The Inveralmond Brewery

Inspirational pale ale

2011-02-22T04:49:00.000-08:00

February sees the launch of a completely new Inveralmond beer. Duncan’s IPA (inspirational pale ale) is named after our head brewer whose name adorns the pump clip of all our seasonal beers.

In Duncan’s IPA Ken has produced a celebration of our brewing heritage. In years gone by an extra strong pale hoppy beer was brewed to undergo the long and arduous journey to India to quench the thirst of the troops stationed there. Our beer is lower in ABV (at 4.4%) but still reflects this traditional style in a contemporary way. Commenting on the launch of Duncan’s IPA, MD Fergus Clark said ‘this is the first completely new beer we have launched for a while now and brings a classic IPA to our new seasonal range. Ken has again managed to create sublime taste and quality in a beer we believe we are right to call inspirational.’

Did you know?

2011-02-22T04:46:00.001-08:00

A giant goat whose udders provided an endless supply of beer is what Vikings thought awaited them in Valhalla, the Viking heaven.

Prohibition in the USA lasted 13 years, 10 months 19 days, 17 hours and 32 minutes. Not that they were counting you understand.

Eric Lean of Crowley drank a world record 7.75 pints of beer in 5 minutes in January 2003.

In June 2010, John Evans set a new world record for most beer pints balanced on his head: 237.

The Inveralmond Beer Club

2011-02-22T04:45:00.000-08:00

The Inveralmond Beer Club will be introduced to beer drinkers across the land and beyond over the next few weeks. Designed to inform and educate our customers about our beers, it also serves as a way of telling people where our beers are available in both the on-trade and the off-trade. If you would like further information about the Beer Club then please get in touch with us in the usual ways. Furthermore, if you would like to discuss ways of publicising your pub through the Beer Club then also please get in touch.

Cask beer growing significantly in Scotland

2011-02-22T04:43:00.000-08:00

Cask beer sales in Scotland have been growing at a faster rate than anywhere else in the UK. Albeit from a small base, the graph shows cask sales have rocketed up over the last few years. That said, Scotland still punches below its weight when it comes to the ‘propensity’ to drink cask conditioned beers. In other words, Scotland accounts for 8% of the British population but only 4% of cask beer sales. In contrast, people in the south and east of England account for 19% of the total population but 24% of cask sales.

So there is still a lot to go for in Scotland. More and more pubs are trying cask beer as a way to tempt in new customers, and those customers are more willing to try locally produced quality beers. Demand is growing and supply needs to keep up. It is also true to say that cask beer is being drunk by more people in more pubs but that a lack of knowledge or information remains the biggest barrier to trial. Improving that knowledge is of paramount importance.

Source: CGA Strategy

Expansion planned for ‘new’ brewery

2011-02-22T04:42:00.000-08:00

This drawing is of a new 60bbl fermenter which is to be installed in the brewery very shortly.

Almost exactly 12 months after the first brew was undertaken at our ‘new’ brewery we are pleased to say that we need to expand our brewing capacity still further.

The addition of the 60bbl facility will give us more options in terms of new product development and finished beer storage. In practical terms this reduces the likelihood of beer being out of stock and helps us manage the peaks and troughs of demand. All of this has the ultimate aim of improving customer service.

The tank, which is being manufactured in Hungary, should arrive before the end of March and will be fully operational shortly thereafter.

Premium keg beers make market in-roads

2011-02-22T04:40:00.000-08:00

‘Craft-brewed keg beer’ is a term which may become more apparent over the next few weeks and months as more craft brewers launch brewery-conditioned or kegged beers in a bid to attract premium beer drinkers to a newly defined category.

Beer drinkers are prepared to pay more for supposed ‘premium’ beers from ‘overseas’. It seems sensible therefore to attract them to a growing number of quality keg beers produced here in Scotland by their local craft brewer.

Cask conditioned beer consumption is growing and looks set to continue to grow. However, craft brewers must continually assess how the market is moving... and craft-brewed keg beer may offer options in the trade. Watch this space!

Be our guest

2011-02-22T04:39:00.000-08:00

Our brewery ‘tap’ is now open for bookings. If you have a meeting, presentation or club night to organise and are looking for something that wee bit different get in touch. We shall send out our information sheet and booking form. This form allows you to select from a variety of different options and ranges from £6 for a tour and tasting to £35 a head for a tour, tasting, food and a take away pack of beer and other goodies.

