Black Isle Brewing

What Black Isle Brewing does

Black Isle Brewing is an independently owned, organic craft brewery founded in 1998 by David Gladwin and headquartered on a 130-acre farm in Munlochy on the Black Isle peninsula in the Scottish Highlands. The company produces a portfolio of organic craft beers — including core range lagers, IPAs, ales, porters, and stouts, plus an alcohol-free Halo line and specialty releases such as Thornbush Barrel Aged Scotch Ale — all brewed with 100% organically certified ingredients under OF&G certification, with a five-acre SOPA-accredited regenerative market garden supplying its bars and a sustainability program anchored by 7,000+ planted native trees. The business operates a vertically integrated, omnichannel model: direct-to-consumer e-commerce with UK mainland delivery, trade/wholesale distribution to pubs, bars, restaurants, festivals, hotels and retailers in cask, keg and can formats, two owned craft beer bars in Inverness and Fort William serving wood-fired pizzas and over 100 guest beers, a portfolio of accommodation (Shepherd's Hut, hostel, bar rooms, apartment, farmhouse), workshops and events, and organic apparel and glassware merchandise. Customers span individual consumers, hospitality venues, retailers, event organizers, and hoteliers across the UK; strategic partners include Trees for Life (rewilding), Tomatin Distillery (barrel-aging collaboration), and Ross County FC (Staggies Lager). The company became a Certified B Corporation in 2023 and is led by founder David Gladwin with no disclosed external investment.

Name

Black Isle Brewing

Legal name

Black Isle Brewing Co

Website

https://blackislebrewery.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Black Isle Brewing is an independently owned organic craft brewery founded in 1998 on a 130-acre Scottish Highlands farm, producing certified organic beers via DTC e-commerce, UK wholesale, two owned bars, accommodation, and merchandise for consumers and hospitality venues.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Craft Beer

NAICS

Breweries (312120), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (722410)

SIC

Malt Beverages (2082), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Regional & National Breweries (THAFALAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Craft Beer Bars & Taprooms (THAFAEAG), Taprooms & Brewpubs (CRANACAF)

Keywords

• Organic craft beer
• Craft brewery
• Beverage production
• Hospitality services
• Regenerative agriculture

Headquarters

HQ city

Munlochy

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Direct Beer Sales: Online sales of packaged beer (cans, cases) delivered direct to consumers across the UK mainland with free delivery over £75.
2. Bar Revenue: Sales through two craft beer bars in Inverness and Fort William serving their own beers plus guest craft beers, ciders, wines, spirits and food (wood-fired pizzas).
3. Trade/Wholesale: Supplying pubs, bars, restaurants, festivals, hotels and retail businesses across the UK with beer in cask, keg, and can formats.
4. Merchandise: Sale of branded merchandise including clothing (sweatshirts, t-shirts, hoodies, caps) and glassware.
5. Accommodation: Hospitality offerings including Shepherd's Hut on farm, rooms above Inverness bar, Black Isle Hostel, and apartment above Fort William bar.
6. Workshops and Events: Fees for workshops such as basket making (£250 for two-day course) and other events held at the brewery.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Black Isle Brewing is an organic craft brewery that produces and sells a portfolio of 100% organic beers including lagers, IPAs, ales, porters, stouts, gluten-free and alcohol-free variants in can, cask and keg formats. The company also operates two own-brand craft beer bars (Inverness and Fort William) serving wood-fired pizzas, provides on-farm and city-centre accommodation, runs workshops and events, and supplies a B2B trade channel to pubs, restaurants, hotels, festivals and retailers across the UK.

Product overview

Black Isle Brewing is an organic craft brewery operating since 1998, producing a portfolio of beers across core, seasonal, and alcohol-free ranges. Core products include Red Kite (Amber Ale), Blonde Organic Lager, Organic Pale Ale, Organic Porter, Spider Monkey (IPA), Goldfinch (Gluten-Free Session IPA), Scotch Ale, Hibernator Oatmeal Stout, Helles Unfiltered Lager, and Treehouse Pale Ale. The alcohol-free range includes Halo Alc-Free Organic Lager and Halo Alc-Free Organic IPA. Specialty releases include the Thornbush Barrel Aged Scotch Ale (collaboration with Tomatin Distillery). Beyond beer, the company operates two craft beer bars in Inverness and Fort William, offers accommodation options including shepherd's huts and hostel rooms, runs workshops and events, and sells merchandise including glassware and organic cotton apparel. Products are available direct-to-consumer via the online shop with delivery across the UK.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Black Isle Calling: External events management brand for events hosted at Black Isle venues.

