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5th December 2019

Harviestoun launch Scotland’s first 0% dark ale

“Haud yer wheesht!” Harviestoun Brewery’s 0.0% dark Ale has drinkers speechless

Harviestoun, Scotland’s most awarded brewery, has launched its latest beer – without a drop of alcohol in it.

Wheesht is an alcohol-free dark ale made by Master Brewer Stuart Cail.

Cail wasn’t initially keen to try his hand at a zero alcohol beer. To begin with, he said “it’s like being asked to make a sports car with square wheels.” However, after some persuasion and almost three years in development, Cail and his brewing team have hit on what they believe is a winning formula.

“I had tasted a lot of other low and no alcohol beers. On one day I tasted 18 of them back-to-back and then tasted ours. My thinking was: ‘well, it’s better than any of them’, so after a few tweaks we went straight to bottle. And very proud of Wheesht we are!”

Harviestoun’s Wheesht is a dark ale with taste that is ideal for the ever-growing number of drinkers who prefer to forego alcohol but still want the pleasure of a great beer.

MD Stuart Cook says

“We’re justly proud of our many awards at the brewery, and we like to think we have a beer for everyone. Wheesht is the latest addition to our portfolio and we really believe that we haven’t sacrificed flavour in our search for an alcohol-free beer.

“Our goal is to make Wheesht the nation’s favourite zero-alcohol ale.”

The beer is named after an oft used Scottish slang word ‘Wheesht,’ used in the phrase ‘Haud yer wheesht’ or ‘hold your tongue!” The recipe for this 0.0% alcohol free beer is a closely-guarded secret, and many ale fans tasting it have said they imagined they were drinking a 4% or even 5% alcohol ale.

‘Wheesht’ recently figured among the top 10 favourite Scottish sayings In a popular vote, alongside ‘Drech’, ‘glakit’, ‘fankle’ and ‘braw’.

Wheesht retails for £1.15 per 33cl bottle, and is available from leading beer specialists and via harviestoun.com

Notes for Editors

Harviestoun, established in 1983 and located in the foothills of the Ochil Hills, is Scotland’s most awarded brewery. Independently owned, it produces a range of beers using only the finest local ingredients, which are enjoyed across the UK in bars, pubs, restaurants, hotels and in discerning retailers. The range includes:

  • Schiehallion – winner of World’s Best Pilsner Award
  • Bitter & Twisted – winner of both World’s Best Ale and Champion Beer of Britain
  • Ola Dubh – revolutionary craft stout aged in whisky barrels
  • Wheesht – Scotland’s first ever 0.0% dark ale

For more information visit harviestoun.com

Wheesht brewer’s tasting note

A dark ruby ale complimented with aromas of chocolate, biscuit and dried fruit. These characters carry to the palate with roasted, chocolate and sweet malt all shining through.

A velvety smooth mouthfeel with a soft lingering bitterness. Best Served chilled (4-8 degrees) in a stemmed glass.