Event: Brewed in Leeds | Location: Horsforth Brewery & Taproom, Leeds | Date: August 2026
About Brewed in Leeds & Horsforth Taproom
This was the 2nd Brewed in Leeds Festival hosted by the brilliant Horsforth Brewery in their lovely taproom. We couldn’t make it last year, but were keen to go this year because we love the idea of supporting Leeds breweries.
The festival was held over Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with single-session or weekend tickets available. We opted for the Sunday session and were pleased to find all the beers were still available.
Every brewery with a Leeds postcode is invited to supply beer for the event, and we counted beers from 14 different breweries on offer. Meanwood Pizza had a little food stand out back offering pizza and cheesy garlic bread - perfect for soaking up some of the beer.
It was our first time at the Horsforth Taproom, and we’d definitely recommend a visit. With 10 lines behind the main bar, you won’t be short of choice even when there’s no festival on. There’s plenty of seating inside and a real cosy atmosphere. They also host plenty of events including cinema nights, quizzes and live music. Plus there’s a terrace at the back where you can enjoy the sunshine (which we did right up until the thunderstorms hit).
The Brewed in Leeds beer menu
Inside Horsforth taproom
Inside Horsforth taproom
Lisa enjoying pizza from Meanwood Pizza
Temporary taplines inside the brewery, especially for Brewed in Leeds
The main bar and taproom
Inside Horsforth taproom
Alex in the beer garden at Horsforth taproom
Cheesy garlic bread from Meanwood Pizza
What we drank…
There were some excellent beers from some brilliant breweries, and we sampled ten beers in total. Here’s a rundown of the beers we tried…
Chocolate Mild by Sunbeam (on cask): Mild 4.8%
We weren’t familiar with Sunbeam, but liked the sound of a chocolate mild and wanted to try beers from some breweries we don’t know well so this was the perfect start. Plus, it was one of only three beers on cask. It was lovely, smooth, creamy and chocolaty without being too sweet.
Brewer’s note: This mouth-watering ale has a smooth and creamy texture with a moderately bitter finish. As the flavour of chocolate is mixed with the smooth texture, it creates the perfect pint. This spectacular beer has been a joint Mild winner of Leeds CAMRA festival 2015. One for the chocoholics!
Brewer’s website: Sunbeam Ales Microbrewery
Brew Jitsu by Crooked Brewing: NEIPA 4.5%
Crooked Brewing was another brewery we weren’t familiar with, so we were excited to try their IPA (plus we liked the name). It had a great body and lovely mouthfeel, with a lovely quick tropical flavour up front and a nice dankness. A very well-balanced beer.
Brewer’s website: Crooked Brewing
The Gathering by Horsforth: Ale 4.2%
This beer was a collab between eight Leeds breweries, so it was on our “definitely try” list. It was listed as both an amber ale and a red ale, but we thought it was more of a red ale and a good, solid beer.
Brewer’s note: Brewed in collaboration with our friends from the Leeds brewing scene. Chevalier and crystal malts give a satisfying base of toasted bread and toffee, while Mysyic hops through the boil and dry-hop give a balanced bitterness, with notes of sweet red berries and tropical fruit
Brewer’s website: Horsforth Brewery
Just Dill With It by Horsforth Brewery X Wet Necks: Dill Pickle Sour 4.9%
We loved the idea of this beer for two reasons: firstly because a dill pickle sour just sounded intriguing and secondly because it had a great story behind it. Horsforth Brewery ran a competition for the Leeds Home Brewers Club, and the winner would get the chance to brew it at Horsforth Brewery for the festival. This was the winning beer (from Wet Necks), and it also went on to win the beer of the festival (voted for by attendees). It might sound weird, but the dill and pickle flavours just worked in a sour.
Brewer’s website: Horsforth Brewery
Chairman Miaow by Bini Brew: Pale Ale 5.5%
We came across Bini Brew at Whitelock’s back in June when they hosted a Beer Fest focused on Leeds-brewed beers. This NEPA had lovely peachy, yoghurty flavours.
Brewer's note: A vibrant New England Pale Ale that’s juicy, aromatic, and effortlessly drinkable. Low in bitterness and bursting with bright hops, it’s a hazy little number that’ll have you feline fine after the first sip. Hops: Citra, El Dorado, and Mosaic
Brewer’s website: Bini Brew Co
Feuermann by Tartarus: Smoked Dunkel 5%
We haven’t had many Tartarus beers, but have always been impressed by the ones we have had, and a smoked dunkel sounded too good to miss. It didn’t disappoint. It had a dry, charcoal smokiness, but with a little bit of sweetness that helped the smoky notes shine through.
Brewer’s website: Tartarus Beers
Bergamot Sorbet Sour by Anthology: Sour 4%
Our second sour of the day, but very different to the dill pickle sour. This one was sweet like homemade lemonade with lemon and verbena flavours, lots of tartness and a nice dry finish.
Brewer’s note: A Berliner Weiss spiked with a load of Bergamot Puree giving a sweet floral, zingy and citric character, balanced with a tart sourness reminiscent of a refreshing summer sorbet.
Brewer’s website: Anthology Brewing Company
YOPO by Piglove: Black IPA 7.6%
This was the highest ABV beer we tried, but you wouldn’t know as it was very easy drinking, with lovely roasty, smoky, malty flavours.
Brewer’s note: A dark, ritualistic plunge into the spirit world, channelling the looping tension of a waking nightmare — awake but frozen, aware but powerless — with Palo Santo adding its deep, smoky, spiritual edge. A sharp burst of Citra, Mosaic and Simcoe hops slices through roasted cocoa, charred wood and incense‑like warmth, finishing dry, bitter and intensely gripping.
Piglove Brewing Co × Don Broco — a fusion of brave brewing and electrifying sound, crafting two beers that embody the duality of the new album: nightmare and euphoria, shadow and release, brought to life through bold flavours, deep emotion and a shared drive to push boundaries.
Brewer’s website: Piglove Brewing Co
Sphinx by Tartarus: Hazy IPA 6.1%
Our second Tartarus brew of the day and another good beer. Great body, lots of hop flavour, not too dank, but not too tropical.
Brewer’s website: Tartarus Beers
Embittered Guitarist by Shadow (on cask): Bitter 4%
Shadow is another brewery we weren’t familiar with, so we decided to round off the day with their cask offering. A solid bitter with a dry, bitter finish.
Brewer’s website: Shadow Brewing
Standout beers of the day
Brewed in Leeds gave us a great excuse to visit Horsforth Taproom, which has been on our to-do list for a while. We would definitely go back (with or without an excuse), as it was a really nice venue with friendly staff and a good atmosphere.
Our standout beers for the day were the Smoked Dunkel, the Black IPA, the Chocolate Mild, and the Pickle Sour, but all ten were good, which shows how good the Leeds brewing scene is.
We’ll be keeping an eye out for next year’s event and will be sure to share the details in our monthly email once it has been announced.
