Purity is first brewer to get Red Tractor mark

February 28, 2008: Warwickshire-based Purity Brewing Co has become the first ever brewery or beverage firm to receive the Red Tractor assurance mark.

It comes at a time when consumers are becoming increasingly concerned about the origins of food, and are demanding better and more local produce.

The Red Tractor mark symbolises that the ale has been produced in the UK using British farmed malt and hops and meets the high standards that are expected and examined through independent inspections by the Assured Food Standards Agency.

Securing a Red Tractor assurance mark is a long and arduous process, which can take many month. However, in today’s climate it is an assurance mark that dedicated British based companies, such as Purity, are seeing as an essential part of good business practice.

Being the first brewer to display the Red Tractor stamp reflects Purity’s commitment to use only British farmed produce in all of its sales Including the Red Tractor symbol on the beers will work to reassure consumers and demonstrate the company’s support for British farming.

Purity has also been chosen to brew the National Farmers Union’s commemorative ale, marking 100 years of the NFU. Farmers Harvest is a full flavoured beer with an ABV of 4.8% and a great balance of sweetness and bitterness. Its fruity taste leads to a memorable finish.

Purity is a new brewery, established by directors Paul Halsey, Jim Minkin and Paul Evans. They found redundant barns on Upper Spernall Farm, Great Alne, and, along with farmer Granville Stevens, successfully applied for £200,000 of funding from the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

They used the money to develop their brewery, which also boasts a visitor centre and eco-friendly water treatment. They have developed two brews — Purity Gold (3.8%), a light easy drinking ale, and the fuller flavoured amber beer Pure UBU (4.5%) — and already won award.

l Farmers Harvest is available at 230 Tesco’s nationwide and via the Beer Club of Britain.