While Moray has been historically associated with the Whisky industry it has been phenomenal growth of brewing in the region that is fast catching national and international attention.
Such is that growth for one fledgling company it has been forced into new premises for the second time in a year – with Brewmeister having grown to employ 13 people just two years after it was founded by former Keith Grammar pupils Lewis Shand and John McKenzie.
Brewmeister started life on a farm steading on Royal Deeside in 2012 but such has been the demand for their beers since moving production to their native Keith another move to premises three times the size has been deemed essential.
“Expanding to larger premises allows us to significantly increase our production and will enable us to grow as a business,” Lewis Shand said of the move to Isla Bank Mills, adding: “The new brewery is also key to our future plans of creating a retail outlet to sell our beers direct to customers – and also educate them through tours of the site.”
As well as supplying a growing domestic market throughout the north east Brewmeister has been exporting to Sweden, Denmark, France and Asia while talks are now taking place with United States distributors.
The company launched with what was the world’s strongest beer, Armageddon – but that has now itself been upstaged by the even stronger ‘Snake Venom’ at 67.5% alcohol by volume.