The Tetley, Leeds marks 200 years of brewing tradition with weekend-long celebration

Attendees will have the opportunity to get hands-on with old Tetley Brewery artefacts, hear stories from Victorian-era local newspaper articles about what went on at the brewery, all whilst enjoying a flight of Tetley’s beer or a pint of cask ale you will be able to pull yourself.

The event, on Saturday April 30 and Sunday, May 1, will mark 200 years since Joshua Tetley founded Tetley’s Brewery in Hunslet.

Celebrations will continue with an opportunity for people to get hands-on with brewery artefacts from the archive.

The event is being hosted by Leeds Beer Tours founder Mike Hampshire at The Tetley in Hunslet Lane.

He said: “Although the brewery is no longer here, there is still every reason to celebrate Joshua Tetley and what his brewery did for the city of Leeds after it was founded in 1822."

Mike dug into the archive in the basement of The Tetley and recovered some exciting artefacts for people to explore.

He added: “This is a rare chance to see what lives in the archive at The Tetley. From a hydrometer dating back to the early 1900s, to mash paddles, printing blocks and more. I will be demonstrating how some of these items worked and allowing the public to get hands-on with some of them too.”

There are bookable timeslots available throughout each day, costing £10 per person and lasting approximately 45 minutes. During each session Mike will also share stories from the late 1800s and early 1900s about the brewery that were featured in local newspapers.

“There are some interesting letters published by Tetley Brewery in 1900, seeking to assure the public that their beer did not contain arsenic! I will explain why,” said Mike. “There is also a long-running story where Tetley Brewery took on the local council after several workers fell ill. The council blamed the free beer allowance brewery workers received, but that was not entirely true.”

As part of the experience, Anthony Williams, Bar and Events Manager of The Tetley’s Bar and Kitchen, has curated drinks options too, including a Tetley Tasting Board of three different Tetley’s beers, or a chance for people to pull their own pint of Tetley’s cask ale.