Future looks frothy for the Scottish brewing industry

Reporter

Thursday 13 September 2012

A RECORD number of breweries have opened in Scotland as drinkers reject more established brands in favour of locally produced beers.

ALE AND HEARTY: Fiona MacEachern, owner of the Loch Lomond Brewery, turned her hobby into a booming business. Picture: Martin Shields

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Jody Harrison

Figures from the Campaign for Real Ale (Camra) show the number of breweries in Britain has doubled during the last 10 years, with more than 70 now operating across Scotland out of more than 1000 UK-wide.

Across the UK 158 breweries – including 13 north of the Border – sell their own beers in both casks and bottles. Camra described the rise in production as "astonishing", while Scottish brewers said the popularity of beers made by microbreweries was fuelled by a desire for home-grown produce. The boom comes despite the recession and the closure of many pubs across the UK. According to Camra's figures, published ahead of the latest edition of its Good Beer Guide, there is one brewery for every 50 pubs – ranging from industrial sites to small businesses operating out of garden sheds. Roger Protz, editor of the Good Beer Guide, said: "The small brewing sector is surely one of the most remarkable UK industry success stories of the past decade. "The boom has made the term 'micro' obsolete, with some small brewers having become remarkably large, installing new equipment or doubling production to keep up with demand." Many Scottish brewers set up businesses after leaving their jobs or being made redundant. They have been surprised by the level of interest in their beers. Fiona MacEachern, 36, of Luss, and her husband brewed beer as a hobby before launching the Loch Lomond Brewery in November. She said: "I had hoped to run it as a sideline alongside my job in the civil service, but after a while I decided to take up brewing full-time. We operate out of an industrial unit and business has been great. We produce 30 to 40 casks a week, as well as bottled beer, and we sell to delis, independent off-licences and pubs. "Initially, the people who bought our beer were real ale drinkers, but more and more people are drinking it because it's locally made." Jim Davies, of the Alechemy Brewing Company in Livingston, said he has found a ready market for his beers and sells to establishments in Glasgow, Newcastle and London. He said: "I started home brewing when I was at Edinburgh University studying chemistry and it was always something of a hobby. After working in the chemistry industry for more than 15 years I took voluntary redundancy and decided to make my hobby a full-time job. We are working at a full capacity of 80 barrels a week. "It's something I've been doing for five years now and I don't regret starting up the business for a minute. It was the best move I ever made." Ross Niven, who runs MoR Brewing with his business partner, former lifeboatman Jim Hugan, in Kellas on Tayside, said: "Big breweries are not producing what people want. Many drinkers, not just real ale enthusiasts, will look for beers that have been brewed in the local area when they go to a pub and it's really heartening to see. "Business is going well and we're hoping to expand." Scotland’s new breweries and beers Brewmeister, Kincardine Spey Valley Brewery, Keith Andrews Ales, Dumfries & GallowayAlechemy Brewing Ltd, Livingston Barney’s Beer Ltd, Edinburgh Cromarty Brewing Co, Cromarty River Leven Ales, Kinlochleven MoR Brewing Ltd, Tayside Strathbraan Brewery, Tayside Kinneil Brew Hoose, Bo’nessLoch Lomond Brewery, Alexandria St Andrews Brewing Co, Fife

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Future looks frothy for the Scottish brewing industry

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