Otley Charter Day weekend gets off to a suitably Otley start with the official tasting of a special beer brewed to mark the occasion.

Otley Pub Club has teamed up with Otley-based Shadow Brewing to create Market Gold, a commemorative ale celebrating the 799th anniversary of the granting of Otley’s Market Charter by King Henry III on May 24, 1227.

On Friday, May 22, Otley Bellman Terry Ford will join Otley Pub Club committee members and Shadow Brewing owner and brewer Ian Shutt at the Shadow Brewing taproom to officially “Taste the Ale”.

The event is part of Otley Pub Club’s plans to establish Otley Charter Day weekend as an annual celebration of the town’s history, community, market traditions and, naturally, its famous pubs. Because frankly, if Otley is going to celebrate 799 years of market town history, it would be rude not to involve a pint.

Market Gold has been brewed especially for the weekend and Otley Pub Club has also produced special beer mats for pubs around the town.