Craft beer enthusiasts in Inverness have reason to celebrate as the new £7.5m Uile-bheist Distillery and Brewery completed production of its full core range of 5 craft beers with the final beer in the range, a 5% Dark Horse Stout, finishing this week. It joins the other beers in range adding to a Session IPA, West Coast and unfiltered New England IPAs, and its signature Uile-bheist Lager.
“This is a real milestone for the business and our brewing operation,” said owner, Victoria Erasmus, 4 months on from the opening of the attraction.
“The initial goal was to make a core range of exceptional beers which showcase our craft and skill. Because we are a true small batch craft brewery, our emphasis will always be on quality.”
Powered by an on-site Sustainability Centre that uses energy from the River Ness, Uile-bheist is also taking a localised approach by following the “80-20” principle- approximately 80% of their products are sold to otlets within a 20-mile radius of Inverness. While Uile-bheist craft beers are available at the on-site taproom as well as highland capital hotels, it is also being distributed to partner businesses in Ullapool, Perthshire, and the Cairngorms National Park. The brewery will also be undertaking some experimental canning for local markets later this summer, with the focus now on perfecting recipes and scaling up capacity.
“We are mindful of our carbon footprint,” added Victoria. “We pride ourselves in trying to be as sustainable as possible, in how our products are produced and the energy used. By selling into local businesses, we will also be reducing our transport carbon footprint.”
Head Brewer Andrew Hodgson, who previously worked at Tempest Brewing Co and Black Isle Brewery, says the beers are a celebration of styles synonymous with small-batch craft brewing. He expalins, “The craft beer market is what it is today because people realise more and more what beer can be. Personally, in a busy market, I think you have to be making beer that you enjoy and are happy with rather than fixating on satisfying trends.
“The core range is representative of the classic styles that have made the craft beer market what it is today but with the benefit of being served fresh, straight from a tank only a mile or so away, in the centre of a busy city. That is what makes our product unique.”
The base malt used in all five beers, as well as the Uile-bheist whisky, comes from Bairds, a local maltster located only 1.9 miles away from the brewery.
