NEVER mind the recession, it’s raise a glass time at Herefordshire independent Wye Valley Brewery, which is toasting record sales.

Vernon Amor, managing director of the Stoke Lacy brewers, who celebrate their 25th anniversary next year, said: “Cask ale is the star performer in the UK beer market and pubs which offer excellent cask ales are riding the current economic climate far better than those which aren’t.

“We have grown like-for- like sales by 24 per cent so far this year. At Wye Valley Brewery we use top quality locally grown hops and have recently teamed up with a local farmer to grow our own Herefordshire barley. We are looking forward to growing a true ‘Herefordshire beer’ for our silver anniversary in 2010.”

Next year will see major investment in the business to increase capacity and create more local jobs. Wye Valley Brewery currently employs 30 local people and produces more than 4.3 millions pints of beer annually.