Raise a glass to Inishmacsaint's Juniper Berry Beer!

Inishmacsaint, the Northern Irish craft brewer, has developed a unique juniper berry beer from ingredients sourced from fields in one of the UK's most picturesque and pollution-free environments.

The beer is the second product developed by the small brewery that was launched by Gordon Fallis, a County Fermanagh farmer, in 2009 as part of a diversification project that's focused on local ingredients on his 3-acre farm and the surrounding area.

"Our focus in on hand crafting and unusual tasty beers in small batches from exclusively natural ingredients which reflect the history and character of our local area. Juniper berries are plentiful throughout Fermanagh and it made sense to explore their potential as an ingredient for beer," he says.

The company launched its first product in 2011, a wheat-based beer, that's been attracting substantial interest and was recently launched successfully at one of London's top bars.

Inishmacsaint, named after an island in Fermanagh, near the village of Derrygonnelly, where Irish monks, led by St Molaise of Devenish, first started brewing beer as far back as the sixth century.

The new juniper along with other beers are brewed in a small processing plant on the farm that consists of old dairy equipment, bulk tanks, pumps and pipes that the company has recycled and assembled from other neighbouring farms.

"It was cheaper and more environmentally friendly to make use of old dairy equipment," he says. "We also use ingredients that are locally sourced from fields nearby.

"We aim to produce a pallet of 500-600 litres a week with capacity for more. Feedback has been good and we've had interest from Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland.

"The juniper beer is the first stage in range of esoteric beers that I am planning. There are opportunities to use locally grown natural herb flavours like meadow-sweet, bog myrtle and gorse, all of which exist on our farm," he adds.

Another unique feature of the beers is that they are aged in caves on the farm.

Inishmacsaint's beer is a pale and effervescent ale weighing it at 5% ABV. It's got a pale and crystal malt base, giving it an amber hue and is slightly hazy by nature. The use of Hallertau and Saaz hops from mainland Europe give it that crisp taste but Inishmacsaint is unique in that it uses local ingredients to flavour. Everything - including the adding of crown caps - is done by hand.

The brewery is integral to the sustainability of the small family farm, with spent malt grains re-used as feedstuff for animals. Gordon Fallis says this diversification will hopefully allow the farm to continue in a low intensity manner with its focus being primarily on conservation of the unique habitats found on the farm.