Edinburgh brewery Vault City launches series of ‘Iron Brew’ beers to beat the January blues
An Edinburgh brewery has paid tribute to an iconic Scottish drink, launching a four-part series of Irn-Bru-inspired sour beers.
Over the last four years, Edinburgh-based brewer Vault City has attempted to expel January blues with their take on Scotland’s other national drink.
This year will see four Iron Brew sours introduced online and in pubs across the country, including a limited edition can design of the popular 4.8 per cent ABV Iron Brew sour, available for £3.50.
Not for the fainthearted, the imperial Iron Brew Export Strength, costing £6.50, arrives with a stonking 8.4 per cent – and it’s packed in the iconic glass bottles of yore.
For those with a sweeter tooth, a five per cent Raspberry Ripple twist in a 440ml can, costing £4.50, is sure to prove a treat. While, Iron Blue is a 6.3 per cent bubble-gum brew costing £5.50, which will also be sold in glass bottles. The bright blue liquid turns drinkers’ tongues blue.
The drinks can all be bought individually, or as part of a limited-edition gift pack for £22.50.
The orange brews have proven incredibly popular in recent years. As in previous years, it’s hoped the event beer will prove to be enough of an attraction to help pull punters into pubs during Dry January. This year, the beers will launch in over 100 bars and bottle shops.
Vault City co-founder Steven Smith-Hay says he’s confident that the new release will go down a treat – last year the limited-edition brews sold out in less than 48 hours.
He said: “What started as a cheeky nod to a beloved childhood drink has become one of our most popular releases, with the original Iron Brew sour becoming a permanent fixture on our website last year.
“There’s no buzz bigger than when we hear how well these drinks perform in bars, especially in a month like January, notoriously tough for this industry.
“To celebrate four years of Vault City’s boozy spin on the orange drink, we decided to go for a brew bonanza: four drinks inspired by the iconic beverage, and two of them sold in those iconic glass bottles we all know and love!”
Iron Brew Vanilla Ice Cream (£13.50), a limited-edition cocktail based on the Iron Brew ice cream float will also be on offer at the Johnnie Walker experience, made with Johnnie Walker Gold Reserve, Citric Cordial, Iron Brew Sour Beer and Vanilla Ice Cream Foam.