Records of Restalrig Village Brewery Ltd, brewers, Edinburgh, Scotland

Scope and Content

  • Promotional material late 1990s;
  • Public relations 1999.

Administrative / Biographical History

The Restalrig Village Brewery Ltd was founded in June 1997 and incorporated as a private limited company on 23 July 1997. After the premises had been acquired at the Munrospun building, a former knitware factory, in Restalrig, Edinburgh, Scotland, and the plant, which was originally from the Wrexham Brewery in Wales, had been installed, the company started brewing in late December 1997. The founders of the company were Gordon Allison (managing director), David Murray (production director), Iain Turnbull (head brewer) and Gerry Kerr (general manager). They were later joined by Karen Hetherington (assistant brewer).

Being a micro brewery, ie. brewing fewer than 40-50 barrels per run, the company was very flexible in its production and produced a number of commemorative beers for various occasions, e.g. for the arrival of the Royal Yacht Britannia in Leith, Scotland, and for the promotion of Hibernian Football Club, Edinburgh, Scotland. By 1998 the product list included the following beers: Leith, Three Bears Ale, Otter of Leith, Restalrig, Portobello Porter, Head Brewers Birthday Beer, Dr Geoffrey's Original Ale, K9P and Highwayman. By 1999 this list was extended to include Summer Wheat Beer, TNT, D'Oh!, Young's Golden Heavy, 9350, Quarterback, E Tu Brute, Tornado, Plough Heavy, Rampant Lion, Sloe Beer, Jambo's Joy and Britannia Ale. At the same time the company was also looking into the possibility of producing bottled beers, labelled to customer requirements.

The company was closed and ceased brewing in July 1999 due to problems within the company and David Murray, Iain Turnbull and Karen Hetherington left to form The Fisherrow Brewery Ltd, Edinburgh.

On 14 September 2000 a company of the name Restalrig Village Brewery 2000 Ltd was registered as a private limited company with premises at the same address as the original Restalrig Village Brewery of 1997. Both Restalrig Village Brewery Ltd and Restalrig Village Brewery 2000 Ltd were registered companies in 2002.

Arrangement

The material is arranged according to the Scottish Brewing Archive classification scheme used within all SBA collections.

Access Information

Access to records within this collection is open, however an appointment may be required. Please email Archives and Special Collections for advice: library-asc@glasgow.ac.uk

Acquisition Information

Restalrig Village Brewery Ltd

Other Finding Aids

See also University of Glasgow Collections

File level list available in searchroom

Alternative Form Available

No known copies of this material

Conditions Governing Use

Reproduction subject to usual conditions: educational use and condition of documents. Applications for permission to quote should be sent to Archives and Special Collections, please email: library-asc@glasgow.ac.uk

Appraisal Information

This material has been appraised in line with standard GB 248 procedures

Custodial History

Custody of the Scottish Brewing Archive was transferred to Glasgow University Archive Services in 2008.

Accruals

None expected

Related Material

No known related material.

Location of Originals

This material is original

Geographical Names