Mitchelstown based Eight Degrees Brewing are amongst seven Cork breweries and distilleries which have been confirmed in the final line-up for the Alltech Craft Brews & Food Fair, Ireland’s largest craft brews festival, which returns to the Convention Centre, Dublin from Thursday 23rd-Saturday, 25th February.
In its 5th year, the Fair has become a key feature in the Irish craft calendar and provides a benchmark for tracking trends in the craft brewing and distilling industry. The event will feature the best home-grown musical talent, a range of culinary delights and the latest craft beers, ciders and spirits all under the one roof.
AIMING FOR LOCAL FOOTFALL
Eight Degrees Brewing was established at the foot of the majestic Galtee mountains in Mitchelstown back in 2011. From two men and a 15hl (hectolitre) tank in 2011, they currently employ 9 people and in summer 2017 they are going to be opening a new 60hl brewery and having a few jars to celebrate with nine full-time staff.
Scott Baigent of Eight Degrees Brewing said, “We are excited to see that craft beer in Ireland is becoming more widely accepted and appreciated. Despite the aggressive dominance of large multinational breweries, With the adoption of the Intoxicating Liquor (Breweries and Distilleries) Bill 2016 – we intend to work on bringing more tourists into our local area, to visit the brewery for a tour and then stay, eat and drink locally. This could have a significant impact on tourism and on local employment, spreading jobs and industry outside the major cities.”
The company was set up in 2011, which would seem like relatively short time to be involved in an industry, but in terms of craft beers they are ancient, explains Caroline Sheehan, the company’s marketing manager. Local people have really taken craft beers on board and they now have taps in eight pubs in Mitchelstown.
LIVELY EVENT
The year’s event will host 55 exhibitors featuring the best craft beer, cider and spirit makers from Ireland and overseas and visitors will have the opportunity to sample more than 400 of the latest craft brews. Blacks of Kinsale, Clonakilty Brewing Company, St. Patrick’s Distillery, Mountain Man Brewing, West Cork Distillers and Longueville House Cider are listed among the exhibitors at this year’s event.
Visitors to the Fair will be treated to live music from the best home-grown musical talent on the central stage and live Six Nations rugby on three of Dublin’s biggest screens.
