Sinclair Breweries

Sinclair Breweries Limited is the parent company for Orkney and Atlas ales.[1] Orkney Brewery was founded in March 1988 at the old schoolhouse in Sandwick, Orkney, one mile from Skara Brae.[2] Atlas was formed in 2002 and merged with Orkney in 2004 under the name Highland & Islands Breweries.[3] Highland & Islands was taken over by Sinclair Breweries in 2006.[4] Owned and run by Orcadian, Norman Sinclair, Orkney Brewery is Orkney's oldest brewery.

Orkney Brewery
LocationQuoyloo, Stromness, Orkney, Scotland
OpenedMarch 1988
Owned byNorman Sinclair
Websitehttps://www.orkneybrewery.co.uk/

History and development

The brewery is located in the former west mainland Victorian school in Quoyloo, which was founded in 1878. When Norman Sinclair took over in 2006, he made sure the school was preserved as much as possible while the brewery grew, especially since it was the very school his father attended as a boy. In 2010 Norman rebuilt it into a new 30 barrel brew plant. The old school part was turned into a visitor's centre and tasting hall. The visiting centre was awarded five-star status by the national tourism organisation VisitScotland, just weeks after opening to the public.

Availability

The cask ales are available in various pubs around Britain and at British beer festivals. The filtered bottled ales are sold throughout Europe, North America, Canada, Australia, Japan, Hong Kong, and most of the European countries.

Bottled beer can also be found in supermarkets across the UK such as Waitrose, Sainsbury's, Tesco, Lidl, Co-operative and Asda.

Beers
Skull Splitter

The Orkney brewery produces cask ale and filtered beer in bottles, and since October 2005, a lager. Dark Island a rich, fruity, vinous dark ale, is the biggest seller. Dark Island has won Champion Beer of Scotland on several occasions. Red MacGregor, a 4% bitter has won the World Cask Beer Gold Medal (BIIA 2001). The same name is used for a 5% premium bitter available filtered in the bottle.

Orkney brewery uses isinglass in the production of all of its beers, making them unsuitable for vegetarians.

Atlas Brewery was originally based in Kinlochleven and situated in a category B listed former aluminium smelting facility.[5] It later closed in 2010 with operations relocated to Orkney. Among its beers are Nimbus Pale Ale, Latitude Pilsner, and Three Sisters Scotch Ale which are available on tap and in bottles throughout Lochaber and Scotland. They also produce a number of seasonal beers.

Skull Splitter

Skull Splitter is an 8.5% abv wee heavy[6] Skull Splitter won the award of Supreme Champion Winter Beer of Britain 2001 at CAMRA's national winter celebration of beer. Skull Splitter takes its name after Torfinn Hausakljuv who was nicknamed "Skullsplitter". Hausakluif was the 7th Viking Earl of Orkney sometime around 950 AD.[7]

Skull Splitter was in the centre of some controversy over its name. The Portman Group, which is the alcohol watchdog group, carried out an investigation based on complaints that the ale had an "aggressive theme". The Portman Group decided on 23 December 2008 not to uphold the complaint after the brewery launched a strong campaign to save this 20-year-old beer, informing the Group of the beer's namesake.[8][9]

The model for the Skull Splitter label was photographer Michael Hockney, who lived in Quoyloo. Hockney was asked by Roger White if he could take a shot for a small promotional poster. A member of Orkney Islands Council, who was a Shetlander, offered his full Viking regalia and himself to provide a suitable Skullsplitter image. At the last minute, the council member decided it was something that an elected official should maybe not do, but insisted White borrow the costume. Hockney arrived at Broch of Gurness to meet White and the model, and was told of the last minute change. White suggested Hockney looked suitably Viking-like and that perhaps he should wear the costume. The Fuji 6x9 camera was set up and Hockney struggled to get his size 10 feet into size 7 deerskins. Roger White also brought his 35mm camera and it was, in fact, White's camera that took the shot.

See also

References
  1. "Sinclair Breweries". www.sinclairbreweries.co.uk. Retrieved 1 June 2008.
  2. "Orkney Brewer". www.quaffale.org.uk. Retrieved 14 May 2011.
  3. "Atlas Brewery". www.quaffale.org.uk. Retrieved 14 May 2011.
  4. "Highland & Islands Breweries Ltd". www.quaffale.org.uk. Retrieved 14 May 2011.
  5. Beeradvocate
  6. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 5 May 2012. Retrieved 19 June 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  7. SkullSplitter at Legends Ltd. Archived 25 May 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  8. Skull Splitter on the BBC
  9. News of the decision on SkullSplitter
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