Ilkley Brewery

The brewery was established to revive a local brewing tradition: the original Ilkley Brewery and Aerated Water Company, founded in 1873, had ceased production in 1920 when absorbed by Hammond's Bradford Brewery, ending brewing in the town for nearly 90 years. The modern operation is now owned and managed by Luke Raven and Richard Shelton. Ilkley entered the AF market in 2019 with its first alcohol-free beer and has since built a core range covering pale ales, stouts, and lagers.

What distinguishes the AF line technically is its use of a specialist yeast strain that does not ferment maltose. In conventional brewing, yeast converts sugars including maltose into alcohol; Ilkley's AF beers use a yeast that skips maltose conversion, allowing the brewery to produce beers with low alcohol content without any post-fermentation processing or dealcoholisation. The beers reach their final character through the fermentation process itself rather than being stripped back afterwards.

The range also includes a collaborative lager produced in partnership with post-punk band Sleaford Mods, reflecting the community-facing identity the brewery has cultivated since its founding. Distribution is through the brand's own online shop and specialist alcohol-free retailers.

Ilkley positions itself as a community-rooted regional brewer rather than an AF-first brand. The alcohol-free range is an extension of an established brewing identity, and the styles behind it are shaped by more than a decade of craft brewing experience.