Enterprising farmer wins national award for Trail Ale marketing

An enterprising farmer turned brewer has won a national award for the launch of its Wolds Way Pale Ale.

The Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) awarded the prize to Yorkshire micro brewery Wold Top Brewery after learning how Wolds Way Pale Ale was bottled and marketed to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the eponymous walk. The Brewery's Gill Mellor explains; " We worked closely with the National Trails Officer, Malcolm Hodgson, to agree a sponsorship package that included special edition beer mats, commemorative glasses and gift packs, display materials and a direct mail campaign.

Inspired by the 79 mile trail from the Humber Estuary to Filey Brigg, Wolds Way is brewed to traditional recipes using home grown Maris Otter malt, Goldings and Cascade hops and the farm's own pure, chalk-filtered water. It is an uncomplicated and refreshing Pale Ale with a fruity top note and an ABV of 3.6%.

This is the second award that Wolds Way has won since its launch. In July it was named Best Yorkshire Brew at the Yorkshire Post and Harvey Nichols annual Taste awards to find the best of Yorkshire's food and drink.

Wolds Way is the third award winning real ale produced by the Brewery since its launch in 2003. Falling Stone, the Brewery's premium Best Bitter, won a silver at the SIBA North Festival in 2004 and light beer Wold Gold was judged overall best beer at the 'Failing Organ' beer festival in 2005.

Wolds Way is available through the website www.woldtopbrewery.co.uk, farmers markets, farm shops, delis, hotels, pubs and off licences throughout Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.

The Yorkshire Wolds Way was the tenth National Trail to be launched by the Countryside Commission and is enjoyed in full and in part by over 67,000 walkers every year.