A HUSBAND and wife duo who set up Half Moon Brewery are hoping to add The Press Family Business of the Year award to their list of accolades.

Jackie Rogers, who founded the business with husband Tony in 2013, said: “In our six years, we have enjoyed business success, won industry awards and achieved steady growth, but as a family business we have also remained true to our original ethos and values, endeavouring to set an example of what a small, family-run brewery can and should be.

“Tony and his family grew up in a pub so knew and loved the sector very well. He was working in IT for the Tote, while I was in marketing, but we had long wanted to run our own business, and wanted our work to complement our family life. Achieving this began when we found our ideal premises: an old blacksmith’s forge in Ellerton with a cottage to become our home, suitable outbuildings where we could brew, and space for storage and occasional events – all ensuring that we could maximise the time we could give both to the business and to our young daughter, Olivia.

“Our turnover has more than trebled since our first full year and we have steadily increased our output and capacity. We have added a third fermenter and have space for a fourth when required, allowing us to brew more often to cater for increased demand, and have taken on two part-time staff. We have sold more than 8,300 casks since we began production (around 600,000 pints) and the popularity of our products is reflected in our honours list, with our beers winning five top awards and seven silver awards, including the Gold Festival Special award at last year’s York Beer and Cider Festival, the biggest CAMRA festival in the north."

As well as being proud of its beers and accolades, the firm also prides itself on it community work and partnerships.

Jackie adds: “Family remains the heart of all we do. Our daughter Olivia is now a teenager and witnessing the ins and outs of a small business up close has honed her strong work ethic, along with her social and communication skills, particularly at our external events.”