Date Published:03/04/2009 15:37:24

Fresh, local and seasonal is inscribed into everything we do at Blackfriars. We take 5 minutes to talk to our real ale supplier, John Boyle of Wylam Brewery.

What range of products does Wylam Brewery produce?

We sell a whole range of real ales in casks and bottles, from Wylam Bitter to Farmhouse Cider. We have some really unusual products, such as our pale copper Angel Ale, which was commissioned by Gateshead Council to celebrate the tenth anniversary of The Angel of the North.

When did you set up the company and what made you do so?

I established Wylam Brewery with Robin Leighton in 2000, due to a joint enthusiasm for real ale. We started out fairly small on a farm in Heddon on the Well but since then the brewery has grown from strength to strength so in August 2006 we tripled our capacity and installed a new 20 barrel plant in new premises.

What did you do before? I was a Service Manager for a large computer manufacturer, so it was very different to my job now! I’ve never looked back since setting up the brewery.

Are you proud to see your produce on the Blackfriars menu?

We have been supplying to Blackfriars for just over a year now and are delighted to see our products associated with such fine food. Blackfriars is really doing its bit to promote local ale; we’re especially looking forward to the beer matching event in April.

Do you spend a lot of time in the kitchen at home?

No – I’m much happier in the brewery than the kitchen.

What is your favourite drink?

Wylam Gold Tankard is my favourite of all our ales, and my absolute favourite drink. It’s made with all gold ingredients; pale malt, golden naked oats and first gold hops, with a Willamette hop finish and I love the clean, fresh flavour that the late hops give. The Gold Tankard won Champion Beer at the CAMRA Tyneside and Darwen Lancashire festivals so it’s not just me that likes it!

What is your favourite thing about the north east?

Friendly folk, strong sense of identity, great countryside, and the passion we have for what we do.

What would you say to people that think of Newcastle Brown Ale as our only local produce?

Experiment with more food and drink! The North East has some great local producers and leading edge ideas in the food and drink arena.