Yardarm lager from Jump Ship Brewing, a Scottish alcohol-free brewing company, has been named as the best alcohol-free lager in the world at the prestigious World Beer Awards.

More than 3,000 beers from 52 countries entered the awards across a number of categories, with a line-up of more than 90 international judges tasting the contenders. Judges included Lotte Peplow, the European ambassador for the Brewers Association’s American Craft Beer; beer sommeliers and drinks writers like Glynn Davis, editor of Beer Insider, and Frances Brace, Director of the British Guild of Beer Writers; and writer and broadcaster Pete Brown.

Brewed in small batches, Jump Ship Brewing uses natural brewing techniques combining barley, hops and yeast with soft Scottish water to create as much flavour as possible, with minimal alcohol. Made with Citra and Styrian Bobek hops for a full flavour finish, the beer is gluten-free, vegan and lower in calories than standard beers.

“I’m absolutely delighted that Yardarm has been selected as the best alcohol-free lager in the world at the World Beer Awards," founder Sonja Mitchell said.

"We were up against giants like Stella Artois 0.0 and legendary US-based Athletic Brewing - not bad for a tiny wee start-up brewing company from Edinburgh. We're on a mission to brew world-class alcohol-free in Scotland and this award shows we're bang on target.”

The Herald:

A keen sailor, beer-lover and mother of three, Ms Mitchell decided to ‘jump ship’ from her marketing job to launch the business in December 2019 with the proceeds from a corwdfunding campaign that raised £15,000 in six days.

The idea behind Jump Ship was born in December 2018 out of a love of beer but a horror of hangovers. Keen to enable more people to enjoy great beer without the booze, Ms Mitchell set out to discover if she could produce a world-class alcohol-free beer in Scotland. In June, Pete Sharp of the Caledonian Brewery joined Jump Ship as head brewer.

Available in 330ml cans, Yardarm contains 40 calories per can with roughly a third of the calories found in an equivalent can of 4% ABV beer.  At less than 0.5% ABV, it contains roughly the same level of alcohol as a large ripe banana.

The company also brews Flying Colours, a distinctive pale ale, and Goosewing IPA, a hazy IPA. The beers are stocked at a number of independent retailers as well as bars and restaurants such as Edinburgh’s Aizle, Noto, Bonnie & Wild, and the new Johnnie Walker Experience.

Lower Primark sales fail to derail profit upgrade from owner ABF

The Herald:

Sugar, grocery and retail conglomerate Associated British Foods (ABF) has raised its full-year profit forecast despite sliding sales at its Primark clothing chain.

In its pre-close trading update for the 53 weeks to September 18, ABF said like-for-like sales at Primark during the fourth quarter are expected to come in 17 per cent lower than levels seen before the pandemic. That was after a 3% increase in the third quarter when stores began re-opening from lockdown.

Following the initial “enthusiasm” among shoppers from the release of pent-up demand, sales began to slow again from late June along with the rise in the number of people required to self-isolate following contact tracing alerts.

FirstGroup chief survives revolt at Aberdeen bus giant’s AGM

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FirstGroup has seen off a mini-revolt from shareholders over the reappointment of chairman David Martin to its board as it reported bus passenger volumes had returned to 65 per cent of pre-pandemic levels in recent weeks.

Around 20 per cent of the voted shares were cast against a resolution to re-elect Mr Martin as a director at the transport giant’s annual meeting yesterday.

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