InveralmondBeer on YouTube

2011-02-22T04:37:00.000-08:00

We have taken our first tentative steps into the world of YouTube by setting up our own ‘channel’. There are a few videos on the site so why not go and have a look. The keyword is ‘InveralmondBeer’. Be warned... we’ve just started!

http://www.youtube.com/user/InveralmondBeer

A ‘house’ of your own

2011-02-22T04:34:00.000-08:00

A growing number of our customers are opting for a ‘house beer’ as part of their offer to their customers. At The Inveralmond Brewery we offer a full house brand development service which includes pump clip artwork development and manufacture. Of course, the artwork can encompass elements of imagery from your own pub or hotel. Whether it be a simple logo (as in The Town clip on the left) or a painting of the pub as in The Cherrybank’s anniversary ale, if you supply the images we can adapt it to a pump clip. The beer supplied is a 4.2% ale in 9g only. It has hints of forest fruits with a floral spice on the nose back up with a biscuity malt palate. The customer reaction is without exception one of delight, so get in touch if you are interested.

Santa’s Swallie: now in bottle!

2010-11-18T02:14:00.000-08:00

This Christmas, for the first time, Santa’s Swallie will be available in 12x500ml bottle cases. Supplies have already been sent to the USA, Canada and Switzerland, and initial UK orders have been leaving the brewery since late October. As this product is not available in any of the major UK multiple grocers we are getting a lot of interest from the specialist trade and wholesalers. At a delivered list price of £17.25 (ex-VAT) and an RRP of £2.29 there is solid margin to be made from what is already a successful beer in draught. At time of going to press we have made the decision to go ahead with a second bottling run, such has been the demand. If you would like any further information please get in touch with us.

Cask ale share of beer sales continues to grow

2010-11-18T02:12:00.000-08:00

The latest Cask Report for 2010 shows the cask ale share of total on-premise beer sales continuing to grow.

As the chart here shows, cask ale now accounts for over 15% of pub beer sales. In the total beer market (i.e. including off-premise sales) cask ale accounts for almost 8% of sales, a third consecutive year of growth.

Cask beer sales in pubs is now at its highest level for a decade and represents almost half of all ale sold. This upward trend looks set to continue as more beer consumers switch to cask. Remember that almost two thirds of UK beer drinkers have never tried cask ale, but when they do 45% convert to drinking it. That is a huge untapped market waiting to be convinced to try cask beer!

Sources: BBPA/HMRC/TGI

New brand information

2010-11-18T02:08:00.000-08:00

To coincide with the ‘relaunch’ of our seasonal beer range we have redesigned our brand information sheets. Each sheet contains important facts about the ingredients, taste profile and formats. The seasonal beers also feature a calendar to ensure our customers are aware beer availability. If you would like some of the sheets, or further information, please do not hesitate to contact us. Alternatively the sheets can be downloaded in PDF format from our web site: www.inveralmond-brewery.co.uk.

Brewery Tap open for business

2010-11-18T02:07:00.000-08:00

This picture shows some of the first happy suppers at our brewery bar. The bar will be used as part of brewery tours and will double up as an off-licence when required. It will also be the centre piece of trade hospitality activity. Although not open to the public as a bar per se, the Brewery Tap will be available to hire to groups such as Round Tables, clubs and associations to hold meetings or general socials. Give us a call if you are interested.

Santa’s Swallie gets a facelift

2010-11-18T02:05:00.000-08:00

Our successful Christmas beer has been relaunched as part of the work we undertook on the seasonal range of beers. Santa's Swallie is a fine example of the tradition of brewing Christmas beers that was once prevalent in the UK and is still very popular in other Northern European countries. The word ‘yule' is derived from 'ale' as beer was used to celebrate the winter solstice throughout the years.

It is pleasing to note that Christmas beers are starting to make a strong comeback in the UK. They offer the beer drinker something a wee bit ‘special’ at a time of year when beer often plays second fiddle to other, sometimes more sickly Christmas drinks.

Santa’s Swallie is a dark copper coloured Christmas beer, traditionally hopped with Fuggles and a hint of seasonal nutmeg and cinnamon. There is a subtle spicy warmth to the finish, and the beer is robust enough to be the perfect accompaniment to the rich food associated with the time of year. Tasting notes are available should you need them. Just get in touch with the brewery and we will post or e-mail some to you.

Lia Fail chocolates

2010-10-04T21:13:00.000-07:00

Sharon at Hot Chocolates in Edinburgh is using Lia Fail to make luxurious fresh chocolates. Launched last month and featured in The List, the chocolates are available mail order from the following web address. We haven't tried them yet, but our mouths are watering!

http://www.hotchocolates.biz/product/25514/Limited-Edition-Scottish-Ale-Chocolates.html

Free beer of yesteryear

2010-09-06T07:56:00.004-07:00

As mentioned in the last edition of Brewhouse News, the seasonal beer range of The Inveralmond Brewery had undergone a major overhaul. This overhaul included redesigns for old favourites, new beers, and the restitution of beers that we have brewed in the past. Pundie is one of the latter and we are please to say the beer will be available in October this year.

Pundie is a measure of beer that used to be given free to brewery workers on certain days of the year. Traditionally a strong beer, the name gave rise to the colloquial term for a brewery: a pundie-house. This term is turn was mashed into the word booze!

