JW Lees

Travel was once a necessity. Roads, rails, and rivers carried people, goods and ideas. Over time, travel became a pleasure, a way to explore and experience. IPAs tell a similar story. Originally brewed as a practical solution to survive long voyages to India, they were built for necessity. But like travel, IPAs evolved. Brewers began to experiment, pushing boundaries. Bigger aromas, complex layers and exciting new hops. What was once functional became extraordinary, something to savour, share and celebrate. This double dry-hopped IPA is our ode to that journey. The strength and character of necessity, with the richness and flair of indulgence. Don’t be late, this is your final call… All Aboard!

Tasting Notes: Brewed in collaboration with Track Brewery, this lively pale ale brings a burst of tropical fruit with a balanced bitterness that delivers full flavour without feeling heavy. It’s crisp and drinkable from first sip to last.

Our permanent Boilerhouse beer. Perfectly balanced moderate bitterness, fresh fruit hops and pale ale malt. Pale gold in colour with a nose of pineapple & passion fruit and a grapefruit and lime refreshing taste. Available all year long.

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Jump on board and go supersonic. Flying in this New Year, Delta Wing will delight your taste buds and send you soaring to first class with a boom of its own.

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A perfect beer when celebrating any patriotic events. This all-malt cask cale is guaranteed to put some fire in your belly, and make you proud to celebrate all things British!

Tasting Notes: This amber and auburn beer with a citrus aftertaste has hints of grapefruit and other zesty smells along with a clean, dry and moreish taste.

2026 is the Year of the Fire Horse, running from February 17, 2026, to February 5, 2027. In Chinese culture, the Horse embodies energy, speed, and independence. Perfect for a year all about taking action, chasing goals, and embracing bold moves. The Fire element adds passion, intensity and a fast-moving spark, making 2026 a year of daring, dynamic energy. Our Fire Horse lager captures that spirit in a glass. Made with torrefied rice, a Boilerhouse first, it has a clean, delicate body that lets warming ginger shine. Subtle spice, bright refreshment, and perfect balance honour Asian lager tradition while echoing the energy of the Fire Horse, bold, lively, and full of promise. Raise a glass to new beginnings and the thrill of the year ahead.

Tasting Notes: Clean, delicate body that lets warming ginger shine. Subtle spice, bright refreshment

Breweries often used to hold back their extra special bitter for the Directors or Chairman, but they think everyone should enjoy the very best.

Tasting Notes: Named in honour of John Lees, it's a colourful, well-balanced and full-bodied premium bitter, with a nutty finish. The recipe makes use of ale and crystal malt, and Pilgrim and Golding hops. The result is a beer with nothing held back, fit for the good man himself.

Manchester helped drive the Industrial Revolution and shape the modern world. That spirit of innovation, enterprise and collaboration was given a symbol – the worker bee. We’ve celebrated the plucky bee, and the wisdom and effort of our citizens, by creating a golden-coloured beer with a creamy head and a big heart.

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Named after the JW Lees Brewery in Manchester, we''re so proud of this beer, we put our brewery name to it!

Tasting Notes: An amber coloured beer, with a zesty and hoppy aroma. The clean, dry taste makes it an ideal thirst quencher.

The limited edition vintage barleywine is made but once a year. It's brewed with the first hops to be harvested and then they add the very finest British malt.

Tasting Notes: Each vintage brings different flavours, which then evolve as they age, so it's no wonder it's gained a cult following among ale enthusiasts. Pop the date on your calendar.

This chestnut-coloured beer uses only British malt and hop varieties.

Tasting Notes: Resulting in a full-bodied beer with a good balance of flavours.

Raise a glass and cheer on Team GB with a pint of British Jewels. This name comes from an anagram of JW Lees.

Tasting Notes: Brewed with a blend of Liberty and Mount Hood hops, for a fruity, hoppy flavour with malty characteristics and a golden colour.

We've signed a unique deal with Carlsberg to brew their lager to sell within JW Lees. We appreciate brands are important for the lager drinker, so this is our branded offering.

Tasting Notes: This famous golden lager has a light and refreshing taste, making it easy to drink.

Smooth, full bodied and full of twists and turns as in each episode of the UK''s original soap. This is a beer made in Manchester, brewed with Northern Soul mixed in with the finest Northdown and Golding hops.

Tasting Notes: This crisp, moreish premium ale has a rich, auburn glow about it. With its hoppy, malty smell, you can appreciate the ingredients used to make it.

A dark, mahogany coloured beer topped with a thick, creamy head.

