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Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Grattis, Brewdog.


Although recently it's seemed that its in every beer blogger's job description to include at least one article about BrewDog, it was with genuine pleasure that I read that BrewDog have had a very successful first half of the year - and have just wrapped up a deal to become Britain's #1 imported beer brand in Sweden.
So what - it's Sweden! you may snort into your freshly poured 77 - but, despite proving that the Swedes clearly have decent taste - for me, this news sets the bar a little for what Independent Brewers can achieve.
Not only have BD managed to get the financials spot on and become a very sound business (a side often overlooked in Brewing), they've done it by not being safe. This, let's not forget, is why we (generally) love them in the first place. Remember your first sip of Trashy Blonde and Punk IPA? That search to land a bottle of Tokyo and the simple genius of the Paradox series? The whole Zeitgeist-art-gallery-orgy -then-buying-crates-of-the-stuff-for-knockdown-prices thing? It was as if the US 'Spirit of Adventure TM' had drifted off course and ended up in Fraserburgh. And don't even mention the Portman Group debacle (and the priceless marketing that achieved). Hunter S Thompson would be proud.
Yep, what lifts my glass is that BD have managed great growth but stayed true to what they do best. Imagine if thier next beer was 'BrewDog Bitter', a lank, trad, been done a thousand times beer. Unthinkable. Yet it happens all the time; other breweries roll out a thousand variations on one theme. Not BD - whack on top of this the fact that you've got green credentials in plans for a new eco-friendly brewhouse, and BD fast become a real success story with a good heart, too. Awww.
So, here's to it, lads. Congrats, or rather, Grattis. Just don't change, eh?

7 comments:

Unknown said...

I'd be happy for Brewdog to produce a high-quality, middle-of-the-road, mass-market appeal bitter. On one condition - it's keg. Put quality product out there and capture a market that other brewers don't seem to be concerned about. Something to bankroll future innovations in the mould of Zephyr and Atlantic IPA. There's a real ker-ching.

maltjerry said...

Very well said! This is a sophisticated market both for whisky and craft beer. There's more US craft beer than you would normally see in the UK and lightening fast sales of stuff like Fullers Brewer's Reserve.

Brilliant of BD to aim for the discerning palletes of Swedish beer drinkers.

For variety of style, if you can't make it to the GABF, come to Stockholm Beer and Whisky festival in September.

Daniel - schnille.se said...

Most of us Swedes do love our BrewDog brews.

Good to see that we will be getting Zeitgeist and 77 Lager also, been looking forward to trying some new stuff from BD.

Also a funny detail, that Sweden will in fact be a bigger market than the UK and the US. (27% vs 25% vs 23% of production).

Skål och grattis! (Cheers and congrats)

Daniel
a Swedish beer blogger

Leigh said...

Cheers guys!

Bionic Laura said...

Nice post, it's true BrewDog do well by aiming for that market of beer drinkers. I wish we could get more of their beers in Ireland

Ale Louse said...

Rumour doing the rounds in Hudders Leigh is that Ian at the Grove (Spring Grove, Huddersfield) is about to launch a dedicated BrewDog pump! This will apparently replace the current College Grove Stout. Rotating BD ales will (so I've heard) kick off with Trashy Blonde later this week! If this is true (and don't forget the Grove already has perm Jaipur) then our title of 'Best Ale Town in the Universe' is cemented for ever and a day! We will doubtless being blogging this big style if it's right so watch this space!

Leigh said...

Will - sounds great - BD is a bit of a rarity on draught in Leeds. Looks like I'll be popping over - let me know when you make it over.