Ken Duncan, our Head Brewer, describes the beer as ‘a great burnished copper strong ale. The malty palate is finely balanced with Saaz hops to give a full flavoured yet refreshing beer’. We also like to say that Pundie is Scots for a guid strong ale. We all hope you will agree. The beer will be available in 9g and 18g cask, and 30l keg. A very limited number of 4.5g casks will also be made available on a first come first served basis. Once they are gone, they’re gone.

Did you know?

2010-09-06T07:56:00.002-07:00

The Incas and some Pacific Island cultures used spit to ferment their beer. Beer or Chicha was very important for Inca festivals. They had large breweries devoted to making enough of the stuff. The recipe went something like this: take a large vat of water and let it warm up in the sun. Get a large group of women to chew corn until it is a pulp in their mouths. The women then spit the pulp into the vat of warm water and let it sit for a few weeks. Then simply strain the lumpy, cloudy mixture and it’s ready to serve. So the next time you try a strange foreign brew... think on!

Inveralmond at GBBF 2010

2010-09-06T07:56:00.000-07:00

Fergus & Ken took the train to London to attend the Great British Beer Festival at Earl’s Court. Unfortunately, despite Ossian getting to the finals, there were no major prizes this year, but it was a good opportunity to meet up with customers from home and overseas and there is always next year! Just getting to the finals is a major feather in the cap for Ossian and one further step may mean glory! Fingers crossed for 2011!

The Inveralmond Brewery at The Edinburgh Festival 2010

2010-09-06T07:55:00.000-07:00

Although sometimes accused of being comedians no-one from the brewery has yet trod the boards as a thespian or stand up. Our drayman John can belt out a canny version of any Proclaimers track, but even he has stopped short of putting on a show at the Edinburgh Festival. Luckily, our beer has been starring in a few pubs in the centre of Edinburgh and Festival-goers have been able to quench their thirst on not only our classic collection, but also on a beer brand only made available at Festival time: Festival Frolics. This is a bit of fun for a few weeks of the year and is intended to give our customers that wee point of difference in their beer offer.

Santa’s Swallie available in bottle for the first time

2010-09-06T07:54:00.000-07:00

In the last edition of Brewhouse News we stated that we were considering bottling Santa’s Swallie. Well, we have stopped considering and started doing because the bottling is completed and the first orders, primarily for export, are in.

This is a new venture for us. In draught, Santa’s Swallie has grown in popularity every year we made it available. In bottle the initial reaction from customers has been good with orders being fulfilled for North America, Scandinavia and the rest of Europe. The take-up in the UK is going to be vital, so if you are interested please get in touch.

Christmas beers are growing in popularity in the UK. The word ‘yule' is derived from 'ale' as beer was used to celebrate the winter solstice throughout the years. Look out for the next Brewhouse News for a preview of the revamped draught pump clip.

‘House’ beer offers incremental sales to pubs and clubs

2010-09-06T07:53:00.001-07:00

Many of our customers ask about ‘house’ beer. What is it? How does it work? In a nutshell we create a ‘brand’ in conjunction with a pub or club from which a pump clip and other promotional material is created. We then supply beer in the normal way. The liquid supplied is generally a 4.2% ABV ale which has been brewed to appeal to as wide a beer drinking population as possible. This is made available in 9g, 18g and, where appropriate , 30l kegs. The latter format tends to appeal to sports’ clubs and the like and also those outlets whose staff are maybe not used to handling cask beer. House ale customers range from small pubs to major groups... so it must be something worth considering.

When in Rome do as the Romans do

2010-09-06T07:52:00.002-07:00

John Nolan, the capo of our Italian distributors is the proud father to newly born twins. Everyone at the brewery sends their warmest congratulations to John and his wife. He was also telling us that bottled Ossian is available on the pavement cafes looking out on the Coliseum in Rome. Ken is musing over this in his column, but it got us thinking of a competition: send in your photos of Ossian at significant landmarks around the world and we shall publish the best or most unusual ones in Brewhouse News. There will be a prize of a case of Ossian for the picture judged by Fergus to be the most unusual. Please e-mail/post in your entries by 31 December 2010. Ciao!

Swedish beer exhibition

2010-09-06T07:52:00.000-07:00

Ossian, Lia Fail, Blackfriar and (hopefully) Santa’s Swallie will feature at the Stockholm Beer Festival in early October this year, courtesy of our friends at Brewery International AB. First run in 1992, the Stockholm Beer Festival is now ranked as ‘the world’s largest and most important beverage festival of its kind!’. We are hoping to attend the show and are crossing our fingers for some medals this year.

SIBA: Local breweries committed to going green

2010-09-06T07:51:00.000-07:00

Small breweries up and down the country are committed to environmental responsibility, according to the SIBA Local Brewing Industry Report 2010. Top of the list was a desire to reduce the use of energy and water. Now how much of this is an ethical approach to production and how much is an attempt to reduce costs is a moot point, but there does seem to be a genuine groundswell of support for green issues in the small brewery sector.

