Copyright 2006: B. United International Inc., All rights reserved.
Private individuals are very important customers, as parties, weddings and anniversaries are constantly being celebrated with ale from its home delivery service. Local off licences are supplied, as are ASDA in Harrogate and York . It is company policy to support local schools and sports clubs with supplies of refreshments for their fund-raising events at less than cost price.
Innovation has been the core of the brewery operation, not just in the recipes of new beers which are created every month, but also the design and manufacture of brewing and bottling equipment used exclusively by Hambleton Ales. As part of the Millennium celebrations the largest brewer in the UK , Scottish Courage, commissioned Hambleton Ales to bottle its four commemorative beers. No other bottling company in the UK was able to provide the quality of service demanded. Bottling of beers from 19 other Yorkshire breweries is undertaken by contract.
In February, 2005, Nick Stafford’s ‘Hambleton Ales Gluten and Wheat Free Ale’ (GFA) was launched.
It is the first British brewed beer of its type, providing the full flavour and satisfaction expected from a beer but in a gluten free formulation. Nick Stafford spent several years researching and developing bottling and filtration techniques. His recent breakthrough in brewing this unique ale has presented him with the opportunity of meeting demand from the UK ’s 100,000 coeliacs.
In May 2005 ASDA launched the beer as part of the National Coeliac Awareness Week and Tesco placed it in their Free From category from July, 2005. It is estimated that the market is worth £45 million. Currently mail order sales have made the beer Nick Stafford’s best selling bottled product.
Excepting GFA, the brands are based on the horse theme and, in particular, the logo is taken from the white horse carved on the Hambleton Hills. It was created in 1857 by a grocer, Thomas Taylor who, having made his fortune in London , wanted to leave his mark on his birthplace. So, with 30 local men and 6 tons of lime, the White Horse was scored by hand into the hard rock of the Hambleton hillside. Ales from Hambleton are destined to make an equally lasting impression
