Huddersfield's Rat Brewery celebrated a milestone this week — its 1000th brew.

The brewery, based in the cellar of the Rat and Ratchet in Chapel Hill, has been making real ale since 2011, producing an impressive 9,000 pints a week.

To celebrate 1000 brews, the team has created a ten per cent ABV barley wine-style beer called 'Grapes of Rat' — aged in American Cabinet Sauvignon casks.

The special ale will be aged for at least six months before being sold in casks, kegs and limited edition bottles.

The Grapes of Rat pump clip
The Grapes of Rat pump clip

Brewers Paul Spencer and Robin Moss teamed up with former Rat brewers for the project, and began the brewing process on Tuesday for their 'double mash monster'.

Head brewer Paul Spencer said: "Due to the fantastic demand for Rat Beers we already hit our thousandth brew since brewing commenced in late 2011.

"To celebrate we’ve brewed a monster 10 per cent ABV brew – ‘The Grapes of Rat’. The beer will be aged, hopefully in wine casks, and release in batches in time for next Christmas."

Rat Brewery ales are served in the Rat and Ratchet and other Ossett Brewery pubs, and at beer festivals across the country, with casks being delivered around a 100-mile radius of Huddersfield.

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The brewery has won local and regional awards for its brews and even scooped a national accolade at the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) awards in March last year.

Rat Brewery's Robin Moss
Rat Brewery's Robin Moss

A firm member of Huddersfield's real ale brewing community, the Rat Brewery keeps an eye on the competition for new ideas and collaborates with other breweries to create new ales.

It's worked with the Raw Brewery in Chesterfield, Abbeydale Brewery in Sheffield, and Huddersfield's own Hand Drawn Monkey Brewing Co.