Press

Capital debut for new beer
SLTN - 7th July 2005

THE flagship ale from a new Edinburgh brewer launched in memorable style when it took the top award at a beer festival in the capital last week.
The Edinburgh Brewing Com¬pany's debut launch, Edinburgh Pale Ale, scooped the People's Choice (Beer of the Festival) award at CAMRA'S annual Scottish Traditional Beer Festival in Edinburgh. The ale, created by Russell Sharp, a former man¬aging director of Caledonian Brewery, and Alastair Mowat of Broughton Ales, was voted the overwhelming festival favour¬ite by thousands of beer lovers who flocked to the Assembly Rooms on George Street for the three-day event. It will soon be seen in hundreds of outlets across Scotland after the brewer signed a deal with Belhaven to brew, sell and distribute EPA.

"Alastair and I and the en¬tire Belhaven product team are delighted with the award and want to thank everyone for their support," said Russell Sharp, co-founder of the Edin¬burgh Brewing Company. "EPA is a unique reflection of the beer style that made Edinburgh a brewing capital.

"Its stunning contemporary flavour epitomises the very best of small batch brewing, where quality and flavour are never compromised.

"We are at present working to make sure that EPA will be available as soon as possible via Belhaven distribution to both managed and free trade outlets, with a tranche of pubs here in Edinburgh set to receive their first deliveries shortly."

CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale and the organisation that represents the traditional beer sector, presented over 160 ales from almost 40 Scottish breweries at this year's event.

Alastair Mowat added: "You can't really ask for more than this in terms of a launch: intro¬ducing a new product into an extremely competitive mar¬ket and winning the People's Choice and Beer of the Festival Award.

"EPA is an innovative real ale with a sunshine amber colour, a mellow luscious flavour and an intriguing tangy crispness. It is a classic style that delivers strength through flavour and we're delighted to be working with Belhaven to deliver this delicious new product through¬out Scotland and the UK."

Previous article | Back to Press | Next article