This collaboration is a beer I have sought ever since this was announced. Wylam Brewery x Wor Flags is a collaboration which personifies the proud Geordie heritage in the Newcastle area. Whether it is Wylam Brewery, brewing beer out of Exhibition Park or Wor Flags creating innovative flags to display around the mighty St James Park. This is why I went in a hunt for this beer. Anyways, during the course of this review, I will cover the history of this beer, the pour, the taste and aroma and finally my verdict.
Wylam Brewery × Wor Flags Pale Ale — the backstory
Wylam Brewery was founded in 2000 by John Boyle and Robin Leighton in a disused dairy factory near Heddon-on-the-wall. Wylam quickly gained recognition for its high quality ales which lead to an expansion in 2006. Consequently, in 2016 the brewery relocated to the Palace of Arts in Exhibition Park, Newcastle. This is a grade 2 listed building originally constructed for the 1929 North East Coast Exhibition. That local heritage is a big reason why the collaboration seems authentic.
Wor Flags is the fan-funded group responsible for the amazing flag display you will see at any Newcastle United match or event in St James Park.
Wor Flags began as a merger between Gallowgate Flags and Wor Hyem 1892 in 2016. Its displays are by funded by donations and the sale of merchandise. The Pale Ale was crafted as part of their offical partnership with Wylam.
However, the beer came to be from a predecessor partnership with Anarchy Brew Co in a brew called Wor Beer. This is a light pale ale which I have previously done a review on. If you would like to learn more about Wor Beer, click here. The partnership was in place for 3 years and raised around £40,000. The partnership ended for the 2025/26 season as Wor Flags ‘sought different opportunities’. The partnership of the Wylam Brewery and Wor Flags was announced in August 2025 along with the release of the pale ale which can be found in cans and on draught.
This beer is a hazy ale which has an ABV of 4%. It is hopped with Nelson Sauvin, Citra and Nectaron. As discussed before this is available in 440ml cans, Keg and Cask. The purpose of this beer is to give back a percentage of the profits from the beer to Wor Flags, so they can fund the consistently amazing displays.
The can design is amazing as it perfectly personifies the imagery that it is iconic to not only Wor Flags but the entirety of Newcastle United. It contains mascot ‘Monty the Magpie’ which is iconic due to the Toons nickname being the Magpies. It also contains an image of the iconic poster ‘BMX 4 SALE’ which was created in the 1990’s during the Entertainers era and kept alive by the hard work of Wor Flags. Another interesting addition is Monty holding the Carabao Cup which Newcastle won back in March.
A lovely pour straight from the can
When poured straight from the can, the beer settles with a golden, straw body with the trademark hazy appearance. A fluffy white head forms almost immediately and it clings to side of the glass which leaves a steady lacing. The haze is natural which was hopped with the Citra, Nelson Sauvin and Nectaron types. This gives it an almost juicy look. The carbonation is quite lively and aggressive, sending up steady streams of bubbles.
A hard to beat taste and aroma
Straight from the can, my nose was hit by tropical and bright aromas. Leading the way with bursts of mango, passionfruit, and peach. There is subtle notes of grapes from the Nelson Sauvin hops with gave it a wine edge. Nectaron deepens the pineapple taste too. There is a floral sweetness with fresh cuts of Citra.
When it comes to the taste, the beer is very fruit forward. On the palate, I noticed many different tastes reminiscent of a fruit salad. With dominant notes of pineapple, passion fruit and citrusy zest. Mid palate there touch of bitterness which is refreshing enough to avoid being overpowering. This finish is clean and dry, also extremely session-able. Overall, this drinks like a modern hazy pale which is soft, juicy and crowd pleasing much like many of the ales brewed by Wylam Brewery.
My verdict- one with my Toon Army glasses on and one honest verdict.
First things first, I will cover my verdict with my passionate Geordie glasses on. This beer has the perfect message to personify the passion which is felt around the Newcastle area. The fact every can you purchase allows you to contribute towards the breath taking tifos which are constructed by Wor Flags. It allows for a greater connection between the fans and Newcastle United. For this reason alone as a passionate Newcastle United fan I would rate it 5 out of 5. However, this is a beer review so I need to rate the beer.
If you have read some of my reviews in the past, you would know that my favourite type of ale is a hazy/Neipa. I love the depth of flavour in these ales especially with tropical notes and smooth body. This beer has all the trademarks of a typical hazy pale ale. The addition of Nectaron, Citra and Nelson Sauvin gives it the trademark grape and tropical notes. This is extremely session-able especially with the 4% ABV. I think the only criticism of this, is the levels of carbonation. I think I will give this 4.25 out of 5, this is a really drinkable pale ale and if I see this on draught I will definitely sample it.
Where did I purchase this beer?
I bought this beer from Fenwicks Food Hall in Newcastle. This was a beer I had searched for since release. So much so my next stop was Wylam Brewery itself. This cost £5.50 a can from Fenwicks.
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