Not just up, up and away, its down, down the hatch!
02/11/2007
Red Kites Take to the Bottle, Thanks to Wylam Brewery
On the announcement today that the region’s first red kite beer ‘Northern Kite’ had hit the pumps, the Northern Kites partnership warmly welcomed Wylam Brewery's initiative in, not only producing the northeast's first red kite-themed ale, but in bringing the birds and the Project to an ever wider audience.
Northern Kites, the Project that has successfully returned the red kite to the region’s skies after an absence of more than 170 years, is managed by Natural England and the RSPB, working in partnership with Gateshead Council, Northumbrian Water, The National Trust and Forestry Commission, with additional funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund and SITA Trust.
Keith Bowey, Project Manager of Northern Kites, praised Wylam Brewery for its enlightened approach and their bold initiative in ‘badging’ their new ruby ale with such an arresting wildlife icon. He said, ”This is a mark of just how deeply these beautiful birds have lodged in the public consciousness since they were brought back to the region in 2004. It is clear that Wylam Brewery has a real passion for its products, in the same way that the Northern Kites Partnership has a passion for kites and the biodiversity of the northeast".
To celebrate Northern Kite coming on tap, Northern Kites is hosting an ‘invite only’ event at the Run Of The Mill public house, at Winlaton Mill, in the heart of Gateshead's kite country, at lunchtime on Friday 2nd November 2007.
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NOTE FOR EDITORS
An event to celebrate the production of the region’s first red kite themed beer, 'Northern Kite', brewed by Wylam Brewery, is being staged at the 'Run of the Mill', Winlaton Mill, Friday 2nd November, 2007 at 12 noon - 1.30 pm.
Members of the Wylam Brewery team and the Northern Kites Partnership will be present at the event and available for interviews and photo opportunities. ‘Appropriate refreshments’ and a finger buffet, comprising locally sourced foods, will be provided.
For further information telephone:
• Northern Kites Office on 0191 496 1555
Additional notes:
• The beer, which has been produced by Wylam Brewery Ltd. (recent Northern Regional winners of the Tesco Drinks Award, 2008), is a ruby-ale inspired by the kites' rufus colouration. It will be available in both cask and bottle form from local pubs and discerning retail outlets. A commemorative beer mat is currently in the process of production.
• The Northern Kites Project was set up in 2004 to establish a population of red kites in northern England.
• The initiative, which is centred on Gateshead’s Derwent Valley, is a world-first in reintroducing the spectacular birds of prey birds into a semi-urban environment.
• Between 2004 and 2006, 94 young kites were released into the wild in Gateshead’s Derwent valley. In 2006, three chicks were reared from two nests – the first to be born in the region for around 200 years.
• In 2007, ten pairs of red kites laid eggs in the region and eight pairs successfully reared at least eleven young