The Great Yorkshire Brewery

The Great Yorkshire Brewery is a brewery based in Cropton, a village in North Yorkshire, England, within the North York Moors National Park and approximately two miles north-west of Pickering. The business was established in 1984 under the name Cropton Brewery by brothers Paul and Phil Lee. Its earliest brewing operation was located in the cellars of the New Inn, a village pub owned by the brothers. The first beer produced there was Two Pints. Its popularity in the local area encouraged the brewery to increase output and begin supplying other pubs. As demand grew, the brewery expanded beyond its original cellar premises. In 1994, construction began on the first building of a new brewery erected on farmland behind the New Inn. Production doubled within the following year, and the brewery also introduced its first bottle-conditioned beer, marking a move into packaged as well as pub-based sales. The business later adopted the name The Great Yorkshire Brewery, while retaining its Cropton origins as a central part of its identity. The brewery's range covers several traditional and contemporary categories. Its portfolio includes traditional lager, cider, golden ale and porter, alongside craft beers, India pale ales and special blends. This combination gives the brewery a broad regional-brewer profile, balancing familiar pub styles with more specialized or limited recipes. The available reference material does not establish a complete current product catalogue, ownership structure, production volume or distribution network, so those details remain unspecified. One of the brewery's best-documented initiatives was the launch of Yorkshire Warrior on St George's Day, 23 April 2008. The beer was created to celebrate the achievements and heritage of the Yorkshire Regiment and to remember the sacrifices made by its soldiers and their families. Proceeds from sales were directed to the regiment's benevolent fund, which supports former members who require assistance after leaving service. The initiative linked a locally produced beer with Yorkshire identity and a charitable cause. The Great Yorkshire Brewery is therefore best understood as a regional English brewery with roots in a village pub, an expanded production site, and a product strategy spanning traditional ales, packaged beers, lager, cider and craft-oriented releases. Its public identity is closely associated with Cropton and the wider Yorkshire region. Publicly available material supplied for this entry does not provide enough information to describe its present ownership, leadership, financial performance, export activity or detailed retail footprint.

The Great Yorkshire Brewery began in 1984 as Cropton Brewery in the cellar of the New Inn at Cropton, North Yorkshire. The New Inn was owned by brothers Paul and Phil Lee, who established the brewing operation as an extension of their local pub business. Its first beer, Two Pints, gained enough local popularity to justify increased production and sales to other pubs in the area. The original cellar brewery was eventually outgrown. In 1994, the first building of a new brewery was constructed on farmland behind the New Inn. The expansion enabled the operation to increase its brewing capacity, and production doubled within a year. During the same period, the brewery broadened its packaging activity by releasing its first bottle-conditioned beer. This development represented an important step from a small pub-cellar operation toward a dedicated regional brewery. The business subsequently became known as The Great Yorkshire Brewery. It remained associated with Cropton and the North York Moors area while developing a varied range of alcoholic drinks. Documented products include traditional lager, cider, golden ale and porter, as well as craft beers, IPAs and special blends. The available sources do not provide a full chronology of individual beer launches, detailed production figures or a complete account of changes in ownership and management. On 23 April 2008, St George's Day, the brewery released Yorkshire Warrior. The beer was conceived as a tribute to the Yorkshire Regiment, celebrating its achievements and commemorating the sacrifices experienced by its soldiers and their families. Sales proceeds were committed to the regiment's benevolent fund, supporting former members who needed help after discharge. The release is a notable example of the brewery connecting a product with regional identity and charitable support. The brewery is located in Cropton, around two miles north-west of Pickering, inside the North York Moors National Park. Its documented development—from a beer brewed in pub cellars to an expanded site with packaged products and a broad beer portfolio—illustrates the growth of a local English brewery serving regional pubs and consumers. Information in the supplied references is limited regarding its current corporate structure, leadership, financial position, distribution outside the United Kingdom and present product availability.

• 2008

  Yorkshire Warrior is launched

  [1]The Great Yorkshire Breweryen.wikipedia.org

  The brewery releases Yorkshire Warrior on St George's Day in support of the Yorkshire Regiment's benevolent fund.

• 1995

  Production expands and bottle-conditioned beer is introduced

  [1]The Great Yorkshire Breweryen.wikipedia.org

  Production reportedly doubles within a year of the new building's construction, and the brewery releases its first bottle-conditioned beer.

• 1994

  A new brewery building is constructed

  [1]The Great Yorkshire Breweryen.wikipedia.org

  The first building of an expanded brewery is built on farmland behind the New Inn.

• 1984

  Cropton Brewery is established

  [1]The Great Yorkshire Breweryen.wikipedia.org

  Brothers Paul and Phil Lee establish the brewery in the cellars of the New Inn in Cropton, North Yorkshire.

• 1984

  Two Pints becomes the first beer

  [1]The Great Yorkshire Breweryen.wikipedia.org

  The brewery produces Two Pints, whose local popularity leads to increased production and supply to other pubs.

A regional Yorkshire brewery combining traditional pub beer styles with craft beers and community-oriented special releases.

• Ale · 1984

  Two Pints

  The first beer brewed by the business at the New Inn cellar in 1984. Its popularity among local drinkers helped drive the brewery's early expansion and enabled it to supply additional pubs.

• Special beer · 2008

  Yorkshire Warrior

  A beer launched on 23 April 2008 to celebrate the Yorkshire Regiment and commemorate the sacrifices of its soldiers and families. Sales proceeds were designated for the regiment's benevolent fund.

• Lager

  Traditional lager

  Part of the brewery's documented range of conventional alcoholic drinks, providing a lager offering alongside its ale, cider and porter products.

• Ale

  Golden ale

  A golden ale style included in the brewery's portfolio, representing its traditional British pub-beer range.

• Dark ale

  Porter

  A porter included among the brewery's documented beer styles, extending its range into darker, malt-focused traditional beers.

• Craft beer

  Craft beers and IPAs

  The brewery also produces craft-oriented beers, including India pale ales, alongside special blends. The supplied sources do not identify individual recipes or current availability.

• Cider

  Cider

  Cider is listed among the alcoholic drinks produced by the brewery, broadening the range beyond beer.

• 2008Yorkshire Warrior benevolent-fund initiative

  United Kingdom

  The brewery linked the Yorkshire Warrior beer release to the Yorkshire Regiment, using the product to celebrate the regiment and raise support for former service members.

  Outcome. Sales proceeds were directed to the regiment's benevolent fund. The available source does not state the amount raised.

  Source

• 2008

  Launch of Yorkshire WarriorProduct launch

  Background

  The brewery sought to mark the history and service of the Yorkshire Regiment through a dedicated beer.

  Action taken

  Yorkshire Warrior was released on St George's Day, with proceeds assigned to the regiment's benevolent fund.

  Aftermath

  The product became a documented example of the brewery's regional and charitable positioning; the source gives no sales figures.

  Source

• 1994

  Expansion from pub cellars to a dedicated breweryStrategy

  Background

  Local demand for the brewery's first beer led the operation beyond the original cellar premises at the New Inn.

  Action taken

  The business built the first structure of a new brewery on farmland behind the pub.

  Aftermath

  Production reportedly doubled within the following year, and the brewery introduced its first bottle-conditioned beer.

  Source

1. 1The Great Yorkshire Breweryen.wikipedia.org
2. 2The Great Yorkshire Brewery official websitethegreatyorkshirebrewery.co.uk