Cheers to return of the Wentworth Full Malty

Raising a glass to celebrate 25 years of the Rotherham Real Ale and Music Festival, founder's, Jan and Jim Charters (front) along with (from left to right) Becky Gill, event organiser for Magna, Dr Steve Burns, festival chairman and Jane Underwood, representing Waste and Salvage Ltd (Rotherham), festival sponsor. 171023-2

Wentworth Full Malty gained fans all over the UK — but a hefty tax bill closed the brewery and bottling plant on the Wentworth estate last year.

The brew was voted Champion Beer of Yorkshire at the 2013 Rotherham Real Ale and Music Festival.

Now Barnsley-based Two Roses Brewery will revive this former favourite — just in time for the festival’s 25th anniversary.

Brewery owner James Taylor will undertake the task with help from Alasdair Twist, former head brewer at Wentworth.

James said: “This will be a collaboration in the best sense.

“Alasdair and I have been friends for a long time.

“It will be good for the festival to have Full Malty there and good for Two Roses too — a chance to showcase my skill.”

He added: “I hope we will do this former champion full justice. I have no doubt that we will do.

“We’re not going to skimp on ingredients or anything — we’ll get the best ingredients and do the best job we can.

“It’s just a limited run at first but, if it’s very good and the demand is there, then I don’t see why we wouldn’t continue brewing it.”

The pair will produce six brewer’s barrels, each containing 36 gallons of beer.

Next year’s Rotherham Real Ale and Music Festival will get at least two of these barrels.

Full Malty will appear on a special bar alongside other former Champion Beers of Yorkshire — like Abbeydale Moonshine and Hambleton Nightmare.

Festival organiser Steve Burns said he was “really looking forward” to having Full Maltby back.

He said: “It was such a shame when the brewery went into administration because we thought we’d never see it again.

“It was a beautiful beer, which did exactly what it said on the tin — a dark, slightly sweet, malty bitter.”

He added: “It tasted exactly how you would want a good beer to taste and it went down a treat.

“It won in 2013 and was only beaten the following year by Elland Brewery’s 1872 Porter, which was the national champion.”

The festival will aim to raise barrels of cash for Maples Cancer Care, formerly the Rotherham Cancer Care Centre.

Next year’s event marks 25 years since the town had its first modern ale festival, held at Oakwood High School.

For a chance to relive past glories — including Full Malty and other Champion Beers of Yorkshire — visit the Rotherham Real Ale and Music Festival between March 1 and March 3, 2018.

Visit www.magnarealale.uk for more information and to buy tickets.