Scottish craft brewer Innis & Gunn has launched a limited edition beer “15” to celebrate 15 years since its foundation and mark a transformational year according to Founder and Master Brewer Dougal Gunn Sharp.
Accounts for the year ended December 2017, saw turnover grow by 22% to £22.4m, gross profit rise by 19% to £10.1m, and 13% volume growth.
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Innis & Gunn sold 100,000 hectolitres of beer last year. It invested over £1m in developing the capability and capacity of its brewery, launched an integrated marketing strategy for its craft lager, invested in a re-brand and new packaging launch, and opened its largest Beer Kitchen to date in Glasgow.
Dougal Gunn Sharp, Innis & Gunn Founder and Master Brewer said: “Achieving our 14th year of consecutive double digit volume growth is down to the hard graft of the team, our commitment to innovation and the quality of our beers. In the UK Innis & Gunn Lager has continued its stellar growth, having doubled in size in the last two years. Our ambition is for it to become the UK’s no 1 craft lager, an achievement we have already reached in Scotland.
“We maintained our position as the largest imported craft beer in Canada and one of the leading imported craft beers in Sweden. Investing in our people, brewery, bars, and beer, in particular our packaging re-launch and barrel-ageing innovation, was essential last year to strengthen our brand and drive the growth potential of our business.”
Innis & Gunn has spearheaded barrel-ageing since it launched its first beer in 2003 and the 15th anniversary beer is a celebration of everything Dougal has learned and loves about the possibilities of barrel-ageing. The limited edition “15” is a barrel-aged double IPA that has been matured in specially selected 15 year old whisky barrels from the Highlands of Scotland in the barrel store at The Innis & Gunn Brewery in Perth. The result is a 7.4% abv full flavoured beer, with zesty orange and oak aromas, vibrant marmalade hop flavours and a mellow finish with hints of vanilla and heather honey from the barrel.
Dougal Gunn Sharp, added: “2018 marks our 15th anniversary and I wanted to create something really special as a thank you to our fans. I started Innis & Gunn with our very first barrel-aged beer, The Original, and the discovery of the incredible flavour imparted by the bourbon barrels continues to inspire me every day, we will never stop evolving and innovating to change the world of beer for the better. Combining everything we love and have learned about brewing, this is our first barrel-aged double IPA, balancing the smooth depth of flavour from the barrels with huge hop character. I hope people love it as much as we do. Here’s to the next 15 years!”
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