areas of Haiti who are still badly affected by the aftermath of the 12th January earthquake. The brewery will help the charity by brewing special SASH Aid Ale and will donate 50p from the sale of each bottle to help fund the charity’s critical work in Haiti.
Will explains why they set up SASH; “We wanted to provide practical support to help people in rural areas of Haiti to access food, water, shelter and education. We aim to promote self reliance and opportunities to set up small local businesses so that the Haitian people can start to live independently again.”
Melanie continues; “Through the help of our team of volunteers and the generosity of the public, we have begun to deliver aid to these rural areas, but the challenge is immense and we need to continue to raise funds to sustain our five year plan. We are delighted that Wold Top Brewery is able to help in such a generous way.”
SASH Aid Ale is a crisp, light easy drinking beer with an ABV of 4.4%. As SASH does not use the funds raised for salaries and administration every penny of the 50p will go to support the most needy Haitian people. Aid Ale is only available online at www.woldtopbrewery.co.uk/mailorder or direct from the brewery by calling 01723 892222.
Former Combined Cadet Force Company Sergeant Major Will and Marine Biologist Melanie became aware of the plight of small communities who are unable to access aid from big organisations and become forgotten whilst working with local people near Banda Ache after the tsunami and were acutely aware that the same thing could happen after the Haiti earthquake that killed 230,000, injured 300,000 and left a million people with virtually nothing.
The SASH team comprises Project Manager Will, Haiti Co-ordinators Mel and Joe Basine, Construction Coordinator Josh Lees, UK Coordinator Janet Brown, Chair of Trustees Dr Philip Brown and Scarborough Schools Coordinator Katy Owen Smith.
June 2010
Microbrewery Birthday Cheer
An East Yorkshire brewery is celebrating its 7th birthday with the launch of two new summer beers.
Optimistically named Golden Summer and Summer Holiday, the new ales from 
Wold Newton based Wold Top Brewery are brewed using traditional recipes from Wold grown barley, water from the brewery’s own borehole and a special blend of malts and hops.
Golden Summer (4.4% ABV) is made from a combination of Maris Otter malt with Goldings, Styrian and Cascade hops that produces a fruity and light beer with a dry finish whereas Summer Holiday (5.5% ABV) looks and tastes quite different. Its ruby red hue and rich berry flavours come from roasted malts and a perfect blend of English, Slovenian & American hops.
The new birthday beers will be available singly in bottles and in a limited edition gift pack that includes one of each beer and an engraved glass whilst stocks last.
May 2010
Wold Top Brewery’s Folk Festival Support
Award-winning Wold Top Brewery is supporting Beverley’s major family music festival for the 4th consecutive year.
Now in its 27th year, Beverley Folk Festival is celebrating its best line up to date with headline music and comedy acts including The Proclaimers, The Brighouse and Rastrick Brass Band, Roy Bailey and Tony Benn and the former lead singer and songwriter of Fairground Attraction, Eddi Reader.
Once again, the Acoustic Marquee will feature an unrivalled programme of comedy and the spoken word as well as hosting acoustic sessions at its home in the Festival Village.
In addition, Wold Top Brewery will be running the festival favourite Wold Top Marquee that will host the Late Night Festival Club and concerts and offer visitors a pint of the specially brewed Festival Ale.
The Festival takes place from 18th to 20th of June at Beverley venues including The Festival Village at Beverley Leisure Complex in Flemingate, Beverley and Wold Top Brewery is supporting the event with the Wold Top Marquee serving a selection of bottled and cask ales.
Laura Mills, one of the organisers of this popular event, is delighted that the Festival has a real ale beer tent “We’re very fortunate to have such a good micro-brewery on our doorstep and the fact that we have a real ale marquee will be very well received by many of the anticipated 5000 visitors. This year’s festival promises a great line up, with many more artists still to be announced in its regularly innovative and eclectic programming. It’s one of the most friendly, enjoyable and relaxed of all the Summer festivals – not to be missed.”
Adult Festival weekend deal tickets cost £87 and family ticket for 2 adults and 2 children costs £246, although individual events can be booked separately. For more information about the Festival, please call the Festival Office on 01377 217569 or visit www.beverleyfestival.com, where you can buy tickets for the weekend, days or individual events.
May 2010
Wold Top Brewery supports Malton Food Lovers Festival
Award-winning Wold Top Brewery will be one of a number of Yorkshire businesses to support the Malton Food Lovers Festival this month.
The local food producers market is an integral part of the annual Food Lovers Festival and takes place in the town’s historic market place between 8am and 4pm on Saturday 22nd May.
Wold Top Brewery will be offering tasting samples of its new summer beers Golden Summer and Summer Holiday plus some of its award winning beers including Wold Gold, Mars Magic, Wold Top Bitter and gluten free beer Against the Grain.
Brewed to celebrate the brewery’s 7th birthday, Golden Summer is a light, fruity and dry brew that is complemented by the rich, ruby Summer Holiday.
In addition to the local producer’s market, there will be a host of attractions for all of the family including cookery demonstrations, street theatre, country pursuits, children’s entertainment and a real bar and music festival that continues into the evening.
Brewery owner Gill Mellor is pleased that the Wold Newton micro brewery is able to support the festival; “There’s always a great atmosphere at Malton and it’s a great showcase for the best of Yorkshire’s food and drink.”
May 2010
Brewery supports York Gluten Free Food Fair
Wold Top Brewery is taking its award winning gluten free beer to the Gluten Free Food Fayre in York this weekend.
Organised by the Hull and East Riding branch of Coeliac UK, the fayre takes place on 8th May at the Bar Convent on Blossom Street between 10.30 and 2.30 and will feature a host of stalls and information for people with coeliac disease. It is expected that over 1500 people from all over the North of England will attend the event in a 17th Century working convent.
Wold Top Brewery’s Against the Grain, is brewed with maize, not wheat and is a full flavoured bitter beer with a good head, refreshing bitterness and a citrus hop after taste. It has an ABV of 4.5% and its gluten content is certified to be well below the Codex standard of 20ppm.
Coeliac disease is an auto-immune disease caused by intolerance to gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye and barley. It is estimated that 1% of the population has coeliac disease, but only 1in 8 cases are ever diagnosed. People with coeliac disease have to exclude gluten from their diet and often find it difficult to source gluten free foods that are as tasty as their ‘mainstream’ counterparts.
Coeliac UK is the leading charity working for people with coeliac disease and dermatitis herpetiformis (DH). Its mission is to improve the lives of people with coeliac disease through support, campaigning and research.
Against the Grain is also available from the website and costs £30 for 12 x 500ml bottles including mainland UK delivery. You can order it and the brewery’s other award winning beer online at www.woldtopbrewery.co.uk/mailorder.html or by calling the brewery on 01723 892222.
April 2010
Against the Grain highly commended at Free From Food Awards
An East Yorkshire brewery is celebrating after its gluten free beer was highly commended in a national 
competition for gluten free foods.
Judges at the Foods Matter Free From Food Awards considered Wold Newton based Wol
d Top Brewery’s Against the Grain to have a ‘Floral aroma, nice hoppy palette’, and concluded that it was ‘dry and delicate.’
Brewed with maize, not wheat, Against the Grain is a full flavoured bitter beer with a good head, refreshing bitterness and a citrus hop after taste. It has an ABV of 4.5% and its gluten content is certified to be well below the Codex standard of 20ppm.
Gill Mellor, who owns the brewery with husband Tom is delighted with the success; “We’ve only been marketing Against the Grain for a year and this is its second award. It won the gold medal in the speciality bottled beer category at the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) Northern awards in January and has now been highly commended by people who are allergic to wheat.”
Now in their third year, theFreeFrom Food Awards celebrate the innovation and imagination shown by the food industry in creating foods that do not include many of the allergens like wheat and gluten that may cause health problems.
Against the Grain costs £30 for 12 x 500ml bottles including mainland UK delivery. You can order online at www.woldtopbrewery.co.uk/mailorder.html or by calling the brewery on 01723 892222.
April 2010
Final tally for brewery’s mammoth fundraiser
An East Yorkshire brewery is celebrating after raising over £11,500 for a Yorkshire children’s cancer charity.
Wold Newton based Wold Top Brewery started the fundraising campaign for the Candlelighters charity that supports children with life limiting illnesses after Dan Bayes, the son of the brewery’s cellar man, 
lost his battle to cancer aged just 25.
The brewery raised the impressive amount in just four months by producing a limited edition beer called Candlelight, by entering a team in the Great North Run and from generous donations, including £1000 from Haven Holidays.
The money was handed over to Dr Ian Lewis, a consultant from St James’s Hospital, home of the charity, at a presentation hosted by Bridlington’s Marine Bar. Of the total, brewery owner Tom Mellor said; “We set out to raise £10,000, but have been amazed by everyone’s generosity and are thrilled to have smashed the target. We’re very grateful to everyone who has supported us along the way.”
April 2010
‘Beer benefits bones’ father’s day message
A Yorkshire micro brewery has welcomed a scientific report that concludes that moderate beer drinking may benefit your health.
Scientists at the Medical Research Council Collaborative Centre for Human Nutrition Rese
arch (HNR) in Cambridge have identified that silicon promotes both bone and connective tissue health and that beer is a naturally rich source of the key nutrient.
Dr Jonathan Powell, Head of the Biomineral Research Section at HNR, said; “We have shown that silicon appears to have a beneficial effect in increasing bone mineral density. Epidemiological work has identified a positive association between drinking beer in moderation (2 units per day) and increased bone mineral density. Our results suggest that this is, at least partly, due to the high silicon content of beer.”
However Dr Powell warns “drinking alcohol in high amounts is detrimental to health and consumption of beer, or any other alcoholic drink, in anything other than moderation, will far outweigh any potential benefits related to lower intakes.”
Tom Mellor, co-owner of Wold Top Brewery in East Yorkshire, is pleased with the findings; “It’s good to know that, as well as tasting great, real ale brewed from natural ingredients may also help to maintain a healthy bone density that could help to guard against osteoporosis in later life.”
Tom’s wife, Gill adds; “People need no longer feel guilty about enjoying beer in moderation and can treat their dads on Father’s Day with a clear conscience!”
March 2010
NGS charity garden opening coincides with brewery open day
Visitors to the TV featured garden Hunmanby Grange Garden and Nursery in East Yorkshire will get extra value for money on 5th and 6th June when the opening of the garden coincides with a rare open day for award winning East Coast micro-brewery, Wold Top Brewery.
For just £3.00 visitors will be able to marvel at the beautiful and interesting garden that Gill Mellor has created despite its exposure to the elements and a challenging soil. Gill will share her stories about how the garden has evolved over a 25 year period into a series of gardens that have been developed depending on shelter, aspect, views and need.
Visitors to the micro-brewery will see where and how the award-winning ales are made and will be able to talk to the brewery owner, Tom Mellor and head brewer Tony O’Rourke Kilburn about what makes Wold Top’s ales so special. There will also be special offers on bottled beers to celebrate the event and refreshments will be available.
The gardens and the brewery will be open between 11am and 5pm on both days and proceeds will go via the NGS to charity. NGS gardens across England and Wales welcome over half a million visitors a year to gardens of quality, character and interest and raise over £2 million each year for nursing, caring and gardening charities For more information, please visit www.ngs.org.uk. Last year the open day raised over £2000.
