How a lost dog helped a beer find its place

When he leaves work, Mark Costello, a Leeds-based accountant, swaps spreadsheets for hops, casks and bottles.

He is following many a man’s dream hobby by having a home brewery but is now branching out as, after serving local beer fans since last August, Horsforth Brewery will have a beer stocked in a city centre bar.

Horsforth Pale and his latest brew Aubretia (a black IPA) will be available at The Doghouse Bar and Record Store on Kirkgate until stock runs out – which based on his previous success may not be very long.

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Mark, 33, started brewing beer at home four years ago and registered his kitchen as a brewery in March 2015.

His first beer was named “Lost Dog” after his own dog went missing and went down well at the Horsforth Beer Festival coming second and was the fastest-selling beer with all 72 pints going in just six hours.

A major operation and a house renovation meant home brewing was put on ice for nearly two years but he persuaded his wife to let him build a mini-brewery where the garage was.

Horsforth Brewery has produced a wide range of beers from a raspberry saison to a black rye which have been on sale at shops, pubs and bars across Leeds, Bradford, Ossett and Shipley.

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A regular attendee of beer festivals as a drinker, Mark has since had his own brews on offer at beer festivals in Otley, York and London.

He said: “I’ve always enjoyed drinking different beers, so to have my own nano-brewery is a dream come true.”

Oh and he also found his dog too.