Newsham Life: Episode Two, The Beer Behind Oktoberfest

Any good Oktoberfest needs good beer.

Ours began with a trip to King’s Road in Harrogate, where Cold Bath Brewing Co. develops its beers in a small brewery sitting just above the taproom. It is one of those places where the distance between making something and enjoying it can be measured in a few steps — the beer is brewed upstairs and piped directly to the taps below.

Cold Bath was founded in 2017 and takes its name from Cold Bath Road, itself part of Harrogate’s long history as a spa town. That sense of place runs through the business, from the Yorkshire ingredients used in the beer to the community gathered around the brewery and taproom.

It also made Cold Bath feel like a natural partner for Newsham.

A Yorkshire collaboration

We like working with people who care about where things come from and how they are made. The same thinking that takes us to a trusted butcher for a particular cut of beef also applies to what we pour at the bar.

At Cold Bath, recipes are developed in-house, tested on the taps and refined with plenty of attention to ingredients, balance and flavour. Their beers take inspiration from classic European styles, but are firmly rooted here in Yorkshire.

For Oktoberfest, they’ll be bringing the lager and pilsner that will fill the steins at Thirsk Lodge Barns: clean, crisp beers made for a long table and good food.

Our visit gave us the chance to see where those beers begin, find out more about the business and talk about the care that goes into every glass. There may also have been some tasting involved.

A bar with a little history

The beer won’t simply arrive in a keg.

Cold Bath will be rolling into Newsham in its 1961 Citroën H van, beautifully converted into a mobile bar. With its corrugated bodywork and unmistakable French shape, it has plenty of character before the first pint has even been poured.

On the day, the van will take its place at Thirsk Lodge Barns, bringing the Cold Bath taproom a little closer to us and serving Yorkshire-brewed beer straight into the Oktoberfest steins.

From the brewery to the Barns

This is exactly what we hoped Newsham Life would become: a closer look at the growers, makers, producers and independent businesses behind the things we serve and the experiences we create.

The finished beer will arrive cold and ready to pour, but its story starts much earlier - with an idea, a recipe and people who know their craft. By the time it reaches a table at Newsham, it has already travelled through plenty of careful hands, followed by one particularly memorable van.

On Sunday 4 October, Cold Bath beer will meet hot dogs made with pork from Newsham Farm, piled with pulled pork, crispy onions, sauerkraut and mustard. Back Chat Brass will provide the music, apple strudel will be waiting for anyone with room for pudding, and the tables will be ready for a very good Sunday afternoon.

Watch The Beer Behind Oktoberfest to join us inside Cold Bath Brewing Co. and discover a little more about the beer - and the bar - making their way to Newsham.

Join us for Oktoberfest

Oktoberfest takes place at Thirsk Lodge Barns on Sunday 4 October, from 12pm to 5pm.

Tickets are £15 per person and include a Newsham Farm hot dog and a stein. Children under 12 can join us free, with children’s food available to purchase on the day.

Bring your friends, bring the family and come hungry. Book your place here!