For more information and directions to the farm that houses the gardens and the brewery, please visit www.hunmanbygrange.co.uk or call Gill Mellor on 01723 891636.
March 2010
Micro brewery urges people to support cask ale week
An East Yorkshire brewery is urging people to support local pubs to celebrate Britain’s national drink during Cask Ale Week (29 March to 5 April).
Wold Newton based Wold Top Brewery supplies its award winning cask ales to over 400 pubs, hotels and restaurants throughout Yorkshire and Lincolnshire and is backing the Cask-Marque, CAMRA, 
SIBA and IFBB supported initiative to encourage more people to taste the delights of locally brewed beer. In particular, National Cask Ale Week is appealing for female drinkers to swap their regular tipple for a taste of real ale as latest stats reveal that the number of female real ale drinkers has doubled in the last year to 1.3 million and that 44% of women who actually taste cask ale become regular or occasional imbibers of the national drink.
Real ale fan and co-owner of Wold Top Brewery Gill Mellor is delighted with the findings; “It’s great to see that the stereotype of male real ale drinkers is being broken down. There’s such a large variety of flavours and strengths in traditionally brewed real ales and it’s great news that more women are enjoying them. We know from our customers that our Wold Gold blonde beer is particularly popular with women.”
Over 40 pubs within a 20 mile radius of the brewery will be raising a glass to the benefits of real ale and participating in a host of events to mark the awareness week that involves 8000 pubs nationwide. Visit www.caskaleweek.co.uk for a complete list.
March 2010
Brewery mixes with the stars at inaugural food festival
Wold Top Brewery will be mixing with the stars at an inaugural food festival next week.
Wold Newton based Wold Top Brewery is one of several Yorkshire businesses that have been invited to take part in the first Hull Truck Theatre Food Festival that will feature cookery demonstrations by Yorkshire celebrity chef, James Martin.
The festival, designed to showcase the best of local produce, will feature demonstrations from James and Radio Humberside’s resident celebrity chef Nigel Brown and will be supported by host of local suppliers including Elliott Eggs, the White Rabbit Chocolate Company and Gold from the Wold cold pressed rapeseed oil.
Brewery owner Tom Mellor is delighted to be involved; “It’s a great arena to showcase local food and having James Martin should be a real draw. He’s a local guy who champions Yorkshire produce whenever he can.”
Wold Top Brewery donated the beer for prize draws during the performances of the bittersweet comedy Me and Me Dad that finished on 20th February.
The festival takes place between 12 and 6pm on Sunday 7th March at Hull Truck Theatre on Ferensway. Tickets for the cookery demonstration cost £20 but entry to the food festival is free. For more information, contact the box office on 01482 323638.
February 2010
Wold Top heads to Wakefield for popular rhubarb festival
An East Yorkshire micro brewery is taking a selection of its beers to the Wakefield Food, Drink and Rhubarb Festival for the third year running.
Wold Newton based Wold Top Brewery will be offering visitors to the two day festival tasting samples of its award winning beers that include Wold Gold, Mars Magic, Wold Top Bitter and gluten free beer, Against the Grain.
Brewery owner Gill Mellor is pleased to be returning to the festival; “It’s a great day out. It’s very well organized with a great atmosphere and plenty to do for all the family.”
The festival, nominated for White Rose Award for Tourism Event of the Year, takes place in the Cathedral Precinct between 10am and 4pm on 26th and 27th February. This year’s line up includes a cookery demonstration from Yorkshire Chef and star of ITV’s Taste the Nation, Rosemary Shrager plus food demonstrations from top regional chefs Tim Bilton and Ashley McCarthy. There will also be a host of other activities including tours of the famous rhubarb sheds, face painting, the rhubarb story wall and an outdoor market.
Wold Top Brewery will be one of 25 specialist food and drink producers who will be attending the festival under the deliciouslyorkshire umbrella. deliciouslyorkshire is the championing brand of the Regional Food Group that works to promote food and drink producers in Yorkshire and the Humber regions.
February 2010
Meet the Brewer to celebrate fundraising feat
An East Yorkshire bar is hosting a meet the brewer event with a difference.
The Marine Bar in Bridlington has invited Tony O’Rourke-Kilburn, head brewer from Wold Top Brewery to talk about the Hunmanby brewery’s award-winning beer followed by a presentation to celebrate the brewery raising over £10,000 for the Candlelighters charity that supports children with life limiting illnesses.
Gill Mellor owns the micro-brewery with husband Tom and is very grateful to Ian Maclean and his team at the Marine Bar for offering to host the event on 18th February; “We would not have been able to reach our £10,000 target without the generosity of our customers, suppliers, friends and family and welcome people to come and join us at this event and meet some of the Candlelighters team that do such amazing work.”
The brewery staff decided to raise money for Candlelighters when Dan Bayes, son of the brewery’s cellar man Geoff, lost his battle to a rare form of aggressive bone cancer, osteosarcoma, in April this year, aged just 25.
Tom Mellor continued; “We were humbled and inspired by the way that the Bayes family, supported by the Candlelighters charity, had coped with Dan’s 13 year illness and decided to raise money for the Leeds based charity that is dedicated to combatting childhood cancer and to making the lives of the children and their families more bearable.”
The brewery raised the money by producing a limited edition ale called Candlelight and by entering a team of runners that include brewery staff and Dan’s mum, Barbara, to tackle Europe’s biggest half marathon, the Great North Run.
The Meet the Brewer event is free and starts at 8pm on 18th February. All are welcome.
February 2010
Tom Mellor elected as SIBA council member
Tom Mellor, co-founder and owner of Yorkshire’s Wold Top Brewery, has been elected as a council member for SIBA (Society of Independent Brewers) North.
Tom is delighted with the appointment and is looking forward to helping other independent breweries; “SIBA does an amazing job helping breweries like ours to prosper by providing advice and guidance and by representing us in government and regulatory matters.”
Formed in 1980 as the Small Independent Brewers’ Association, SIBA’s mission is to campaign on behalf of independent brewers to ensure that they have the best possible opportunity to bring their goods to market.
January 2010
Gluten Free beer Against the Grain strikes gold at independent brewing awards
Against the Grain, Britain’s first and favourite gluten free beer, has been awarded the gold medal in the speciality bottled beer category at the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) Northern awards.
Brewed by Yorkshire’s Wold Top Brewery, Against the Grain is a premium, full flavoured bitter beer with a good head, refreshing bitterness and a citrus hop after taste. It has an ABV of 4.5% and its gluten content is certified to be well below the Codex standard of 20ppm.
Tom Mellor, who owns the brewery with his wife, Gill, says “Against the Grain is brewed using pure, chalk-filtered water from our farm’s own borehole combined with maize, malt, hops and yeast. We work hard to benchmark Against the Grain with the rest of our range of ‘standard’ beers and we’re delighted that SIBA have given us the seal of approval with this award.
The latest award brings Wold Top Brewery’s award tally to 12 in the 6 years since the micro brewery was launched. The award winning ales include Wold Top Bitter, Wold Gold blonde beer, Mars Magic, Wolds Way and Falling Stone.
Against the Grain costs £30 for 12 x 500ml bottles including mainland UK delivery. You can order online at www.woldtopbrewery.co.uk/mailorder.html or by calling the brewery on 01723 892222.
December 2009
Wold Top Brewery supports revived Hovingham Village Market
A Yorkshire Coast brewery has been invited to play a part in the history of a popular Howardian Hills village by attending its monthly village market.
The Hovingham Village Market re-opened in October after an absence of 156 years to bring a wide range of local produce and crafts to the community that lent its support for a regular market selling locally sourced, seasonal food and drink and crafts.
Wold Top Brewery was one of a number of popular Yorkshire businesses that was invited to participate in the market and will be sampling and selling its award-winning range of real ales, including the gluten free beer, Against the Grain.
The brewery’s Gill Mellor is delighted to have been invited to the market; “The Hovingham Market Action Group has worked hard to restore this village market and we’re looking forward to being a part of it for the first time on 12th December.”
The market takes place in Hovingham village hall and car park and is open between 10.30 and and 3pm. Local community groups will also be serving refreshments in the Market Café.
November 2009
Seasonal mini casks now available
Award winning Wold Top Brewery is making it easy for people to enjoy cask conditioned ales at home by producing a range of popular seasonal mini casks.
The five litre (approx.9 pint) mini casks can be filled with your choice of Wold Top Brewery Ales, including the seasonal ales Merry Christmas (6% ABV) and 5 Wold Rings (5%) plus flagship Wold Top Bitter (3.7% ABV), ruby red Mars Magic (4.6% ) and award winning Falling Stone (4.2%) and Wold Gold (4.8%). They’re a cost effective way to enjoy real ale without venturing out and make a great present for a beer lover. Simply position the cask where it is to be served and leave it to settle for 36 hours before drinking. Once opened, the ale has a shelf life of 3 – 4 days if kept cool.
The mini casks cost £15 for standard beers and £16 for seasonal ales and can be ordered for Christmas and New Year direct from the Brewery (01723 892222) and from Wells Butchers in Burton Fleming. The casks will also be available at Driffield Farmers’ Markets on 5th and 22nd December.
The Wold Top team will also be supporting Sledmere House Food and Craft Festival on 4th-6th December, where a selection of beer, including the charity ale Candlelight, will be on sale.
November 2009
East Yorkshire Brewery on target to raise £10,000 for Candlelighters
A Yorkshire Coast brewery’s massive charity drive in memory of a Hunmanby youngster is on track to hit its target by the end of the year.
Wold Top Brewery embarked on an ambitious campaign to raise £10,000 for Candlelighters after Dan Bayes, son of the Wold Newton brewery’s cellarman Geoff lost his battle to a rare form of aggressive bone cancer, osteosarcoma, in April this year, aged just 25.
Brewery staff, suppliers, friends, family and customers have already helped to raise over £6,000 through sales of the limited edition ale, Candlelight and by sponsoring a Wold Top team that included Dan’s mum, Barbara Bayes, for the Great North Run. Thanks to the generosity of the brewery’s suppliers who donated goods free of charge, all of the proceeds (minus tax and duty) will benefit the Leeds based charity that helps children with cancer.
Candlelight (4.3% ABV) is an easy drinking straw coloured beer made with Maris Otter malt & Willamette hops that give the beer a crisp bitterness with a hint of citrus aroma. An ideal Christmas present, Candlelight is available in special gift packs and in cases of 12 direct from the brewery, online and at farmers markets and local events whilst stocks last. For more information contact the brewery by calling 01723 892222 or check out the Candlelight page on the brewery’s website.
November 2009
Hunmanby Brewery supports Scarborough Bistro event
Hunmanby micro-brewery Wold Top Brewery has been invited to a Meet the Brewer evening at Scarborough’s Glass House Bistro next week.
During the evening, one in a series of themed events that include jazz, wine tasting and murder mystery nights, Wold Top Brewery’s head brewer, Tony O-Rourke-Kilburn will talk to the guests about how beer is brewed and will have a selection of the micro-brewery’s award-winning real ales for them to try.
