Islay Ales
The Square, Bridgend, Isle of Islay, Scotland PA44 7NZ
Phone: (0) 1496 810014
Website: www.islayales.com
Islay Ales was founded by CAMRA members Paul Hathaway, Paul Capper (each
pictured on the right and left, respectively) and Walter Schobert in 2003.
Paul Capper moved to Islay in 1993 but only became a full time resident in
January 2003 having retired after 27 years with the West Midlands Fire
Service. Walter Schobert retired here after many years as curator of the German
Film Museum in Frankfurt and Paul Hathaway moved to Islay in August 2003 having had
a long time desired to live and work there. Liz Hathaway serves as the
Company Secretary in addition to her duties with the
RSPB Scotland reserve on
Islay. Their focus is to produce
quality real ales for the Hebridean islands of Islay, Jura and Colonsay.
The brewery has a four barrel capacity that produces all their ales in cask and bottle-conditioned format to exact recipes. The brewing plant was supplied, installed and commissioned by Dave Porter of the Porter Brewing Company who also oversaw the brewing of the first batch. The bottling plant was handled by Adrian Corke of the Leek Brewery in Leek, Staffordshire, England.
Products (descriptions abridged from brewery website):
- Finlaggan Ale - 3.7% ABV
- A light session ale with pale and crystal malts, Goldings hops are used for bittering, and Mount Hood and Styrian Goldings aroma hops added late in the boil
- Black Rock Ale - 4.2% ABV
- Brewed with pale and crystal malts along with roasted barley and Goldings for bittering, Fuggle and Mount Hood aroma hops added late in the boil