A SCOTTISH brewer renowned for producing some of the UK’s best-selling sour beers has launched a crowdfunding campaign to help open a new bar in Edinburgh.
Vault City Brewing’s campaign aims to raise £25,000 to help fund ‘The Porty Vault’ on Portobello High Street – a stone’s throw from the producer’s brewery.
Beer fans who back the crowdfunding project can cash-in on exclusive deals and experiences when the new bar is open. Supporters can get involved from as little as £50, with rewards scaling up to suit all budgets.
Campaign backers will receive 1.5x their pledge in bar vouchers, so those who put in £200, for example, will receive £300 worth of bar vouchers in return. They will also receive a limited-edition t-shirt, and an exclusive invitation to the launch event with a free tasting menu included.
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The intimate 42-capacity Porty Vaults will fill the existing site of the old Skylark bar on Portobello High Street and will serve more than 20 Vault City varieties including some of the latest creations from the ‘wizards of sour beer’ alongside established favourites and guest taps.
The venue will also feature a food operation run by experienced chef Darren Lim, a steakhouse specialist with more than 25 years’ experience working around the world including a decade spent alongside New Zealand celebrity chef Simon Gault.
Lim has developed a BBQ-inspired food menu that draws on his experience using solid fuel with influences from Argentina, Patagonia, and USA to accompany any brew.
The Porty Vault will be Vault City’s second bar in Scotland’s capital following the successful opening of The Wee Vault in the city’s Haymarket last November.
For die hard Vault City fans – of which there are many – there is even the chance to take in both bars which are connected by the number 26 bus. It’s hoped Vault City could look at opening other bars in cities around Scotland and the UK.
Steven Smith-Hay, Vault City Brewing’s co-founder, said: “This is one of our most exciting announcements yet and a big leap forward for Vault City.
“Our brewery is already in Portobello, we’re part of the community there and we always will be. We considered opening a brewery tap-room, but we felt that we could do more to support the local High Street by transforming an existing site. Opening a new bar right here on home turf is a dream.
“We have already enjoyed great success with the Wee Vault and adding a new bar to the portfolio is a natural step. As with any part of the business, we will grow with demand, and there’s every possibility we could open bars in other locations around the country.
“We’ve received great feedback from our local community, supporters, and our customers, and I’m delighted to see that we’re already over a third of the way there with our funding goal. I can’t wait for more people to be able to join the modern sour beer revolution.”
The launch of the crowdfunding campaign follows the successful release of two new product lines with supermarket Tesco announced in April. Vault City is now available in more than 600 Tesco stores nationwide, and recently became the supermarket giant’s best-selling craft beer.
The impressive growth of Vault City since it was founded in January 2018 has seen revenues grow from just shy of £94,000 in December 2019 to more than £1.8m in December last year – with gross profits in excess of £804,000. When costs are considered, the burgeoning company is still recording a net profit well into six figures. Since a well-publicised shift to a four-day working week, revenues for 2022 are up 168% YOY, with net profits up 38%.
More information about Vault City’s crowdfunding campaign can be found at crowdfunder.co.uk. An initial launch date is planned for late June. The crowdfunding campaign can be accessed here.
