Palatial home for North’s ruby ale

Mar 24 2008 By Ben Guy, The Journal

THE corridors of parliamentary power will be lubricated by a North East ale after an MP campaigned for it to be introduced to the most exclusive of social clubs. Politicians will now be able to sample Wylam Brewery’s ruby ale Northern Kite while making key political decisions as it is now available on tap in the Palace of Westminster.

Blaydon MP Dave Anderson put down an early day motion informing the House of Commons of the ale’s availability and encouraging his peers to sample the drop. He said: “The brewery has produced a top quality product that celebrates one of the North East’s other great success stories, the Northern Kites Project.

“I am delighted through this action to be able to lend some support to Wylam Brewery and to help put their beer on to a wider stage. In the process I am giving my colleagues in the house an opportunity to sample a little bit of what we are about in the North East – great beer and wonderful red kites.”

The ale was launched to celebrate the Northern Kites project to reintroduce the birds to the region after an absence of more than 170 years. It is brewed to a traditional ‘80 shilling’ style recipe and is described as having a strong malt character and rich ruby colour. It is available in cask and in bottles.

John Boyle, director of the Heddon-on-the-Wall based brewery, said: “Since its launch in November, Northern Kites has become one of our best-selling brands and it is wonderful to think that it has registered so well on both the palate and the consciousness of the region that we have now been asked to make it available in the Houses of Parliament.

“It is good for the brewery, great for the North East and wonderful for the red kites that inspired the production of the beer.”