Tony, who has been with the brewery since its launch in 2003, is looking forward to the event; “The Glass House’s themed evenings are really popular and we always welcome the opportunity to share our passion for great beer with like-minded people.”
Tickets for the event on 19th November cost £20 and are available by calling the Glass House on 01723 368791. Voted Best Continental Bar at the 2008 Moors and Coast Tourism Awards, The Glass House is situated in Northstead Manor Gardens and is part of the multi-million pound regeneration of the area known as 'The Sands'.
October 2009 
Fringe Benefits
Warwick University Theatre Group 'No Soup Productions' hit on a winning formula to attract customers to its production, Wondering' at the Edinburgh Festival - they gave away a bottle of Wolds Way to every member of the audience. Organiser Rosie Bristow from Beverley said; "It was a real talking point and everybody loved it."
October 2009
Brewery supports traditional Michaelmas fair
Wold Newton based Wold Top Brewery will be one of a number of Yorkshire businesses showcasing the best of Yorkshire’s food and drink at the annual Michaelmas Fair at Burton Agnes Hall later this month.
The fair takes place in the grounds of the stately home of the Cunliffe- Lister family between 11am and 5pm on Saturday 24th and Sunday 25th October and will feature a street fair with a countryside food and drink theme to celebrate the traditional feast of St Michael that marks the end of the farming year and the nights drawing in. Wold Top Brewery will be selling their award winning beers, including the charity ale, Candlelighter, alongside other Yorkshire producers including Gold on the Wold, Burdass Lamb and Maid in the Kitchen. There will also be seasonal craft stalls, music, entertainment and fairground fun.
Entry to the fair costs £4.00 for adults, £3.50 for senior citizens and £2.50 for children.
September 2009
Brewery charity drive gets off to a good start
A Yorkshire coast brewery’s massive charity drive in memory of the son of its cellarman was given a great start this week.
Dan Bayes was just 25 when he lost his battle to cancer earlier this year and Wold Top Brewery has launched an appeal to raise money for the charity that helped him and his family throughout his 13 year illness.
The brewery team aims to raise £10,000 for the Candlelighters children’s cancer charity by brewing a limited edition ale and through sponsorship for the brewery team doing the Great North Run (20th September).
The ale, called Candlelight, was launched at the Wellington Inn at Lund on Mo
nday at an event attended by over 150 people and proceeds from the evening topped £1300.
Brewery owner Tom Mellor was delighted with the level of support that the evening generated; “Since we launched this campaign we have been bowled over by everybody’s generosity, from suppliers giving ingredients, to Russell and Sarah Jeffery offering the Wellington Inn as a launch venue and donating all of the proceeds of the beer and to all of our colleagues, friends and family who came on Monday and helped us celebrate Dan’s life and to raise such an enormous amount.”
Dr Ian Lewis, a children’s cancer consultant at St James’s University Hospital and trustee of the Candlighters charity, paid homage to the way that Dan and his family managed his cancer and said how grateful the charity is to be the fund raising beneficiary. He explained that the funds raised would go towards valuable research and to make the lives of children with cancer, leukaemia and serious blood disorders and their families more bearable.
Candlelight (4.3% ABV) is an easy drinking straw coloured beer made with Maris Otter malt & Willamette hops that give the beer a crisp bitterness with a hint of citrus aroma. It will be available on draft from the Wellington Inn and pubs around the East Riding and in bottles (cases and gift boxes) from Driffield farmers’ market and the 
brewery by calling 01723 892222.
Thanks to the generosity of the brewery’s suppliers who have donated time and goods free of charge, all of the proceeds, minus tax and duty, will benefit the charity.
If you would like to support the brewery’s Great North Run Team, please visit www.justgiving.com/woldtopbrewerycandlelight
September 2009
Local businesses pull together to support Wold Top Brewery charity brew
An award-winning Yorkshire coast brewery has embarked on a massive charity drive in memory of the son of an employee.
Dan Bayes, son of Wold Top Brewery’s cellarman Geoff, lost his battle to a rare form of aggressive bone cancer, osteosarcoma, in April this year, aged just 25.
Humbled and inspired by the way that the Bayes family, supported by the Candlelighters charity, had coped with Dan’s 13 year illness, brewery owners and staff decided to raise money for the Leeds based charity that is dedicated to combatting childhood cancer and to making the lives of the children and their families more bearable.
The Wold Newton based brewery aims to raise £10,000 by producing a limited edition ale called Candlelight and by 
entering a team of runners that include brewery staff and Dan’s mum, Barbara, to tackle Europe’s biggest half marathon, the Great North Run. There will only be two brews of Candlelight; one available in casks to coincide with the September 20th race and one that will be bottled and available in Christmas gift packs.
Candlelight (4.3% ABV) is an easy drinking straw coloured beer made with
Maris Otter malt & Willamette hops that give the beer a crisp bitterness with a hint of citrus aroma.
Thanks to the generosity of the brewery’s suppliers who have donated time and goods free of charge, all of the proceeds, minus tax and duty, will benefit the charity. Sally Roydhouse from Market Weighton based Wicked Poppy Designs has designed the label for the bottles that have been donated by Croxsons and Hull businesses Springfield and Justinor will supply labels and gift boxes respectively. Shiptonthorpe based three60 marketing and pr is helping to raise awareness of the campaign.
If you would like to support the brewery’s Great North Run Team, please visit www.justgiving.com/woldtopbrewerycandlelight
The beer will be available from pubs and at farmers markets and events from mid September until stocks last. It can be also be pre-ordered from the brewery by calling 01723 892222 for collection at the charity’s home, the Children’s Day Hospital at St James Hospital in Leeds. The three bottle gift pack costs £7.75 with all proceeds benefiting the registered charity (no.1045077).
August 2009
Farmers' Weekly Shortlist Success
A Yorkshire coast micro-brewery is celebrating after being shortlisted in a national farming award.
Wold Top Brewery, near Driffield in East Yorkshire is the only northern farm based business to reach the final three of Farmers’ Weekly magazine’s competition to find its Diversification Farmer of the Year.
The award winning brewery is up against two Kent farmers, one who has diversified into a farm shop, restaurant, garden centre, workshops and offices and the other has developed offices and a shop selling oils and foods made from farm-grown lavender.
Owners of Wold Top Brewery, Tom and Gill Mellor, now have to wait until an awards dinner at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel on 8th October to find out whether the North has beaten the South to take the prestigious title.
August 2009
Wold Top Brewery supports Whitby’s first food fair
Award-winning Yorkshire coast Wold Top Brewery will be one of a number of Yorkshire businesses to support the first Whitby Food Festival later this month.
The first Coastal Flavours of Whitby Festival takes place in Whitby’s Endeavour Wharf between 9am and 5pm on 29th and 30th August and aims to showcasethe best of what the region’s fishermen and food producers have to offer.
Wold Top Brewery will be offering tasting samples and selling its award winning beers that include Wold Gold, Mars Magic, Wold Top Bitter and newcomer, Against the Grain.
Brewery owner Gill Mellor is delighted to support the venture that has been funded by the Yorkshire and Humber Seafood Group; “Whitby epitomises the essence of traditional Yorkshire industries like fishing and brewing and is perfectly placed to host an event like this. We’re really looking forward to being a part of it.”
August 2009
Wold Top Brewery supports Sewerby Hall and Gardens' first food fair
Award-winning Wold Top Brewery will be one of a number of Yorkshire businesses to support the first farmers’ fair at Sewerby Hall and Gardens this month.
The fair, that takes place in the grounds of the Hall between 10am and 4pm on Sunday 16th August, aims to raise awareness of the quality and diversity of farm based produce throughout East Yorkshire and stalls will be selling a variety of local treats including handmade chocolates, oils, meats and pickles.
Wold Top Brewery will be offering tasting samples of its award winning beers that include Wold Gold, Mars Magic, Wold Top Bitter and newcomer, Against the Grain.
Brewery owner Gill Mellor is pleased that there will be a farmers’ fair in Sewerby and commented; “Sewerby Hall and Gardens is such a great venue for us to showcase our products - there’s great parking, lots of space and a magnificent backdrop - we’re hoping that it will be a great day.”
August 2009
Wold Top Brewery supports Burton Agnes Jazz Festival
Award-winning Wold Top Brewery will once again be providing refreshment for the hundreds of visitors at this year’s Burton Agnes Jazz and Blues Festival from 7th to 9th August.
Billed by a critic for The Independent as “Possibly the most enjoyable jazz concert I've ever attended”, the annual festival is held in the beautiful, award-winning grounds of Burton Agnes Hall, near Driffield and visitors will be able to relax to the sounds of summer blues and jazz whilst enjoying hand pulled real ales, succulent local meat from Burdass Lamb, home made cakes and Yorkshire ice cream.
Tom Mellor, who owns Wold Top Brewery with his wife Gill, is a keen musician and is delighted to be supporting the festival again; “The festival generates a lot of interest from all over Yorkshire and beyond and the spectacular venue lends itself perfectly to summer music.”
Now in its third year, Burton Agnes Jazz and Blues Festival is a popular event over 3 nights and 2 days that showcases the best of British Jazz musicians including East Coast Big Band, Esther Miller, local swing band, Octupus, and JTQ (James Taylor Quartet). Festival organiser, Simon Cunliffe-Lister is delighted to host the festival again and commented “The bands have been selected to appeal to all and we are proud to be presenting a fantastic line up of performers representing a spread of jazz and blues from the traditional to the funky and from local favourites to big internationally renowned groups. There will be acts on the main stage, acoustic sets around the grand piano in the Great Hall and an Open Mic session in the Great Hall on Sunday.”
July 2009
National Great Taste Awards
As Yorkshire Day approaches (1st August), an East Yorkshire farm diversification business is celebrating after winning prestigious national awards for two of its ales from the Guild of Fine Food.
Wold Newton based Wold Top Brewery has been awarded a one star gold award fo
r both its Wold Gold Light Beer and it Mars Magic Dark Beer, adding to its impressive ‘trophy cabinet’.
Celebrating its 16th anniversary, The Great Taste Awards are often referred to as the Oscars of the food industry and represent the authoritative, independent standard for Britain’s fine food sector. They also help to promote business for winners and have generated over £2.6 million additional sales and 19,900 new listings over the last six years.
Gill Mellor from Wold Top Brewery is delighted with the award; “This is the fifth award that we have won for our light, summer beer, Wold Gold, but the first time that we have won an award for Mars Magic, the beer that was named after the 'Red Planet' which was clearly visible to the naked eye in the latter months of 2003 and will not be as close to Earth for the rest of our lifetime!. Given how rigorous the judging process is, we are proud to have won and to have put East Yorkshire on the brewing map once more.”
July 2009
Summer Festival Success
Check out the link to Michael Nagasaka's great film here and BBC Look North's coverage here
The inaugural Moonbeams Wold Top Folk Festival has been voted a runaway success.
Last weekend, Wold Top Brewery welcomed over 300 people to its Hunmanby Grange home for a weekend of music, entertainment and Yorkshire food and drink.
Guests, including families who took advantage of the clement weather to camp overnight, were entertained by artists including Driffield singer songwriter Edwina Hayes, York guitarist Andy Stones, The Duncan McFarlane Band, Paul Liddell, Nick Hall, Kat Gilmore and Jamie Roberts to name but a few. In between sets, entertainment was provided by Theatre on the Wolds and Ronald Davies.