Products and services

• Red Kite Amber Ale Organic Amber Ale, 4.2% ABV, brewed with Palisade, Simcoe and Cascade hops on a base of lager malt with Crystal and Munich malt, offering a fresh but rich malty character.
• Blonde Organic Lager Organic blonde lager, 4.5% ABV, made with lager malt, Hallertau Tradition & Pacific Gem hops and house ale yeast; top fermented and lagered for up to 8 weeks.
• Organic Pale Ale (21 Pale) Unfiltered organic pale ale, 4.1% ABV, with fresh citrus aroma built on lager and wheat malts and hopped with Simcoe, Citra and Nelson Sauvin.
• Organic Porter Organic porter, 4.6% ABV, loaded with chocolate malt and oats for a silky mouthfeel, bittered with Pacific Gem hops.
• Spider Monkey IPA Organic modern IPA, 5.2% ABV, with juicy tropical pineapple and pawpaw character on a lager and wheat malt base with Cascade, Simcoe, Citra and Nelson Sauvin hops.
• Goldfinch Organic Gluten-Free Session IPA Organic gluten-free session IPA, 3.4% ABV, citrusy and hop-forward with Citra, Nelson Sauvin, Simcoe, Chinook, Cascade and Pacific Gem hops; gluten-tested below 10ppm by a UKAS accredited lab.
• Scotch Ale Classic-style organic Scotch Ale, 6.8% ABV, bold and sweet with fruit cake and light spice flavours and herbal hop and dark roast malt aroma.
• Hibernator Oatmeal Stout Organic oatmeal stout, 7% ABV, with roast coffee and chocolate flavours using six different malts plus oats; unfiltered and vegan-friendly.
• Halo Alc-Free Organic Lager Alcohol-free organic lager at 0.3% ABV made with water, malted barley, hops, yeast and wheat.
• Halo Alc-Free Organic IPA Alcohol-free organic IPA with tropical pineapple and tangerine character.
• Helles Unfiltered Lager Organic unfiltered helles lager, 3.4% ABV, crisp and gluten-free, brewed in the German tradition with biscuit flavour and grassy, floral aroma.
• Treehouse Pale Ale Organic pale ale, 4.5% ABV, brewed in partnership with Trees for Life with citrus and pine flavour and floral, zesty, hoppy aroma; one-third of profits go to rewilding the Scottish Highlands.
• Thornbush Barrel Aged Scotch Ale Organic Scotch Ale, 8% ABV, matured for four months in ex-bourbon and sherry casks from Tomatin Distillery with rich fruitcake, dark chocolate, spiced apple and heather honey character.
• Core Mixed 12 Pack Mixed case bundle of six core organic beers (Porter, Goldfinch, Organic Pale Ale, Blonde, Red Kite, Spider Monkey), 2 cans each, totalling 12 x 330ml cans.
• Core Mixed 24 Pack Larger mixed case bundle of six core organic beers (Porter, Goldfinch, Organic Pale Ale, Blonde, Red Kite, Spider Monkey), 4 cans each, totalling 24 x 330ml cans.
• Online Gift Card Digital gift card redeemable for products on the online store, offered in £10, £25, £50, £75 and £100 denominations and valid for 6 months from purchase.
• Basket Making Workshop Two-day beginner's basket-weaving course led by professional basket-maker Tim Palmer at the brewery workshop classroom, including organic tea, coffee, cake and lunch.
• Black Isle Bar Inverness Craft beer bar in central Inverness pouring Black Isle beers and over 100 guest craft beers, plus organic cider, wine, whiskies, spirits and wood-fired pizzas, with a rooftop garden.
• Black Isle Bar Fort William Craft beer and organic pizza bar in Fort William offering Black Isle beers and guest craft beers from around the world, with walk-in only service.
• Brewery and Market Garden Visitor Experience Organic brewery visitor attraction at the Munlochy headquarters featuring daily tours and a brewery shop adjacent to the five-acre SOPA-accredited market garden.
• Shepherd's Hut Accommodation Handcrafted shepherd's hut on the brewery's organic farm overlooking fields with horses, sheep and cows, booked through Airbnb.
• Bar Rooms (Inverness) Guest rooms located above the Black Isle Bar in central Inverness city centre.
• Black Isle Hostel Budget-friendly hostel in Inverness located minutes from the city's train and bus stations.
• Black Isle Bar Apartment (Fort William) Apartment located above the Black Isle Bar in Fort William.
• Old Allangrange Farmhouse Farmhouse accommodation offering an on-farm experience at the Old Allangrange site on Black Isle's organic brewery farm.
• Black Isle Stemmed Glass Branded stemmed glassware, 2/3 pint capacity.
• Black Isle Pint Glass Branded pint glass, 567ml capacity.
• Black Isle Mencia Glass Branded Mencia glass, 2/3 pint capacity.
• Organic Cotton Sweatshirt Organic cotton sweatshirt made from 100% ethically sourced, traceable cotton milled in a wind-powered factory.
• Organic Cotton Hoodie Organic cotton hoodie available in forest green.
• Organic Logo T-shirt 100% organic cotton t-shirt with the Black Isle logo, milled in a wind-powered factory.
• Organic Logo Cap Branded cap made from 100% organic cotton with locally embroidered Black Isle logo.
• Waffle Beanie Branded waffle-knit beanie made from 100% cotton.
• Road Cycle Jersey Unisex cycle jersey made from recycled polyester.
• Bar Runner Premium branded bar runner with non-slip recycled rubber backing and textured cloth print, approximately 82.5cm x 21cm.

