'Woodies' take centre stage in Leeds

Beer from the wood -- known popularly as "woodies" -- went under the spotlight on 22 February when the Duck and Drake pub in Leeds staged a special event with the Society for the Preservation of Beers from the Wood. Andy Yuill, who runs the pub, is keen on cask beers served from wooden casks and offered beers from local Saltaire and Ridgeside breweries (see handpumps on bar below).

There is growing interest in beers served from wood rather than metal. Close to Leeds, the Junction pub in Castleford has become known nationally for its policy of serving a large range of beers in wooden casks. Landlord Neil Midgley buys casks from the White Rose Cooperage in Wetherby and takes them to breweries to have them filled for him.

He focuses on Yorkshire beers but is prepared to spread his net wider. At present he is offering Chiltern Brewery’s Chiltern Ale, Beechwood Bitter and 300s Old Ale, which he picked up following a long journey to and from the brewery based near Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire.

Closer to home, Neil is serving Bridgehouse Porter and Tyke along with Ridgeside Cascade.

The beers at the Duck and Drake in February included Ridgeside's Phoenix and Black Knight with Saltaire’s Cascade, Dizzy Blonde and Jail Break.

When I took part in a tasting at the Junction last year I was struck by the extra dimension given to the beers by wood. Tannins and vanillin add notes of oak, smoke, honey and vanilla and add a subtle extra dimension to the finished beer.

There will be a festival of beers from the wood at the Junction at Easter.

Three major regional brewers, Samuel Smith and Theakston in  Yorkshire and Wadworth in Devizes in Wiltshire, still offer their beers in wood to pubs and employ coopers to make and repair casks.

Andy Yuill is keen to organise a side-by-side tasting of Wadworth’s beer from wood and metal. I will report the time and date of this event in due course.

Duck & Drake, 43 Kirkgate, Leeds. 0113 245 5432. www.duckndrake.co.uk

Junction, Carlton Street, Castleford. 01977 278867. www.thejunctionpubcastleford.com

*I’m keen to hear from other pubs that stage beer-from-the-wood events.