Organiser Leila Slater from Driffield was delighted with the event; “It was a fantastic event - great acts, amazing location, good weather and fabulous food and drink made for a very successful festival - we’ve already set a date for next year - 10th -11th July 2010!”
The Moonbeams Festival followed hot on the heels of the Staxtonbury Festival, which was also supported by the award-winning Wold Newton micro-brewery.
June 2009
Charities benefit from sell out open day
An award-winning East Yorkshire micro brewery is celebrating after raising a record £2000 at a recent open day.
The open day coincided with the opening of the TV featured garden at Hunmanby Grange, the farm that’s home to Wold Top Brewery at Wold Newton, near Driffield.
Over 500 visitors enjoyed the beautiful and interesting garden that brewery co-owner Gill Mellor has created despite its elevated, exposed position high on the Yorkshire Wolds and a challenging chalky soil. The adjoining brewery was equally busy as people took a tour of one of Yorkshire’s leading micro-breweries and benefited from the open day offers.
Beneficiaries of the open day included the National Garden Scheme that supports nursing, caring and gardening charities, St. Cuthbert’s Church in nearby Burton Fleming and the brewery’s charity of the year, Candlelighters, the Leeds children’s cancer charity.
Brewery owners Tom and Gill Mellor were delighted with the amount raised; “It was fantastic to see so many people enjoying the brewery, thegarden and the spectacular Wolds views and especially rewarding to have raised so much for these three charities.” said Gill “but next year I think we’ll spread it over a weekend!”
June 2009
Brewery's Folk Festival Support
An award-winning East Yorkshire micro brewery is supporting the town’s major music festival for the 3rd consecutive year.
This year, the 26th Beverley Folk Festival takes place from 19th to 21st of June at Beverley venues including The Festival Village at Beverley Leisure Complex in Flemingate, Beverley and Wold Top Brewery is supporting the event with the Wold Top Marquee in the featuring two real ale bars, located in the Festival Village with a selection of bottled and cask ales.
Laura Mills, one of the organisers of this popular event, is delighted that the Festival has a real ale beer tent “We’re very fortunate to have such a good micro-brewery on our doorstep and the fact that we have a real ale marquee will be very well received by many of the anticipated 5000 visitors. The festival has become one of the best loved music events in the country, with its friendly atmosphere, great acoustic and amazing variety,” also endorsed by The Sunday Times which voted it one of the top 100 Festivals in the Country.
Although the future of the prestigious festival has been in jeopardy, this year’s festival promises to be bigger and better than ever with over 300 artists performing at the 3 night, 2 day music, dance and comedy extravaganza that showcases local talent as well big names like Billy Bragg, Seth Lakeman, The Lonnie Donegan Band and the Peatbog Faeries. The 2009 festival also boasts a special Americana theme with several Stateside guests including Curtis Eller; Gandalf Murphy & The Slambovian Circus of Dreams and The Coal Porters. For more information about the Festival, please call the Festival Office on 01377 217569 or visit www.beverleyfestival.com, where tickets for the weekend, days or individual events.
June 2009
Head to East Yorkshire's Farm Shops for Father's Day Gift Ideas
Why spend hours traipsing round city centre shops looking for a present for Dad when you can take a trip to your local farm shop and support the local economy at the same time?
Leading East Yorkshire micro-brewery, Wold Top Brewery, supplies many farm shops and independent retailers throughout East and North Yorkshire - simply call 01723 892222 for your nearest stockist.
Choose from a Wold Top Brewery gift pack of award winning real ales, or select your own beers from the range of pale ales, light beers and bitters that are inspired by and named after Yorkshire events and places for a Father’s Day present with a difference.
If you’d prefer to take Dad out for Father’s Day, however, you could head for Robert Fuller’s Thixendale Art Gallery where all Dads will be treated to a glass of Wold Top Brewery’s popular Wolds Way Pale Ale.
June 2009
Bridlington Bar backs local brewery
An award winning Bridlington bar has joined forces with a local brewery to provide hand pulled real ales.
The Marine Bar, attached to the Expanse Hotel on the town’s sea front, has shown its support for nearby Wold Top Brewery by installing a hand pull pump for its award winning cask ales.
The move is timely, as the Marine Bar’s commitment to real ale has recently been recognised with manager Ian Maclean being presented with a Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) Committed to Cask Award 2009.
Ian is delighted to be able to supply Wold Top’s real ales on draught; “We’re very lucky to have such a good brewery on our doorstep. Tom and Paul have been very supportive of us and we’re confident that the move to cask will result in increased sales and many satisfied customers.”
The brewery’s Business Manager Paul Bellinger continued: “There’s a real art to keeping real ale in good condition and Ian and his team thoroughly deserve the award. We’re looking forward to helping them to promote local ales to both holidaymakers and Bridlington residents.”
June 2009
Award winning brewery raises money for Forces charity
A Yorkshire Coast brewery has teamed up with the SSAFA Forces Help (Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association - Forces Help) to raise funds to help active and ex servicemen and their families.
Award-winning Wold Top Brewery is bottling a Veteran Ale and will donate 10p from the sale of each bottle to SSAFA for its invaluable work supporting forces families in need.
With a launch planned to coincide with Armed Forces Day on 27th June, Veteran Ale is a full bodied and well rounded premium Best Bitter with an A B V of 4.2% that will go on sale in retail outlets throughout Yorkshire.
The man behind the novel fund raising idea is retired Squadron Leader Ted Sumner from the North Yorkshire branch of the nationwide charity. A volunteer fund raiser for SSAFA, he is delighted that Wold Top Brewery has lent its support to his initiative;
“SSAFA, the oldest UK National charity dedicated to helping serving and retired forces and their families in need, relies heavily on the generosity of others to fund the network of professional and voluntary staff that offers practical, financial and emotional support to those in need. In addition to raising funds that help to alleviate the financial and emotional distress suffered by injured and disabled servicemen and their families, it is hoped that Veteran Ale will help to raise awareness about SSAFA’s work that will in turn help with future fundraising”.
“The name Veteran Ale is an epithet that draws a direct analogy between current active service campaigners - and we have more of those than at any time since the Falklands - and those retired. We’re optimistic that the general public will support our Armed Forces whilst enjoying a glass of Yorkshire real ale.”
Brewery owner Tom Mellor is delighted to support the Veteran Ale initiative; “Here on the border between East and North Yorkshire, we are close to several military units and we are proud to support our Service personnel, their families and Veterans by donating 10p per bottle of Veteran Ale sold to SSAFA.”
May 2009
Chill out with Wold Gold for BBQ week
The UK's Annual Celebration Of Better Barbecuing, National Barbecue Week, begins on 25th May as part of Gastro Alfresco, a summer long celebration of alfresco eating, entertaining and barbe
cues.
For a Yorkshire Coast micro-brewery, bank holidays and BBQ’s are synonymous with a significant increase in sales of its award-winning real ales.
Tom Mellor from Wold Top Brewery explains “You can’t beat a traditional, refreshing real ale when you’re cooking and eating outdoors. Our best seller throughout the summer months is Wold Gold, an award winning golden beer that chills down well and is enjoyed by men and women alike.”
Wold Gold is brewed where the Yorkshire Wolds meet the East Coast from traditional recipes using the best hops and home grown malting barley coupled with the purest, chalk-filtered Wolds water. It’s a satisfying, easy drinking beer with an ABV of 4.8% and has a soft, fruity flavour with a hint of spice.
Wold Gold is one of a range of seasonal and all year round ales that are inspired by places and events in East and North Yorkshire and are available from the website at www.woldtopbrewery.co.uk or by calling 01723 892222 for mail order.
April 2009
'Money off Mild' month
An award winning Yorkshire coast brewery is celebrating national Mild Month with a farmers’ market promotion.
Every year, CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale, celebrates May as Mild Month in ord
er to champion the traditional drink of Mild beer.
Yorkshire Coast micro-brewery Wold Top Brewery is joining in the celebrations by offering 25% off cases of Centenary Way Mild at Driffield and Scarborough’s farmers’ markets during May.
Reminiscent of an era when mild beers were the most popular ales in the country, Wold Top Brewery’s Centenary Way Mild is a lightly hopped ale with a slightly nutty flavour and an ABV of 3.5%. It was launched to commemorate the walk of the same name that traverses the Howardian Hills and the Yorkshire Wolds on its way between York and Filey.
Wold Top Brewery’s Tom Mellor said; “Mild month gives us a great opportunity to encourage people to try mild beer. At 3.5% ABV it’s low in alcohol, but not in taste, so appeals to people who want a low alcohol beer that doesn’t compromise on flavour.”
March 2009
Brewery's New Recruits
An award winning Yorkshire coast brewery has boosted its team with two new staff.
Wold Top Brewery’s double digit growth has meant that increased manpower is necessary at the Wold Newton micro-brewery.
The appointment of Paul Bellinger as Business Manager and Andy Reid as Assistant Brewer takes the brewery’s headcount up to six.
Scarborough based Paul has a wealth of brewery experience and joins Wold Top Brewery from Everards Brewery where he was a National Account Manager responsible for developing sales throughout the North of England. He also has technical and quality assurance experience and will be assisting brewery owner Tom Mellor in these areas. Paul, who is married with two grown up children, enjoys singing in the “Acappella” Choir and is a member of the Vale Players in Snainton.
Former Driffield School pupil Andy still lives in the town and joins the brewery from
Stuarts foods where he worked in accounts. Andy, who is married with one child and another on the way, enjoys sport, photography and, of course, real ale!
The Brewery’s owner, Tom Mellor, is delighted with the appointments “Although we are experiencing uncertain economic times, the brewery needed to employ more staff to sustain its growth. The guys have fitted in really well and are already making a valuable contribution to the brewery’s business”.
Paul Bellinger concludes: “It’s an exciting time to be joining this dynamic farm diversification business. It has laid some firm foundations over the last six years and now is the time to accelerate its growth.”
March 2009
Brewery supports Hull CAMRA festival
An award winning Yorkshire coast brewery is supporting the 2009 Hull and East Riding Real Ale and Cider Festival next month.
Wold Top Brewery’s Wold Top Bitter, Mars Magic, Voluptuous Vicky and A4 Amber will be amongst the 100 plus real ales, cider and bottled beers to be enjoyed by visitors to the three day festival.
Now in its ninth year, the festival, organised by the Hull and East Riding Branch for the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), will be held at Hull College’s Horncastle Buildng on George Street on 16th to 18th April.
Wold Top Bitter is the brewery’s flagship ale and is an easy drinking session beer with an ABV of 3.7%. It is full of flavour with a long hoppy finish and beat two Black Sheep Brewery beers to take the deliciouslyorkshire Best 
Drink 2008-9 title. Mars Magic is a 4.6% ABV premium ale with a ruby glow and malty flavour that was inspired by the 'Red Planet' which was clearly visible to the naked eye in the latter months of 2003. Voluptuous Vicky is a limited edition beer that mixes Maris Otter, Dark Crystal and Chocolate malts with Progress and Northdown hops to create an interesting dark beer with hidden depths and an ABV of 4.4%. A4 Amber was brewed as a limited edition ale to celebrate the A4 Train festival on the North Yorks Moors Railway but its fruity taste and light, dry finish was so well received that this 4.4% ABV beer has now become a regular brew.
