New brewery launched in York (From York Press)

Dave Shaw launches Hop Studio microbrewery in Elvington

2:50pm Thursday 3rd May 2012 in Pints of View By Mike Laycock, Chief reporter

AFTER 20 years working in IT for local government, Dave Shaw has swapped computers for beer barrels after launching his own brewery near York.

The Hop Studio microbrewery, based at Elvington Industrial Estate, is just the latest to open in Yorkshire, which now has more than 100 breweries operating across the broad acres.

Mr Shaw, 52, said he had worked in IT at City of York Council between 1994 and 2004, when he moved to North East Lincolnshire Council, where he worked in IT, procurement and customer services until he ‘got an opportunity to jump ship’ last year.

“Local government has a lot of challenges ahead of it and I had an opportunity to do something great,” he said.

He said he was a director at Hop Studio, in charge of the beer making, while his wife Dawn was the other director, in charge of the money, with sales manager Jason Thompson in charge of marketing.

He said the brewery was making three real ales - Blonde, Gold and an Extra Special called XS- and, unusually, a real lager called Pilsner.

“We are trying to produce a fully-favoured premium product, by piliing in as many hops as possible.”

Mr Shaw said the first beer had gone on sale this week at the Kings Head in Barmby-on-the-Marsh near Howden, and was also being sold at this week’s Reading Beer festival.

“We are just finalising plans for our beers to be sold at the York Tap at York Railway Station, where it will be formally launched, and also the Sheffield Tap and Euston Tap, at stations in Sheffield and London.

“We are looking to sell the beers to free trade pubs, independent off-licences and some direct mail.”