Edinburgh Based Stewart’s Brewing’s beer “Radical Road” wins world beer awards title of World’s Best Bitter under 4%.
Last year Arran Brewery’s “Arran Dark” won the title of the World’s Best Dark Brown Ale and in 2010 Arran Blonde won the title of the “World’s Best” All grain Wheat Beer.
Scottish Microbrewers and projecting a world class image and punching well above their weight in the international market with wins for Arran, Fyne Ales, Orkney in the International Beer Challenge while the trade bodies SIBA National brewing awards saw Scotland dominate almost all categories with medal winners in the majority of beer styles.
What makes Scottish Ale so good? Is it the water, Scottish barley, or the skills of the brewers? With the foremost brewing institution based at Heriot Watt University in Edinburgh its clear Scotland is producing some world class brewing talent our Barley is excellent for malting and our water helps but most of all its probably the entrepreneurial spirit of the around 70 micro breweries that are operating in Scotland.
Two Scottish headquartered brand owners Innis and Gunn and Brew Dog are bringing between them over £30m into the Scottish economy from beer sales. The combined Scottish industry is increasing employment and creating associated jobs worth many more millions to the Scottish Economy.
While charity support is growing with for example Arran Breweries Red Squirrel donating funds collected from each bottle sale and providing wildlife cameras to Red Squirrel charities in Scotland and the rest of the UK.
As the industry expands and more micro breweries open with an ever more diverse range of beers on offer its time for the Scottish people to get behind there new domestic breweries and support craft beer by swapping a mass produced pint of fizz for a pint of local craft beer. You never know it might be the best in the world!
Gerald Michaluk is a Trustee of SIBA representing Scotland
Gerald Michaluk
BSc DipH-WU MSc DipM FCIM MMRS
Arran Brew Ltd
100 Wellington St
Glasgow, G2 6DH.
Tel: 0141 572 1580
DL: 0141 572 5681
Mobile: 07968 157788
BSc DipH-WU MSc DipM FCIM MMRS
Arran Brew Ltd
100 Wellington St
Glasgow, G2 6DH.
Tel: 0141 572 1580
DL: 0141 572 5681
Mobile: 07968 157788