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Hop on board the York beer bus! New tour takes you on a brews cruise

A new way to celebrate York's great breweries? We'll drink to that… Mark Stredwick of Brewtown toasts his new venture with Wayne Smith (centre) and Lee Grabham of Brew York. Photograph: Duncan Lomax / Ravage Productions

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Food & drink

York is blessed with an abundance of brilliant brewers bringing out barrels of belting beers.

But until now there was no easy way to meet them, tour their breweries and drink their ales.

That struck Mark Stredwick as something of an omission. And so he has created Brewtown Tours – Yorkshire’s first guided brewery bus tours.

Hop on board his eight-seater minibus and Mark will take you on a tour of some of the best breweries in the business.

Brew tours

York South-East
Hop Studio, Elvington
Half Moon, Ellerton
Ainsty Ales, Copmanthorpe
Brew York, Walmgate
York North-West
Rudgate, Tockwith
Yorkshire Heart, Nun Monkton
Brew York, Walmgate
Malton
Bad Seed
Brass Castle
Brew York, Walmgate

Visit, learn – and sample

Originally from these parts, Mark worked for 15 years in the Australian gas and coal industry.

When work began to dry up he went on a five-week craft beer tour of north western America, returning to Sydney to be a guide with Dave’s Brewery Tours.

Moving back to his homeland, Mark realised there was nothing similar here – and Brewtown Tours was born.

The concept, Mark says, is a simple one…

I take small groups of up to eight people on a tour of three breweries over the course of an afternoon, taking in some stunning Yorkshire countryside along the way and giving them an opportunity to learn about the brewing process, explore working breweries, meet some of the people who are driving the beer revolution and sample some of the most delicious beers in the UK.

Beer scene ‘fantastic’

Sampling some of the Hop Studio's beers. Photograph: Brewtown York on Twitter
Sampling some of the Hop Studio’s beers. Photograph: Brewtown York on Twitter

Mark first began researching the region’s microbreweries six months ago. His conclusion: “The beer scene here is fantastic, and very different to the one I left 16 years ago.”

York tours start at the York Tap, at the station

Tours last about five hours

£50

More details

His aim, he said, is to help residents and visitors explore the amazing range of craft beers and real ales on offer here “through a fun, laid back touring experience with fellow beer enthusiasts.

“Every tour is different, and every brewery has something unique to offer.”

Mark describes it as a fun and educational tour. “It’s not a booze cruise,” he stresses. “I want people getting off the bus walking and talking rather than slipping and slurring.”

People can book Mark to take them on bespoke tours, and he is planning to launch a Leeds-based tour in the coming months.

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