Six of the Best: Leeds-made beers

Sunbeam Ales

Possibly the smallest brewery in Leeds but also one of the most hard-working, with award winning ales, thanks to one-man band Nigel Poustie. His ales can be found in Whitelocks and Arcadia and will be at The Abbey Inn this weekend (May 28-30) but he also delivers to Bradford, Huddersfield and York. Look out for Foggy Morning (5.1 per cent), a lemongrass infused wheat beer, which recently won champion beer of Leeds Beer Festival 2016 or Chocolate Mild (4.8 per cent), which was Joint Mild of the festival in 2015. Sunbeam Ales brews once a week and produces eight casks per brew.

Ridgeside Brewery

Currently under new ownership and with big plans for the future, this Leeds brewery has already earned itself a solid reputation, it’s ales can be found in North Bar, Whitelocks, the Lamb & Flag, Cross Keys and Midnight Bell. The new owners have already taken delivery of new fermenters which will double their production. Recommended ales include:-

Jailbreak (3.8 per cent), Cascadia (4.1 per cent and their most popular, Stargazer IPA (5 per cent) and the award winning Black Night stout (5 per cent). Augustina (5 per cent) is made with coffee.

North Brewing Co, Sheepscar Grove

North Bar’s brewing operation has only been going since November and this weekend they are launching their range of canned ales at Leeds Indie Food Festival. The summer range includes Tropical Pale Ale (5 per cent), an American pale ale with mandarin and passionfruit and Raspberry Saison (3.8 per cent). Core beers include Transmission (6.9 per cent), a West Coast IPA, Prototype cask session ale (3.8 per cent) and Full Fathom coconut and coffee porter (6.5 per cent). Open: Fridays 4pm-midnight, Saturdays 2pm-midnight. Monthly event dubbed ‘Hopulance’.

Northern Monk Brew Co

Batches of their latest, Heathen, a 7.2 IPA made with citra hops (arguably the best in the world) are being shipped to Iceland, Denmark and Scotland but you can get your hands on it this weekend at Northern Monk Refectory. Or you can try their new 6.2 per cent Neopolitan Ice Cream ale, it boast a creamy texture and vanilla backbone with chocolatey undertones. 822 is another new line with hints or orange peel, pine nuts and summer fruits. One of their core range, Eternal just became the first English ale to win a medal at the World Beer Cup in the US, scooping the bronze.

Whippet Brewery

Currently producing their summer range and promoting mild as a drink, they have four stock ales, House Dogge (3.7 per cent), Little Curre (5.2 per cent), Snap Dog IPA (5.7 per cent) and English Whippet, which has jus been reduced from 4.8 per cent to 4.2. Owner Sam Parker’s brews can be found as far afield as York, Sheffield and Newcastle but find him more locally at The Templar, Fox & Newt, Wappentake and The Abbey Inn (this weekend). Watch out for their Summer Blonde ale at 4.5 per cent and one they’re calling Flaming Dog, a 5 per center made with chillies.

Kirkstall Brewery

Kirkstall has a brewing heritage stretching back to the 12th century when Cistercian monks founded an abbey on the banks of the River Aire. Location: Kirkstall Bridge Inn. Recommended beers:-

Three Swords (4.5 per cent): one of their permanent lines. Described as very pale and spectacularly thirst-quenching. Three different hops give it a nice citrus nose. Kirkstall Pale Ale (4 per cent): a golden session beer with fresh malt and hop aromas and a satisfyingly bitter finish. Contemplation (7 per cent): first brewed in winter 2012 and described as a full-bodied, deep ruby-red old ale.