Which Yorkshire Brewery And Distillery Are Shortlisted For Taste Awards?

Imagine getting a nod for being one of the best at what you do. Now imagine it happening to not one, but two businesses run by the same family, on the very same farm. That's exactly what's going on over on the Yorkshire coast. Two sister companies, Wold Top Brewery and Spirit of Yorkshire Distillery, have some seriously big news. They've both been shortlisted in the Deliciously Yorkshire Taste Awards 2025, which is a massive deal in the world of food and drink.

So, what's all the fuss about these awards?

Think of the Deliciously Yorkshire Taste Awards as the Oscars for anyone making amazing food and drink in Yorkshire. It's not just a friendly local competition; it's a massive event. Getting shortlisted means your product has been tasted and given a big thumbs-up by a panel of proper industry experts. These are chefs, critics, and food writers who really know their stuff. So, when they say something is good, it's really, really good. For a brewery or a distillery, getting this kind of recognition is brilliant. It tells the world that the beer and spirit being made in this corner of Yorkshire is top-quality stuff.

Jenni Ashwood, who is the marketing director for the distillery, puts it perfectly. She said: "The Deliciously Yorkshire Taste Awards are judged by esteemed industry experts and widely regarded as the largest and most respected awards of their type in the North of England. It's a great honour that they have voted Filey Bay Nurture Regenerative Edition worthy of a place in the final." It's clear this is more than just another sticker for the bottle; it's a huge vote of confidence from the best in the business.

Keeping it in the family

What makes this story even better is that it's a true family affair. The two businesses are run by sisters. Kate Balchin is the MD at Wold Top Brewery, while her sister, Jenni Ashwood, is the marketing director at Spirit of Yorkshire Distillery. They both operate from their family farm near Filey, creating a real hub of award-winning drinks production. It's one thing to run a successful business, but to do it alongside your sister on the land you grew up on is something special.

This success story shows how a family farm can grow into something much bigger. They're not just growing crops anymore; they're turning that produce into fantastic drinks that are getting noticed across the country. And you can bet that the sisters will be in high demand for an interview or two after being shortlisted for these amazing awards. This is a brilliant story about local produce, family dedication, and a passion for making fantastic drinks. The work of Kate Balchin and Jenni Ashwood is a real credit to the region.

The drinks that impressed the judges

So, what exactly has been shortlisted? Let's break it down. Two different drinks, one beer and one spirit, caught the judges' attention in this tough food and drink competition.

• From Wold Top Brewery: Landmark Lager. This beer is up for the 'Best Beer' category. It's a British Style Lager, and it's clearly a hit.
• From Spirit of Yorkshire Distillery: Filey Bay Nurture Regenerative Edition. This unique whisky is a finalist in the 'Best Spirit' category.

Kate Balchin, the boss at Wold Top, is over the moon about the lager. She said: "Landmark Lager is our first British Style Lager and is a firm favourite here at the brewery. We're delighted that the judges like it as much as we do." It's always a good sign when the people making the product love drinking it too! This isn't just any old lager; it's a carefully crafted beer from a Yorkshire brewery that is clearly doing something right.

The spirit that got shortlisted is also pretty special. The name itself, Filey Bay Nurture Regenerative Edition, gives you a clue. 'Regenerative' is a way of farming that actually improves the soil and the environment. So, not only is this a tasty spirit, but it's made with ingredients that are helping the planet. Not many distilleries can say that. It's a forward-thinking approach that makes their spirit stand out.

From a single field to the final bottle

The secret to their success might just be in the ground. Both the Wold Top brewery and the Spirit of Yorkshire distillery are what you'd call 'field-to-bottle' operations. But what does that actually mean? Basically, they control the entire process themselves, right from the very beginning. They use their own home-grown barley, grown in the fields of their family farm. Even the water they use comes from a borehole right there on the farm.

This is incredibly rare, especially for distilleries. Spirit of Yorkshire is one of just a handful of distilleries in the entire world that uses 100% home-grown barley to make its whisky. Most other producers buy their barley from all over the place. By growing their own, they have complete control over the quality of the main ingredient that goes into their beer and spirit. This field-to-bottle approach means that when you taste their Landmark Lager or their Filey Bay Nurture Regenerative Edition whisky, you're tasting a genuine piece of Yorkshire. It's a taste that starts in the soil near Filey and ends up in your glass. The success of the beer and the spirit shows that this dedication to quality really pays off. The whole team is now waiting for the big night when the winners of the Taste Awards are announced. All eyes will be on Harrogate on 4th November to see if this incredible family-run brewery and distillery can bring home the awards.