4:40pm Friday 14th August 2009
Beer-friendly politicians in the House of Commons have chosen father and son real ale enthusiasts at a 16th century Yorkshire Dales inn as Britain’s top tipplers.
David and Robert Aynesworth, directors of the Craven Arms, Appletreewick, were voted Beer Drinkers of the Year 2009 by the All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group.
The duo came to the attention of the 400-strong group of MPs as a result of a television programme chronicling their mission to find Yorkshire’s Perfect Pint. Last year, they set off in David’s 1930s Bentley on a county-wide quaffing quest, choosing 23 of the best ales to feature at a beer festival at the Craven Arms. Hetton Pale Ale, brewed locally by Richard Eyton-Jones’s Dark Horse Brewery at Hetton, was crowned Yorkshire’s premier pint.
The pilgrimage was documented in an ITV Yorkshire series produced by Grassington-based Cheeky Monkey Films, and was nominated as being one of the top three regional programmes at the Royal Television awards.
Robert and pub manager Mark Cooper travelled to a dinner in Westminster to receive the beer drinker trophy – an engraved tankard – from John Grogan, MP for Selby and chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group.
The first Beer Drinker of the Year title was awarded to then Chancellor Kenneth Clarke in 1994 – purely because he didn’t raise the tax on beer in that year’s budget! Other winners include HRH The Prince of Wales and Yorkshire legends Michael Parkinson and Darren Gough.
Robert said: “It is a great honour for us to win this award and we like to think it is in recognition of all the hard work we have put in to make the Craven Arms what it is today.”
Mr Grogan said: “We are delighted that two publicans from God’s own county won the prestigious title of Beer Drinkers of the Year. Their television programme brought to life the world of Yorkshire pubs and beers for many viewers young and old.”
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