Quantifiable outcome

• 7000+ native broadleaf trees planted on farm
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Trees for LifecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Treehouse Pale Ale - one-third of all profits from Treehouse Pale Ale sales go towards Trees for Life's mission to restore nature in the Scottish Highlands. Trees for Life focuses on biodiversity projects and reintroducing species like the Red Squirrel, having planted over 2 million native trees with volunteer help.
• Tomatin DistilleryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Thornbush Barrel-Aged Scotch Ale - Black Isle x Tomatin Distillery product matured for four months in ex-bourbon and sherry casks from Tomatin Distillery.
• Ross County FCminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership to create 'Staggies Lager' - a new beer crafted for fans. A portion of all sales of Staggies Lager goes towards club funds.
• Finn CrockettminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with local cyclist who is a Commonwealth Games medal winner in road cycling (2022). Long-time Black Isle fan and as of last year a medal winner at age 23.
• Northwoods Rewilding NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBlack Isle became a partner within the Northwoods Rewilding Network.
• Fortrose AcademyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudents from Fortrose Academy come to work in the brewery garden over 12-week periods, learning to grow, maintain and harvest vegetables with the Head Gardener who is also a trained horticultural therapist.
• North BrewingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration brewing session - North Brewing visited to brew a collaboration beer at Black Isle.
• OF&G (Organic Farmers & Growers)minorOthersOF&G organic certification logo displayed on website, indicating organic certification through this organization.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Innis & Gunn: Edinburgh-based craft brewery producing beer, including barrel-aged and lager styles, with national UK distribution and a taproom/bar presence. Direct Scottish craft peer with overlapping product portfolio (including alcohol-free) and similar DTC + trade go-to-market.
• Williams Bros Brewing Co: Independent Scottish craft brewery founded in 1988 producing ales and lagers with UK-wide distribution and taproom presence. Closely comparable Scottish craft peer with similar multi-channel model (DTC, wholesale, own venue).
• Harviestoun Brewery: Independent Scottish craft brewery producing ales and lagers (including a recognized low-alcohol/session range) with UK distribution. Comparable craft positioning, alcohol-free portfolio, and Scottish heritage.
• Cromarty Brewing Co: Independently owned Scottish craft brewery producing core and seasonal ales distributed across the UK with a taproom. Closely comparable scale and product mix to Black Isle, focused on the Scottish craft segment.
• Cairngorm Brewery Co: Scottish craft brewery based in the Highlands producing core and seasonal ales with a brewery tap and UK trade distribution. Highly comparable as a Highlands-based independent craft peer with a similar regional footprint and taproom model.

Regional players

• St Peter's Brewery: UK craft brewery producing organic-certified beer with national distribution. Closely comparable on organic certification positioning and premium craft positioning, though more focused on bottling and packaged formats.

Broad incumbents

• Belhaven Brewery: Historic Scottish brewery based in East Lothian producing cask ales and lagers with national UK distribution. Comparable as a Scottish-origin brewery, but operates at much larger scale and is now owned by Greene King.
• BrewDog: Large UK-headquartered craft brewery operating its own bar network, e-commerce, and hotels. Compares to Black Isle on craft positioning, vertical integration (brewery + bars + accommodation) and DTC channels, but at significantly larger scale and with broader geographic reach.

Emerging players

• Northern Monk Brew Co: Independent UK craft brewery operating its own bars, a taproom, and a strong DTC e-commerce platform. Compares to Black Isle on DTC-first growth strategy, modern craft branding, and bar-as-destination model.
• Cloudwater Brew Co: UK craft brewery with a taproom and DTC sales, known for modern hop-forward styles. Comparable to Black Isle on premium craft positioning and DTC/own-venue hybrid model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/blackislebeer

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Black Isle Brewing