Eight independent brewers have joined forces to create The Brewers’ Association of Scotland (TBAS), to support, promote and safeguard the future of the industry.
At the inaugural event this week at the Scottish Parliament, TBAS set out its aims and objectives and launched an industry-wide consultation to capture the size of the sector today and its growth objectives over the coming ten years.
TBAS will then set out a route map for the whole sector and hopes to work closely with the Scottish Government and its agencies in its delivery.
TBAS chairman and founder, Innis & Gunn chief executive Dougal Sharp, said: “The founder members of TBAS are delighted to have reached this point. The Scottish beer industry is thriving and opportunities abound within Scotland and Internationally.
“It is important to our sector, now more than ever, that we have an effective industry body to help us to achieve our individual business aspirations. Until now the industry has had no governing body in Scotland, whereas in other countries where there are similar associations the benefits of such a body are clear.
“More choice, greater levels of consumer awareness and understanding, high quality, higher growth and levels of business, all underpinned by targeted support from local governmental agencies.”
TBAS will deliver a group identity and quality standard for craft brewers across Scotland: artisanal brewers that are predominately Scottish owned and brew less than 200,000 hectolitres per annum in Scotland or within their group of companies. The key objectives of the association are founded on seven fundamental principles: quality, promotion, market development, representation, accreditation, innovation and common interest grouping.
The founding member breweries are: Cairngorm Brewery (Aviemore), Fyne Ales (Argyll), Harviestoun (Alva, Clackmannanshire), Innis & Gunn (Edinburgh), Inveralmond Brewery (Stirling), Stewart Brewing (Edinburgh), WEST (Glasgow) and Williams Bros (Alloa).
In the halcyon days of Scottish brewing, there were 280 commercial breweries operating. In the century that followed the number rapidly declined to 36 and the downturn continued well into the late 20th century.
Now, thanks to the emergence of the craft beer scene, led by the movement in the USA — now some 8% of the overall category by value (Craft Brewers’ Association), the industry is enjoying a comeback and Scotland is falling back in love again with ‘gude ale’, as Burns (pictured) would have it.
He wrote, in O Gude Ale Comes:
O gude ale comes and gude ale goes,
Gude ale gars me sell my hose,
Sell my hose, and pawn my shoon,
Gude ale keeps my heart aboon.
I had sax owsen in a pleugh,
They drew a’ weel eneugh,
I sald them a’, ane by ane,
Gude ale keeps my heart aboon.
Gude ale hauds me bare and busy,
Gars me moop wi’ the servant hizzie,
Stand i’ the stool when I hae done,
Gude ale keeps my heart aboon.
O gude ale comes and gude ale goes,
Gude ale gars me sell my hose,
Sell my hose, and pawn my shoon,
Gude ale keeps my heart aboon.
It is estimated there are now between 80 and 90 independent breweries in Scotland, and the overall sector in the UK off-trade is worth £41.3m, growing at 13.2% year on year.
The TBAS founder breweries employ 246 staff in Scotland between them, with a combined turnover of more than £30m. The project is being facilitated by the Market Driven Supply Chain Project — jointly funded by the Scottish Government and Scottish Enterprise, and delivered by SAOS, with additional support from the Community Food Fund.
Richard Lochhead, cabinet secretary for rural affairs, food and the environment, said: “Craft beer is becoming increasingly popular both at home and abroad, and it is great to see Scottish artisan beer in such high demand. In fact, such is the pace of manufacturing growth that more than 60% of brewers in Scotland have been in operation for less than ten years.
“We now have more than 80 companies making beer — some to accommodate local markets and others seeking to be national and international trailblazers.
“It is important that, as the sector expands, those working in this business understand how they can capitalise through collaboration, to make the step changes to create strong, diverse businesses with national and global ambitions. I believe TBAS can make a strong contribution in this regard and I wish them every success. I’m delighted to be speaking to the founders at the Scottish Parliament tonight, during Scotland’s Year of Food and Drink, and look forward to seeing the outcome of their consultation.”
