As I write this blog, we are in the middle of one of our busiest ever weeks here at YellowBelly Beer, and we could not be happier. After a dark 16 months for the bar, restaurant & hotel trade there is finally some light at the end of the tunnel, and unlike previous temporary re-openings, this feels real.
YellowBelly has always had the pub at its heart. It was in the basement of Simon Lamberts and Sons in Wexford Town where we first broke ground and built our inital brewery from scratch. For our first year in existence freshly poured pints was the only way to sample our wares, and it was over two years later before we launched our core range offering in cans. Up until the pandemic, 70% of our product was sold to the on-trade in keg form. We were blessed with the support we got locally and beyond from publicans who were happy to take a punt and give up valuable tap-space to an Irish Microbrewery. Of course, we were able to pivot and redirect that product to the canning line during the pandemic, but the soul of the brewery was tempered on the 15th of March 2020.
Luckily in this country we have an abundance of passionate people running off licences who are great supporters of Irish Craft Beer. Because of these amazing retailers along with an ever-growing community of loyal consumers new and old we were able to keep the brewery doors open with some level of production. The drive to support local products basically kept everyone here in jobs, a situation we were very lucky to be in.
Outdoor service has resumed since the 7th of June, with a restricted indoor opening on July 5th. It is not perfect; we all know the Irish weather is unlikely to play ball… but it is something, and we will be the first out the door with our brollies in tow.
We have been working closely with all our on-trade partners in the last few weeks to ensure your first pint of YellowBelly Beer will be as good as you remembered. Packaged fresh, stored cold with cleaned and well-maintained lines. We want to wish all these retailers the very best, they are the people who have given Irish Craft Beer a chance, and who are supporting local jobs. They have also seen the superior quality of the product, and what it can add to their offering. We are told again and again to support local, and how one euro spent in your local economy has a net value of five euro to that same economy. What better way to highlight this than by drinking delicious, tasty pints made down the road? It is a call to arms that I am sure you can all get behind.
We will be doing our very best to spread the gospel of YellowBelly Beer this year and get into as many new pubs and restaurants as we can. But every little helps, and if your local is not giving you the choice you want, ask for it.
Going out is now a much more valued experience, one that people will not take for granted anymore… Irish Pubs have been working hard on developing their offering in terms of outdoor spaces and food, with tap space traditionally just going to the highest bidder… and let me tell you, our pockets are not deep. The Irish Craft Beer industry will continue to punch above its weight, and we will offer all the support we can to the outlets who put our beers front and centre. If you are reading this and you are considering making the jump into the world of YellowBelly Beer, our lines are open!
Danny
087-6796880 – DIAL-4-PINTS – danny@yellowbellybeer.ie