Scots brewers eye £130,000 boost from Aldi festival

Aldi's latest Scottish beer festival kicks off today, with the retailer expecting the in-store promotional event to generate more than £130,000 of sales for the brewers involved.

Kieran Middleton of Edinburgh's Bellfield, one of 35 brewers taking part in the Aldi beer festival. Picture: Neil Hanna

The event will feature 35 beers from 35 brewers, including six Scottish Beer Awards finalists – gluten-free Bohemian Pilsner from Edinburgh’s Bellfield Brewery, Bow Fiddle Blonde from Speyside Craft Brewery in Forres, New World Odyssey from Fallen Brewery in Stirlingshire, Pale Keith from Keith Brewery in Aberdeenshire, Pilsner from Six Degrees North in Stonehaven and Raven Ale from Orkney Brewing.

Aldi said it has also secured an exclusive first listing of Hopopotamus Lager from Broughton Ales in the Borders.

Graham Nicolson, group buying director for Aldi in Scotland, said: “Scotland’s beer industry is booming and we’re incredibly proud to work with many of Scotland’s best breweries.

“Our in-store Scottish beer festival and sponsorship of the Scottish Beer Awards are part of our commitment to showcasing Scotland’s up and coming breweries and giving brewers the chance to convert more people to craft beer.”

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The beer festival has been running since 2012 and has generated more than £1.6 million in sales for craft breweries.

Kirsten Speirs, director of the Scottish Beer Awards, said: “The growing range of high quality beers produced in Scotland is reflected in the on-going success of the Aldi Scottish Beer Festival. It is wonderful to see so many of our finalists and medallists selected to take part.”

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