Edinburgh based craft beer brand Innis & Gunn began their expansion into the bar & restaurant scene with the launch of The Beer Kitchen yesterday (Thursday 29th July).
The launch showcased the extensive range of craft beers, exciting atmosphere and mouth-watering food that the new bar has to offer as well as sounding out the brand's intention to roll out a further five UK venues by 2017, with some of the newer venues featuring boutique style, hotel rooms.
Spearheaded by David Hall, (previously of Edinburgh’s Tigerlily, Opal Lounge and Rick’s) and Innis & Gunn’s Founder Dougal Sharp, each venue will showcase the brand’s now legendary, award winning beers alongside an expertly curated list of world craft beers, and premium wines and spirits.
Dougal Sharp said “We’ve never been in better shape as a business and with our recently launched Innis & Gunn BeerBond™, plus the launch of The Beer Kitchen, 2015 is set to be an incredible year for us.
"Our fans have been crying out for our own bars for some time now and this news has been a long time in the making! We’ve always been craft beer champions and this venture is our new soap box. We want to open beer drinker’s eyes to what craft means to us at Innis & Gunn and to our craft brewing compadres around the globe.
"There’s no room or excuse for second rate, tasteless beer and we’ll only be serving incredible brews we absolutely love and believe in. Our venues will be about giving everyone from the beer geeks to the beer virgin, the ultimate craft beer experience and flying the flag for the craft beer movement.”
The launch featured Innis & Gunn's excellent core range of beers as well as some of the best beers that Scotland's - and the rest of the UK's - breweries have to offer. The music for the occasion was provided by the wonderful banjo lounge 4 (playing covers of Nirvana, House of Pain and Stevie Wonder no less) and guests were treated to samples of the upcoming food menu at the venue.
Get along to 81-83 Lothian Road and check them out and make sure to follow them on Facebook for news on upcoming events.