What Glen Affric Brewery does

Glen Affric Brewery is a privately-held, family-owned craft brewery founded in November 2016 by Craig McCormick, his father Trevor, brother Calum, and mother Alison, and operated from a single site at 2-5 Lightbox, Knox Street, Birkenhead, Wirral, UK. The brewery's technical core is a state-of-the-art 30HL brewhouse paired with approximately 10,000HL of additional fermentation tank space (30HL, 60HL, and 90HL tanks), a secondary canning line capable of 2,000 cans per hour across 250ml–500ml formats, an inline post-packaging labelling system, and SALSA Approved Plus food-safety accreditation. The product portfolio spans an eclectic beer range (West Coast IPAs, wheat beers, sours, lagers/pilsners, stouts, a gluten-free Mosaic IPA brewed via enzyme technology, and a 0.5% alcohol-free pale ale), zero-sugar soft drinks, hard seltzers, and CBD beverages, with multiple SKUs sold as single cans, mixed 6-packs, gift cards, and branded merchandise.

The brewery monetizes through four distinct go-to-market motions. Direct-to-consumer sales are generated via a Squarespace-hosted e-commerce store with UK-wide delivery (England, Scotland, Wales; geographic restrictions on Northern Ireland, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, Isle of Wight, Republic of Ireland) and an on-site taproom with 25–30 taps and 100+ person capacity (Thursday–Sunday). Trade/wholesale distribution is operated through the Sellar trade platform and EebriaTrade marketplace, reaching pubs, bars, restaurants, and off-trade retailers nationwide. A separate B2B contract manufacturing arm offers third-party brands brewing (30HL–90HL), kegging, canning, and inline labelling services across beer, hard seltzer, soft drinks, and CBD beverages. Brewery tours (limited to 10 persons) and Instagram-driven brand activations complete the marketing and community-engagement layer. Revenue is not publicly disclosed; the company is bootstrapped with no outside equity investment recorded.

Brand equity is anchored in multiple international awards, most notably the World's Best American-style Pale Ale 2020 (Highland Suntan, World Beer Awards) plus European Beer Challenge, International Beer Challenge, and Asia Beer Challenge medals across the Highland Suntan, Tart An Typhoon, and Paxton lines. The brewery was profiled by UK Beer Writer of the Year 2019 Jonny Garrett as 'one of the most underrated breweries in the UK.' The McCormick family's brewing pedigree traces to Craig's tenure at Shanghai Boxing Cat Brewery, and the company's Scottish-Highland-themed brand identity is anchored geographically in Birkenhead despite the planned Cannich, Glen Affric origin.

Name

Glen Affric Brewery

Legal name

Glen Affric Brewery

Website

https://glenaffricbrewery.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Family-owned UK craft brewery (founded 2016, Birkenhead) producing award-winning beers, alcohol-free options, soft drinks, and offering SALSA-accredited contract manufacturing. Serves DTC consumers, on/off-trade hospitality, and B2B beverage brands.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Craft Beer

NAICS

Breweries (31212), Breweries (312120)

SIC

Malt Beverages (2082), Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)

akta.pro primary industry

Beer Brewing & Brands (CRADAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Packaging & Production Breweries (Limited/No On-site Service) (THAFALAB), Brewpubs & Taprooms (On-site Beer Service) (THAFALAA), Alcoholic Beverage Co-Packing (Beer, Wine, Spirits, Cider) (AFAFAIAA)

Keywords

• Craft beer brewing
• Contract beverage manufacturing
• Alcohol-free beverages
• Craft beer wholesale
• Specialty beer production

Headquarters

HQ city

Birkenhead

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Direct-to-Consumer (Online Store): E-commerce sales through their website offering canned beers, beer packs, and merchandise with delivery across the UK. Free shipping on orders of £50+. Customers pay by card via Stripe or PayPal.
2. Taproom Sales: On-site taproom serving 25+ taps with 100+ person capacity. Direct consumption sales of their beers. Open Thursday-Sunday with varying hours.
3. Trade/Wholesale Distribution: B2B sales to distributors and on-trade venues (pubs, bars, restaurants) via Sellar platform and EebriaTrade marketplace. Good UK-wide coverage with distribution partners.
4. Contract Manufacturing: Manufacturing services for third-party beer, hard seltzer, soft drinks, and CBD beverages. Options include brewing, kegging, canning in multiple sizes, and inline labelling.
5. Merchandise: Sale of branded merchandise including apparel, stickers, and accessories through the online store.
6. Gift Cards: Digital gift cards sold in £20-£100 increments, redeemable on the online store. Never expires.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Glen Affric Brewery is a family-owned craft brewery in Birkenhead, UK, producing an extensive range of craft beers (IPA, Pale Ale, Stout, Pilsner, Lager, Wheat Beer, Porter, NEIPA, Sour, Double IPA), alcohol-free beers, low-calorie hard seltzers, soft drinks, and CBD-infused beverages. Operating a 30HL brewhouse with a secondary canning line and SALSA Approved Plus certification, the company serves consumers through its online store and taproom, distributes to the on-trade, and offers contract brewing and contract canning services to other brands.

