The demand for a brewing experience has helped change the local beer scene. That sensory experience of viewing the beer being made within the bar and smelling & tasting the freshest beer possible is becoming highly sought after, this is showcased in the success of our first Brewpub we installed in Belfast and highlights the local independent craft beer scene is seeing a change in momentum as Geterbrewed now have another brewpub installation complete in the city and it will be open soon.
From Tank to Tap……
The growth of independent craft beer had been for years suppressed by the big beer brands not wanting to give local brewers draft taps, the appetite and consumption rate of craft beer is growing in Northern Ireland. Some bar owners have been early adopters and installed in house brewpubs which is helping change the availability of a craft beer experience and give local beer consumers incredible choice and quality
Not only is the consumer a winner in this change but also the bar owners as they are able to achieve a higher margin for their own beers as they are manufactured in house and sold direct without any distribution layers or extra charges. Historically there was a margin built into keg sales for the big beer companies to give incentives and support, the fact is that it’s possible to achieve more if supporting independent craft beer and even more if manufacturing the beer yourself.
The Deershead Bar houses the beautiful Bell’s Brewery, visually it sits behind glass with the beautiful rose copper production and fermentation tanks on display, you can watch the whole brew process from the comfort of your seat. The building itself has a lot to offer, a saloon-style bar with comfortable booths balanced with areas for watching the latest sporting features and live music. They have a Music Hall on another floor and a kitchen on an upper floor that services the main bar. The team make this an incredible experience, personable friendly and genuine, many of the staff help out in the brewery so they are keen to tell you about the process
The Ulster Sports Club is soon to launch Out of Office Brewing, it’s unique in that it is on the 3rd floor of a city centre location and it will have all the shiny stainless steel tanks on display. The USC is a popular location for live music and boasts an incredible sound system for their live gigs and we are looking forward to seeing them launch the new brewery in the coming weeks
There are some incredible bars in Belfast and the beer scene is moving in an exciting direction, and we can see the potential for many more brewpubs, taprooms and bottle shops.
Update 10th June – We attended the launch of the new Taproom in East Belfast by our friends at Bullhouse Brewing Co aptly named Bullhouse East, they had twenty taps on display in a beautiful new location on the Newtownards Road and will be opening officially on the 13th of June 2022, get out and show them some love!
We are proud of what our independent craft brewers are achieving in face of very difficult trading conditions due to the out of date licensing laws but the momentum is building for the Belfast Craft Beer Scene. Geterbrewed are investing in marketing support for our craft brewers and we encourage you to support your local breweries and brewpubs, taprooms and independent off sales, make your purchases count and thank you for supporting our industry!