Nestled in the enchanting Aberdeenshire village of Braemar lies its first nano brewery which has been slowly brewing away throughout the pandemic.
Launched by craft beer enthusiast Dave Evans, who described himself as having “his head in a fermenting tank” when he picked up the phone to me, the one-man band brewery is slowly but surely making a name for itself.
The 53-year-old’s background in engineering and hospitality sparked the idea after looking to reinvent the space he and his wife Ros ran as a successful cafe called Taste for 17 years.
He said: “In 2002 we came back to Scotland from Switzerland and started looking for business opportunities. We found a building in Braemar and turned it into a coffee shop called Taste in 2003. We ran it for 17 years and decided we’d diversify.
“I’ve been home brewing with some friends since 2015. We’d all joked about giving up our jobs and making a living of brewing beer. Suddenly for me it became a reality!
“Ros and her business partner Mathilde Lacouriere launched Hazelnut Patisserie in one side of the premises and I have my brewery in the other.”
The vision: Braemar Brewing Co
Having had the kit for the brewery for two years, it was only in May last year that Dave decided to launch his one-man band business and further immerse himself in his passion for brewing.
“Things have been slowed down by the pandemic but I’ve brewed twice this week because I ran out of stock so that is a good sign,” he said.
“Bottling is quite a time consuming process so I’ve had some friends and family lend a hand then. I’m hoping to get to a point where production is continuous and I can get someone in to help with that.
“My beer is bottle and cask conditioned so it is more like traditional real ale. It is small scale and still very much craft beer though.”
Dave has a portfolio of five beers, all of which are focused around the different seasons. As a result of his already growing firm, he has projected that he will brew 150 hectare litres, which is around 15,000 litres, in 2022.
He added: “It is more nano than micro brewery. I have four fermenters but I’ve only used two at a time.
“Every time I brew I end up with 260 litres, roughly 500 pints of brew. I have a growing range of beers from pale ales to stout, and I brewed a traditional Scottish export ale – 80 Shilling – which has been going down well. I had one in autumn that used local rowan berries.
“I try to source my ingredients as local and as environmentally responsible as possible. I use mainly Scottish malt from a family-run farm in Fife and I only use British hops.”
Where is it available?
With a big focus on local, Dave says most of the product is served up in Braemar, however he is keen to expand his distribution so that more people in the north-east and further afield can get their hands on it.
He added: “In Braemar it is available on draft in the Invercauld Mews Bar and there’s bottles for sale in Farquharson’s. It is in the Balmoral Bar in Ballater.
“I sell direct from the brewery and the Deeside Deli have some, as does McLean of Braemar. I’ve had enquiries from other places, too, so hopefully it will be in more bars and restaurants.
“I’ve delivered locally, but I’m keen to get operating online in the future.”
What’s next? Brewery tours
Having only offered a handful of tours to the public at the tail end of last year at the premises at Airlie House in Auchendryne Square, brewery tours will be a big focus for 2022.
“It isn’t quite a tap room, but I want to offer events like beer tastings and I’ve got myself a draft system in so I can fill containers like growlers. People can come along and get some fresh beer and pick up bottles, too,” said Dave.
“The brewery tours will be at least an hour. They are quite informal and I go through the process and provide samples of the beers available to try.
“I can provide my beer for events around the village and weddings as well.”
