DO any readers have a recipe or the knowledge of making gale beer?

When I was a young child my parents used to visit my uncle and his wife at Levisham Station.

Uncle Jim worked for the railway and he and his wife Hannah lived in a cottage at the station and rented a few fields from the railway.

The weekly stay was a magical time for us, we roamed all over the moor and only came home for meals and to sleep.

As a special treat we were given gale beer, diluted with soda water (the soda fountain was carried up to Levisham village or Whitby to be refilled!).

The adults had a stronger version. It was refreshing, alcoholic and definitely put a spring in your step. Gale is the bog myrtle plant which used to grow in profusion in that area.

Uncle Jim used to sell the crop, cut and dried to a chemist in York, everything of course was transported by the railway. I wondered if anyone has any memories of the making of this wonderful brew?

Mrs M A Steel,

34 Parson's Drive,

Gnosall, Stafford ST20 OQS.

Updated: 10:39 Friday, June 28, 2002