The Brewery’s owner, Tom Mellor, is delighted to be supporting the festival for the 5th year running “CAMRA does a great job educating people about real ale and is very supportive of smaller, regional breweries like ours. It has also devised a LocAle initiative that encourages pubs to stock at least one locally-produced real ale with the aim of educating pub goers about which beers are brewed locally which will hopefully benefit the local economy”.
March 2009
Yorkshire Coast brewery supports publicans with a special brew
It’s well documented that pubs tend to feel the pinch in times of economic hardship as people economise by drinking at home, so a Yorkshire coast brewery has lent its support to the region’s on trade by brewing a special cask ale that’s only available in pubs.
600 acre bitter is the latest ale from award-winning Wold Top Brewery,based at Wold Newton near Driffield. Brewed to a traditional recipe, it is a hoppy ale with a long, dry aftertaste whose depth and flavour profile belie its low alcohol content (3.7%).
Brewery owner Tom Mellor explains how the beer got its name;
“It was our 600th brew on a 600 acre farm - it had to be celebrated! It follows in the tradition of my favourite and our flagship ale, Wold Top Bitter and satisfies the public’s desire for low alcohol beers that don’t sacrifice flavour.
We decided that 600 acre bitter would only be available to pubs and hotels as a thank you for their support over the six years since we founded the brewery and we have been very encouraged by the success - we’re now onto our second brew.”
The launch also coincides with the relaunch of York CAMRA’s (Campaign for Real Ale) LocAle initiative. The idea of ‘LocAle' is to encourage pubs to stock at least one locally-produced real ale with the aim to improve the local economy and knowledge for pub goers about which beers are brewed locally.
For details about the pubs and hotels selling 600 acre bitter, please call the brewery on 01723 982222 or ask at your local pub.
February 2009
Wold Top Brewery goes Against the Grain to help Coeliac Sufferers
An award-winning East Yorkshire brewery is responding to the needs of the growing number of people with Coeliac disease and gluten intolerances with the launch of a gluten free beer at IFE 2009 (ExCel, London 15-18th March).
Wold Top brewery has been brewing Against the Grain for the Fine Ale Club (www.ale4home.co.uk) since 2007 and in conjunction with the Fine Ale Club can now market it alongside its own range of bottled and cask ales.
Against the Grain, Britain’s first and favourite gluten free beer, is a premium, full flavoured bitter beer with a good head, refreshing bitterness and a citrus hop after taste. It has an ABV of 4.5% and its gluten content is certified at 5.1ppm.
Coeliac disease is an auto-immune disease caused by intolerance to gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye and barley. It is estimated that 1% of the population has coeliac disease, but only 1in 8cases are ever diagnosed. People with coeliac disease have to exclude gluten from their diet and often find it difficult to source gluten free foods that are as tasty as their ‘mainstream’ counterparts.
Tom Mellor, who owns Wold Top Brewery with his wife, Gill, says “Against the Grain is brewed using pure, chalk-filtered water from our farm’s own borehole combined with maize, malt, hops and yeast.
We’re delighted that it is regularly declared ‘the most beer like’
of all of the gluten free and low gluten beers in taste tests. Here at the brewery we work hard to produce high quality real ales using home grown and local ingredients wherever possible and we’re looking forward to adding Against the Grain to our growing range.”
Gill Mellor concludes; “It’s also wholly appropriate that we should relaunch Against The Grain at the IFE show as it is the only global food and drink event that is dedicated to innovation. We look forward to showcasing our beers to an audience of over 24,000.”
Against the Grain and Wold Top Brewery favourites including Wold Top Bitter, Wold Gold and Falling Stone are available to buy through the website www.woldtopbrewery.co.uk, and from selected farm shops and farmers’ markets, delis, hotels, pubs and off licences throughout Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.
February 2009
Award-winning brewery raises money for historic locomotive trust
A Wold Newton brewery has raised £320 for The Sir Nigel Gresley Locomotive Preservation Trust Ltd.
Award-winning Wold Top Brewery donated 10p from the sale of each bottle of its popular locomotive ale, A4 Amber, at events throughout 2008, including the popular Spring LNER Steam Festival.
Visitors to the festival were treated to an impressive line up of engines including the three working Gresley A4 Pacifics; Sir Nigel Gresley, Union of South Africa and Bittern and a newly restored North Eastern Railway 
Q6 No 63395.
Wold Top Brewery’s head brewer and steam enthusiast
Tony O’Rourke Kilburn presented the cheque to the Trust’s Roger Barker and commented; “We supply beer to the Railway and the Crossing Club at Grosmont and we support the line wherever we can. We are delighted to have raised this amount to help maintain the magnificent A4 engines.”
A4 Amber is a fruity and light ale with a dry finish and an ABV of 4.4%. It is available from farmers’ markets, farm shops, delis and off licences throughout Yorkshire or by calling the brewery on 01723 892222 or visiting www.woldtopbrewery.co.uk for mail order.
January 2009
The language of love - Yorkshire style
It’s not long until Valentines Day now. It is that special time of year when we tell our loved ones how much they mean to us, and the Award-winning Wold Top Brewery in Yorkshire is giving you the chance say what you really want to that special person in your life.
Men can be hard to buy for sometimes, and driving that romantic message home can be tricky. Why not communicate in the language you know he’ll understand – pub talk?
Some of us may get a little jealous at this time of year, and perhaps you’re worried he might be thinking about other women. Now is a great time to surprise him… ‘Voluptuous Vicky’ is dark, smooth and slightly malty beer with a hint of roasted barley. She certainly is unique and will get his taste buds tingling. You know once he’s spent an evening with ‘Vicky’, he’ll thank you.
As the snow melts away and the skies clear, there’s never a better time to take a romantic stroll and look at the stars. Embrace the celestial theme with a bottle of ‘Mars Magic’. He’ll enjoy the malty flavour, and the subtle aromas of this romantic, ruby red ale while you gently whisper to him that you were meant to be together, as you open your own bottle of light and fruity Wold Gold. This may be the only gold that you’ll get, but it’s much more refreshing and satisfying than its carat equivalent.
Wold Top Brewery owner Gill Mellor said: ‘I know how hard it can be when trying to pick something for Valentines Day. These gifts are not only thoughtful, but they are an inexpensive way of surprising someone. You can personalise your gift packs by selecting beers from our seasonal and all year round ales depending on your loved one's taste and sense of humour!
‘They are quality, award-winning local ales and will show that you are thinking about what is important to him; gifts like these are to men what flowers and chocolates are to women.’
You can pick up a mixed Pack of 4 Bottles containing a selection of Wold beers for
£15 (including delivery) to anywhere in the UK mainland. Simply log on to www.woldtopbrewery.co.uk and add your selection when prompted.
January 2009
Wold Top Brewery supports college farmers’ market
Award-winning Wold Top Brewery will be one of a number of North Yorkshire businesses to support Scarborough’s second farmers’ market next month.
The market, which launched in November, will be held at Scarborough College on Filey Road between 10am and 1pm on Sunday 1st February.
Brewery owner Gill Mellor is pleased that a local producers market has been established in Scarborough; “Figures revealed this week show that sales of local produce are up 6% and initiatives like this can only help to support our rural economy.”
The brewery’s Sales Office Manager, Vicky Skinn, will be running the market and is delighted that such a professional market has been launched on the brewery’s doorstep. “This is great for local producers like us - we’re only 12 miles away from the college and it’s a great opportunity to talk to the local customers who have been instrumental in our our success over the last six years. ”
Vicky will be on hand to talk about, sample and sell the brewery’s award winning real ales, including the winner of the recent Deliciouslyorkshire award, Wold Top Bitter.
Made from the finest hops and home grown malting barley, coupled with the purest, chalk-filtered Wolds water, Wold Top Brewery real ales are brewed with passion from traditional recipes. The range of seasonal specials and all year round ales are available through the website www.woldtopbrewery.co.uk, or from farm shops, delis, hotels, pubs and off licences throughout Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. Please call the brewery on 01723 892222 for stockists.
Scarborough College Farmers’ Market has been established to enable local producers to sell home produced goods direct to the consumer, thus reducing food miles and facilitating a dialogue that connects consumers with the farming community that surrounds and serves them. For more information, please e mail farmersmarket@scarboroughcollege.co.uk or call 01723 360620.
January 2009
Wold Top Brewery bucks the trend with bumper Christmas
Award-winning East Coast brewery Wold Top Brewery is celebrating after enjoying its most successful Christmas and New Year to date.
Tom Mellor, who owns the Wold Newton, Driffield based business with his wife, Gill, says “For the third year running we have enjoyed double digit growth, with sales of bottled beer and mini casks through local shops and Farmer’s Markets showing the strongest growth.
“We’re delighted with the figures. It goes to show that, even when people are feeling the squeeze financially, they are not prepared to compromise on beer, but they are choosing to enjoy it at home instead of in a pub.
“We have also noticed that more of our sales have come from East and North Yorkshire than last year which suggests that people are looking to support local businesses wherever possible, which is really encouraging for small businesses like ours.”
Wold Top Brewery also enjoyed a bumper year in terms of awards for its growing range of real ales. In January, Wold Gold lived up to its name and took first prize at the SIBA (Society of Independent Brewers) North Awards and July saw Wold Gold win a coveted Two Star Taste Award from the Guild of Fine Food. In October, the Brewery won a SIBA arts award for its support of the arts in East and North Yorkshire and in November, Wold Top Bitter, the brewery’s flagship beer, won its first award by beating two Black Sheep Ales to lift Deliciouslyorkshire’s Best Drink crown for 2008.
December 2008
The Culinary Guide's review
The Culinary Guide, the essential guide to fine food, fine food and fine living, describes Mars Magic " quite possibly the perfect Christmas Eve pint." Read the full review by clicking here.
December 2008
Brewery’s seasonal mini casks
Award winning Wold Top Brewery is making it easy for people to enjoy its premium cask conditioned ales at home by producing a range of popular seasonal mini casks for the second year running.
The five litre (approx. 9 pint) mini casks can be filled with your choice of Wold Top Brewery Ales, including the flagship Wold Top Bitter (3.7% ABV), ruby red Mars Magic (4.6% ) and award winning beers Falling Stone (4.2%) and Wold Gold (4.8%). At only £15.00, they’re a cost effective way to enjoy Wold Top Brewery’s premium ales without venturing out. Simply position the cask where it is to be served and leave it to settle for 36 hours before drinking. Once opened, the ale has a shelf life of 3 – 4 days if kept cool.
The mini casks can be ordered for Christmas and New Year direct from the Brewery (01723 892222) and from Wells Butchers in Burton Fleming or by visiting www.beer4home.co.uk. The casks can be collected from the brewery week commencing 15th December or can be collected from Driffield Farmer’s Market on 20th December, where there will also be a limited number of casks will be on sale.
November 2008
North Yorkshire microbrewery takes bronze in Yorkshire’s Perfect Pint
A Yorkshire Coast micro-brewery is celebrating after beating established breweries throughout Yorkshire to take third prize in a TV documentary to find Yorkshire’s Perfect Pint.
