Bantams get special ale to celebrate League Cup match (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Bantams get special ale to celebrate League Cup match

3:10pm Thursday 6th December 2012 in News By Hannah Postles, T&A Reporter

A brewery is backing Bradford City to beat Arsenal in next week’s Capital One Cup clash by renaming its most popular bitter Claret and Amber Ale.

Bantams fans, who will be hoping to toast a historic victory against the Premier League side next Tuesday, can sup Naylor’s Brewery’s re-branded beer at pubs across the district in the build-up to the game.

The Keighley firm came up with the idea of re-naming its biggest seller, Aire Valley Bitter, after Ben Rothwell at Bradford’s City Vaults pub asked if it could offer a beer for City fans.

Jeff Wilson, sales and marketing manager at Naylor’s, said the brewery was happy to oblige and shared his own City memories.

“I have a great affinity with Bradford City as my grandparents ran a very successful hotel in Bradford during the late-60s and early-70s “The hotel was close to Bradford City’s ground and the new signings stayed there. I can remember being taken onto the pitch – I would have been around eight years old – and had Les O’Neil and Ces Podd take penalties against me.

“My son Elliott, who will be 11 on the day of the Arsenal game, was training at the development centre last season, so we were only too pleased to be asked.

“We thought very carefully about what to do and we decided to rename our Aire Valley Bitter which is a big seller around the Bradford area and call it Claret and Amber Ale.”

Mr Rothwell, of City Vaults, said the pub is full of Bantams fans before and after games, with many drinking real ales.

“I’m a huge City fan and I would love to see a brewery make a beer supporting my team,” he added.

Mike Harrison, of the City Gent magazine, will offer the first ten people who buy the Claret and Amber Ale on sale in any of the pubs a free copy of the magazine.

The beer goes on sale today.