What Eight Degrees Brewing does

Eight Degrees Brewing is a privately held Irish craft brewery founded in 2011 in Mitchelstown, County Cork, by New Zealander Scott Baigent and Australian Cam Wallace. The company produces and sells a portfolio of award-winning beers — including flagship Irish Pale Ale Howling Gale, Irish Red Ale Sunburnt, Session IPA Seisiún, Pilsner Bohemian, Single Hop IPA Citra, and Single Malt IPA Full Irish — alongside seasonal and limited-edition releases, gift vouchers, brewery tours, and full-service contract brewing for third-party brands. Production is centred on a 60HL Kaspar Schulz brewhouse installed during a late-2018 brewery expansion, which underwrites both own-brand output and contract batch production (minimum 50HL) with packaging across cans, bottles, key kegs and, from mid-2025, stainless steel kegs. The company's soft water source from the Galtee Mountains is positioned as a natural ingredient advantage particularly suited to crisp lagers and pilsners.

The business operates a hybrid distribution model: direct-to-consumer e-commerce with delivery throughout the Republic of Ireland (free over €50), wholesale placement across independent off-licences and supermarket chains, on-trade accounts in bars and restaurants spanning Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Kilkenny, Waterford and Carlow, and weekly Friday brewery tours at €20 per person. The commercial moat rests on accumulated award recognition (multiple World Beer Awards including World's Best honours), brand storytelling tied to Irish landscape and the founders' Antipodean brewing expertise, and the scale of the 60HL asset base relative to most Irish craft peers.

In January 2024, the original founders executed a buyback of the company after an 18-month period away and have since led a renewal programme: installing a new bottling line for a return to 500ml bottles, expanding the core range (Pilsner Premium Irish Lager, Bojanter Irish Stout), accelerating seasonal releases, deepening the Jameson (Pernod Ricard) barrel-aged co-development pipeline, and adding new packaging formats. Eight Degrees remains entirely founder-owned with no external institutional investors identified.

Name

Eight Degrees Brewing

Legal name

Eight Degrees Brewing

Website

https://eightdegrees.ie

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Eight Degrees Brewing is an Irish craft brewery founded in 2011, producing award-winning beer in Mitchelstown, County Cork, on a 60HL Kaspar Schulz brewhouse. It serves Republic of Ireland consumers via D2C e-commerce, off-licences, supermarkets, on-trade accounts, and third-party contract brewing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Craft Beer

NAICS

Breweries (31212)

SIC

Malt Beverages (2082), Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

Beer Brewing & Brands (CRADAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Microbreweries & Craft Breweries (THAFALAC)

Keywords

• Craft beer production
• Irish craft brewery
• Contract brewing services
• Bottled and canned beer
• Brewery tours

Headquarters

HQ city

Mitchelstown

HQ country

Ireland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Beer Product Sales: Direct sales of canned and bottled craft beer to consumers through e-commerce (with delivery across Republic of Ireland) and through retail partners (independent off-licences and supermarkets). Core range includes Howling Gale, Sunburnt, Seisiún, Bohemian, Citra, Full Irish, plus seasonal and limited edition releases.
2. Contract Brewing Services: Full-service contract brewing for established brands looking to scale up production. Clients receive brewing to highest standards with recipe refinement, production optimisation, and strict quality control. Batch options from 50hl with various packaging options.
3. Brewery Tours: Weekly Friday 4pm brewery tours at €20 per person (1 hour duration, max 20 people). Private tours available for groups of 5+ by email arrangement. Located at the brewery in Mitchelstown.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Eight Degrees Brewing is an Irish craft brewery that produces and sells a diverse portfolio of award-winning beers, including core range, seasonal, and limited-edition releases in cans, bottles, and kegs. In addition to packaged beer sales through its own e-commerce shop, independent off-licences, supermarkets, and on-trade venues across the Republic of Ireland, the brewery provides full-service contract brewing using its 60HL Kaspar Schulz brewhouse for established brands and weekly public brewery tours at its Mitchelstown facility.

