Yorkshire is home to 12 of the top 50 best independent breweries in the UK

As a county that prides itself on its independent businesses, breweries are no exception.
Abbeydale Brewery was the top ranking Yorkshire brewery on the list.Abbeydale Brewery was the top ranking Yorkshire brewery on the list.
Abbeydale Brewery was the top ranking Yorkshire brewery on the list.

Twelve of Yorkshire’s own breweries have been listed in the top 50 best independent breweries across the country - and three made it into the top 15.

Let’s take a look at Yorkshire’s top 12 breweries, according to research gathered by South Western Railway.

1. Abbeydale Brewery, Sheffield

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Founded in 1996, this business has been ranked as the fifth best independent brewery in the UK. It is able to produce over 220 brewers’ barrels or 880 casks you’d find in a pub.

2. Monk, Leeds

Merging both traditional monastic values and progressive approaches to ingredients and techniques, this is named as the twelfth best UK independent brewery in the UK. The business often collaborates with national and international breweries, businesses and charities.

3. Rudgate Brewery, York

With 28 years of experience, it’s no wonder that Rudgate Brewery is one of the top 15 UK independent breweries. The original establishment was based in the former ammunition building of RAF Marston Moor Airfield, where the Halifax bombers resided during World War Two. The name derives from the old Roman road which runs through the airfield.

4. Ilkley Brewery

The brewery is situated on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park and is ranked at number 19 on the list. Though it is a relatively new business, founded in 2012, it has become widely recognised in the top 50 list of UK breweries.

5. Vocation Brewery, Hebden Bridge

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For founder, John Hickling, creating beer was a hobby as he quit his previous job in IT for a bank to build his business from scratch in his kitchen. Little did he know that his brewery would be a success and is now ranked at number 21 on the list.

6. Ridgeside Brewing Co., Leeds

This brewery has 11 years of experience and has since solidified itself as the twenty-second best independent brewery in the country.

7. Play Brew Co., Middlesbrough

The infectious 80s and 90s vibe from this brewery has caught the attention of beer drinkers across the UK. It is number 24 on the list.

9. Hambleton Brewery, Ripon

Established in 1991, this brewery was first formed in the founder, Nick Stafford’s in-law’s garden. It is at number 33 on the list.

10. Brass Castle Brewery, Malton

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This independent company brews vegan and gluten-free craft beers. It mashes grains, boils hops, pitches yeast, racks into casks and serves the beer to the customers. It is number 35.

11. North Brewing Co., Leeds

The founders of North Brewing, John Gyngell and Christian Townsley, are the same people who founded the Leeds beer venue, North Bar, in 1997. It is at number 42 on the list.

12. Acorn Brewery, Barnsley

Over the course of 18 years, Acorn Brewery has brewed more than 150 different single hopped IPAs. It sits at number 44.

13. Turning Point Brewing Co., Knaresborough

Founders, Aron and Cameron, quit their day jobs in 2017 to set up their own brewery, where it was originally situated in Kirkbymoorside, before it was moved to Knaresborough in 2019. It is at number 46.

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