This is followed through with a commitment, where possible, to sourcing local ingredients and a drive to streamlining logistics and transportation. Interestingly, and despite what is maybe a perceived consumer trend, organic ingredients did not form a major part of brewers’ plans going forward.

Ossian crowned golden champ!

2010-09-06T07:49:00.001-07:00

We are pleased and proud to announce that Ossian has been crowned Champion Golden Ale of Scotland 2010 by CAMRA at the 24th Aberdeen & North East Beer Festival in early June. The honour was collected personally by Fergus and Ken. To mark the occasion, a ‘top crown’ has been produced to augment the pump clip.

OFFICIAL: Beer is good for you.

2010-09-06T07:47:00.000-07:00

Thank the Lord and pass the (low calorie) biscuits….. beer, when drunk in moderation, can help you lose weight, cut alcohol consumption, and more generally, help supplement a healthy lifestyle. So says new research released by CAMRA following on from a groundbreaking report by the Beer Academy entitled 'Beer the Natural Choice?', and authored by Isla Whitcroft, a leading health journalist. Now you know.

Tying the knot down under

2010-09-06T07:46:00.000-07:00

Our colleague and chum Graeme Hirstwood has tied the knot with his wonderful wife Sarah. The loving couple got married at Soldier’s Point just north of Sydney on 24 August 2010. Ken and Fergus were at his stag ‘do’ in Edinburgh and lived to tell the tale. Everyone at the brewery wishes Graeme and Sarah every future happiness together.

Perthshire RFC charity run

2010-06-09T00:34:00.000-07:00

Our rugby sponsorship figured in a recent charity run undertaken by members of Perthshire RFC. Here is one of the boys proudly doing their bit!

Ossian strikes gold!

2010-06-07T05:08:00.000-07:00

Ossian has been voted Champion Golden Beer of Scotland 2010. Beating off stiff competition from the likes of Deuchar's IPA and Pentland IPA, Ossian will now go forward to Champion Beer of Britain in August 2011.

Seasonal changes

2010-06-01T07:00:00.000-07:00

Our seasonal range is about to undergo a transformation. Over the past few months we have thought long and hard about developing our range, and have listened to what our customers are saying about changing beer consumer needs. Everyone has said quality is paramount, followed by consistency and choice. We hope we have given you what you have asked for.

The launch of Inkie Pinkie in June will mark the launch of our new seasonal range which will consist of Duncan’s IPA (a 4.4% IPA available February to May inclusive), Inkie Pinkie (a 3.7% summer ale available May to September), Pundie (a 5.0% strong ale available October and November) and Santa’s Swallie (a 4.3% Christmas beer available in late November and December).

These four beers will make up our seasonal offer and will be launched with striking new pump clips designed by Flock in Edinburgh. Commenting on the changes, Fergus Clark said ‘we wanted to amend our offer to reflect the changing beer consumer. Despite some old favourites taking a rest for now, our seasonal range offers our customers and the beer drinker some truly great beers that complement our permanent range of Independence, Ossian, Thrappledouser, Lia Fail and Sunburst Pilsner’. We hope you agree with Fergus and will enjoy our new stable of seasonal beers.

Follow us at InveralmondBeer

2010-06-01T06:57:00.000-07:00

We have succumbed to entering the undiscovered country of Facebook and Twitter. Follow us if you get the chance. We can’t promise earth shattering news, but there might be a few nuggets worth logging in for.

http://twitter.com/InveralmondBeer

Heriot Watt University students choose Inveralmond beers

2010-06-01T06:53:00.001-07:00

The powers that be at Heriot Watt University Students’ Union have decided to make Inveralmond beers their cask ale of choice at the Riccarton Campus. As this is the home of one of the most highly regarded brewing courses in the world, it is an honour to be able to slake the thirst of those hard-working under– and post-graduates.

Crieff Round Table enjoy their visit and tour of our brewery

2010-06-01T06:52:00.002-07:00

It was a pleasure to welcome the Crieff Round Table to our brewery during April. They seemed to enjoy their tour, and the organiser (Richard) and his guests were very fulsome in their praise of the brewery and the beers. It was kind of them, and we hope to see them again next year. We are keen to invite groups to the brewery, so if you are interested then please get in touch.

SIBA: Local beer continues to buck the trend

2010-06-01T06:52:00.000-07:00

To kick start a regular slot for general beer market information and research we look at the continued growth of ‘local’ beer in the UK. In the Society of Independent Brewers’ (SIBA) Local Brewing Industry Report 2010, the authors claim that optimism across the local brewing industry remains very much in evidence despite the general economic gloom. The chart below demonstrates that, although the rate of growth has slowed, the market for local beer is continuing to buck the trend of the general beer market. And it is not just the off-trade that is growing. Unlike the ‘big beer brands’ which have seen a dramatic swing towards off-trade and particularly multiple grocers, local beer has continued to grow in the bed rock of the beer business, the on-trade.

