Tetley's Cask to leave Yorkshire

Molson Coors & Marston's to brew iconic brand

CAMRA condemns move

Molson Coors and UK super-regional Marston's will begin producing the Tetley’s brands next year, bringing to an end almost 200 years of brewing history.

The licensing deals – inspired by brand-owner Carlsberg UK’s 2008 decision to axe its Leeds Brewery next year – will see the cask version of Tetley’s leaving its home county of Yorkshire to be brewed by Marston’s in Wolverhampton.

“We looked at all realistic options in Yorkshire to brew Tetley’s cask, however there wasn’t the suitable capacity available,” said Leeds Brewery director Andy Hume.

“As such we needed to find the best option outside of Yorkshire in terms of quality and processes and Marston’s provides this.”

Consumer group CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale), which last year launched a campaign to keep Tetley’s cask in Yorkshire, branded the move “unbelievable” given that cask ale is the only UK beer category enjoying growth at present.

“Carlsberg don’t do geography lessons, but if they did they’d clearly realise the impact this move will have on the pub-going community in Yorkshire,” added CAMRA vice chairman Bob Stutkins.

Marston’s will continue to brew Tetley’s cask in traditional square fermenters, using the same recipe and the brand’s dual-strain yeast, said Carlsberg.

The brewer said it was “delighted” to have found a new brewing partner in rival Molson Coors, which will take over the brewing of Tetley’s Smoothflow at its Tadcaster brewery next year.

Tetley’s Bitter has been brewed in Yorkshire since 1822. In 2008 Carlsberg, the UK’s fourth largest beer-maker, said it would close its Leeds Brewery because it could no longer afford to brew beer in two plants in Britain. The Danish multinational's other brewery is in Northampton.