Hartlepool brewery Crafty Monkey names beer after The Pogues' Christmas classic Fairytale of New York

Watch more of our videos on Shots!
and live on Freeview channel 276

Fairytale of New York honours the 1987 festive hit by Irish band The Pogues.

The 5% plum porter is the 12th beer courtesy of Hartlepool’s Crafty Monkey Brewing Company to have musical links.

A 13th will also follow early in 2023.

Gary Olvanhill, left, and Pat Garrett with a pump clip and bottles of their new craft beer called Fairytale of New York Picture by Frank Reid.

Brewery co-founder Pat Garrett explained: “We were looking to continue the musical theme and were looking at making a beer for Christmas.

"Fairytale of New York brings up a vision of a busy New York pub with everyone rolling around enjoying themselves and we just thought it goes perfectly.”

The beer was initially made on cask in November, before Pogues singer Shane MacGowan’s current health problems were disclosed, and proved instantly popular.

Pat, 55, said: “The first batch went straight away and we had to make some more when we got new orders.

Fairytale of New York is available on cask and in bottles.

"It is in bottles now as well in time for Christmas and it could be something we do as a seasonal beer every Christmas.”

Nine of the best pubs in and around Hartlepool according to the Good Beer Guide ...

Among the Hartlepool pubs serving Fairytale of New York are Hops and Cheese, in Tower Street, The Fishermans Arms, on the Headland, and the King Johns Tavern, in the town centre.

Crafty Monkey was formed in 2019 by Pat and co-founder Gary Olvanhill, 55, in a farm building on the outskirts of Elwick after the pals took redundancy from the oil industry.

After naming their first beer Dawning of a New Era after a tune by ska legends The Specials, they decided to carry on the trend while insisting that each song title must fit the beer and “not the other way around”.

Later examples included golden light ale New Gold Dream, which was the title track of a Simple Minds album, and ruby red ale Ruby, Ruby, Ruby, inspired by Kaiser Chiefs hit Ruby.

Exceptions include English pale ale Charles III in honour of the new monarch.

Next up will be the pair’s first keg beer, Reward, which is named after the 1980s hit single by The Teardrop Explodes.

Crafty Monkey’s beers are available to order online at www.shop.craftymonkey.beer/