A BREWERY which started life in a garage in Pocklington has opened Malton’s first new pub in many years and started on a journey to become a TransAtlantic craft beer business.

Entering the Business Innovation of the Year, and Socially Responsible Business of the Year categories, Phil Saltonstall, founder and director of Brass Castle Brewery, said: “Throughout the past six years, and above all in the past 12 months, we have charted our own course, embracing innovation, creativity and a determination to try new ideas”.

Founded in 2011, Brass Castle began 2017 by opening its Brewery Tap pub, in front of its brewery in Yorkersgate, Malton.

Taking pride of place alongside the bar is Yorkshire’s very first crowler machine. This on-the-spot canning machine revolutionises the way in which off-sale beer can be sold as cans are filled and sealed to order, and are ready within minutes.

The business has also established a US cask beer project.

Mr Saltonstall explained: “Until then, American real ale had been brought to the UK only sporadically, on an ad hoc basis. Our project brings something new, benefitting brewers and consumers on both sides of the Atlantic.”

Last autumn, Brass Castle shipped 33 casks to Massachusetts. They arrived back in Malton in March 2017, filled with 15 American cask beers, 14 of which had never before been sold in Britain. In turn, Brass Castle has sent its beers and some from Bad Co in Dishforth back to New England, and is now working to establish the operation as an ongoing venture.

In a bid to avoid waste from the its brewing processes Brass Castle has worked with Fera Science, and now all of its spend grain is transferred to a local anaerobic digester to be converted into biogas, electricity and fertiliser, while its used hops become compost at a local allotment site.