A BREWING venture brought into production by monks reviving a 17th century tradition is about to sell its 75,000th bottle.

Ampleforth Abbey Beer is a traditional monastic beer which is based on a centuries-old Benedictine recipe adapted with modern brewing techniques.

Launched two years ago to tap into the fast-growing market for premium bottled ales, the beer is on track to sell its milestone bottle by March.

The achievement comes off the back of the Ampleforth Abbey Beer being named Yorkshire’s Best Drink in the Deliciously Yorkshire Awards in 2012/13.

It also received the Two Star Great Taste Award and was awarded silver in the International Beer Challenge.

Ampleforth’s brewing traditions date back to 1608 when a community of Benedictine monks fled England for the safety of France. Determined to make a living for themselves, they began brewing their native beer – “la biere anglaise”.

In 1793, escaping the French Revolution, they fled back to England and eventually settled at Ampleforth in 1802, and built the Abbey.

In 2011 Ampleforth Abbey’s procurator, Father Wulstan Peterburs, set out to revive the beer, and the following year Little Valley Brewery, began producing the revived Ampleforth Abbey Beer in 330ml bottles in 2012.

Ampleforth Abbey is now the only working British monastery involved in the production of its own beer.