North Yorkshire indie breweries star in beer festival

Antony Pratt, Ainsty Inns owner, prepares to celebrate local ales at Ainsty Beer Festival. (Picture by Mark Bickerdike)

And beers produced by independent breweries in the Harrogate area will be among those featured.

The Ainsty Beer Festival will take place at the pub group’s flagship pub, The Chequers Inn at Bilton-in-Ainsty from noon.

As part of Ainsty Inn’s ‘Committed To Cask’ ethos which introduces customers to a wider range of cask ales, the festival will showcase 12 local brewers’ ales as well as beers, ciders and Proseccos – most of which are produced in the Yorkshire region.

Those exhibiting include Rudgate Brewery in York, York Brewery, Theakstons of Masham and Rooster’s in Knaresborough.

As well as the selection of locally produced beverages, there will also be a marquee with a hog roast and local bands providing the entertainment including Cowthorpe group The Raisers who will play their unique blend of ‘folk and blues with attitude’.

Tom Throup, front of house manager at The Chequers Inn, said: “This is a great event to get people into the summer spirit by celebrating the excellent produce our region has to offer. We look forward to welcoming lots of familiar faces as well as some new ones.”