Santa’s Swallie may be bottled

2010-06-01T06:51:00.000-07:00

Work is on-going on making Santa’s Swallie available in 500ml bottles in time for Christmas 2010. We get lots of requests, from home and abroad, to make our cask products available in bottle so we shall see what the reaction is to this venture. As mentioned, it is very much work in progress at the moment as we let our customers have a look at the label to ensure that it fulfils all the mandatory legal needs in several countries around the world, and also to find out whether they like it!

The Inveralmond Brewery announced as the main sponsor of The Scottish Real Ale Festival

2010-06-01T06:49:00.000-07:00

This year’s Scottish Real Ale Festival once again takes place in the Assembly Rooms in Edinburgh. Beginning on Thursday 24 June at noon and running through to 9pm on Saturday 26 June, the festival is a showcase of all that is good in Scottish brewing. This year we are proud to announce that The Inveralmond Brewery will be the main sponsor of the festival.

Apprentice brewers..... for a day at least

2010-06-01T06:48:00.000-07:00

Alan and Linda Campbell from Balerno in Edinburgh bought the chance to be a brewer for a day at our brewery. They were the highest bidders at Currie Rugby Club’s annual auction, and it was a pleasure to host them here at the brewery. Under the tutelage of Ken Duncan they were shown many of the crucial aspects of the brewer’s art, and also took part in many of the more mundane but equally important tasks like cask washing. There was a fair bit of quality control activity, and the day ended with the presentation of a certificate and commerative mini-cask, and an adjournment to a local pub for a pint. A job well done by Alan and Linda! They are seen here with Fergus in the brewery and at the presentation of their reward!

Charity beer festival at Crieff Rugby Club

2010-06-01T06:46:00.003-07:00

If you fancy a good day out and you happen to be in the Crieff area, make your way along to Braidhaugh on either Friday 11 June or Saturday 12 June for the Crieff Charity Beer Festival. Last year the organisers raised £6122 for local and national charities. With a quiz night, family fun day and lots of entertainment you can make a day of it. Oh, and beers from 9 breweries will help things go with a swing. Visit www.crieffbeerfestival.com for further details.

Perthshire tour support

2010-06-01T06:46:00.001-07:00

Perthshire RFC have organised an end of season tour to Spain and The Inveralmond Brewery is helping them on their way with some tour shirt sponsorship. The beer was also pouring at the clubs Sportsman’s Dinner and Golden Oldies tournament and hopes are high that there will be further co-operation in the future. Club President, Bob Falconer, said “it is good to be working with a local brewery. The 1st XV have had a long and reasonably successful season including losing narrowly to Melrose in the quarter final of the Scottish Cup. This tour gives them a chance to relax and enjoy themselves before beginning again in earnest at the end of the summer”.

Inveralmond Brewery celebrates becoming a teenager!

2010-06-01T06:45:00.000-07:00

On 14 May we celebrated becoming teenagers. It was thirteen years to the day that Fergus Clark started the first brew of The Inveralmond Brewery, and the then Lord Provost of Perth (John Culliven) conducted the official opening ceremony.

The Rebel Beer Festival, Holyrood 9A, Edinburgh

2010-05-13T07:12:00.000-07:00

Why not live a little and visit the Rebel Beer Festival at Holyrood 9A in Edinburgh. A beer festival within shouting distance of the Scottish Parliament... interesting opportunity.

Scottish Real Ale Festival 2010

2010-05-13T07:09:00.000-07:00

We are pleased to announce that The Inveralmond Brewery is the main sponsor of the Scottish Real Ale Festival in Edinburgh between 24th and 26th June. Come along to the Assembly Rooms and try some of the best beers Scotland has to offer!

Bandstand Beer Festival 2010

2010-03-15T03:38:00.000-07:00

Our beers will be featuring at the Bandstand Beer Festival in Nairn next weekend.

Last year's Beer Festival was attended by over 700 people, drawing visitors from all over the UK. This year the Festival (19 - 23 March) is going to be bigger and I expect it to attract even more people. I have attached a programme giving more information about the festival. This year we have live music, ale quiz, pool competition and opportunities to meet brewers.
This year, the Festival will also be raising funds for Cash for Kids Moray Firth Radio charity and will be widely publicised (incl. on Moray Firth Radio). We will be having a raffle, a stall selling branded products (T-shirts, glasses, bar runners, polypins etc.) all in aid of the charity.

Also, 10p from every pint of ale sold will go to the charity.

Discount accommodation is available for CAMRA members. More info on: http://www.braevalhotel.co.uk/.

Maybe you should think about going! It should be great fun.

