New Scottish brewery – Eden at St Andrews
As we said last week (and the week before) Scotland is very much the place to be for new brewery openings. The market is flourishing as we move towards the second half of 2012 – proof that there are many thirsty people out there, keen to buy local beer. The latest arrival on the scene is the Eden Brewery at St Andrews, riding the wave of new ales surging into Fife (by my reckoning, there are now six breweries there, either producing or in the planning stages). This week, I met with the man behind Eden, ex-MolsonCoors man Paul Miller.
Undoubtedly one of the most enthusiastic beer people I’ve ever met, Paul could barely keep still as he ran through his ethos and the finer points of his operation. “I’m pretty much kicking every ball at the moment,” he told me, clearly revelling in the freedom he now has, following thirty years working in the corporate arm of the industry. “I was in the Greyfriars the other day and heard someone recommending an Eden beer to a tourist, as it was locally made – I could have kissed him!!!” he enthused.
For the moment though, that helpful St Andrews barhound wasn’t strictly correct – Eden are contract brewing at Williams Bros in Alloa until their own plant is fully functional. With Bob Phaff of the similarly new St Andrews Brewing Company currently working from a facility in Glenrothes, there’s a creeping, Risk-like game of encroachment as they both work towards their goal of operating in the golf-crazy University town. Paul’s fledgling site is actually owned by the University – the old Seggie Brewery at Guardbridge, on the River Eden.
Come the end of July, and Eden hope to have everything on site, including bottling. To begin with, their first two releases will be bottled and casked – but other dispense methods are in the pipeline, as are several interesting projects that would take them in another direction. Two more beers are planned for August, giving them a four-strong core lineup. One of Paul’s main interests is converting people into locally made, craft beer – as such, their initial releases are self-proclaimed ‘entry-level’ beers.
This is an interesting strategy – and one that is closely linked to the decision to run with clear glass bottles. Feedback from pre-launch focus groups – one thing immediately noticeable about Paul is that he does his homework – was that potential customers would rather see the colour of the beer on the bar/shelf to get an idea of what it might be like. I’ve heard this before, and can’t refute it. The gamble is that if the beers do become light-struck, will that craft-curious person go back for a second bottle?
I doubt very much if he shares the view of the Greene King rep who stated that even if prospective punters did get a beer that had been affected, they wouldn’t be unduly bothered. Eden produced two trial versions of their bottled beers, in clear and darker glass – but it was the see-though that the people went for. I get the impression that if things do become an issue, it won’t be long before the alternative is re-considered. Anyway – Paul was kind enough to drop off samples of the two launch beers, so what are they like?
First up, the 19th Brew – designed primarily to be a balanced, sessionable IPA for drinkers looking for an alternative to lager. Even just glancing at it reinforces that impression – pale, flat, straw yellow in colour, it looks like a session golden ale. Following a faint, grassy aroma the predominant flavour is a lemony bitterness. Although the finish is reasonably dry, unfortunately it’s just not challenging. The branding might encourage people to move away from the big macros, but will the beer keep them interested? I just don’t know.
The other beer from Eden is Clock Brew – a 4.3% Scottish red ale. Thankfully, this is better – deep ruby brown with a faint wispy head, the aroma has that same tinge of grassy, hay-like biscuity malt. The flavours are more pronounced – there is a slightly bitter peppery edge to it, as promised, and the finish is quite bready – like eating a dark crust from a loaf. The balance of these flavours is just about right, with maybe a touch more carbonation helping even more, giving that lift to the different components.
I’d be interested to try these again on cask, to see how they fare from a different method of dispense. Both current Eden beers have been designed to build the brand into a certain sector – encouraging more people into decent, local beer. As the brewery in Guardbridge comes online next month and the rest of the lineup is introduced, I’m sure the interest will only build further. I’m also certain that Paul’s natural enthusiasm will pull Eden in the right direction. Keep an eye out for their beers across the Kingdom over the next few weeks.
