Something brewing at city centre shop
A Perth man is looking to make a mark in the city by opening up a new brewery.
Will Bond (30) has been running Cullach Brewing in Friarton for the past year - but is now set to move into brand new premises in the city centre.
Along with a public tap room, the brewery will be set up in the former Cafe Play unit on Princes Street, and Will is hoping to be up and running in time for Christmas.
He said: “We set up Cullach Brewing last year when we took over the lease of the building we are currently in at Friarton.
“We got all the equipment together, did some test brewing and trialled some recipes we had and then we started trading in June.
“It’s been mostly trade sales so far, and I have done a few markets in the last couple of months - I am doing the market at the Perth Christmas lights switch-on this weekend.
“But now we are moving to a new base on Princes Street and hopefully we will be up and running on the lead up to Christmas.
“It’s a small business, so there will be a lot of work to do between now and when we open.”
Will has been home brewing beer for the past 12 years, and after coming out of the army after five years in 2018, he was determined to set up his own business.
He explained: “I am massively excited. The plan is to trade in the tap room on a Friday and Saturday.
“It will mostly be our own beers, but we will have guest beers rotating as well - probably eight taps with six of our own beers.
“We want to keep a familyfriendly element to it as well.
“Some of the play equipment was left behind by the previous tenants so we have kept some of it to make a play area for kids I’ve got two young kids myself.”
Will continued: “The craft beer scene in the UK really took off about 2012 time, but in Scotland they are a bit behind, particularly in Perth.
“Perth has been a bit slow on the uptake - when you look at Edinburgh and Aberdeen, there are lots. We have had Inveralmond Brewery since the 1990s, but that’s the only part of the beer scene in Perth.
“Now there are lots of smaller breweries like Abernyte and Wasted Degrees, but nothing else actually in Perth.
“I want to fill that gap in Perth’s identity.
“The craft beer scene is really starting to emerge in the city with the opening of the craft beer shop and BrewDog last year, so this is great timing.”
Will hopes to open at the beginning of December.