The quest to find Yorkshire’s Perfect Pint took David Aynesworth, owner of the Craven Arms at Appletreewick, all over Yorkshire to visit breweries large and small. David was keen to visit Wold Newton’s Top Brewery as it is one of only a few breweries that grows its own malting barley and hops and has its own source of chalk filtered Wolds water. He was not disappointed and the popular and award-winning light beer, Wold Gold, took the third prize, ahead of beers from bigger, more established breweries.
The Perfect Pint placing adds to the micro brewery’s impressive list of awards and accolades for its Wold Gold, Wolds Way, Falling Stone and Wold Top Bitter ales. Consumers can buy bottled beers via the website at www.woldtopbrewery.co.uk and from retailers, farmers’ markets, farm shops, pubs and off licences throughout Yorkshire and North East Lincolnshire and can enjoy well kept cask ales at many pubs throughout North Yorkshire including The Cask in Scarborough and The Coachman at Snainton. The Wold Top team will also be Sledmere House Food and Craft Festival on 5th-7th December and Driffield School Christmas Fair on 7th December in addition to Driffield Farmers’ Markets on 6th and 20th December.
November 2008
Yorkshire, Europe… the world
The Yorkshire microbrewery, Wold Top Brewery is taking its Wolds brewed ales to Brussels this Christmas to showcase its high quality local beers on a very international platform.
The event is being organized by the British Beer Club and will enable brewers from around Yorkshire to rub shoulders with MEPs, Commission officials and industry representatives. The aim is to make sure that smaller producers get their voice heard in one of the most powerful cities in Europe.
During an increasingly uncertain time economically, it is important that the interests of the industry are represented at an international level.
Brewers are being asked to take along 3-4 of their ales to the Christmas event which takes place at the Brewers House of Europe on 2 December.
Gill Mellor from Wold Top Brewery said: ‘It’s good that we are getting political recognition for our work. The negative press that alcohol has had in the media recently doesn’t help smaller breweries like ours.
‘Events like this help us to promote not only the production of a quality product but also promoting a culture where people can enjoy drinking, without taking it to excess.
‘This is a great opportunity for all of us in the North to show what we can do, and get the recognition we deserve for some of the finest ales not just in the UK but indeed, in Europe too’
The British Beer Club Christmas reception takes place annually, and aims to represent a different region each year. For the last two years, brewers from Wales and Scotland have showcased their products.
November 2008
Wold Top Brewery supports biggest ever Sledmere Fair
Wold Top Brewery will be one of a number of Yorkshire businesses supporting Sledmere House’s biggest ever festive fair (December 5-7).
Features of the three day Christmas Fair include local produce cookery demonstrations by celebrity chef, Rachel Green, over 70 food and gift stalls, carol singing and flower arranging.
Wold Newton’s Wold Top Brewery will be on hand to talk about, sample and sell its award winning real ales, including the winner of the recent Deliciouslyorkshire award, Wold Top Bitter and its ever popular Christmas ales and gift packs. Brewery owner Tom Mellor is delighted to support the fair for the 6th year “This is a great opportunity to celebrate Christmas in the stately setting of Sledmere House. I’m sure that it will be a great success.”
The fair is open between 10am and 5pm each day and entry costs £3.50 for adults and £1.50 for children. For more information, please call 01377 236637.
November 2008
Brewery supports inaugural college farmers’ market
Award-winning Wold Top Brewery will be one of a number of North Yorkshire businesses to participate in Scarborough’s first ever farmers’ market.
The new market will be held at Scarborough College on Filey Road between 10am and1pm on Sunday 23rd
November.
Although time has prevented Wold Newton’s Wold Top Brewery being granted
a licence to sell beer at this first market, the brewery was determined to support the local initiative and will be on hand to talk about and sample the brewery’s award winning real ales, including the winner of the recentDeliciouslyorkshire award, Wold Top Bitter and its ever popular Christmas ales and gift packs.
The brewery’s Sales Office Manager, Vicky Skinn, will be running the market and is delighted that such a professional market has been launched on the brewery’sdoorstep. “This is great for local producers like us - we’re only 12 miles away from the college and it’s a great opportunity to talk to the local customers who have been instrumental for our our success over the last six years. ”
Scarborough College Farmers’ Market has been established to enable local producers to sell home produced goods direct to the consumer, thus reducing food miles and facilitating a dialogue that connects consumers with the farming community that surrounds and serves them. For more information, please visit www.farmersmarket@scarboroughcollege.co.uk or call 01723 360620.
November 2008
Yorkshire microbrewery beats brewing giant to scoop award
A Yorkshire Coast micro-brewery is celebrating after beating an established brewery to win a coveted food
and drink award.
In a David and Goliath style contest, Wold Top Brewery’s Wold Top Bitter
was short-listed against Black Sheep Brewery’s Riggwelter Ale and Yorkshire Square Ale in the drinks category of the fourth annual Deliciouslyorkshire awards.
Judged by a panel of independent food and drink industry experts including BBC Radio 2’s resident foodie Nigel Barden, the winners of the prestigious awards were announced at a glittering dinner at Rudding Park, Harrogate on 3rd November.
Wold Top Bitter, the Wold Newton brewery’s first and flagship beer was commended by judges for its ‘depth of flavour and long hoppy finish’ and brewery owner Tom Mellor is naturally delighted; “This is the ale that launched the brewery back in 2003 and it’s always been my favourite. It’s a real credit to head brewer Tony O’Rourke-Kilburn and all of the Wold Top team that we have beaten such stiff competition to win thisaward.”
The Deliciouslyorkshire achievement brings Wold Top Brewery’s awards tally to eight and includes accolades for its Wold Gold, Wolds Way, Falling Stone and Wold Top Bitter ales. They are available to buy as single cases or made up into popular gift packs via the website at www.woldtopbrewery.co.uk and from retailers, farmers’ markets, farm shops, pubs and off licences throughout Yorkshire and North EastLincolnshire.
October 2008
Enterprising farmers win national award for arts sponsorship
An enterprising farming couple who diversified into brewing have
won a national award for their sponsorship of the arts in East and North Yorkshire.
The Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) awarded the prize to East Yorkshire micro brewery Wold Top Brewery at its 2008 awards ceremony on 13th October after learning how brewery owners Tom and Gill Mellor’s love of the arts coupled with a desire to engage
their local community has led to the sponsorship of local events including art, food and music.
In the last 12 months, the brewery has supported the Beverley Folk Festival, Scarborough Jazz Festival and Bridlington Spa’s Musicport event with bespoke ales in addition to supporting local Arts Centres, Fair Trade and Local Sourcing Group events and emerging contemporary artists.
Gill Mellor is thrilled to have won the award and said; “Sponsorship enables us to give something back to the community that provides our livelihood and we’re delighted that it has led to our second consecutive national SIBA award.”
Last year the Wold Newton brewery won a marketing award for its Wolds Way Pale Ale that was bottled and marketed to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the eponymous walk from the Humber Estuary to Filey Brigg.
The Society of Independent Brewers was founded in 1980 and represents the interests of the growing numbers of independent brewing companies in the UK.
SIBA’s Brewing Business Awards are open to all SIBA’s 430 brewing members and aim to recognise professionalism, innovation and commercial commitment.
October 2008
Make a real difference this Christmas, give someone Great Tasting beer
As food and drink costs continue to spiral, who really needs socks and dodgy aftershave this Christmas?
Instead of visiting friends and family and drinking them out of house and home, why not bring a little something to the table instead?
East Yorkshire’s Great Taste award winning Wold Top Brewery are offering an extra special way to say ‘Merry Christmas’ as they launch their Yule Tide gift packs of real ales from the Yorkshire Coast.
The gift packs provide an ideal Christmas or host/hostess gift and comprise four 500 ml bottles in a choice of All Year Round Favourites or Seasonal Specials.
The All Year Round favorites gift pack includes any four from the award winning Falling Stone, Wold Gold and Wolds Way to Mars Magic and the flagship Wold Top Bitter. Each is named after a significant local event or place and is your chance to enjoy a taste of Yorkshire in your own home.
The Seasonal gift pack contains seasonal beers and limited editions for those who might prefer something a bit more adventurous. If you know someone who might like Voluptuous Vicky, A4 Amber, Keeper's Light, Cracker Black or 5 Wold Rings, then this will make the perfect gift. Assorted flavours and ABVs mean that a gift box is a perfect low risk present.
Gill Mellor from Wold Top Brewery said: “Everyone will be tightening their belts this year. That doesn’t mean we can’t all have a wonderful time. Sure, people’s food bills are going up, why not give something people will really appreciate then with some of the region’s finest real ales?”
“As you’re sitting there on December 25th, would you rather be looking down at a novelty pair of socks or a crisp, full bodied bottle of cask conditioned real ale from the Yorkshire Wolds?”
September 2008
Popular Wolds Brewery supports Musicport at the Spa
An award winning local brewery is to lend its support to a prestigious music event by setting up a special Spa bar.
Wold Top Brewery is getting musical next month as it brings its finest cask and bottled ales to the UK’s biggest indoor music festival, Musicport, at Bridlington Spa from 17th to 19th October.
The Wold Newton brewery will be setting up a hand-pull bar for the first time in the Spa’s history and music lovers from around the globe will be able to try a special guest ale for the event. Called ‘Musicporter’, it is a premium ale with a malty flavour and an ABV of 4.6%. As well as the guest beer, the flagship Wold Top Bitter will be available on draft, and there will be a well stocked bar with the complete range of Wold Top Brewery bottled beers.
Musicians performing at the event include The Levellers, the legendary Rolf Harris, Latin- flavoured party band Ska Cubano, Ivo Papasov & his Wedding Band and African Harpist Toumani Diabate. Comedian, Mitch Benn and The Warsaw Village Band will also be there.
Brewery owner Gill Mellor said: “This will be a fantastic event, it’s all indoors so the weather won’t be a problem! People will be able to relax, listen to the music they want to hear with some local real ales on offer, what more could a festival-goer ask for?”
“It’s been great to support the festival in the past and we look forward to working with them this year in the new location at Bridlington Spa”
Musicport 2008 will run from Friday October 17, to Sunday October 19, at Bridlington Spa, South Marine Drive, Bridlington. Ticket prices range from £14 for one night to £90 for the whole weekend. Please visit www.musicportfestival.com for more information and to book.
September 2008
Wold Top Brewery’s Jazz Festival Ale
Award-winning Wold Top Brewery is ensuring that visitors to this year’s Scarborough Jazz Festival (26th – 28th September) are suitably refreshed by brewing a special Festival Ale.
This year’s Festival Ale is a tawny coloured ale with a malty bitterness and a clean hoppy finish. It has an ABV of 3.9% and will be on sale at the Scarborough Spa and at several of the pubs and hotels throughout the town throughout the festival period.
Tom Mellor who owns Wold Top Brewery with his wife Gill is a keen musician and is delighted to be supporting the festival for the fifth year; “The festival generates a lot of interest from all over the UK and a bespoke festival ale seems to go down very well.”
