Meanwood Brewery

The Meanwood Brewery sits in Leeds, turning out proper craft beer in a converted Victorian building that actually feels like somewhere real people work rather than a theme park version of a brewery. You get to see the brewing operation itself - tanks, fermentation vessels, the lot - which beats staring at a gift shop any day.

Most visits run around an hour, maybe ninety minutes if you're keen to chat with the brewers about what makes their process different. They do tastings as standard, so you'll work your way through their range and actually understand why they've chosen specific hops or yeasts rather than just being told it's "craft." The staff clearly know their stuff and won't patronise you if you're new to this.

It's worth ringing ahead to check what's on - opening hours aren't fixed online, which is typical of smaller operations - but if you're staying at Haighfield Holiday Park just outside Leeds, it's an easy drive into the city. Works best for adults and older teenagers; younger kids will get restless once they've watched the first ten minutes of fermentation.

If the beer appeals, they've got a decent tap room where you can sit down properly. Not a massive operation, but that's rather the point. You're supporting something local rather than queuing behind 200 other people in a tourist trap. The beers themselves are solid - nothing that tastes like it's trying too hard to be different, which is refreshing in the craft beer world.