A BRADFORD brewery celebrating 15 years of producing ales in the city has been recognised with a special award by the district's Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) group.

The Salamander Brewing Company, based in the former Dehner's pie factory in Dudley Hill, was dubbed the city's first 'micro-brewery', after its first ale, Sleigher, was brewed ready for Christmas 2000.

The Bradford branch of CAMRA is itself celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2015, and said it wanted to acknowledge Salamander's efforts in "standing the test of time".

When Salamander began rolling out the barrels in Bradford 15 years ago, it ended a long spell during which no ale was produced in city, following the closure of the old Trough Brewery in Idle in the early 1990s.

Dan Gent, co-founder and head brewer at Salamander, said: "We're very pleased to still be brewing 15 years on, and its thanks to having lots of regular customers.

"The whole market has changed in Bradford, there is lots more interest in real ale, and although there are a lot more brewers now, there needs to be to keep up with the demand.

"Some other breweries have been and gone in the time we've been here, but our popularity has kept us going.

"CAMRA members have always been very supportive down the years.

"They really rate our beers, which is flattering given the increasing amount of local brewers to choose from."

The brewery makes 360 gallons of ale per brew, which takes place up to three times a week depending on demand.

Mr Gent said its dark beers such as stouts and porters had become a lot more popular in recent years, with others such as Golden Salamander Ale - a flagship brew which won a silver medal at the Great British Beer Festival in 2011 - also remaining a favourite with customers.

The brewery has expanded by running pub nights with live music on the first Friday of every month, and Mr Gent also said it was increasing the number of wholesale orders shipped to the South of England.

Presenting the award, Brian Mitchell, chairman of Bradford CAMRA, said: "There was no brewery in Bradford for about ten years before Salamander, but now we have around a dozen, and they helped to start that trend.

"With it being our 40th anniversary and their 15th, it worked well together.

"We wanted to give them recognition for standing the test of time.

"The range of breweries we have means people can now drink local ale and have a lot more choice.

"Lots of people with small businesses like this are doing their best to make Bradford work, so we wanted to recognise that."

There are now about a dozen micro-breweries in the district.