The Arran Brewery has released a limited edition can of 'ab' the craft version of its ale, Arran Blonde. The venture into canning is following the recent trend of craft producers offering their brews in cans rather than the more traditional glass bottles.
The cans are 330ml and are out of keeping with the traditional branding of the Arran Brewery which tends to reflect the Island of Arran, nature and emphasises the location and quality of ingredients.
Managing director Gerald Michaluk says: “ We have to keep up with the market, we brew some of the best beers in the country, in fact the World, and have the awards to prove it. However, our traditional ales take time to be discovered by the craft beer fraternity that tends to be younger then our traditional market of responsible ale drinkers.
While I have always considered our beer 'craft beer' and we are, indeed, certified as an Independent Craft Beer Producer by SIBA, the industries largest trade body, our beer are often overlooked by the new craft beer enthusiast. The market of responsible craft drinkers, are often drawn to canned products and bright livery of the US craft brewers and of course the crafty imitations coming out of the international breweries pretending to be craft beer. So we hope to accelerate the Craft consumers discovery of Arran Beers by offering our beers in cans”.
The Arran Brewery has concluded a distribution arrangement with a major brewer that will allow Arran Beers to be made available to all supermarket, wholesale and pubco customers throughout the UK.
Veronica Michaluk the company's logistics director says: “For some time we have been trying to extend our distribution out with Scotland and have organised raiding parties south of the border to drop beer direct to customers and this effort has built a small following for our beer that is now paying off and I am now pleased to say that we will shortly be able to deliver our full range of beers in cask, keg, bottle and of course can to anywhere in the UK”.
The Arran brewery produces 12 brands of beer ranging from its Arran Blonde to Arran Milestone Special Reserve, a whisky cask matured ale.
16 May 2017 - Sam Coyne The Drinks Report, news editor