Our new brewery is open

2010-03-01T02:46:00.000-08:00

The first brew has taken place at our new brewery. The culmination of months of hard graft, frustration and planning finally arrived in early February 2010 when Fergus and Ken set the mash tun going on a 30 bbl brew of Lia Fail. Commenting on the opening, Fergus said ‘it has been a long, hard road, but we are there. The opening of our new brewery signifies the beginning of a new chapter for The Inveralmond Brewery. That new chapter will bring new challenges, but I am sure we can go from strength to strength.’ The brewery provides three times more capacity and will help Inveralmond bring on new products to keep our customers’ needs fulfilled.

National Cask Ale Week 2010 celebration

2010-03-01T02:38:00.002-08:00

As we are sure many of you know, from March 29th – 5th April the nation’s pubs will raise a glass of real ale to toast everything brilliant about beer. People are encouraged to visit a brewery where their favourite brand is created, or go to a pub they haven’t tried before, or just try a beautiful glass of cask conditioned beer for the first time. We will be doing our wee bit to help the celebration go with a swing and hope that you can join in too. British beer in all its forms is certainly worth celebrating.

The people behind the beer: Jonathan White

2010-03-01T02:38:00.000-08:00

Johnny (as he is known in the brewery) is one of the newest members of the team having joined the brewery in 2008. He was born in Glasgow in 1976 and waited 15 years before having his first pint in 'some pub' in Tunbridge Wells. His favourite tipple is champagne and he is a Queen fan, especially Night at the Opera. Spending time with his partner Lynne and new-born son Alfie is important to Johnny. Lynne and Alfie were unavailable for comment at time of going to press. He would like to be a house husband and flounce around the house in marigolds and a flowery pinny listening to Freddie Mercury (have you seen the video to 'I want to break free'?) and Elvis, preparing tiger prawns and fillet steak for his family.

Gold star for our labelling

2010-03-01T02:36:00.000-08:00

You may have seen or read about the Government’s concern over drinks labelling. Only 15% of beer can and bottle labels had all of what it deems to be necessary information. We are pleased to report that our labels are within this 15%. The (currently) voluntary information required is: number of UK units; a responsibility message; the Drinkaware logo; responsible drinking guidelines; a pregnancy warning. These five elements have been on our labels since 2007.

It’s Swallie time again!

2009-11-30T03:00:00.000-08:00

After all the trials and tribulations of the last few months, our thoughts turn to the festive period and to the launch of Santa’s Swallie for 2009. The brewery has been rejoicing in the aromas of cinnamon and nutmeg for a few weeks now, and the Head Brewer is particularly chuffed with the yuletide brew this year.

A dark copper coloured Christmas ale, Santa’s Swallie is traditionally hopped with Fuggles and a hint of the spices mentioned above. Santa’s Swallie has proved a very firm favourite with our customers over the years and, as Christmas beers become popular again, we are proud to say that it is often specifically requested weeks in advance from beer drinkers throughout the UK. We hope you enjoy this year’s Santa’s Swallie. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any comments, questions or, indeed, photos of people enjoying our beer in your pub.

The Christmas Quiz 2009

2009-11-30T02:58:00.000-08:00

After the success of last year’s quiz, here are a few more questions to get the grey matter melting. As ever, there is a great prize for the first correct entry received back here at the brewery!

Q1 In what year did Bad Manners have a hit with Special Brew?

Q2 Which of these has NOT been converted into a pub by Wetherspoons (yet)?

a) Bed shop b) Post office c) Swimming baths d) Internet cafe

Q3 What is in a Dog’s Nose cocktail?

Q4 Which of these is a commercially available UK-brewed beer brand?

a) Kilt Sniffer b) Spank Dog c) Piddle in the Wind d) Fat Tire

Q5 What was the name of the pub in Steptoe & Son?

Q6 How much was a pint of beer in 1971?

Q7 Which beer had Works Wonders as its advertising slogan?

Q8 What is cenosillicaphobia?

Q9 Which country has the most beer brands?

Q10 To the nearest hundred, how many pubs (including hotels but excluding restaurants) are there in Scotland?

The answers will appear in the next issue of Brewhouse News, due out in February 2010. If you can’t wait until then, give us a call and we will let you have a sneak peak. This is quiz is just for fun, but our decision is final in any areas of dispute!

NEW BREWERY UPDATE: The new beginning is in sight

2009-11-30T02:55:00.000-08:00

The pace has certainly picked up at our new brewery. By the time you read this we should be ready for some test brewing and, all being well, an imminent move to the new site. The brewery itself is a sight to behold and is certainly achieving our objective of being a showpiece of brewing. We are hoping to start trade and consumer tours before too long, so look out for your invitation. We all hope you can make it along and see for yourselves the step change taking place at The Inveralmond Brewery Limited.

The essentials of good brewing #7: conditioning and racking (or packing)

2009-11-30T02:52:00.000-08:00

Last time round we looked at fermentation. Once fermented, the 'green' beer is poured off into a conditioning vessel ('CV') where it matures and there is further settling of yeast. Before a beer leaves the brewery it must be conditioned. The conditioning process differs according to how the beer is to leave the brewery.

