Brew Story brewery, Insch, Aberdeenshire

History

After studying design at Robert Gordon University and working as restaurant manger at a local hotel, Philip Anderson wanted to follow his passion for beer by creating his own brand. The investment came in the form of FrontRow Energy Technology Group based in Aberdeen which saw potential in his business plan.

In 2017, they launched their first beer and have been building a loyal group of followers ever since. They have been focusing on the local area with their beers available in 40 places around Aberdeen and with their sights now on the rest of the UK. A big win came for them this year when Aldi placed on order for their IPA which is a great sign for the future.

Beer The inspiration for their beers is to base each beer on a distinct region and the ingredients that are unique to the area, from the hops to other flavourings like cocoa nibs. Their first beer, launched in 2017, was the On the Road, which is made exclusively with west coast American hops. Next came the Clockwork Zest, a full-bodied porter style beer made using African orange zest, coffee beans, cocoa nibs – mixed with a chocolate malt. More recently they launched Torr Lager that they describe as reflecting the “purity of the Scottish mountains”.

Torr is made using just four natural ingredients – Scottish water, barley, hops and yeast and named after a rock formation. The beer is created using a Bavarian method where they allow the lager to ferment at a cave temperature of 2 degrees, a temperature easily achieved in Scotland. It is then left to brew for at least four weeks. Beer Story may not be available everywhere but it is worth seeking out if you are into your beer, not only does it taste great but the design is slick with Anderson’s design background paying off.

Why Visit?

While the brewery isn’t open to the public, I’m sure if you are really into your beers you could contact them and they would happily show you around. They have taken quite a big warehouse space so that they can expand in the future to meet demand. From the beer I have tried so far, that might be in the near future.