Product overview

Eight Degrees Brewing is an award-winning Irish craft brewery producing a diverse portfolio of beers. Their core range includes flagship beers like Howling Gale Irish Pale Ale, Sunburnt Irish Red Ale, Seisiún Session IPA, Bohemian Pilsner Lager, Citra Single Hop IPA, Full Irish Single Malt IPA, plus newer additions Pilsner Premium Irish Lager, Bojanter Irish Stout, and Black Ball Metric Stout. Seasonal and limited releases include Double Irish Double IPA, Knockmealdown Stout, Cumulus Lupulus Cloudy IPA, The Crux Double IPA, Hōne's Red IPA, and Dolcita Tropical IPA. The Original Gravity series features artist collaborations on limited releases, while the Irish Munro Series celebrates Ireland's mountains. Services include contract brewing with their 60HL Kaspar Schulz facility and weekly brewery tours.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Howling Gale Irish Pale Ale Flagship Irish Pale Ale and first beer brewed by the brewery in 2011, featuring Cascade and Simcoe hops with a grapefruit citrus aroma at 4.5% ABV, sold in cans, bottles, and on draught to craft beer consumers and on-trade venues.
• Sunburnt Irish Red Ale Traditional Irish Red Ale with caramel notes balanced by Loral and Cascade hops at 5.0% ABV, brewed since 2011 and recognised as World's Best at the 2020 World Beer Awards.
• Seisiún Session IPA Easy-going Session IPA originally brewed as a low-alcohol sipper for beer festivals, featuring Mandarina Bavaria, Citra, Amarillo, and Simcoe hops at 4.5% ABV.
• Bohemian Pilsner Lager
• Citra Single Hop IPA
• Full Irish Single Malt IPA Single Malt IPA made with Irish-grown barley malted in Cork and Simcoe, Cascade, Citra, and Amarillo hops at 6.0% ABV, named Beer of the Year 2015 by Beoir and multiple World Beer Awards Gold winner.
• Pilsner Premium Irish Lager Premium Irish Lager at 4.0% ABV brewed with Irish pale ale and lager malts and Saaz hops, leveraging the soft mountain water from the Galtees.
• Bojanter Irish Stout Dry Irish stout at 4.3% ABV named after the Irish term for a large bottle of stout, featuring toasted dark malts and extra roasted barley.
• Double Irish Double IPA Double IPA at 7.0% ABV featuring premium Irish malted barley and Chinook, Simcoe, Citra, and Amarillo hops, available in 500ml bottles and limited draught.
• Knockmealdown Irish Stout
• Black Ball Metric Stout Metric stout aged in Irish whiskey barrels from Jameson Distillery Midleton at 11.4% ABV, featuring chocolate, dark cherry, and Irish cream notes.
• Cumulus Lupulus Cloudy IPA Cloudy IPA at 5.2% ABV brewed with Irish pale ale malt, oats, and wheat and featuring Nelson Sauvin hops for fruity gooseberry notes.
• The Crux Double IPA Double IPA at 7.7% ABV featuring Pacific Amarillo and Motueka hops for tropical citrus notes.
• Hōne's Red IPA
• Dolcita Tropical IPA Tropical IPA at 5.7% ABV featuring the new Dolcita hop variety, with intense stone fruit aromas and tropical flavours.
• Devil's Ladder Belgian Tripel Limited-edition Belgian Tripel at 11.5% ABV aged in sherry casks, celebrating the Carrauntoohil mountain as part of the Irish Munro Series.
• The Black Road Campfire Porter Limited-edition Campfire Porter at 6.5% ABV featuring beech and oak-smoked malts as part of the Irish Munro Series.
• Fort of the Fianna Belgian IPA Limited-edition Belgian IPA at 5.4% ABV celebrating the Caher mountain as part of the Irish Munro Series.
• Original Gravity Irish Oak-Aged Barleywine Limited-edition Irish oak-aged barleywine at 12.2% ABV, aged in rare Irish whiskey barrels as part of the Original Gravity artist series.
• Original Gravity Hoppy Lager Limited-edition Hoppy Lager at 5.7% ABV featuring Lublin and Hallertau Tradition hops, dry-hopped with Loral and Mandarina Bavaria, from the Original Gravity artist series.
• Original Gravity Kveik Pale Ale Limited-edition Kveik Pale Ale at 5.0% ABV brewed with Hornindal Kveik Norwegian yeast and Mandarina Bavaria, Cascade, and Simcoe hops, from the Original Gravity artist series.
• Original Gravity Juicy IPA Limited-edition Juicy IPA at 6.5% ABV featuring Sabro and HBC 630 hops with triple dry-hopping, from the Original Gravity artist series.
• Déjà Vu Hopfenweisse Hopfenweisse (German wheat beer with dry hopping) at 7.5% ABV, dry-hopped with Mandarina Bavaria.
• Black Ball Metric Stout V3 Metric stout V3 aged in Jameson whiskey barrels at 11.4% ABV with vanilla, dark chocolate, and whiskey notes.
• Contract Brewing Services
• Brewery Tours
• Gift Vouchers

