Local tipple:
The best beers
brewed in Harrogate

By Rachel Auty, Women On Tap

Harrogate boasts many superb pubs and bars and today has become a well-respected drinking destination. With several long-standing breweries alive and well in Harrogate and some world-renowned beer brands on the doorstep, Harrogate is an excellent choice for the beer enthusiast. If you love seeking out local beers, here are a few of my favourites.

Harrogate Brewing Company

Plum Porter 4.8%

Watch out for this one! A velvet porter brewed in small batches with Yorkshire plums, it’s a rare find and rarely makes it out of Harrogate. I’ve witnessed it go on and off within an 8-hour shift at one local bar. If you’re super-lucky you may also see the special edition Fudge Porter – made using Farrah’s fudge – or the vanilla porter, both superb examples of tasty dark ale.

Daleside Brewery

Monkey Wrench 5.3%

A stronger old English style ale, but incredibly light and easy drinking. This one can be found as cask ale or sometimes in bottles and is a reddish brown beer with a sweet roasted malt flavour that hints at caramel and currants. It’s sharp, malty and delicious – my favourite brew from this Starbeck-based independent brewery.

Roosters Brewing Co.

Baby Faced Assassin 6.1%

This one is a classic chunky IPA brewed with 100% Citra hops to create aromas of mango, apricot, grapefruit and mandarin. For a higher ABV with a tropical fruit zest, this beer is deceptively drinkable and is a bold and impressive core range feature for our biggest local brewery. Better still, you can now visit the Roosters taproom at Hornbeam Park and drink BFA at source.

Harrogate Brewing Company

Beeching Axe IPA 5.2%

This is a favourite for me. Brewed by a small local family brewery, you’ll be lucky to catch it on the bar and you should try it when you do! Here’s a hoppy IPA style beer and a great ABV point with a citrus flavour, also dry hopped for extra punch. If you get chance to head to a Harrogate Brewery open weekend, you’ll likely find this beer at it’s finest and you might even find special editions such as a delicious unfined version.

Roosters Brewing Co.

Yankee 4.3%

Here’s a modern classic pale ale at a great session ABV. This is one of the original new-style pales to be brewed in the UK and now you can drink it at source, here in Harrogate. With floral and citrus fruit aromas delivered by the Cascade hop from the USA, combined with soft Yorkshire water and Golden Promise pale malt, this ale is a quality choice for a classic Yorkshire pint..

Theakston

Old Peculier 5.6%

Did you know that independent world-renowned breweries Theakston and Black Sheep are just up the road from Harrogate in Masham? If you get chance to grab an Old Peculiar, do it. Brewed using a blend of pale, crystal and roasted barley with two bitter hops combined with the majestic Fuggle hop, this is a beer of full-bodied flavour with rich fruit overtones. There’s also a rumour you may find a special ‘from the wood’ edition if you look hard enough.