Kirkstall Brewery

Kirkstall Brewery is a Leeds institution with a story rooted in the city's long brewing history. Founder Steve Holt spent years importing American and European craft beers through his Vertical Drinks business before deciding to brew his own. When the modern Kirkstall Brewery opened in 2011, it did so consciously nodding to the original Kirkstall Brewery that stood near the abbey from 1833 until Whitbread closed it in 1983. The heritage references aren't just decorative; they inform the house style, which leans toward balanced, hop-forward beers with the kind of drinkability that suits a Leeds pub session.

Kirkstall has grown considerably since 2011. The brewery acquired the Leeds Brewery brand in 2022, then in 2024 Steve Holt bought North Brewing Co out of administration, preserving its Leeds and Manchester taprooms. That same year, Kirkstall took over The Tetley, the iconic former Bass brewery building in the city centre, turning it into a showcase for Leeds beer culture. It's a lot of ground for an independent brewery to cover, and it reflects genuine ambition rather than just expansion for its own sake.

On the alcohol-free side, Kirkstall's core contribution is Virtuous Low Alcohol IPA, a 0.5% version of their flagship Virtuous session IPA. The same trio of hops, Citra, Mosaic and Simcoe, carries the beer, giving it tropical fruit, pine and citrus character. It's a solid low-ABV effort from a brewery whose identity is built around the IPA format. They also produce Tropicous, another 0.5% option, giving drinkers a small but considered AF range.

The AF beers are available primarily through Kirkstall's own online shop and at the brewery's taproom and pub sites across Leeds. Retail availability is limited, so if you're outside Yorkshire you'll likely be ordering direct.

The Collection

Tropicous

Virtuous Low Alcohol IPA