Product overview

Glen Affric Brewery is an award-winning craft brewery producing an eclectic range of beers for the modern palate. The company operates a unified product portfolio centered on its core beer range (Highland Suntan, Equity IPA, Wheat Series, Sour Series, Lager/Pilsner Series, Stout, and specialty beers like the Metropolis Series Double IPA), supplemented by a 0.5% alcohol-free line (Affric Trail) and sugar-free soft drinks (Glen Affric Soda line). The brewery offers complementary services including an onsite taproom with 30+ taps, contract manufacturing services for other beverage producers, brewery tours, and trade sales distribution. The core beer products are sold in various formats including individual cans, mixed packs (Sour, Wheat, Lager), and gift cards, targeting both direct-to-consumer (online store and taproom) and trade (pubs, restaurants, retailers) channels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Craft Beer Range Bottled and canned craft beers across a wide range of styles (IPA, Pale Ale, Stout, Pilsner, Lager, Wheat Beer, Porter, Amber Ale, NEIPA, Sour, Double IPA), produced on the brewery's 30HL brewhouse and sold via online store, taproom, and trade channels. Targeted at craft beer enthusiasts and on-trade customers.
• Alcohol-Free Beer Alcohol-free beer variants produced using in-house alcohol-free brewing technology on the 30HL brewhouse, sold via online store, taproom, and trade channels. Targeted at consumers seeking low/no-alcohol craft options and on-trade operators needing inclusive menus.
• Hard Seltzers Low-calorie hard seltzers produced at the brewery and sold to consumers and trade customers seeking lighter, lower-calorie alcoholic options.
• Soft Drinks Non-alcoholic soft drinks produced in-house at the brewery, expanding the portfolio beyond beer to reach consumers across age groups and occasions.
• CBD-Infused Beverages Brewery-produced beverages infused with CBD, targeted at consumers seeking functional/wellness drinks with craft-brew provenance.
• Gluten-Free Beer Gluten-free craft beers produced using a dedicated gluten-free enzyme process on the 30HL brewhouse, targeted at consumers with gluten intolerance or those seeking gluten-free craft options.
• Barrel-Aged Beer Programme Limited-edition barrel-aged craft beers produced through the brewery's in-house barrel-age programme, sold as specialty releases to enthusiasts and trade.
• Contract Brewing Services Outsourced craft brewing service for third-party brands using Glen Affric's 30HL brewhouse, SALSA Approved Plus certified processes, and tank farm flexibility. Targeted at brand owners needing certified production capacity without their own brewery.
• Contract Canning Services Outsourced canning service with inline labelling on the brewery's secondary canning line, enabling third-party brands to package beverages without investing in canning equipment. SALSA Approved Plus certified.
• Brewery Taproom On-site taproom at the Birkenhead brewery serving Glen Affric's own beers, seltzers, soft drinks, and CBD beverages directly to walk-in customers. Provides product sampling and direct retail sales.
• Online Store and Gift Cards E-commerce online store selling the brewery's craft beers, seltzers, soft drinks, CBD beverages, and merchandise directly to consumers, including prepaid gift cards for gifting and free-shipping thresholds.

Quantifiable outcome

• World's Best American-style Pale Ale 2020 (Highland Suntan)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• On The Banks 1878minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration for Premier Lager 4.6% - 'On The Banks Of The Royal Blue Mersey'. A specially inspired and brewed lager with a crisp refreshingly malty taste, making it the perfect thirst quenching refreshment.
• WheresWilliamNow (Instagram)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaboration for Will Power Italian Pilsner 5.2%. A beer created in honour of the Crufts award winning celebrity dog of the taproom, with his beautiful face on his owner's favourite beer.
• SellarcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTrade sales platform enabling trade customers to access full product range directly from Glen Affric. Provides full product availability, local direct delivery, nationwide delivery, pay by bank or card, invoice history, and instant messaging.
• EebriaTradecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTrade marketplace where Glen Affric beers are available for trade buyers to purchase.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Cloudwater Brew Co: Manchester-based craft brewery of comparable size and ethos, producing IPAs, sours, and special releases with strong awards pedigree. Closely matched on production scale, premium positioning, and Northern England trade distribution overlap.
• Magic Rock Brewing: Yorkshire-based craft brewery producing hop-forward IPAs, pale ales, and sours. Similar eclectic range, award-winning branding, and taproom + trade distribution model serving overlapping UK on-trade accounts.
• Northern Monk: Leeds-based craft brewery with comparable production capacity, modern brand identity, and multi-channel approach (DTC, on-site Refectory taproom, trade distribution). Competes directly in the Northern England craft beer scene.
• Five Points Brewing: London-based independent craft brewery of comparable size producing core range plus specials, with on-site taproom and UK-wide trade distribution. Similar premium positioning and product breadth.
• Wylam Brewery: North East England craft brewery with on-site taproom, eclectic range including IPAs and barrel-aged beers, and UK trade distribution. Comparable Northern UK positioning and taproom-led brand experience.
• Verdant Brewing Co: Cornwall-based craft brewery specialising in hazy IPAs and fruited sours with strong cult following and awards profile. Comparable size and demographic target with overlapping trade and DTC channels.
• Thornbridge Brewery: Derbyshire-based award-winning craft brewery producing IPAs, sours, stouts, and barrel-aged specials. Comparable scale, awards portfolio, and trade presence across UK pubs and bottle shops.

Broad incumbents

• Camden Town Brewery: London-based craft brewery now majority-owned by AB InBev, producing lagers, pale ales, and Hells lager at scale. Comparable eclectic range and UK-wide availability, but with significantly larger production and distribution footprint backed by a global beverage conglomerate.
• Beavertown Brewery: London-based craft brewery (owned by Heineken) producing IPAs, lagers, and sours with strong brand-led marketing. Comparable eclectic range, multi-channel distribution, and taproom experience aimed at the same UK craft consumer base.
• BrewDog: Scotland-based craft brewery and bar operator that is one of the largest and most recognised UK craft beer brands. Directly comparable multi-channel model (DTC, on-site bars, global trade distribution, contract brewing) and competing in the same on-trade and off-trade accounts as Glen Affric.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/glenaffricbrew
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/glen-affric-brewery

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments1 record

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

Frequently asked questions about Glen Affric Brewery