I came across Askrigg Ale while looking for beers for Beer Swap, the bright orange label was really distinctive on the rather dull looking shelves at Lewis and Coopers in Northallerton.
As it turns out all of the labels and bottles brewed by the Yorkshire Dales Brewing Co follow the same style, which I have to admit I love, they are eye catching, simple and the reverse has enough info to reel you in that last little bit after you have initially picked up the bottle.
Yorkshire Dales Askrigg Ale
The description on Askrigg Ale said it was a golden ale, brewed in Askrigg in the heart of the dales, It also included the words, clean, hoppy, Amarillo and underlying sharpness…I was sold.
I was ready to drink the beer as soon a I got home, then I noticed that it was also bottle conditioned so, like the good beer drinker I am (sometimes) I decided to leave it for a couple of days to recover from its rather bumpy journey up the A19 Via Cod Beck Reservoir and Osmotherley.
So after a couple of days, I cracked it open, a lovely hoppy, slighlty biscuity smell with hints of flowers wafted up out of the bottle as I poured it, the beer was a lovely light golden colour with a rather large and frothy head, which lasted well down the glass.
The first sip was fantastic, light, refreshing, slightly hoppy and a lovely elderflower taste, it reminded me a little of the Badger style of beers, It wasn’t packed full of flavour but it was simply delicious, the ever so slight bitter taste towards the end left you wanting more and more.
If you like your ales light and refreshing then this is certainly worth a try. You can buy them from Hi-Spirits or check out the Yorkshire Dales Brewing website here
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I have drank quite a few of the bottle conditioned Yorkshire Dales beers, and think that although the light hoppy beers are great, the beer that best suits the bottled format is definately ‘Garsdale Smokebox’, their awesome smoked porter. Bamberg floor-smoked malt is fantastic at packing an unescapable flavour punch, while in the true style of this brewery there are still plenty of hops to give a bitter cut-through. Try it with any decent strength cheese and it is great. The best way to drink Yorkshire Dales’ pale hoppy beers is in cask for me though – Rob brews me a new house beer every 3 months, with the entire brew being sold on my bar in Newcastle – Bacchus. If you’re ever in town…
Thanks Andy, not been up to Newcastle for a while, I miss working there alot!
I agree some of their darker beers are brilliant too. I like the idea of the house beer, I’ll have to come up soon! last time I had Askrigg on tap was in the dales before christmas, and before a hike too…not a good idea but i didn’t want to miss out lol
Glad you liked the Askrigg, Andy. Sorry you think our shelves are rather dull looking – we do like the labels to do the talking, as here.
Please note that several YDBC beers are available from us online (although not Askrigg just now) via our beer section: http://www.lewisandcooper.co.uk/store/wines.asp#2000050
Keep up the great work!
Cheers
Lewis & Cooper
Sorry about that Gareth, I did of course mean the beer section…not all of the shelves…the rest of the shelves were full of colour…especially the chilli sauce and cheeses.
Glad to see you’ve added online shopping to the site! Once i’ve made space I will certainly be popping in for some.
cheers
Andy