The Hop Studio brewery has created its own tap room, by converting an empty shop building in Pocklington, East Yorkshire.
The bar, called The Market Tap, will have the town’s biggest beer range, with 18 beers on the bar at a time, as well as a large selection of bottled beers and ciders, a broad wine range and bar food. The development has created ten new jobs.
Nine of the beers on the bar will be Hop Studio’s, and the other nine lines will be used to showcase beers from other leading Yorkshire breweries.
A soft-opening for invited guests was held earlier this week, and the bar opened to the public on Friday. [June 1]
Dave Shaw, owner of Hop Studio, which is based in Elvington on the edge of York, said: “We have been looking for some time for the right property, so we could open a brewery tap. We looked at a few of the villages around York and other towns, but when we found this pace we knew it was ideal for us.
“Pocklington is a great town and it has new shops, and lots of new housing going up, but there are no other bars like this here and I think there are a lot of people whose beer tastes are not yet being met in the town. We will have an excellent wine selection as well. There has been a lot of excitement as people have seen it coming together.
“Accessing the market can be difficult for smaller breweries. The big brewers can be more aggressive on price and big pub companies do not give us a lot of access. More and more breweries are opening their own tap rooms, and it is a good way for us to have a direct route to the market.”
The building has been empty for more than a year, since the previous tenant, Maynews, moved out. Mr Shaw said the whole refurbishment, funded partly by the landlord and partly by the brewery, had cost around £200,000.
The bar team will be led by Frenchman Julian Huyart, while the kitchen team will be led by Theresa Kaui, from Hawaii.
Mr Shaw said: “We’re thrilled with how well the brewery has done in its first six years, and we know a lot of people across the region have enjoyed our beers. We make beers full of flavour, aroma and charisma, with something to suit ever beer taste. Having our own brewery tap will mean more people can try more of our beers, more easily, and we can’t wait to get going.”
Mr Shaw founded The Hop Studio in 2012, having previously been a local government IT worker for 20 years. The brewery has produced traditional British-style beers, including pale ales, best bitters and porters, but has also produced Belgian-style saisons, dubbels and quadrupels, as well as innovative beers such as white chocolate stouts.
Its beers also reached the UK’s international tourist market in 2015, when its porter was chosen as one of only two beers to be sold in the House of Commons shop, under the name Treason.
Notes to editors
If you have any queries, or to arrange further photographs or interviews, or a brewery visit, phone Dave Shaw on 07920 180428 or 01904 608029.