Heineken, which owns Scottish & Newcastle, announced it is closing the brewery that currently brews Newcastle Brown Ale and moving production to Tadcaster, North Yorkshire.
Newcastle Brown first went on sale in 1927 and was brewed next to the St. James Park football ground in Newcastle. In fact, brand owners won Protected Geographical Indication status from the European Union, meaning Newcastle Brown Ale had to be brewed in the city. That lapsed in 2005 when production moved a couple of miles across the River Tyne to Gateshead.
The Telegraph writes about an appellation lost:
The day after “Broon’s” launch, it was said the local police appealed to the brewery to make it weaker because the cells were full of drunks.
The ale was also dubbed “dog” by drinkers, as they would make the excuse of going to “walk the dog” when nipping to the pub.
The first move took it a few miles from its ancestral home. Now it’s moving 90 miles away to the same brewery where John Smiths is produced.
Um, you’re being surpassed this week by the “drinklocalwine.com” crew…(I notice you own “drinklocalbeer”). This can’t stand….
This is actually quite a big deal. Ninety miles may not seem to be a huge difference, but in this corner of the north of England, it represents a shift between different worlds.
The big issue here is that Newcy Brown will be brewed in Yorkshire, which has absolutely outraged the Geordies and their fellow Tynesiders.
Similarly, in Yorkshire, we’re mourning the imminent loss of the Tetley brewery in Leeds. Tetley’s, brewed in the Midlands, will just not do.
It’s all down to simple economics, and simple economics rarely takes account of culture and tradition.