Newbarns co-founder Emma McIntosh looks on at tanks at the new brewery
As launches go, Newbarns Brewery’s entrance into the world isn’t quite as its founders intended. Thanks to brewing industry friends, though, the new venture is off the ground.
Founding partner, Emma McIntosh, said: “We were a week or so away from being able to brew our first batch of beer at our brand new site in Leith before Covid-19 came along. The final installation of our brewery — to increase our gas supply into the building to power the steam generator — was due to begin on April 1.
“The gas network are now only dealing with emergency works, and we have been put on hold until things go back to normal, whenever that happens…”
For now, production relies on spare capacity at friends’ breweries. Fortunately, Emma and partner Gordon McKenzie, have experience at London’s The Kernel Brewery, and they’re being helped by Jonny Hamilton and Freddie Bjerkseth, formerly of Beavertown Brewery. They have plenty of brewing friends!
Emma added: “If you want to try our first batches, our beers will be available to pre-order for a limited time at our webshop. As soon as we package the first batch of each beer, they’ll be on their way to you immediately.
“By pre-ordering, you’ll be helping us and our fledgeling business immensely, and as a little thanks, we have some fun rewards we’ll be including with these orders. These include one-off T-shirt designs, invitations to special events, and gift cards which can be used on future purchases.”
The webshop is open and can be accessed here.
Gordon and Emma fell into brewing after relocating to London in 2012, with Gordon spending two years at Berkshire’s Siren Brewery before moving on to The Kernel, where Emma was already based.
They met Jonny and Freddie through a mutual love of beer and pubs. The pair bring considerable experience to the Newbarns team, with Freddie working as a sales account manager, and Jonny heading up Beavertown’s Tempus barrel-ageing project.
“The pub is at the centre of our ethos at Newbarns,” said Emma. “Our focus is on producing delicious, sessionable beers, to be enjoyed with friends and family in the comfortable and familiar surroundings only a good pub can provide.”
On the beers, she added: “From day one, we decided we wanted our beers to look and taste like beer. We’re inspired by classic styles, such as clean, crisp Munich lagers and the vibrant, hop-forward pale ales we made for many years at The Kernel.”
Branding and labels were inspired by rummaging through an old box of beer mats Emma’s Dad came across in an auction, which dated from the 1980s back to the 1940s. “We want our beers to be as approachable as they are delicious, and their design reflects this.”
