…but watch out for the seagulls!
Obtaining cask beer around Loch Lomond has always been a challenge, so it was great news when Loch Lomond brewery opened in 2011. A visit back in 2016, and an interview with ex-police woman and brewery founder, Fiona, gave an insight into the difficulties in running a brewery in such an environment (see London Drinker Aug/Sept 2016). It now seemed a good time to do an update and find out what has been happening.
The main change has been a move just a few miles from Alexandria to an industrial estate about ten minutes’ walk from Renton station or a 40 minute walk from Balloch, alongside the River Leven. Fiona explained the reason for the move, “We were running out of capacity and so we did a Crowdfunder in 2018. We then realised that there wasn’t enough space where we were to put in the new equipment. The problem was that our site consisted of a number of separate rooms which made it really difficult to get the kit in. We moved in 2019 to what was an old Westclox clock factory. The company still exists in the USA and was well known for designing clocks for NASA. The move enabled us to upgrade from a ten barrel brew length to 32 hectolitres and increase the number of fermenters to 19. Four of these are open fermenters which are used only for cask.” 32 hectolitres is approximately 27 barrels.
The change has also enabled Loch Lomond to have a tap room, something that proved impossible at their last building. Fiona said, “There are about 1,000 people living around here but there is no pub. We’d like to offer food but I am not keen on employing a chef. There is a café/deli opposite but they are busier in winter and close on summer evenings. Summer is when we are most busy due to tourists. We have thought about doing something with a food trailer in due course but we’d need a licence. A better bet maybe to do something with someone like Just Eat.” The Tap Room numbers are currently restricted to 70 people because there are only two ladies’ toilets. However, Fiona explained, ”If we bring in another toilet we can increase our numbers to 200! We also have plenty of space outside for seating but in spring the seagulls are a problem. They are nesting and can become aggressive.”
The other noticeable change was the wide variety of Loch Lomond keg beers on sale in the tap room. On our visit the two handpumps were unused. “In winter, we only open Friday and Saturdays (2pm to 10pm) and we can’t turn over enough cask. From June, we’ll open Thursday to Sunday so will be able to have cask back again.”
In 2019, Loch Lomond stopped doing bottles and installed a canning line. “This was good timing,” said Fiona. “We already had contracts with a supermarket and the online beer company, Flavourly. They kept us going during the pandemic. But Covid has had another impact; although our cask sales have gone mental in places like Edinburgh and Argyll, pubs around here are terrified of putting cask back in again. They had to pour a lot of beer away and we suffered by some of them not paying for the beer they did sell.”
Another observation that impacts on cask is the quality of cellars in some of the local pubs. “A lot of their cellars are out the back of the bar and are small. Edinburgh has much better cellars.”
But these days it’s not just about beer for Loch Lomond. They now have their own gin! Fiona explained, “We are only one of three gin distilleries in Scotland. It’s called Dalrich, which means land of the king. This area used to be Robert the Bruce’s hunting grounds.” They have three gin varieties: London, Navy and Pink. This is unlikely to be the end of the spirit range however; vodka is planned, then rum and, in due course, whisky – what else?
Whatever happens, it can be certain that this independent brewery, which now employs 12 people, will be up for the challenge, creatively of course!
If you are going to the Great British Beer Festival, look out for their beers, including Silkie, an oatmeal stout (5% ABV), which was Champion Beer of Scotland in 2017 and bronze winner in 2021.
Christine Cryne