Currently Arran Brewery sends tankers south for bottling or uses two small hand bottling machines on Arran.
Managing Director Gerald Michaluk said: “I am pleased to announce this investment of over £130,000 which accompanies a further investment in our production capacity on Arran. This facility will deal with all our non-core brands and development brands as well as providing a service to other small independent breweries.
"We will still send the very large volume brands South for bottling but everything else will now remain in Scotland.
"We are purchasing a turn key bottling line from IC Filling Systems; one of the market leaders in this type of equipment. The bottling line will be delivered and installed in June 2016."
Meanwhile, upgrades at the brewery including new bulk malt handling, milling and more fermentation capacity will be added on Arran. The handle bottling machines will not be scrapped but be moved to our small brewery “Devils Dyke” in Cambridge where they will get a new lease of life and be used to bottle very low volume experimental craft brand designed ales.”
The latest off-trade figures show Arran Blonde as Scotland’s fourth-fastest growing ale brand in the top 15 ales sold in Scotland.
Gerald went on to say: “We have invested in our own beer tanker and will be able to transport 9000 litres of beer in three tanks which will mean we can pick up beer from other Scottish Brewers and package it on our new equipment in a very cost-effective way”.