Tasting Notes: A dark, mahogany coloured beer topped with a thick, creamy head. It has a smooth, roasted aroma accompanied by a soft, sweet chocolate taste. Unusual yet intriguing...

Following on from the success of JW Lees Middleton''s ale, to celebrate Wil and Kate''''s big day, we''re proud to introduce this beer in honour of Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth II celebrating 60 years on the throne (05.06.12). May & June of 2012 onl

Tasting Notes: An auburn and chestnut colour with ahoppy and malty smell. The taste refreshing, crisp and moreish.

A rich auburn coloured beer with a creamy head. Its distinguished grapefruit and zesty aroma and clean, dry taste make this a memorable drink.

Tasting Notes: A rich auburn coloured beer with a creamy head. Its distinguished grapefruit and zesty aroma and clean, dry taste make this a memorable drink. All combined together for a distinctly moreish beer.

No matter what your sport is, this cask ale is perfect for any sporting event. Ideal for when you''re showing sporting fixtures or just want to celebrate the end of the season, this robust beer is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.

Tasting Notes: Aburn and chestnut colouring with a hoppy and malty smell. The taste being refreshing, crisp and moreish.

A full flavoured lager offering excellent value for money. A wonderfully refreshing beer, that cane enjoyed in all seasons.

Tasting Notes: A clean, light coloured lager, made all the more attractive with an enticing hoppy aroma.

This is our value-for-money lager offering.

Tasting Notes: A clean, light coloured lager, made all the more attractive with an enticing hoppy aroma. Combining together to give a wonderfully refreshing beer, that can be enhoyed in all seasons.

A fulol flavoured smooth beer, offering excellent value for money. Named after the JW Lees Brewery in Manchester, we''''re so proud of this beer, we put our name to it.

Tasting Notes: With it''s amber colour, it has a zesty and hoppy aroma. The clean, dry taste makes it an ideal thirst quencher.

Named after Mr JW Lees himself, this lightly coloured, robust beer drinks is made from ale and crystal malt, northdown and golding hops. It is a well balanced, full bodied beer.

Tasting Notes: The auburn and chestnut coloured beer drinks smoothly and has a nutty finish. With citrus and malty smells it has a clean, crisp, and moreish taste.

A light, golden thirst quenching beer with a tantalising, fruity aroma and refreshing hop finish. Pure sunshine in a glass.

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The name for this cask ale was inspired by the legendary Oasis song. It''''s perfect for any celebrations and parties that you may have or maybe you just want it for its Manchester spirit.

Tasting Notes: This dark cask ale has undertones of liquorice and chocolate, with a rich, fruity taste.

An all-malt British beer created by Marco Pierre White and JW Lees Brewery, named after Marco's family greyhound that his father rescued who went on to win 28 out of 32 races that he started on flapping tracking in Northern England.

Tasting Notes: The amber and auburn coloured beer has floral, malty and citrus smells with a clean, dry and moreish taste.

Back by popular demand, this triumphant ruby ale is perfect to warm your cockles as the cold nights set in.

Tasting Notes: Originally brewed back in the 1800’s, Jumbo Star has long a customer favourite. Staying true to our roots, Jumbo is named after an area of Middleton Junction deep rooted with history, just like JW Lees.

Our most popular & famous beer. It's an all-malt brew made from ale and crystal malt.

Tasting Notes: Amber, auburn, grapefruit, zesty, clean, dry and moreish

This is a genuine imported lager from the Trebon Brewery in the Czech Republic. A new premium draught lager for the UK, launched in Summer 2007.

Tasting Notes: A premium beer with a hoppy taste and medium bitterness that gives this beer good drinkability and makes it very popular from the very first taste

This dark-coloured beer is smooth, well-rounded and light to drink. Always a favourite with cask ale fanatics! It won a CAMRA gold award.

Tasting Notes: A mahogany colour, roasted, creamy, smooth smell and a sweet, soft, chocolate taste with enticingly sweet undertones of liquorice and a full malty aftertaste.

JW Lees Stout is a dark and brooding ale that takes its inspiration - and its main ingredient - from those same northern skies. Made with pride using the finest northern water.

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Upstairs, a malt crush, the ever-present backbone to all beer shines through. Energising, malt sweetness with a comforting golden glow. Reassuringly classic hops Fuggles and Saaz offer well rounded, floral, green tea notes with a sense of nobility.

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The Real Refreshing Alternative. MPA is a golden ale made from all British Malt, Liberty and Mount Hood hops. It’s brewed especially for bottles to capture the full, hoppy character of our cask beer - it’s the perfect alternative to draught MPA.

