The Orkney Brewery
Address : The Old School House, Quoyloo, Stromness, Near to Skara Brae
Telephone No : 01667 404555
Web Site : www.Sinclairbreweries.co.uk
Visitors Centre : There will be soon ! (Hopefully 2011)
Brewing started in March 1988 at the old schoolhouse in Sandwick. They started with a 10 barrel brewplant but this was replaced with a 25 barrel plant when the brewery was modernised in 1995. The Brewery merged with Atlas in June 2004 to become part of Highlands & Islands Breweries Ltd. Following the failure of Highlands & Islands, the company was brought by Sinclair Breweries Ltd, which is owned by Norman Sinclair.
The Orkney Brewery is now a 30b plant as of October 2010, as the extension to the brewery is now completed. The visitor center is also open.
The sad news is that the building in Kinlochleven is no longer fit for purpose and production of the Atlas range, (Sinclair Breweries also owns the Atlas Brewery), is all being moved to the new Orkney facility. The brewer is moving too!
Check out the video below which was filmed on a recent trip to the Orkney Brewery :
The Tartan Pint
A Great new book available from Amazon for only £2.05
The Tartan Pint is all about the great breweries and fantastic beers that Scotland has to offer. It gives you information about the breweries, including a description of the history or the people behind them. There is a list of the beers they produce along with pump clip images and tasting notes, where available. The book is split into the 14 geographical area's of Scotland from Shetland to Dumfries and Galloway with a brief description of the area and a list of the breweries located in that area. Plus chapters about beer history, beer tasting and beer styles, i.e. the definition of lager, bitter, porters, etc....
The book is available for download from Amazon -where you can also read the first 20 pages to see if you like it !
All of Scotland's Great Breweries and fantastic Beers in one book - Get your copy now !!!
Dark Island 4.6% ABV
A standard-bearer for traditional Scottish ales. In cask, this beer has twice won CAMRA’s Champion Beer of Scotland. On the nose, this dark beer offers bitter chocolate, figs, toffee and hints of fruit. On the palate, this resolves into beautiful, silky-smooth, coffee-and-chocolate flavours, followed by figs, dates and dried fruits, with a very appealing, lingering aftertaste of fruits and hop bitterness.
Red Macgregor 4.0% ABV
Delicate and sophisticated yet the robust cask conditioned version of this beer was the first Scottish beer to win the BIIA World Cask Beer Gold Medal.
On the nose, this ruby-red beer is delicate, floral and fruity, with notes of violets, cherries, toffee and caramel.
On the palate, the fruits combine with a juicy malt character and hints of toasted malt, with a biscuit malt and spicy hop finish.
Northern Light 4.0% ABV
As a drink on its own, or matched with lighter or spicy food dishes, Northern Light is refreshing and rewarding all year round. On the nose, this pale straw-colored beer offers appealing citrus fruits, apricot and hop-resin aromas.
On the palate, these fruits combine with a delicate juicy malt character to give a beer with a hoppy, zesty approachability – balanced, elegant and compelling.
As a drink on its own, or matched with lighter or spicy food dishes, Northern Light is refreshing and rewarding all year round. On the nose, this pale straw-colored beer offers appealing citrus fruits, apricot and hop-resin aromas.
On the palate, these fruits combine with a delicate juicy malt character to give a beer with a hoppy, zesty approachability – balanced, elegant and compelling.
Raven Ale 3.8% ABV
A classic bitter ale, complex and rewarding whilst remaining refreshing and easy to drink on any occasion.
Dragonhead 4.0% ABV
Dark, intense and fully-flavoured, it is our tribute to the Vikings and their cultural legacy in Orkney. On the nose, this black stout has a smooth roasted malt aroma giving bitter chocolate, dark roasted coffee and Smokey notes balanced by hints of spicy Goldings hop.
On the palate, the dark roasted malts combine to give a rich, rounded palate with chocolate, toast and nut flavours, with a satisfying spicy hop finish.
Skull Splitter 8.5% ABV
Named after Thorfinn Einarsson who was the 7th Viking Earl of Orkney. Sophisticated, satiny smooth with a deceptively light character, it is a tribute to our colourful forbear.
On the nose, this strong beer has a fruity malt character, with hints of dark fruit, spicy hop, dates and figs.
On the palate, rich and complex with sweet toasted malt, molasses, fresh and dried fruit and hints of warming spices.
Clootie Dunpling 4.3% ABV
Aroma
Spiced fruits and dried fruits, with hints of smooth roasted malt
Palate
Clootie Dumpling has a soft rounded palate, with flavours of dried fruits, citrus fruits and spices.
Key Ingredients
Bramling Gold, First Gold and Fuggles hop combine with the malt flavours to deliver the spiced fruits and dried fruit aspects
DARK ISLAND RESERVE 10% ABV
The Extraordinary Orcadian Ale. Dark Island Reserve is a rich strong Orcadian ale. After a gentle fermentation at our brewery in Quoyloo, the beer is finished in old oak casks formerly used to mature fine malt whisky. This unhurried process creates a timeless classic full of fruit, spice, oak and roast malt flavours.
A big thank you to the breweries own web site, www.sinclairbreweries.co.uk for most of the information and images on this page. For more information and a chance to buy some of their Great Beer click on the link above.