Now in its sixth year Scarborough Jazz Festival is a nationally acclaimed event over 3 nights and 2 days that showcases the best of British Jazz musicians including top vocalist Clare Teal and the prestigious BBC Big Band, Guy Barker's stunning Jazz Orchestra and saxophone superstar Courtney Pine. There will also be the opportunity to see superb regional bands including 'Tribute to Atlantic Jazz', Jamil Sheriff Octet', Julie Edwards and Kevin Dearden Quintet. Tickets are available by calling the Spa Booking Office on 01723 357 869 or by visiting the Jazz Festival website at www.scarboroughjazzfestival.co.uk
September 2008
Wold Top Brewery takes its award winning ales to Beningbrough Hall
Award-winning Wold Top Brewery is one of a number of Yorkshire producers to support Beningbrough Hall’s forthcoming Food and Craft Festival (13-14th September).
Entitled a Taste of Yorkshire, the festival celebrates the best of North Yorkshire’s food, drink and crafts in the magnificent setting of the National Trust owned Georgian mansion near York.
Visitors to the two day festival will be able to sample award winning ales from Wold Top Brewery, buy Homemade local cakes, jams & chutneys, cheeses, meats & plants and enjoy wood carving demonstrations and family trails. There will also be a Kids in the Kitchen activity tent and art workshops . All of the events are included in the admission price of £8.00 for adults, £4.00 for children and £18.50 for a family.
Brewery owner Gill Mellor is looking forward to the event; “It promises to be a great event featuring the best of Yorkshire’s produce in one magnificent setting. We enjoy festivals like this as it gives us the opportunity to talk to people about our products and to get valued feedback.”
Wold Top Brewery was the proud winner of a two star gold award for its light, summer beer Wold Gold, at the recent Guild of Fine Food Great Taste awards.
The Food and Craft festival is open from 11am to 5.30pm on both days.
August 2008
Wold Top Brewery has been asked to create a bespoke beer for the Yorkshire and the Humber branch of HASSRA, the Sports and Social club of the Department for Work and Pensions, the Department of Health and the Food Standards Agency.
Wold Top Brewery from Wold Newton near Driffield has labeled its double award winning Wolds Way beer with a special ‘Skools Out’ label to celebrate HASSRA’s 2008 Special Event at Sheffield University from 4th to 6th September.
Special Event is an annual event (bi-annual after 2008) that has been running since 1962 and brings together the 12 HASSRA Regions to compete against each other in a variety of sporting and non-sporting activities. Each region accumulates points for each event depending on their placing. At the end of the day, all points for each region are totalled and the region with the most points is awarded the Directors Trophy.
Special Event Publicity OfficerTony Musgrave is delighted that Wold Top Brewery is supporting the event that will be attended by 600 people; “We’re very fortunate to have such a great micro-brewery on our doorstep and the special label looks great.”
Wold Top Brewery was the proud winner of a two star gold award for its light, summer beer Wold Gold, at the recent Guild of Fine Food Great Taste awards.
Any employees of the DWP, the Department of Health or the FSA who are not in HASSRA can check out their web pages at www.HASSRA.org for more information.
August 2008
Wold Top Brewery supports Galtres Festival
An award-winning micro brewery is one of a number of Yorkshire producers to support the annual Galtres Festival near York.
Wold Top Brewery from Wold Newton near Driffield will support the one day Festival of Fun, Music and Dance - Food, Beers and Ciders for the second time by supplying its Falling Stone and A4 Amber cask ales for the extensive bar. Falling Stone is an award-winning 4.2% ABV premium best bitter that is named after the first UK recorded meteorite that fell close to the site of the brewery in 1795 and now resides in the British Museum. A4 Amber is one of Wold Top Brewery’s limited edition ale that was brewed to celebrate the
A4 Train festival on the North Yorks Moors Railway.
The festival features the best of North Yorkshire’s independent breweries, an exciting line-up of acoustic acts and bands and catering featuring local produce. Billed as a family day out and ‘a right good stomp’, the adults can indulge their love of fine food, ale and music whilst the youngsters enjoy a full programme of workshops and activities including metal bashing and video making.
The event takes place at Huby Sports Pavillion from 12 noon to 11pm on Sunday 24 August 2008 and Advance tickets: cost £6 for Adults, £2.50 for children or £17.00 for a family ticket (two adults and up to three children). Please visit the website www.galtresfestival.org.uk for more information and to book.
Wold Top Brewery was the proud winner of a two star gold award for its light, summer beer Wold Gold, at the recent Guild of Fine Food Great Taste awards.
July 2008
East Yorkshire Farmers win National Great Taste Awards
As Yorkshire Day approaches (1st August), two East Yorkhire farm diversification businesses are celebrating after winning prestigious national awards from the Guild of Fine Food (30-07-08). Side Oven Bakery from Foston on the Wolds has been awarded a coveted two star
Gold Great Taste Award for its Organic Unbleached White Flour and one for its Organic Elderflower Cordial, whilst Wold Newton based Wold Top Brewery has added a two star award for its Wold Gold Light Beer to its impressive array of awards.
Celebrating its 15th anniversary, The Great Taste Awards are often referred to as the Oscars of the food industry and represent the authoritative, independent standard for Britain’s fine food sector. They also help to promote business for winners and have generated over £2.6 million additional sales and 19,900 new listings over the last five years.
The Side Oven Bakery also won one star awards for its Organic Wholemeal and Malted Granary Flours that are produced using home grown organic wheat that is stone ground using a traditional mill at the Sellers Carr House Farm. Commenting on the award, farmer Caroline Sellers said “We are naturally delighted to win such prestigious awards . There are entries from over 4800 small producers over all of the categories and only 1150 Golds awarded. Of these only 19% achieved 2 stars, so we’ve done exceptionally well to win two two star and two one star awards. We’re having an open day on 24th August and urge people to come and see the mill making the award winning flours”
Gill Mellor from Wold Top Brewery is equally delighted; “This is the fourth award that we have won for our light, summer beer, Wold Gold, but the first time that we have won a Guild of Fine Food award. Given how rigourous the judging process is, we are proud to have won and to have put East Yorkshire on the brewing map.”
From humble beginnings in the 'side oven' of its farmhouse kitchen, The Side Oven Bakery uses largely home grown, organic ingredients to produce an exclusive range of hand crafted artisan breads, flours, honey toasted mueslis and premium fruit juices in a bespoke bakery and juicery .
Made from the finest hops and home grown malting barley coupled with the purest, chalk-filtered Wolds water, Wold Top Brewery real ales are brewed with passion from traditional recipes. They are available through the website www.woldtopbrewery.co.uk, farm shops, delis, hotels, pubs and off licences throughout Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. Wold Top Brewery will be at the three day Yorkshire Day Festival that takes place at Harewood House from 1st to 3rd August.
The award winning East Yorkshire produce is available through the websites www.sideoven.com and www.woldtopbrewery.co.uk and from farmers’ markets, farm shops and delis throughout Yorkshire.
July 2008
Wold Top Brewery supports Burton Agnes Jazz Festival
Award-winning Wold Top Brewery will be quenching the thirst of visitors to this year’s Burton Agnes Jazz Festival from 8th to 10th August.
The popular festival is held in the beautiful, award-winning grounds of Burton Agnes Hall, near Driffield and visitors will be able to relax to the sounds of summer jazz whilst enjoying hand pulled Wold Top Brewery ales and succulent local meat from Burdass Lamb.
Tom Mellor, who owns Wold Top Brewery with his wife Gill, is a keen musician and is delighted to be supporting the festival again; “The festival generates a lot of interest from all over Yorkshire and the spectacular venue lends itself to summer music.”
Now in its second year, Burton Agnes Jazz Festival is a popular event over 3 nights and 2 days that showcases the best of British Jazz musicians including RevRay, The Joel Purnell Quartet, Cubana Bop, Esther Miller, Tees Valley Jazz Men and Kevin Holbrough. Festival organizer, Simon Cunliffe-Lister is delighted to host the festival and commented “The bands have been selected to appeal to all and we are proud to be presenting a fantastic line up of local favourites and the UK’s hottest new talent. There will be a different act every hour playing from the main stage. During the day there will be acoustic sets around the grand piano in the Great Hall.”
The festival runs from 6pm-11pm Friday, 11am-11pm Saturday, 11am-6pm Sunday and prices start at £15.00 for an evening ticket to £40 for a weekend ticket. Tickets are available online at www.burton-agnes.co.uk/jazzfrom Burton Agnes Hall or over the phone (01262 490324 9am-midday, Mon-Fri)
July 2008
Wold Top Brewery entertains at anniversary show
Award-winning Wold Top Brewery will be one of a number of local producers at the 150th anniversary of the Great Yorkshire Show this month.
The North’s leading agricultural event takes place at the Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate from 8th to 10th July and attracts over 135,000 visitors .
As part of the celebrations, the Regional Food Group for Yorkshire and Humber will be showcasing the best of the regions producers and will be staging regular daily inspirational cookery demonstrations and tutorials hosted by TV cook Annie Stirk.
Wold Top Brewery is one of several Yorkshire producers including Yorvale and Burdass Lamb who have been invited to entertain the audience in the Deliciouslyorkshire pavilion over the three days. Tom Mellor will be talking to the audience about how a farm diversification project has grown to be one of Yorkshire’s leading micro-breweries.
Made from the finest hops and home grown malting barley, coupled with the purest, chalk-filtered Wolds water, Wold Top Brewery real ales are brewed with passion from traditional recipes. The range of seasonal specials and all year round ales are available at regional shows throughout the summer, via the website www.woldtopbrewery.co.uk, or from farm shops, delis, hotels, pubs and off licences throughout Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. Please call the brewery on 01723 892222 for more information.
Deliciouslyorkshire is the championing brand of the Regional Food Group which works with food and drink businesses producing in Yorkshire and the Humber.
The Yorkshire Agricultural Society is delighted that Buckingham Palace has announced that Her Majesty The Queen and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh will be attending the 150th Great Yorkshire Show. For more information and to book, please visit www.greatyorkshireshow.com or call 01423 541 222.
July 2008
Wold Top Brewery welcomes Institute of Brewing and Distilling
Members of the Great Northern Section of the Institute of Brewing and Distilling (IBD) have been invited to a Barley Walk, Brewery Visit and Barbecue at Wold Top Brewery.
The 3rd July meeting will begin with a barley walk and talk led by Tom Mellor followed by tours of the award winning micro brewery. The evening will conclude with a barbecue featuring local produce including meat supplied by East Yorkshire producer Burdass Lamb.
Wold Top Brewery’s Tom Mellor is delighted to host the event “The Great Northern Section of the IBD comprises many respected names from the brewing and distilling industries and it’s a great opportunity to put Wold Top Brewery on the map. We’ve sourced some delicious local lamb for our barbecue and we’re looking forward to a very successful evening.”
June 2008
Grown on the Wolds, Brewed on the Wolds, Drunk anywhere..... (Snowdonia in this instance)
As this picture testifies! Many thanks to Paul Hazell of Adfix and 'model' Clay B Worsling for proving that the best things in life are worth going out of your way for!
June 2008
Real Ale online - a gift for Father’s Day!
For those of us who struggle to buy gifts for our difficult to please menfolk, an East Yorkshire Brewery has a great and convenient solution.
