There’s something in the water at Rye River Brewing Company, one of Ireland’s original craft breweries. Rye River is fast approaching its 10th year in business and has achieved some notable successes. Not only is it the world’s (yes, the world’s!) most decorated brewery for the past two years running, it also became Ireland’s #1 craft retail brewery in 2021!
In a signal of confidence in the future of the industry, and the business, the Celbridge, Co Kildare brewer is going back to the source with a renewed focus on its origins on the banks of the Rye river. As part of the move, Ireland’s No 1-selling craft beer range, McGargles, will now be found under the Rye River brand.
Fans of the well-known and loved McGargles range will be glad to hear that, while the name has changed, the beer recipes themselves are staying exactly as they are. The only difference is that you will now find them under the new Rye River brand, which features an origami Kingfisher. To celebrate the transition, the brewery has also introduced a new beer style to its bottled range: Backwaters American Wheat.
“Our success is down to the hard work and dedication of the team, and the quality and consistency of the beer we produce,” says Tom Cronin, founder and managing director. “We believe that now is the time to have our brand truly reflect who we are, and so we are proud to put Rye River Brewing Company front and centre on our beers, allowing us to connect with more customers in more markets.”
Most popular beer
It has been a challenging time for the beer industry, with the market seeing a significant decline over the past year*. But Rye River has experienced an 11 per cent growth in the same period and has become Ireland’s #1 craft retail brewery (Nielsen, 2021). Its Dan’s Double IPA 8% ABV was the most popular craft beer in 2021, demonstrating that consumers are opting for “less but better”. The beer will now be found as Dam Buster Double IPA under the brewery-led brand.
Something in the water
Speaking about their brewing process, Head Brewer Bill Laukitis said: “The first step in the production of great beer is to get your water consistently right. All our recipes contain a unique water profile that is designed to match the style of beer, using an on-site reverse osmosis purification system that gently purifies the water, allowing us to start with a clean canvas. Our malts and hops are all hand-selected from the very best sources available in the world, with different combinations chosen for different brews.
“Additionally, we propagate our own yeast strains in-house and, to put it plainly, it means we have absolute control over the quality and consistency of the product right from the start.”
The Source
Adding another string to its already well-decorated bow, Rye River is currently making plans to use the brewery as an intimate event space that will be known as “The Source”. Tom Cronin adds that it’s a nod to the brewery as a “source of many good things – creativity, innovation and great-tasting beer”, and that the space will be offered for a series of exclusive intimate events such as live music gigs, comedy, theatre, etc on a complimentary basis.
The Celbridge team acknowledges that they have a “loyal community of beer drinkers that is growing all the time. Coming out of the pandemic, we recognise the need in people to reconnect with shared experiences and we think our brewery is the perfect location to bring people together to celebrate the creativity of others.”
Those interested in registering interest to attend or perform at future events at The Source are encouraged to apply via the website form at www.ryeriverbrewingco.com.
[ www.ryeriverbrewingco.comOpens in new window ]
*Research commissioned by Rye River Brewing Company found that the McGargles range of bottled beers, now Rye River Brewing Company beer range, was the #1 Irish retail craft brewery brand in 2021 (sales).
**World’s most decorated brewery 2020, 2021 at World Beer Awards
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