First beers brewed as Evenwood venture goes live

THE first commercially brewed beer in Teesdale for many years was due to be available in time for Whit weekend.
No beer has been produced commercially in the dale since the closure of Butterknowle Brewery more than a decade ago.
Now four varieties of real ale are being produced by McColl’s Brewery, in Evenwood. The micro-brewery was established earlier this year.
Owner Danny McColl started brewing earlier this month. The range includes a golden ale at four per cent, a best bitter at 4.4 per cent, a pale ale at 4.5 per cent and an IPA at five per cent
The first establishments in the dale to sell the real ales are Cafe 1618, in Middleton-in-Teesdale, and The Three Tuns pub, in Eggleston. Mr McColl, who lives in Middleton, hopes to extend the range to other pubs in the dale.
He said: “What we have been doing is meeting people and introducing ourselves, but we have been very well received. I visited ten pubs last Thursday and it was brilliant.”
Some 7,500 litres of beer – about 15,000 pints – are expected to be ready for the bank holiday weekend.
Initially only casks will be on sale, although the brewer hopes to have his beer available in bottles by the end of July.
For more information contact the brewery on 01388 417250 or visit the website mccollsbrewery.co.uk