New South West craft brewer, Beerd, has cemented its foothold in the Scandinavian market after just two months with ten cities in Sweden now stocking their flavoursome beers.
Taste for craft beer in the region is already well-established and Beerd’s hoppy American and Australian-style brews are proving hugely popular with the locals.
Established by the people behind Bath Ales, Beerd was set up last year with the aim of creating maverick beers that excite drinkers seeking something a little bit different from the norm
Moussa Clarke is the export manager who is driving forward sales overseas. He said: “We only started exporting Beerd beers two months ago, but already the reaction has been fantastic.
“In Sweden customers are very up on beer and brewing trends and are very demanding in terms of quality and a point of difference, Beerd seems to have slotted in very well to the market. Razor (a hoppy full bodied IPA with a passion fruit aroma) is leading the way, but our other pale ales like Vigilante (American style), Convict (golden in colour and chock full of Australian hops) and Monterey (a West Coast style ale with plenty of pine on the nose and palate) are also performing well.”
Bath Ales secured a major deal in continental Europe in January this year to export its core brands such as Wild Hare and Gem. The business is aiming high and has set a target of quadrupling combined Beerd and Bath Ales export volumes by the end of the year.
Moussa continued: “Sales of the Bath Ales core range overseas are growing and we now export to 10 countries.
“Sweden is a newer market for Beerd, but I anticipate the beers will quickly become important brands for us. Our Swedish distributor handles a whole range of well-respected drinks from around the world, so we’re in good hands.
“I am heading over to the Stockholm Beer & Whisky Festival with Shane O’Beirne, Beerd’s head brewer. This takes place over two weekends at the end of September and the beginning of October. Shane will be leading a couple of masterclasses for a consumer and trade audience, talking through his brewing technique and philosophy, and with some generous tastings to boot.”
Bath Ales’ increasingly international outlook was confirmed with a recent win for flagship beer, Gem, at The International Beer Challenge.
Judged along with 500 brews from more than 30 countries, Bath Ales’ Gem received not only a Gold Medal but also went on to win the highly coveted trophy for its category – the ‘Best Ale up to 5% abv’ – in the view of the expert panel of judges. In fact, they were the only British brewer recognised for one the six top beer awards.
With this globally recognised accolade in the trophy cabinet, Moussa is already looking to expand beyond Scandinavia: “Next I’ve got my sights set on Spain as this would be a great market to break into, again it is showing a burgeoning interest in the global phenomenon of artisanal beer”
Exports to Sweden is in kegs at the moment, and two of the bottled Beerd brands – Silvertip and Monocle – are already being sold in Denmark. Beerd kegs will also be available in Finland very soon.
Beerd is also making in-roads into Ireland and New Zealand, who were quick to snap up some of the latest brews.
ENDS
For more information please contact Simon Russell at Inside Media on 01179 066 519 / 07879 402 145 or simon@insidemedia.uk.com.
Facts about Beerd brewery: www.beerdbeers.com
– Beerd launched in August 2013
– The brewery is based in Bath Ales HQ, Hare House, between Bristol and Bath
– Beerd’s experimental brewer, Shane O’Beirne, is a degree-educated engineer who has recently acquired brewing qualifications from Heriott Watt University (Edinburgh). Shane gained experience in a well-respected brewery and he reports to head brewer, Gerry Condell
– Shane is also responsible for overseeing brewing in Bath Ales’ microbrewery in Graze bar, brewery and chophouse in Bath
About Bath Ales:
Based between Bath and Bristol, Bath Ales is an independent brewery established in 1995 which uses traditional brewing techniques with cutting-edge technology. The founders come from a brewing background and combine a range of skills with a shared passion for all styles of beer.
The business currently produces just over 20,000 brewer’s barrels annually and has had its own bottling plant since 2007. Sustained investment plans will see the brewery continue to increase production volumes. Bath Ales also has an on-site brewery shop.
Bath Ales now operate 12 sites across the South West – two inside Colston Hall, The Hare on the Hill, The Hop Pole, The Salamander, The Swan, The Wellington, Beerd, The Grapes a little bit further afield in Oxford, and three Graze, Brasserie & Chophouse sites in Bath, Bristol and Cirencester. The latest flagship Graze in Bath also features a fully functional microbrewery.
The Bath Ales range of beers includes Gem, Barnsey, Dark Side, Wild Hare, Special Pale Ale and Ginger Hare.