For cask conditioned beers (real or cask ales), the beer can go directly into the cask, barrel or bottle. More hops may be added to the cask (dry hopping) for extra aroma. Finings (traditionally made from the swim bladders of certain fish) are added which bind the materials responsible for haze and sink to the bottom, clarifying the beer.

The yeast in the beer is still active, and the beer will undergo a secondary fermentation in the cask, normally in the cellar of a pub. Cask conditioned beer is a delicate product and, just like the beer undergoing fermentation in the brewery, it is vulnerable to attack from all kinds of contamination by wild yeasts and other micro-biological organisms.

Other beers are brought to condition in the brewery, some are fined and filtered and some are pasteurised to guard against deterioration from microbes. Sometimes known as 'bright beer', they reach the consumer in kegs, bottles or cans. For lagers there is a longer period of conditioning in the brewery at low temperature. The word lager comes from the German word lagern - to store at a cold temperature.

The people behind the beer: Malcolm Scrivens

2009-11-30T02:50:00.000-08:00

Malcolm (or Malc as he is sometimes known) joined Inveralmond in 2005 and is our resident time-served chef. Born in Cheltenham in the last century, his tastes are wide ranging as his choice of fantasy dinner guests shows: the world of fast motorbikes (Barry Sheene), complemented by songstress Barbara Streisland and native American hero Sitting Bull. Who wouldn't want to be a fly on the wall during that meal? The guests would dig into Malc’s favourite meal of scallops, steak au poivre and apple pie. The Far East is a big influence on Malc's hobbies: showing bonsai trees and playing ping pong. Not at the same time though. Malc lives in Scone with his wife Jan. It may be hard to believe when looking at this picture, but they have recently become doting grandparents.

Lia Fail available at The Gleneagles Hotel

2009-11-30T02:49:00.000-08:00

We are proud to announce that the world famous Gleneagles Hotel has been pouring Lia Fail to golfing guests over the past few weeks. We view this as a feather in our cap and places our beer alongside some of the finest food and drink available in the world. Every tap that pours any of our beer is very important to us. From small village pubs to some of the grandest hotels in the world, everyone is bringing the fruits of our labour to discerning beer drinkers. For that we are very, very grateful.

Why Thrappledouser?

2009-09-17T07:25:00.000-07:00

Ever wondered where we got the name Thrappledouser from? It was very simple really. We took the Scots’ word for throat and wove it with a term for slaking or dousing your thirst. I suppose a straight translation into English would be thirst quencher.

Most people in Scotland use the Scots’ language every day of our lives, often subconsciously. It is a wonderfully descriptive language. Scholars would probably call it very onomatopoetic. In other words, Scots’ words sound like the terms or actions they are describing: think of driech, drookit, stramash, stooshie, etc. Words for wet weather and fighting seem to be popular for some reason!

However, it is our poets who really bring the Scots’ language to life, as this extract from ‘Daft Days’ by Ayrshire poet Hew Ainslie (1792 – 1878). Hew emigrated to America in 1822 and became a partner in a Cincinnati brewery.

The midnight hour is clinking, lads,
An' the douce an' the decent are winking, lads;
Sae I tell ye again,
Be't weel or ill ta'en,
It's time ye were quatting your drinking, lads.

Gae ben, 'an mind your gauntry, Kate,
Gi'es mair o' your beer, an' less bantry, Kate,
For we vow, whaur we sit,
That afore we shall flit,
We'se be better acquaint wi' your pantry, Kate.
The "daft days" are but beginning, Kate.

Enterprise Minister visits the brewery

2009-09-17T07:24:00.001-07:00

On 31 July, our brewery was honoured by a visit from Jim Mather MSP, Minister for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism. After lunch in Perth with various other local businesses, Mr Mather came to look over our new brewery and enjoy a beer tasting with Fergus. The Minister was impressed both by the beer and by the progress the brewery has made since it was founded over 12 years ago

FRUSTRATING WAIT FOR POWER

2009-09-17T07:22:00.001-07:00

Well, we have started to put the new brewhouse in place in our new brewery but are being frustrated by the work required to supply electricity to the site. A new sub-station is required and, at time of writing, we have no indication of when this will be made available to us. It is a case of waiting until Scottish & Southern get round to it. Meanwhile, we shall keep pour existing site operating to ensure unfaltering supply of beer to our customers.

Perth 800: a new beer to help with the celebrations

2009-09-17T07:17:00.001-07:00

Next year Perth will be have a year-long celebration of the 800th anniversary of the granting of a Royal Burgh Charter by King William the Lion in 1210. An exciting and ambitious programme on the theme of heritage, sport, arts and culture will see more than one event a week taking place in Perthshire throughout 2010. As part of this programme we were asked to produce a commerative beer that would be made available in draught to pubs, clubs, restaurants and hotels throughout the county and beyond. The beer will be launched to the trade during October.

