Wensleydale Brewery was opened in 2003 by the pub landlords at The Foresters Arms in Carlton. As the one barrel plant’s reputation grew, in 2006 it moved to bigger premises and a five barrel set up a few miles away at Manor Farm in Bellerby. It was here that us fresh faced youngsters entered the story straight from school and started to learn our trade. After several enjoyable years spent on the brewhouse floor, matters arose that could have stopped the Wensleydale Brewery story in its tracks; in 2013 the brewery was in need of new ownership, and we were faced with either finding other employment or taking the plunge and buying the brewery. Convinced there was the potential to move things forward, we chose the latter.
Building on the foundations we helped to lay, a fresh approach saw the business expanding and growing. With fantastic local support, our beers were regular features on bars all over the Dales and further afield. Five years continued refinement of our core range and with sales ever increasing; our beloved Bellerby barn was bursting at the seams. We had to find pastures new.
A new home was found in Leyburn, a blank canvas, giving us the opportunity to create our perfect brewery. A state of the art, bespoke 12 brl brewplant was installed in April 2018 and we’ve been making Wensleydale’s finest here ever since.