Famed for its range of real ales from the Yorkshire Coast, Wold Top Brewery will create bespoke gift packs using your online selections of its award-winning beers. The gift packs contain your choice of four of the following 500ml bottles of cask conditioned real ale and cost £15.00 including postage and packing to UK mainland; 
Centenary Way - NEW Lightly hopped mild beer with a slight nutty flavour 3.5%
Keeper’s Light - NEW Full bodied with a light citrussy bitterness 4.5%
Mars Magic - Ruby red flavoursome premium ale 4.6% ABV
Wold Top - Flagship easy drinking bitter 3.7% ABV
Wold Gold - Award-winning light beer with a soft, fruity flavour 4.8% ABV
Falling Stone - Award-winning premium best bitter 4.2% ABV
Wolds Way - Award-winning fruity pale ale 3.6% ABV
Voluptuous Vicky - Dark, smooth and slightly malty with hidden depths 4.4%
A4 Amber - A fruity and light ale for train enthusiasts everywhere 4.4%
Simply visit the website or call 01723 892222 to place your order. With a 48 hour delivery service, it’s perfect for that last minute gift!
Made from the best hops and home grown malting barley coupled with the purest, chalk-filtered Wolds water, Wold Top Brewery real ales are brewed with passion from traditional recipes.
June 2008
Wold Top Brewery’s Folk Festival Brew
Award-winning Wold Top Brewery is ensuring that visitors to this year’s 25th anniversary Beverley Folk Festival (20-22nd June) will be suitably refreshed by brewing a special Festival Ale.
The draught real ale (ABV 4.2%) is a light, easy drinking beer with a hint of fruit and will be on sale in the Festival Village at the Festival’s main site, Memorial Hall, Beverley Leisure Complex, the Green Dragon and a number of local pubs and in bottles at Roberts and Speight in Norwood over the Festival Weekend. 
Cally Barker, one of the organisers of this popular event, is delighted that the Festival will have a bespoke beer “We’re very fortunate to have such a good micro-brewery on our doorstep and the fact that we have a unique festival ale will be very well received by many of the anticipated 5000 visitors. The festival has become one of the best loved music events in the country, with its friendly atmosphere, great acoustic and amazing variety.”
Now in it’s 25th year, Beverley Folk Festival is a song and dance extravaganza over 3 nights and 2 days that showcases local talent as well big names like The Buzzcocks, The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain and Waterson Carthy.
May 2008
East Yorkshire brewery’s Spa Ale
Award-winning Wold Top Brewery is bottling a special Spa Ale to celebrate the reopening of Bridlington Spa.
The newly refurbished Spa opens on 31st May with a concert from top Yorkshire-based Indie band The Pigeon Detectives following a multi-million pound redevelopment programme. A week long schedule of events leads up to the public open day on 7th June. 
Wold Top Brewery has bottled its best selling Wolds Way Pale Ale with a special, limited edition label to commemorate the occasion. Brewed to traditional recipes using home grown Maris Otter malt, Goldings and Cascade hops and the farm’s own pure, chalk-filtered water, Wolds Way is an uncomplicated and refreshing Pale Ale with an ABV of 3.6%.
Tom Mellor, who owns the brewery with his wife, Gill, explains, “We’re delighted to have been asked to bottle this commemorative ale. The Yorkshire Wolds Way passes within a quarter of a mile of the farm where the Brewery is sited and within 10 miles of Bridlington, so it was the logical choice.”
Wold Top Brewery produces real ales that are brewed using traditional methods and home grown ingredients. The range of seasonal and all year round beers include award winning Wold Gold and Falling Stone, Voluptuous Vicky and newcomers Centenary Way Mild and Keeper’s Light. They are available to buy via the website www.woldtopbrewery.co.uk or by calling the brewery on 01723 892222.
May 2008
East Yorkshire brewery’s new light beer
Wold Top Brewery has increased its range of award-winning real ales with the launch of a new beer.
Inspired by the people who once operated and maintained the lighthouses around East Yorkshire’s coastline and brewed within range of Flamborough Lighthouse’s beacon, Keeper’s Light is a crisp, full bodied amber beer with a citrussy bitterness and an ABV of 4.5%.
Keeper’s Light is a limited edition seasonal ale that will be launched alongside Wold Top Brewery’s latest all year round ale, Centenary Way Mild, at the Ryedale Festival of Food and Drink Festival at Castle Howard on 25th and 26th May.
Visitors to the fourth two day food and drink extravaganza will be able to taste the new ales and will be able to buy other beers from the award-winning range that includes all year round ales Wold Top Bitter, Wold Gold, Falling Stone, Mars Magic and Wolds Way together with seasonal specials like A4 Amber and Voluptuous Vicky.
Tom Mellor comments “It will be great to launch both light and dark beers at Castle Howard. Visitors over 18 will be able to compare and contrast the two beers and see which they prefer.”
Wold Top Brewery produces real ales that are brewed using traditional methods and home grown ingredients. They are available to buy via the website or by calling the brewery on 01723 892222.
Award-winning Wold Gold will also be on sale in the public bar at the Ryedale Festival.
May 2008
Wold Top Brewery is celebrating its fifth anniversary with the launch of a new beer
Centenary Way Mild has been created to celebrate our great British beer heritage and will be launched at the Ryedale Festival of Food and Drink Festival at Castle Howard on 25th and 26th May.
Reminiscent of an era when mild beers were the most popular ales in the country, Wold Top Brewery’s Centenary Way Mild is a lightly hopped ale with a slightly nutty flavour and an ABV of 3.5%.
Gill Mellor, who owns the Wold Newton Brewery with husband Tom, explains the significance of the name “We name all of our ales after inspirational places and momentous occasions and Centenary Way Mild has been brewed to reflect and commemorate the walk of the same name that traverses the Howardian Hills and the Yorkshire Wolds on its way between York and Filey. As the walk runs through Castle Howard estate, it seemed appropriate that we should launch it there.”
Visitors to the fourth two day food and drink extravaganza will be able to taste the new ale and will be able to buy other beers from the award-winning range that includes all year round ales including Wold Top Bitter, Wold Gold, and Wolds Way together with seasonal specials like A4 Amber.
Wold Top Brewery will be one of 60 companies showcasing Yorkshire’s finest food and drink in all weather marquees whilst the region’s chefs will be giving demonstrations in the cookery theatre.
April 2008
NGS (National Garden Scheme) charity garden opening coincides with brewery open day
Visitors to the TV featured garden Hunmanby Grange Garden and Nursery will get extra value for money on 1st June when the opening of the garden coincides with a rare open day for award winning micro-brewery, Wold Top Brewery.
For just £3.00, visitors will be able to marvel at the beautiful and interesting garden that Gill Mellor has created despite its exposure to the elements and a challenging soil. Gill will share her stories about how the garden has evolved over a 25 year period into a series of gardens that have been developed depending on shelter, aspect, views and need. 
Visitors to the brewery will see where and how the award-winning ales are made and will be able to talk to the brewery owner, Tom Mellor about what makes Wold Top’s ales so special.
The gardens and the brewery will be open between 11am and 5pm and refreshments will be on sale with proceeds benefitting St. Cuthbert’s Church in nearby Burton Fleming. Plants will also be on sale in the Garden’s nursery.
For more information and directions to the farm that houses the
gardens and the brewery, please visit www.hunmanbygrange.co.uk or call Gill Mellor on 01723 891636.
Every year NGS gardens across England and Wales welcome over half a million visitors to gardens of quality, character and interest and raise £2 million each year for nursing, caring and gardening charities For more information, please visit www.ngs.org.uk
April 2008
Innovative Brewery’s green initiative
Wold Top Brewery has announced plans to reduce the business’s carbon footprint with a two year tree 
planting programme.
Owner of the brewery Tom Mellor explains “The effects of climate change, or global warming, are well documented and the growth rate of carbon dioxide emissions is alarming. Between 2000 and 2005 the annual growth rate was more than 2.5 per cent, whereas in the 1990s it was less than one per cent per year. We want to do something, however small, to try to redress the balance”
The tree planting initiative will see the creation of a four acre woodland area populated with native species like beech, field maple, whitebeam and hornbeam over a two year period.
The tree planting complements the other ways that the Mellors help to sustain the environment around the farm-based brewery. They have an ongoing programme of hedge planting, surround crops with two metre margins to encourage wildlife biodiverstity and maintain 35 acres of species rich chalk grassland that is home to varied flora and fauna. In addition, they use recycled and recyclable materials wherever possible and all of the by-products of the brewing process are recycled – the spent hops make great garden mulch and the local pigs appreciate the spent grain! They encourage recycling by promoting reusable cotton bags and by providing strong, reusable plastic bags when selling beer at farmers markets and festivals.
Wold Top Brewery brews a range of award-winning ales using home grown malting barley and hops and chalk filtered water drawn from the borehole on the farm. It is thought that they are one of only a handful of breweries (if not the only one) that grows and sources its main ingredients on site.
March 2008
Wold Top Brewery raises money for historic locomotive trust 
Wold Top Brewery is working with the North York Moors Railway
to raise funds for The Sir Nigel Gresley Locomotive Preservation
Trust Ltd.
The award-winning brewery will be donating 10p from the sale
of each bottle of its popular locomotive ale, A4 Amber, during the
forthcoming LNER Steam Festival and for the rest of 2008.
The Spring LNER festival takes place on consecutive weekends
(28 to 30 March and 4 to 6 April) and it is expected that at least
seven engines from the former London & North Eastern Railway
(LNER) will be in operation.
The festival has been designed to pay tribute to the men and
machines of the LNER.
Philip Benham, NYMR General Manager, says “Many people were
disappointed when last year’s LNER Festival could not take place as
planned. This is the third time we have aimed to get three working A4s together. With all the locomotives now back in service, and arrangements confirmed with the owners, we are confident that it will finally happen! The presence of Green Arrow working our LNER train, and the other NER’s locos should make this one of the most spectacular events of 2008.”
January 2008
Wold Gold takes gold at real ale awards 
Wold Top Brewery’s light beer, Wold Gold, has won a Gold Medal at the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) North awards.
The Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) awarded
the prize for the best premium bitter at its awards dinner in Southport on 11th January. Head brewer Tony O'Rourke-Kilburn (pictured second from right) was at the dinner and was delighted with the win “This is the second time that Wold Gold has won an award, but it's our first SIBA gold, so we’re really pleased.”
December 2007
Bumper Christmas and New Year Sales
Award-winning local brewery Wold Top Brewery is celebrating after enjoying its most successful Christmas and New Year to date.
Tom Mellor, who owns the Wold Newton based business with his wife, Gill, says “ Yet again we have enjoyed double digit growth, and this time many of the sales of our award-winning ales have come from customers who have tasted Wold Top Beers whilst holidaying in Yorkshire and have bought from our website once home.”
Yorkshire wolds way silver anniversary celebrated with Wolds Way Pale Ale - the perfect reward after a day enjoying the rolling hills and steep dry valleys of the Yorkshire wolds.
Thwing Pub - The Falling Stone is now open again and serving excellent serve food.
Run by Peter and Ros, they provide an excellent service, great food and good beer of course! You can contact them at 01262 470403.
Wold Way Pale Ale was voted best local brew at the Yorkshire Post Taste
awards in conjunction with Harvey Nichols 2007, and also won the Society
of Independent Brewers business awards for best new product launch.