Arran is in the can
Arran Brewery has released a limited edition can of ‘ab’, a craft version of its Blonde award-winning ale.
The venture into canning follows the trend of craft producers offering their brews in cans rather than traditional glass bottles.
The cans are 330ml and are out of keeping with the branding which tends to reflect the location and quality of ingredients.
Managing director Gerald Michaluk said: ‘We have to keep up with the market. We brew some of the best beers in the country, in fact the world, and have the awards to prove it.
‘However, our traditional ales take time to be discovered by the craft beer fraternity that tends to be younger than our traditional market of responsible ale drinkers.
‘While I have always considered our beer to be craft beer – and we are, indeed, certified as an Independent Craft Beer producer by SIBA, the industry’s largest trade body – our beers are often overlooked by the new craft beer enthusiast.
‘The new market of responsible craft drinkers, are often drawn to canned products and bright livery of the US craft brewers and of course the crafty imitations coming out of the international breweries pretending to be craft beer.
‘We hope to accelerate the craft consumers’ discovery of Arran Beers by offering our beers in cans.’
The brewery has concluded a distribution arrangement with a major brewer to allow the beers to be made available to all supermarket, wholesale and pubco customers in the UK.
Veronica Michaluk, the company’s logistics director and daughter of Gerald, added: ‘For some time, we have been trying to extend out distribution outwith Scotland and have organised raiding parties south of the border to drop beer direct to customers.
‘This has built a small following that is paying off and I am pleased to say that we will shortly be able to deliver our full range of beers in cask, keg, bottle and, of course, can to anywhere in the UK.’
The brewery produces 12 brands of beer, including Arran Milestone Special Reserve, a whisky cask matured ale.
‘We have to keep up with the market. We brew some of the best beers in the country, in fact the world, and have the awards to prove it. Gerald Michaluk Managing director