York Brewery opened in May 1996 in York, England using the disused brewery equipment of Lions Original Brews from Burnley and was the first brewery within the city walls for 40 years. In 2007, it expanded so to increase its output by 50 per cent. In December 2008 York Brewery was taken over by Mitchell's Hotels and Inns of Lancaster which plans to expand its business and create jobs.
It produces award-winning ales. The brewery's 'Centurion's Ghost Ale' was named champion in the Brewing Industry International Awards 2002 and won the 'Best Strong Bitter' Gold Medal at the Great British Beer Festival in 2006 and 2007. Its beer, 'Guzzler' won the gold medal in the bitter category of the Small Independent Brewers Association (SIBA) North Beer Competition in January 2006 and the gold medal in the bitter category of the North Beer Competition, held by the Society of Independent Brewers, in January 2007. 'Yorkshire Terrier' won the bronze medal in the Champion Beer of Britain competition held at the Great British Beer Festival in 2000, and the silver medal in the Society of Independent Brewers North Beer competition in February 2003.
The brewery produces four ales year-round: Yorkshire Terrier, Stonewall (removed as a permanent for 2009, replaced by Constantine), Guzzler and Centurion's Ghost, as well as several seasonal ales. Centurion's Ghost Ale, which is 5.4% alcohol by volume, is York Brewery's strongest beer and is named after an incident when an apprentice plumber saw Roman soldiers marching through the cellar of Treasurer's House in York. 'Brideshead Bitter' was produced in conjunction with Castle Howard, where scenes from the television series Brideshead Revisited were filmed.
The brewery is located centrally within York on Toft Green, and offers tours of its facilities to the public. As well as producing ales, the brewery also runs three pubs within York, namely The Three-Legged Mare, The Last Drop Inn and The Yorkshire Terrier Inn, and one, Mr. Foley's Cask Ale House, in Leeds. Its beers are however available in many other pubs throughout York and the wider Yorkshire area.
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