Cask ales ‘to return to growth in 2010’

2009-09-17T07:16:00.000-07:00

In a report which may seem counter-intuitive to some of you, market researchers Nielsen have stated that cask beers continue to outperform the market and should return to ‘real’ growth in 2010 or 2011.
The report concluded that cask beer sales were down 3.3% last year, compared to overall beer sales declining by 9.5%. Cask now accounts for 13.5% of all draught beer sales, and over a third of all draught ale sales. It is interesting to note that 2 in 5 of all pubs in the UK now stock cask beer.
What are the reasons behind these trends? Well, the report puts it down to an increasing appetite for cask beers and guest ale schemes making cask beers more available. Not rocket science then. It is interesting to note that no mention is made of the quality, variety and choice of cask beers being brewed up and down the country!

The people behind the beer

2009-09-17T07:04:00.000-07:00

JOHN MACDUFF, DRAYMAN

John was born in Dunblane at the start of the swinging 60’s, although he doesn’t lay claim to starting the swing.
His formative years (24 of them) were spent in the army. On leaving the army he had a couple of ’fillers’ before being headhunted by Inveralmond in August 2005 because of his excellent work ethic, intelligence, youthful good looks and legendary modesty. The polygraph test was the only bit of the psychometric screening that he failed for some reason.

What is your favourite weekend pastime?
If I am not at McDiarmid Park watching St Johnstone giving some poor unfortunates a football lesson I enjoy going out and about in my campervan and tramping the hills and woods with my dog, Harry. I also do a bit of gardening/DIY under strict supervision of my wife, Jan.

Which record, book and film would you take to a desert island?
You can’t beat a bit of The Proclaimers at full blast. My favourite at the moment is Life with you. I’ll probably [Ed: definitely] lose a bit of street-cred but I really enjoyed Grease, however if I was on a desert island I would want a good laugh so would probably go with Life of Brian. I can’t read a book twice bit I like Stephen King and Dean Kootz. Any sort of mystery/thriller would be OK though.

Which famous people (alive or dead) would you like to cook dinner for?
The Burmese pro-democracy leader Suu Kyi, Willie Ormond and Stephen Fry.

What would you eat and drink?
We would have a mixed grill and sticky toffee pudding. I’m not a wine buff so it would have to be a Sunburst to wash it down.

What would you do if you didn’t brew beer?
I would be traveling the country roads in my campervan annoying other draymen out trying to get their deliveries done in time.

Do you remember your first pint?
A pint of lager, but I have no idea which or how much. I was just grateful I wasn’t being thrown out for being underage!

Did you know?

2009-09-17T06:53:00.000-07:00

In their efforts to regulate beer quality, the ancient Babylonians, who were among history's earliest brewers, decreed that any commercial brewer who sold unfit beer would be drowned in his/her own libation! Mmmm.

Ales of the Raj

2009-09-17T06:49:00.000-07:00

We call this beer Export Pale Ale, but we don’t actually export it. The term ‘export’ comes from the historical fact that these beers were brewed at a higher strength so they could survive a trip by sea. Long ocean voyages, especially in hot climates, often resulted in flat, sour beer… and the soldiers and sailors would miss a ready source of vitamin B that beer provided. Historically this was to our troops in the ‘empire’ so you often see the term ‘India Pale Ale’ replacing Export Pale Ale. Indeed, one of the most famous ‘Export’ beers, McEwan’s, is still a firm favourite of our troops stationed throughout the world.. Our EPA is a strong, traditional pale ale packed with body and striking hop notes (and lots and lots of vitamin B allegedly).

Rocking with Runrig at Scone Palace

2009-09-17T06:47:00.000-07:00

VIP guests were able to enjoy Ossian and Lia Fail at the recent Runrig concert at Scone Palace. The concert, part of Homecoming Scotland 2009, was attended by almost 15,000 fans many of whom camped in the Palace grounds. Our beers were available in the VIP marquee, which also featured a Whiskies of Scotland event. People, including the First Minster, Alex Salmond, and members of the band, were invited to try Ossian or Lia Fail, and then savour the beer long into the Perthshire summer evening.

New Brewery Dray

2009-08-07T05:59:00.000-07:00

Our good friend, Paddy Buckley-Jones, let me take a snap of Fiona, our Heriot-Watt summer student, in his fabulous RS sportster. The pic doesn't show it but there is a polypin of Ossian and a polypin of Thrappledouser by the front seat.
What a great dray!

Captain makes a sensible choice of beer

2009-06-17T21:57:00.000-07:00

Ossian can count Captain Sensible amongst its growing legion of fans. The former lead singer of The Damned (and founder member of the Blah! political party) is a regular drinker of our best selling bottled beer. Best known for tracks such as Happy Talk and various TV work, Captain Sensible is never far from a bottle of Ossian as our somewhat grainy photo from a local gig shows.