Strathaven Ales
Strathaven
Ales was started in late 2005 by business friends Craig and Douglas Buchanan
and Allan Young. They were later joined by John Muir and have devoted
considerable effort into updating the brewery to attract visitors. The
brewery itself is the historic Craigmill Brewery on the River Avon used
previously by Heather Ales who used the brewery for nearly a decade between
1993 and 2003 at which time demand called for relocation to larger premises
in Alloa.
The brewery now produces about thirty barrels a week distributing to the Central area of Scotland as well as in England. Six original ales are produced, two of which are seasonal. The names of the ales are influenced by the strong Covenenter history closely associated with the Strathaven area. They are available primarily in cask format although bottled versions are produced for gift packs and limited sales. The brewery visitor center welcomes the public between 2P and 4P daily or by appointment and select ales can be sampled in the tap room.
Products (descriptions abridged from website):
- Avondale - 4.0% ABV
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- Avondale is an amber ale brewed with pilsener (lager) malt and Maris Otter pale ale malt and hopped with a combination of UK and US hop varieties for a citrusy finish. The name comes from nearby Avondale Castle, once a Douglas stronghold.
- Claverhouse - 4.5% ABV
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- Claverhouse is a red ale brewed with Scottish Crystal malt and what is described as red malted barley. It is hopped with US hops from the state of Oregon. The ale is named for John Graham of Claverhouse, better known as "Bonnie Dundee".
- Clydesdale - 3.8% ABV
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- Clydesdale is an IPA style ale brewed with Maris Otter pale malt and hopped with hops from the Clyde River Valley. The beer is named for the famous Clydesdale horses in general - not the ones associated with a certain American brewery.
- Duchess Anne - 3.9% ABV
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- Duchess Anne is a light summer ale brewed with pilsener (lager) malt and malted wheat. It is flavored with Meadowsweet, a very historical Scottish flavoring addition. Duchess Anne was the first Duchess of Hamilton.
- Old Mortality - 4.2% ABV
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- Old Mortality is a Scottish 80/- style ale brewed with Scottish malted barley and hopped with English First Gold and American Cascade hop varieties.
- Trumpeter - 4.2% ABV
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- Trumpeter is a dark roasty, coffee-like ale brewed with Scottish oats and Roasted Barley. It is named in honor of a young trumpeter attached to Claverhouse's troop at the Battle of Drumclog who's horse was commandeered by Claverhouse and who was killed in the process.