Isle of Skye Brewery - Leann an Eilein
The Isle of Skye Brewery was founded in April 1995 by Portree High School
teachers Angus MacRuary and Stephen Tinney and production began in December
1995 in the purpose-built facility at the ferry pier in Uig. Tinney sold his
share of the operation to MacRuary toward the end of 1996 giving Angus sole
proprietorship of the business. Brewing is now overseen by Head Brewer Pam
Jones who learned through experience in the brewhouse. She is assisted by
Norrie Macleod.
Isle of Skye has a new 20-barrel brew plant that was manufactured by Macmillan of Edinburgh, the same firm of coopersmiths that supplied the famous coppers at the Caledonian Brewery in Edinburgh. They produce up to 60 barrels weekly with a fermentation capacity of 80 barrels and a conditioning capacity of 100 barrels. A bottling facility was installed in 1998 at which time Angus gave up his teaching job for good. Demand for Skye's bottled product was too great for this in-house bottling line however and the majority of the bottled range is now brewed and bottled under contract at Belhaven Brewery.
The brewery employs a single-step infusion mash process using primarily Maris Otter pale malt along with additions of crystal and amber malts, roasted barley, torrified wheat and porridge oats, depending upon the recipe. Grain is supplied from Scotland and other areas of the UK. For some beers honey and demerara sugar are added. Hops are mainly Challenger and Fuggle but Hersbrucker and Goldings are also used, all in whole hop form.
Isle of Skye Brewery's products are available in a number of outlets throughout the UK and the bottled and export trade is very strong with exports going to many regions including the US, Canada, Japan, New Zealand and Iceland. Bottled products are also available in a number of supermarket and beer/wine chain stores in the UK. In addition to its regular line of cask and bottled products, a number of seasonal and house specialty beers are also brewed.
Products:
Regular Cask Ales
- Red Cuillin - 4.2% ABV
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- Isle of Skye's flagship ale. Reddish hue with nutty and roasted barley notes.
- Black Cuillin - 4.5% ABV
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- A dark stout like ale with roasted barley and rolled roasted Scottish oatmeal. Creamy, highly drinkable dark ale with the addition of Scottish heather honey.
- Young Pretender - 4.0% ABV
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- A golden colored, full flavored ale that is the driest and hoppiest of the Skye lineup.
- Blaven - 5.0% ABV
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- A deep golden, malty, full flavored ale with a fruity, hoppy character and Fuggles hop aroma.
- Hebridean Gold - 4.3% ABV
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- Brewed with porridge oats for a creamy finish but with a good hop bitterness and light hop aroma.
Seasonal Cask Ales
- Cuillin Beast - 7.0% ABV
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- A strong ale with a fruitiness and sweetness that hides its strength. The strongest ale in the Skye lineup.
- Lord of the Ales - 4.5% ABV
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- A light golden, full bodied ale with a very light bitterness. Originally brewed as "Two Rings" for the wedding of Angus and Pam MacRuary.
- Skye's Grand - 5.5% ABV
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- A well balanced, full flavored ale originally brewed to commemorate the 2000th brew in 2005.
- Oyster Stout - 4.5% ABV
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- A smooth, creamy stout with notes of chocolate and a soft bittersweet finish. Doesn't contain oysters but rather is brewed to be savored with them at the start of the oyster season in September.
- Skye Light - 3.8% ABV
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- A light ale for the summer months with lots of fruity, hoppy, flavor and lingering aftertaste.