Quantifiable outcome

• Howling Gale voted Best IPA at Molloy's Liquor Stores 2017
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Jameson (Pernod Ricard)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 April 2022Third Jameson Crested x Eight Degrees Brewing collaboration unveiled in April 2022. Collaboration combining Irish whiskey and craft beer expertise. Previous collaborations included Devil's Ladder Belgian Tripel aged in sherry casks and other Jameson Crested collaborations.
• Number 21 Off Licence ChaincoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBradley's Off Licence is part of Number 21 off licence chain with 15 locations across Munster. Distributes Eight Degrees beers including Dolcita Tropical IPA in cans.
• Irish Farmers JournalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFeatured in Irish Farmers Journal article titled 'Is the craft beer industry brimming with opportunity or recklessly optimistic?' discussing the craft beer sector.
• Irish Artists (Original Gravity Series)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOriginal Gravity series celebrates ten years of brewing by showcasing Ireland-based emerging artists on limited beer releases. Five artists featured including Coireall Carroll Kent, Niamh McCarthy, Michael Donnelly, John Culhane, and others.
• Jameson Distillery MidletonflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerBlack Ball Metric Stout aged in Jameson whiskey barrels from Midleton, County Cork. Supply of Irish whiskey barrels for barrel-aged beers.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Diageo Ireland (Guinness): Dominant Irish alcoholic beverage incumbent (Guinness, Hop House 13, Rockshore) controlling the majority of on-trade draught handles in Ireland. Competes for on-trade tap accounts, off-trade shelf space, and consumer occasions; represents the principal competitive backdrop against which Eight Degrees' premium craft positioning must scale.
• Porterhouse Brewing Company: Dublin-based brewing and hospitality group operating brewpubs and producing own-label craft beers distributed in Ireland and internationally. Larger and more diversified than Eight Degrees, but overlapping on Irish craft production and on-trade distribution.

Direct peers

• Kinnegar Brewing: Independent Irish craft brewery based in County Donegal producing a core range of IPAs, lagers, and seasonal releases distributed across Ireland. Directly comparable as a same-size, founder-led Irish craft brewery competing for similar retail and on-trade accounts.
• Wicklow Wolf Brewing Company: Wicklow-based Irish craft brewery producing core range IPAs, lagers, and stouts with national distribution through independent off-licences and on-trade. Comparable scale, similar founder-led operating model, and overlapping product mix.
• Hope Beer: Irish craft beer brand produced via contract brewing at Rye River, distributed through Irish off-licences and on-trade. Comparable craft positioning and channel mix; useful benchmark for contract-brewed brand economics.
• Galway Hooker Brewery: Galway-based Irish craft microbrewery with national off-licence and on-trade distribution, producing a core range including IPAs and lagers. Comparable in scale and Irish craft positioning with similar award-recognition profile.
• Boundary Brewing: Belfast-based independent craft brewery with taproom, contract brewing, and national UK/Irish distribution. Comparable craft brewery model with similar emphasis on contract services.
• Hilden Brewery: Northern Ireland's oldest independent brewery producing core range beers, seasonal releases, and contract brewing services. Closely comparable craft brewery with similar diversification into tours and contract services.
• White Hag Brewery: Sligo-based Irish craft brewery producing a core range and experimental seasonal releases with national distribution. Comparable in scale, founder-led model, and focus on innovative beer styles.
• Rye River Brewing Company: Kildare-based Irish craft brewery operating one of the country's largest independent brewing facilities, with extensive contract brewing (McGargle's, Brú, Hope Beer and others) alongside own-brand distribution. Closest comparable on scale, contract-brewing model, and packaging capabilities.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/8degreesbrewing
• Facebookfacebook.com/eightdegreesbrewing
• Instagraminstagram.com/eightdegreesbrewing
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/eight-degrees-brewing

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Eight Degrees Brewing