Northern Irish craft brewer invests to grow exports

Hilden Brewery, Ireland's oldest craft brewer, is investing in its production facilities and increasing employment in a new strategy designed to grow sales of its award winning range of beers abroad.

The company, based near Lisburn in county Antrim, is installing a new automated bottling line and increasing storage capacity to double output. This year, Hilden is targeting from the growing interest in handcrafted beers in European and Asian markets.

It has also recently appointed a distributor in Canada for its beers including Twisted Hop, which won top prize last year at the inaugural Dublin Craft Beer Festival.

Hilden's unique 'Twisted Hop' is described as a new Irish classic with lots of aroma, bitterness and hop flavour. It is a strong premium pale ale, made with late Galaxy hops from Australia, which pack a powerful punch. Then balanced with plenty of Brewer's Gold from Germany, the ale is all about the hops.

The expansion includes the development of a new bottling hall for the automated line as well as offices and a gift shop adjacent to a testing hall that will be used for beer tasting following the brewery tour. Conference facilities are also planned. The company also runs Northern Ireland's only annual beer and music festival.

Hilden was formed in 1981 by husband and wife team Seamus and Ann Scullion. Owen, the couple's son is now the head brewer. The company also operates two gourmet restaurants, The Tap Room at Hilden and Molly's Yard in Belfast.

Hilden Brewery's Barney's Brew, in addition, was a regional winner at the Sainsbury's Great British Beer Hunt 2013.

Hilden's brewing is based on a recognition that there is a natural variation in the process of brewing. "Our goal is to brew the best beer we can," Owen Scullion says. "Our point of difference is that our beer has real flavour and character, most beer these days is sold on promises of lifestyle.

"Our focus is on taste. We sell our beers, ales and stout on the authenticity of the product. That's how we try to compete with the big brewers. We do not see other craft brewers here as competition, we see them as allies, part of the real ale campaign."