A West Yorkshire brewer has marked his half century with a nod to real ale tradition.  Ian Cowling, who runs Keighley’s Old Bear Brewery, was very proud to  receive his own wooden firkin as a 50th birthday gift.
The firkin was made by North Yorkshire’s Theakston Brewery cooper, Jonathan Manby, as a demonstration at September’s Keighley Beer Festival. Theakston’s is one of only two Yorkshire breweries still delivering ale in wooden casks; Old Peculier was available at Keighley Beer Festival “from the wood”.  Each wooden barrel takes around two to three …