THE first beers brewed in Bradford city centre for more than 50 years are now being rolled out to bars across the district.

Bradford Brewery has now started its sales and distribution operation with orders flooding in and more than 100 casks a week being delivered.

An order has been made by The Midland Hotel to permanently sell Bradford Brewery’s Odsal Top brown ale and Razorback white gold ale in its Spirit of Bradford bar.

The hotel's general manager Gary Peacock said: “I have been wanting to provide a Bradford-based beer to my clientele for a long time and now we truly have that product, with two great beers of distinction brewed just up the road. I wish Bradford brewery every success in this, its first year.”

The beers have proved popular with fellow Bradford newcomers who are keen to be at the forefront with the latest products.

First to take Bradford Beers as a permanent listing was the recently-reopened Old Bank in Market Street and its sister pubs the City Vaults and Ginger Goose.

Beers from the whole Bradford Brewery range are being rotated between the three venues.

Area manager Lisa Mahoney said: “Being part of the rebirth of the Bradford leisure scene, we were keen to showcase locally-brewed beers from the city’s newest brewery and we are delighted with the great variety of ‘proper’ beers’ available.”

Also on board is the recently refurbished Library Bar at Glyde House, on Little Horton Lane, another of the newcomers to the growing city centre leisure scene.

Another recently-opened pub, The Beerhouse in North Parade, at the heart of the Independent Quarter has just placed an order for Bradford Brewery beers.

Managing director Matthew Halliday, a Bradford Bulls fan, said he was particularly pleased to see The Top House, the club’s ‘Local’, taking a regular order of the Odsal Top which he named as a tribute to the team.

He said: “We are overwhelmed by the demand for our Bradford beers, and by the support we’ve had from local publicans and all the emerging Bradford businesses. We are now well on our way to our target of getting Bradford beers onto all the great bars across the district. Our other aim is to take beers brewed in Bradford out further afield – delivering with them the message that Bradford is well and truly back on the map.”

The brewery opened in February this year, as part of the city centre Growth Zone renaissance, seeing the return of a traditional Yorkshire industry to the city centre. When brewing started on site shortly afterwards, it was the first time beer had been brewed in Bradford city centre for more than 50 years.

Brewing is now being carried out three times a week and, with demand already outstripping supplies, there are plans to recruit a junior brewer to assist head brewer Steve Crump.