A NORTH York Moors microbrewery has tapped into growing demand for British ales in a largely Islamic country more than 4,500 miles away.

The Great Yorkshire Brewery, based in Cropton, near Pickering, is set to start shipping Yorkshire Lager, Yorkshire Blackout, Top of the Hops, Two Chefs and Hadley’s Gold to Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates.

The latter ale is a collaboration between the brewery and the craft-beer enthusiast, brewer and former Spandau Ballet star Tony Hadley.

Joanne Taylor, co-director of the brewery, said: “Dubai is an emerging craft beer market and is somewhere I’ve travelled to quite a lot.

"I went out there and presented the beer, and it was just what they were looking for.”

Ms Taylor said: “We’ve been working with Tony for years. He sells really well.”

Beers produced by the company can now be found in, among other places, The Scene, the Dubai-based restaurant of celebrity chef Simon Rimmer.

The deal follows the brewery establishing links with Japan and China, where their beers are sold at World Beer Museums.