TAKE a small batch of hops, a lot of pale malt, a little wheat and some yeast. Ah yes - and throw in around 6,000 fresh strawberries.

It's fair to say York's newest beer is nothing if not different.

Three businesses have teamed up to produce Sonata, an intriguing and tempting new fruit beer, which will be hitting the bars within weeks.

York Press:

From left: Jamie Hawksworth of Pivovar, with Matt Breslin and Dave Shaw from Hop Studio brewery.

It is the brainchild of Jamie Hawksworth of Pivovar, owner of York Tap, Pivni and their sister pubs in Harrogate, Leeds, Sheffield and London. His HQ is in Elvington, so he teamed up with two near neighbours, The Hop Studio brewery, also based in the village, and The Balloon Tree fruit farm at nearby Gate Helmsley to fulfil one of his beery ambitions.

"I had always wanted to do a local fruit beer," says Jamie. "I have often sat at The Balloon Tree and thought they must have a lot of fruit left over, and I thought it would be amazing to maker a proper fruit beer with it. They did us a good deal - and I bribed my staff with beer to help pick it!"

One back-breaking, bucket-filling, hand-staining day later, the harvest was ready, three crates full of strawberries sitting in pride of place in the centre of The Hop Studio's brewery, bulging at the sides, juice levels rising. One moment of clumsiness by yours truly almost proved calamitous, but catastrophe was averted.

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Ready to go - 111kg of strawberries

And so on Thursday morning of last week, Dave Shaw and Matt Breslin from the brewery took charge, working with Jamie to hone the recipe, discussing gravities, temperatures and tweaks over pints of tea, before getting down to business.

The natural sugars in the fruit demanded a few extra calculations and measurements, to ensure the beer came out at the intended strength, around 4.8 per cent. Pale malt and wheat were thrown in for the body and some Bramling Cross hops were thrown in to add bitterness, along with those thousands upon thousands of strawberries (Sonata variety, hence the beer name).

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The sugar levels in the juice had to be measured as part of the recipe calculations

Some vanilla will also be added to half the casks in the hope of creating a "strawberries and cream" effect and to enable a comparison between the two versions. There will be enough beer for about 30 casks, although some will likely end up in keg instead, to create yet another variant.

Half of it will go out to Pivovar's pubs, with the other half distributed by Hop Studio to its customers.

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For The Balloon Tree, it was a win-win arrangement. Managing Director Matthew Machin, pictured above, said: "Opportunities like this don't come along often and Jamie was a very genuine chap, so it was good for us and good for them.

"We have had people doing pick-your-own to try making wine or gin or vodka, but we've never had a commercial brewer in. I've never had strawberry beer at all so I'm definitely looking forward to trying it."

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York Press:

THE 2nd Fulford Beer and Music Festival is from 1pm till sunset today, at the sports pavilion & playing fields off Fulfordgate. The first £500 will go to the Fulford School appeal to fund a community defibrillator, with the remaining proceeds helping improve local sports facilities.

THE New Ebor Street Feast began yesterday in Parliament Street in York and continues from 11am to 10pm today and noon to 6pm on Sunday. There will be beers from numerous Yorkshire and American breweries, as well as varied street food.

THE summer beer festival at Suddaby's at The Crown Hotel in Wheelgate, Malton, began on Thursday and runs until Sunday. There will be at least 26 real ales and four ciders, as well as live music.

THE Gait Inn at Millington, near Pocklington, also has a festival that began last night and runs until tomorrow. There will be at least 30 beers and 10 ciders, a barbecue all weekend, and live music.

THERE will be a "meet the brewer" event at Acomb and District Conservative Club in Front Street, Acomb, from 8pm on July 10. Richard Wilson from Rudgate Brewery will give a presentation on the art of brewing and providing a number of samples. Nibbles will be provided.

BLACK Sheep's new beer, Hoptacular, will be in pubs any day now. The brewery says it is a "refreshing, pale ale with a hoppy taste explosion".