BOOZER CRUISE
Couple open business in remote spot
A COUPLE have turned a chapel into a brewery – which can only be reached by boat.
Matthew and Samantha Humphrey set up the business in Inverie – a village with a population of 100 on the Knoydart peninsula.
The settlement can only be reached by a seven-mile ferry ride from Mallaig, or a 17-mile hike over the surrounding mountains.
The couple, who have three kids, bought St Agatha’s chapel and manse 16 years ago but did not settle in the area until 2015.
Matthew said: “The chapel was a wreck but we thought it would be a great location for a brewery. When I finished working in 2015 we sort of decided we both wanted to do it.
“Having lived in America, I realised the craft beer scene there is extraordinary.
“I naively thought at first it was all about Miller and Bud but there’s a massive craft beer scene that really opened my eyes.”
The couple, both 52, bought a 60-litre fermenter and have since invested in an 820-litre brewing kit. So far, the local shop and community centre have been their main customers but they hope to expand this year.
Ex-IT worker Matthew said: “One of the things that kills small breweries is the boom in production and the demand that outstrips it.
“Our business plan is achievable in the premises we’ve got as we want to keep it as local as possible.
“We will look to supply places in Mallaig, Arisaig and beyond like Fort William.
“The boat that runs from Inverie to Mallaig has a licensed bar and they’ve asked for two cases. It’s just been word of mouth so far and if we need to go as far as Fort William to supply then we can, but if someone from down south comes to us I don’t think we would.” They also hope to set up a bar in the chapel, which was built in 1886. Matthew said: “The ultimate aim is to get a licence to open a tap room. “It wouldn’t be a pub but it would be a place where visitors could have a drink after a guided tour around the brewery, and maybe take some beer away with them afterwards.” About 400 bottles of the first beer – called The Seven Men in tribute to Knoydart crofters who launched a land raid in 1948 – were produced last month. Matthew, who is originally from London, said: “All the brewing we’re doing at the moment is small-batch stuff. “Once we’re brewing with the big kit, production should relax somewhat as we’re brewing quite a lot right now. “Because the big kit is 20 times larger than the small one, we’ll only need to do one brew per month.”