Raising the bar for Leeds beer week

Powering up for Leeds Beer Week last year at Head of Steam.

Beer fans rejoice - as there is no sign of closing time in the city any time soon.

Leeds Beer Week is back and bigger than before - and given that last year saw more than 100 events at 40 different venues - crafty consumers are in for a treat.

While last year the focus was on the beer - this year will see collaborations, pairings, takeover, launches (yes Bundobust is brewing its own) and a few events you might not have expected.

From today until Bank Holiday Sunday there are events at the four main venues - Bundobust, Turks Head, Northern Monk and Headrow House - as well as many other locations across the city, from larger venues to the city’s favourite local independent pubs.

A beer at Turk's Head.

They range from vegan beer and pizza at Tapped, Blind Date with beer at Foley’s Tap House; beer and yoga at Northern Monk, a ‘Magic Cycle Ride’ in aid of Simon on the Streets, donuts and beer at North Bar and beer cocktails at Alfred Bar.

Charlie Horner from Leeds Beer Week said thousands of people attended the events last year and it is set to be more this time round.

She said: “While the focus was everything Leeds beer, the variety of the events and beers and food-pairings offered by some of Leeds best venues made for an extremely enjoyable and varied event; one that is eagerly anticipated again this year.“For LBW18 we will be celebrating everything that makes the Leeds Beer Scene unique.“It is chance for Leeds to engage with it and for beloved venues and breweries around Leeds to engage with their long-time patrons, and welcome those just getting into craft beer.”

Plenty of people enjoyed the offering from Bundobust.

Mrs Horner added that she hoped LBW18 will confirm Leeds’ place as one of the top cities for beer, not only in the UK but on a global scale.

And putting Leeds on the beer map will be Northern Monk Brew Co, which exports to 22 countries and is rated among the world’s top 100 breweries.

However, tomorrow it will host and show two beers from four of New York’s most respected breweries - Mikkeller NYC, KCBC, Threes Brewing and Other Half - at The Refectory tap room in one of its Hop City Sessions.

It is also the first time Threes Brewing (Brooklyn) and Mikkeller NYC (based in the New York Mets Baseball stadium in Queens) have ever poured in the UK and all the beers have been flown in especially.

Russell Bisset, Founder of Northern Monk Brew Co, said: “Hop City has given us the opportunity to showcase some of the best hop forward beer in the world. Our goal is to serve these to customers as fresh as possible, tasting as they would do in New York City.“All of the beer is flown in temperature-controlled conditions. We’re grateful to our friends in the U.S. for letting us be custodians of their product and we’re excited to share some of our favourite beers from around the world with our community in Leeds.”

Northern Monk has also brewed the official beer for this year’s Leeds Beer Week celebration, which is available in both keg and can across the city and will be staging its own programme of events from beer yoga to beer and brunch.See leedsbeerweek.co.uk for the full ten day programme of events.