Tasting Notes: Malty, Fruity

They uncovered the Manchester Star recipe in a hundred-year-old brewer's notebook when collaborating with Garrett Oliver from Brooklyn Brewery. First conceived in 1884, it's a grand example of the forefathers' craft - a dark ale.

Tasting Notes: With chocolate, malty overtones and a warming finish thanks to plenty of chocolate malt, Golding hops and 100% British ale malt. They suspect they'll still be making it in another hundred.

As the mist lifts, the journey begins. All winter long, the world feels stiff. Grey skies. Slow mornings. Then slowly, it changes. The mist begins to rise. Light stretches a little further. The first real warmth finds its way into the afternoon. Coats loosen. Windows open. Plans start forming again.

Tasting Notes: Light and hazy, like the last curl of morning fog drifting off the fields. Bright notes of orange cut through, fresh and lively. A touch of banana adds a soft sweetness, rounded out by smooth wheat that keeps everything easy and balanced. A hazy little reminder, that through the mist, adventures lay in waiting.

Brewed by JW Lees for over 50 years. It’s a firm favorite with beer connoisseurs all over the world and is a past winner of CAMRA's Champion Winter Beer of Britain. Also used as a key ingredient in national award winning pies.

Tasting Notes: This delicious rich, dark ale has been lovingly brewed to the original recipe. The ebony coloured beer has a fruity, liquorice and roasted taste.

JW Lees Plum Pudding is a lush fusion of fruity flavours—a mahogany, festive brew with a hint of purple. Rich and smooth. It captures the essence of festive indulgence with a balanced blend of warmth and subtle sweetness reminiscent of a traditional plum pudding. Available Mid November - December.

Tasting Notes: Brewed with pale ale malt, Styrian Goldings hops and a hint of ripe fruit. A rich dark beer full of Christmas pudding fruitiness.

Back down to earth. The year started at full throttle. First our Boilerhouse beers launched us into deep space with a heavy hitting banana porter. Then came that fiery ginger rice lager, brewed to mark Chinese New Year, rocketing like a firework. A beer that arrived with real noise and didn’t apologise for it. Now its time to come back down with a Soft Landing.

Tasting Notes: Think of it like a comfy pillow catching you after a long day. Dark brown in the glass, but easy-going from the first sip. Gentle roasted notes give depth without weighing things down. A subtle lift of stone fruit keeps it lively. Light in strength, full in flavour. It brings richness, just not weight.

We use Golding hops to make JW Lees Dragon’s Fire. It’s an all-malt amber bitter, with a clean, dry, and moreish flavour. Floral aromas and hints of spice will ignite a passion for this thirst-quenching beer. We take inspiration from many things, some less local than others. Dragon’s Fire is a tribute to our Welsh heritage. Wales is stiff with magic and dragons. Local legend tells of how Lludd Lleflys captured dragons in a cauldron filled with beer when they had transformed themselves – as apparently, they did – into pigs. The dragons were buried at the place now known as Dinas Emrys. The name Dragon’s Fire comes from the ale’s flaming amber colour and warming citrus aftertaste. Its auburn colour evokes fiery sunsets over Eryri (the proper name for Snowdonia). The Lees-Jones family remains strongly connected to Wales. This beautiful country is also home to several of our pubs, the perfect places to enjoy a pint of Dragon’s Fire.

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At JW Lees, we like people who think that the glass is always half full, who think that the sun will shine throughout spring and summer and, who like us, hope that every pub they walk into will serve a cracking pint of JW Lees ale.

Tasting Notes: Citrus and Melon

Dive into tropical bliss with Tropic Crush, a bright golden Session IPA that bursts with aromas of pine and zesty citrus fruits. This beer delivers a juicy medley of tropical and citrus flavours, making it the ultimate refreshment for sunny spring and summer days. Light, flavourful, and endlessly drinkable, it’s your perfect companion for warm-weather adventures.

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Autumn brings you Weavers Shuttle, ready to fuel a taste revolution. This moreish amber ale pays homage to the mill workers of the North West, including our founder John Lees.

Tasting Notes: This beer has fruity tangerine notes in the aroma and a crisp, fruity bitterness in the flavour, resulting in a full-bodied and moreish character.

Brewed with our good friends at Buxton Brewery, Well Well tips its hat to Buxton’s mineral wells and historic baths. Herbal at heart, with notes of orange peel, sweet mandarin and a gentle resinous depth, these are the same aromas you could imagine drifting through Buxton’s famous bath house.

Tasting Notes: Well Well is a fresh and balanced pale ale, that delivers a gentle lift of citrus and sweet mandarin. it finishes light and easy, which keeps you coming back.