Innis & Gunn to build first new Edinburgh brewery in 150 years

Planning permission for Innis & Gunn’s brewery at Heriot-Watt University’s Research Park has officially been granted by The City of Edinburgh Council, the first major brewery to be built in Edinburgh for over 150 years.

The new facility, spanning a two hectare site, will be built to provide increased brewing capacity and support the brewer‘s growth, both in the UK and internationally.

Guided tours are set to be on offer for visitors to enjoy the new site, where Innis & Gunn’s The Original, Lager Beer and Session IPA, as well as other unique, cask-matured beers will be brewed.

Following a successful crowdfund campaign, which raised £3.3 million from over 2,000 investors, plans for the brewery were submitted in May 2020. The total budget for the brewery is £20 million.

Dougal Gunn Sharp, Innis & Gunn founder, said: “I have wanted to build this brewery in Edinburgh for almost two decades and as the business has grown and gone from strength to strength, the importance has only increased. To have planning permission now granted at such an inspiring site is an important step forward.”

Planning permission for the new site has now been granted by the local council, but the pandemic has forced Gunn Sharp and his team to hit pause on construction. “Plans for the brewery have taken a natural pause as we all continue to deal with the impacts of the pandemic, but we are committed to building the brewery when the time is right,” he said.

“Although we cannot give an exact date for breaking ground, the longer timeframe does have some positives including more options in the market for the best low-carbon equipment and technology, which have the potential to change the game in terms of energy usage in brewing and packaging processes.

“Over the last year or so, everyone at Innis & Gunn has worked hard to ensure a strong supply chain for our customers and drinkers alike. Our latest published accounts show that our sales in the off-trade increased by almost 30% year on year and this success during a challenging time, only strengthens the business and our need to have our own brewery.”

Innis & Gunn has also collaborated with Heriot-Watt University on the project. Students undertaking both undergraduate and postgraduate degrees at the School of Brewing and Distilling will be engaged in practical learning at the new brewery. The scheme aims to give students the tools to become as prepared as possible for the job market.

Low carbon brewing technologies, product and packaging innovation, and new product development are aspects the brewer plans to collaborate with the University on in the future.

Lynda Johnstone, Estates and Facilities global director at Heriot-Watt University, said: “This is an exciting time for everyone involved and it’s a great honour to have the first brewery to be built in Edinburgh in 150 years located within the Heriot-Watt Research Park.

“When fully operational, this will provide a significant benefit for the students taking our Brewing and Distilling courses, as well as offering many opportunities for us to work together to take advantage of the low-carbon and environmental sustainability expertise we have within the University. This is a great addition to the Research Park which is already recognised internationally as a centre for high calibre science and engineering research.”