Arran Brewery lost production equivalent to 40,000 bottles of beer in recent power cuts, owner Gerald Michaluk has said, but he is to press on with plans to diversify into cider and sake.

The company said it will seek to make up over the summer the 200 hectalitres shortfall resulting from being left without power for seven days when snow hit the island last month.

Mr Michaluk, managing director of Arran Brew, said: "We were low priority and I can understand there were many households in all electric homes that rightly took priority and the emergency services and technical teams did a fantastic job in very difficult conditions.

"We were able to get two small generators to the island which we used to maintain the quality of the beer in tanks and we are now fully back up-and-running."

Mr Michaluk said the brewery cut production in January as a result of failing to secure a £1 million Scottish Government grant it hoped would support an expansion drive.

Sales of Arran's beers, including Arran Blonde and Red Squirrel ales, matched those of last year in January and February, the company said, but poor weather and the shutdown meant March's revenues were 10% down.

Mr Michaluk said: "I was very disappointed not to get support from the Scottish Government and I am still confused as to why they chose not to support our shovel-ready project.

"But you have to play with the hand your are dealt so we are introducing Arran cider and Arran sake to our range of Arran beers and the equipment has been arriving on the island and is being installed now while staff are being sent for production training."

The cider will be called Arran Glen Rosa Cider and will be available in a range of flavours.

The brewery hopes to have its first Sake out later this year called Arran Sake Number 1.

Mr Michaluk has already threatened to move some beer production overseas after failing to receive the grant.

He said with the money Arran could have brought 10 new jobs to its home island and 76 to Scotland in total.

The company has claimed that expanding beer production on Arran is not viable without grant aid due to the high cost of shipping beer from the island and the higher duty bill the business will incur as soon as annual production exceeds 5000 hectolitres.

Arran bought Rosebank Distillery in Falkirk, which was previously owned by drinks giant Diageo, in November with a view to creating a £10m craft brewery and bottling facility.

The company is seeking a Scottish Government grant to support its plans for that site.